I was in Utica, NY last week.  Reminds me a lot of Albany, there’s a gritty beauty, full of the abandoned hulks of past industry, all rough edges with the hints (coffee shop here, new apartments there) of a resurgent future.

I travel occasionally for work. This sometimes requires me to get up early, like, 4:00 am early. The only time I like being up at 4:00 am is when I'm still up from the night before. Usually way happier, albeit equally or less alert. Still.