Midwest life is a weird mix of blizzards in the morning and grilling by 3 PM. Every conversation starts with “So what’s the weather doing by you?” and ends with an overly polite standoff at a 4-way ...

The Midwest has a vibe. It’s polite small talk, casseroles at every gathering, and a deep emotional connection to garage refrigerators. It’s saying “ope” instead of “excuse me” and refusing to take ...