Ode to Chicago
Sep. 11th, 2007 10:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
starzkiOperation "Living in Sin" is now it Phase II. (Phase I was scribefigaro moving his stuff into our new apartment. Phase II is me moving my stuff into our new apartment. Phase III is when both of us actually move ourselves into our new apartment [ETA December].)
So, since I'm moving next week, I figured it would be okay to disclose to the whole internet where I currently live and why I love it and that I'll miss it. My future is withscribefigaro and I'm looking forward to it more than anything I can imagine, but a fond farewell to Chicago, IL is in order.
Dear, dear Chicago,
Goodbye Chicago. I really do love you.
starzki
scribefigaro moving his stuff into our new apartment. Phase II is me moving my stuff into our new apartment. Phase III is when both of us actually move ourselves into our new apartment [ETA December].)So, since I'm moving next week, I figured it would be okay to disclose to the whole internet where I currently live and why I love it and that I'll miss it. My future is with
scribefigaro and I'm looking forward to it more than anything I can imagine, but a fond farewell to Chicago, IL is in order.Dear, dear Chicago,
I knew this day would come and I knew it would be hard, but the time has come to say goodbye. I've lived in both the Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville neighborhoods and I've appreciated every experience I've had here.
I'll start with the things I will not miss:
I won't miss April. It stays so cold and spring never seems to come.
I won't miss perfect strangers yelling at me about my dog.
I won't miss belligerent drunks leering at me.
I won't miss the fear that comes with being a female in an urban setting.
I won't miss the piss and vomit on the sidewalks in my neighborhoods.
What I will miss.
I'll miss the skyline. I feel like I own it, like I conquered it. It's mine. I'll miss all of the buildings in all of the neighborhoods. Even rundown buildings have something special about them that make me love them. It's the history and Chicago-ness that charms me in ways I can't explain.
I'll miss the CTA. As much as public transportation can let a person down, it was always way better than owning a car. Yes, I'd have an extra 20 minutes of commuting, but with a car, I'd spend that 20 minutes looking for parking and then paying for garages or traffic tickets. I'll miss the "L" and the Red Line that took me almost everywhere I needed to go.
Similarly, I'll miss the Chicago grid system. I could find a location based on addresses and cross streets, even if I had never been in that part of the city. And using the CTA, I could get just about anywhere in the city in about an hour or less.
I'll miss the Cubs and Wrigley Field. I lived practically next door to the "friendly confines" and it was always exciting between April and September/October. I moved to Wrigleyville in the Fall of '03, when the Cubs nearly made it to the playoffs. It was so amazing. And the Cubs are the only abusive relationship I'll allow myself to have.
I'll miss Boystown. I've lived off of North Halsted for the last four years and love the beautiful gay men I see everyday. They're always respectful and they always were ready to extend a smile and a kind word. I'll miss my first transvestite of spring. There are transvestites year round, but spring is when the heavy coats come off and I can see the fabulous outfit underneath. I'll also miss being able to get a dildo, riding crop, or a set of handcuffs the moment I need them. Not that I ever have, but I always liked that I could find them if I wanted.
I'll miss the lake. I'll miss running on the lake. I'll miss the irony that running in the city means tree-lined paths through beautiful parks while running in the suburbs means running on asphalt with little or no sidewalks to keep me safe.
I'll miss the vibe the city can get. I'll miss the energy.
I'll miss that I can walk no more than a mile and have anything I'll want or need. From coffee to clothes to doggy daycare to vegan restaurants to bars to parks; it's all here within walking distance.
I'll miss the familiarity I have with the streets I know. I'll miss walking the dog in my beautiful neighborhoods when the weather is nice. I'll miss the people in my neighborhood that I've come to know (the crossing guard, the old man on the Vespa who loves my dog, neighbors with dogs who like to play with my dog, etc.) I'll miss the sky over the buildings. I'll miss the smell. I'll really miss these years of my life. I figured out who I truly was here. I metscribefigaro here, both on the Internet and in person. I got engaged here.
I have wonderful things in store for me, I know. But I also appreciate all of the wonderful things I've already experienced.
I'll start with the things I will not miss:
I won't miss April. It stays so cold and spring never seems to come.
I won't miss perfect strangers yelling at me about my dog.
I won't miss belligerent drunks leering at me.
I won't miss the fear that comes with being a female in an urban setting.
I won't miss the piss and vomit on the sidewalks in my neighborhoods.
What I will miss.
I'll miss the skyline. I feel like I own it, like I conquered it. It's mine. I'll miss all of the buildings in all of the neighborhoods. Even rundown buildings have something special about them that make me love them. It's the history and Chicago-ness that charms me in ways I can't explain.
I'll miss the CTA. As much as public transportation can let a person down, it was always way better than owning a car. Yes, I'd have an extra 20 minutes of commuting, but with a car, I'd spend that 20 minutes looking for parking and then paying for garages or traffic tickets. I'll miss the "L" and the Red Line that took me almost everywhere I needed to go.
Similarly, I'll miss the Chicago grid system. I could find a location based on addresses and cross streets, even if I had never been in that part of the city. And using the CTA, I could get just about anywhere in the city in about an hour or less.
I'll miss the Cubs and Wrigley Field. I lived practically next door to the "friendly confines" and it was always exciting between April and September/October. I moved to Wrigleyville in the Fall of '03, when the Cubs nearly made it to the playoffs. It was so amazing. And the Cubs are the only abusive relationship I'll allow myself to have.
I'll miss Boystown. I've lived off of North Halsted for the last four years and love the beautiful gay men I see everyday. They're always respectful and they always were ready to extend a smile and a kind word. I'll miss my first transvestite of spring. There are transvestites year round, but spring is when the heavy coats come off and I can see the fabulous outfit underneath. I'll also miss being able to get a dildo, riding crop, or a set of handcuffs the moment I need them. Not that I ever have, but I always liked that I could find them if I wanted.
I'll miss the lake. I'll miss running on the lake. I'll miss the irony that running in the city means tree-lined paths through beautiful parks while running in the suburbs means running on asphalt with little or no sidewalks to keep me safe.
I'll miss the vibe the city can get. I'll miss the energy.
I'll miss that I can walk no more than a mile and have anything I'll want or need. From coffee to clothes to doggy daycare to vegan restaurants to bars to parks; it's all here within walking distance.
I'll miss the familiarity I have with the streets I know. I'll miss walking the dog in my beautiful neighborhoods when the weather is nice. I'll miss the people in my neighborhood that I've come to know (the crossing guard, the old man on the Vespa who loves my dog, neighbors with dogs who like to play with my dog, etc.) I'll miss the sky over the buildings. I'll miss the smell. I'll really miss these years of my life. I figured out who I truly was here. I met
scribefigaro here, both on the Internet and in person. I got engaged here.I have wonderful things in store for me, I know. But I also appreciate all of the wonderful things I've already experienced.
Goodbye Chicago. I really do love you.
starzki
