Chicago

Cold, dirty, old and crowded, on one fall in love with her by first look.

I always felt the natives have a better taste in naming their places, Malibu, Seattle, and of course, Chicago. When the colonist from the old world took their turns, they just simply added a new to everything, New Orleans, New Hampshire, and so on. The British had a chance to beat the Dutch on the subject of creativity, but by the end of the day, they just simply replaced New Amsterdam with New York.

For “Chicago”, I liked the name, until one day one of my dearest friend told me, “Hey Dennis, do you know the city got its name after an onion field!”.

“Really,” I said.

“Yes, Chicago is onion in the native language.”

“Ok”

After all this wasn’t such a fancy name. The fascination with what is distant and different often shapes our preferences and perceptions. It’s a curious aspect of human nature to find enchantment in the exotic, in what lies beyond our immediate world.

This brings me back to my choice of mechanical drawing pencils. I had always held a strong admiration for German products – a belief that products from Europe were inherently superior in quality. Brands like rOtring symbolized the high standards and meticulous craftsmanship I associated with German products.

To my surprise, during an encounter with a European friend who shared my interest in mechanical pencils, he expressed a preference for pencils made in Japan and Korea. It seems like people just like each other’s stuff. Just as I was drawn to the European craft while my friend found a unique allure in the craftsmanship and design of Asian’s. Our desires and interests often gravitate towards what we perceive as exotic or different from our own cultural norms.

I realize that our attraction to the unfamiliar, be it in city names or everyday objects, is a testament to our inherent desire to connect with a world larger than our own. And on that point, in a big world, there’s a small self, reflecting on this city of Chicago.”