Shapes

I have completed a most interesting book on geography and history entitled: How the States Got Their Shapes, by Mark Stein. Essentially, the title of the book reveals the contents. How did each of the states come to have their respective shapes? What's the deal with West Virginia? (Have you ever really studied the shape of this state closely? It's absolutely weird!) Why are Colorado and Wyoming nearly identical rectangles? And the most interesting question as far as I'm concerned . . . why would anyone in his/her right mind want to live in Indiana when there are far more interesting states to live in?

Reading this book helped me to understand why Aaron H. wants to move to New Mexico. It's far more intriguing.

Shapes and sizes, of course, define much of what we do. People are drawn to some shapes, and not others. People have always considered me square, for example. My wife is a peach. My dog is an oval. I prefer triangles. In fact, I would drive a triangular car if they made one. But I'm stuck driving a box in a little box state.

Some day I'm going to break away like A.H. and buy a triangular car, load my square body into the circular seat and drive away to a hexagon-shaped island in the middle of a rhomboid sea.