Thank goodness for 7th grade geography class
I can't believe how geographically illiterate I have become.
While in Chicago, I wanted to get back on the highway (I-90) and head West. However, unfortunately, there were no signs that said "I-90 E" or "I-90 W". Instead it was:
I-90
Indiana Wisconsin.
For a second there, I nearly panicked. Where was Indiana? Where was Wisconsin? Were they in the same direction?
Using my jedi powers, I calmed down and thought back to middle school. Pulled up a now largely incomplete mental map of the United States and compared Illinois to Indiana. Fortunately, I was reasonably sure (though sadly not 100% positive) that Indiana was to the East of Illinois. However, I did not want to go East. I wanted West. Was Wisconsin also East? or was it indeed West. Well, rather than remember that Wisconsin was west of Illinois, I used the ol' deductive reasoning skills. I knew that East of Indiana was Ohio and Pennsylvania. And I could have sworn Wisconsin was way out west somehere (remember, this is a NJ-centric geography), then I was reasonably sure, though not as much as before, that Wisconsin was west of Illinois.
After making these conclusions, I learned that it was all for naught because the very next sign differentiated I-90 E and I-90 W. Well, at least I proved to myself that I still have some vague mental map of the Old Northwest.
While in Chicago, I wanted to get back on the highway (I-90) and head West. However, unfortunately, there were no signs that said "I-90 E" or "I-90 W". Instead it was:
I-90
Indiana Wisconsin.
For a second there, I nearly panicked. Where was Indiana? Where was Wisconsin? Were they in the same direction?
Using my jedi powers, I calmed down and thought back to middle school. Pulled up a now largely incomplete mental map of the United States and compared Illinois to Indiana. Fortunately, I was reasonably sure (though sadly not 100% positive) that Indiana was to the East of Illinois. However, I did not want to go East. I wanted West. Was Wisconsin also East? or was it indeed West. Well, rather than remember that Wisconsin was west of Illinois, I used the ol' deductive reasoning skills. I knew that East of Indiana was Ohio and Pennsylvania. And I could have sworn Wisconsin was way out west somehere (remember, this is a NJ-centric geography), then I was reasonably sure, though not as much as before, that Wisconsin was west of Illinois.
After making these conclusions, I learned that it was all for naught because the very next sign differentiated I-90 E and I-90 W. Well, at least I proved to myself that I still have some vague mental map of the Old Northwest.
