I’ve haunted a local Caribou Coffee since returning to Michigan. What do you expect? Fancy coffees, in the great scheme of things, are cheap indulgences. Plus, with free wi-fi, it keeps me off the streets for a while.

Which brings me to today’s subject: the streets. I often don’t know what to think about homelessness. I believe in a broad safety net. Not everyone gets a strong, nurtured start in life (like I did), and not everyone can work hard and leverage that work into a good financial position (like I have). I try to respect that dreary fact of capitalism. At the same time, when an able-bodied person on the street asks me for cash, I feel it doesn’t respect the work that got me to where I am.

But, I’m reminded today that my position, here in the warmth, drinking my $4 smoothie, pecking on my laptop, is one of privilege. The spur for this reality check? From where I roost I’m watching a homeless man, maybe in his early 50s, underdressed in the near-freezing cold, sitting on a stone bench sucking eggs.

No, really. He’s plucking them one by one from the foam carton perched on his skinny legs. He thumps each just enough to open up one end, then kicks his head back to suck them down. He’s gone through almost the whole dozen.

Somehow this man fell through the safety net. Maybe he has no family. Maybe he’s unbalanced and can’t keep a job. Maybe with medication he’d be able to support himself. Maybe he’s just lazy.

Whatever the reason, it’s the richest country in the world, and the homeless suck eggs.

I’ve been debated for using terms like “Florida chilly.” I guess you’d call that a retronym for what I knew as “chilly” until moving away from Michigan. And, at least until I get the other peninsula state out of my system, I’ll call that “Michigan chilly.” Point being: 50 degrees feels different to me in Michigan than it does in Florida. I may even dress the same there as I might here for the same temperature, but it’s all about perception. Down South, I always felt the chill a bit more.

For example, this last weekend it was in the low 50s. Such a forecast would have kept me inside watching TV more often than not in good ol’ FLA. But, as a born-again Michigander, I walked around without a care or a coat in the sun-warmed air. Downtown Royal Oak crawled with people doing the same. It’s all about perception.

Today’s temperature is expected to near 70 degrees. I expect to see people walking around in shorts.

But enough about the weather. Some recommendations:

• See 300, the movie New York Times‘ reviewer A.O. Scott called “stupid.” (Rising to his taunts, 300 called Scott funny looking.) The film is beautiful, relentless and bloody, an excellent example of what I call a “big” movie. My only criticism is that it seemed to attract lunkheads who think it’s OK to use a mobile phone in a theater. The same lunkheads had brought young children to an extremely graphic, albeit stylized, R-rated movie. I hope seeing such carnage doesn’t lead to those kids growing into lunkheads themselves.
• Sign up for eMusic. If you like off-the-beaten-path artists, like I do, you’re remiss not to subscribe, like I was. Plus, you get 25 tracks just for kicking the virtual tires.
• Don’t underestimate the body slam of a young child. You’ll regret it, like I do. It won’t happen again.

That’s all for now. I have a sunny day to explore.

It’s official: I’m a Michigander again. Florida was nice while it lasted. I spent a little over four years in the other peninsula state; about twice as long as planned. I enjoyed the sun, the warmth and, especially, the fresh grouper. Still, settling back home feels good.

I know plenty of people who have left Michigan for personal or professional reasons. For me, it was the latter. When I left in Jan. 2003, jobs here seemed hard to come by for a young professional with my skills. I don’t know yet if it’s gotten any better. Between its weather and its economy, Michigan has a kind of Darwinian quality. Unlike four years ago, I have a stronger attitude (and more sources from which to gather strength), and I remain optimistic.

Many of those I know who left, like me, came back. Some might describe Michigan in terms of its gravity, like a black hole. It either keeps you here or pulls you back eventually. There’s some truth there. The key, I now believe, lies in learning to surf that gravitational wave.

I believe I’ve already thanked face-to-face everyone who made my move easier (or even possible). I also think I thanked all those who made Florida so welcoming during my stay. If I missed anyone in either category, I apologize. Thank you.