except when it is cloudy, of course. But as I was walking towards downtown I once again realized how truly dwarfish our "skyscrapers" are. We have two buildings that jut slightly over the heads of the "lesser" buildings and structures but I honestly find it hard to be terribly impressed by them. One First National Center stands a whopping 634' and the Woodmen Tower, made moderately famous to those unfamiliar with large insurance companies by director and local hero Alexander Payne's movie About Schmidt, is a hardly notable 478'. As I passed them today I didn't have to crane my neck or strain my eyes to see their top floors. I thought about how I would feel perhaps a larger helping of local pride if there were immense monuments declaring something to be proud of.
Although this derth of height helps keep a definite humble air about town, even with the fact of being eighth in the country in both per-capita billionaires and fortune 500 companies, it also helps the sunshine reach the wide city streets and numerous neighborhood parks. So when the sun shines it pours all over every cove and alley in Omaha. So in retrospect I am quite shamed by my lack of attention to things that actually matter in making a city truly great. Tall buildings are probably more of a hinderance to helpful pride and happiness as they separate rather than bring community. Even these relatively short buildings distracted me from noticing elements far more lovely than any edifice could afford.
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