Special Lil City

Apologies for bitter me trolling out in that last entry. I was walking from a gig to the train yesterday with another comedian talking about how much non-Chicago friends complain when they visit. I live on the third floor, but I never think about it until I have guest from out of town (huff huff huff). You've gotta leave a half hour of public transit wiggle room. Yes, you have to wait for a table at brunch. Yes, you can go somewhere else. Yes, there will be a wait there too. Buy the tickets in advance. It does smell like pee right here.

I remember it too. My first two? Three? Four months? I was so tired. I realized all my shoes were $10 Forever 21 flats, and I was coming home hobbled and aching. I walk at least two miles a day just getting to and from the train. I was hungrier and there was less affordable food. I didn't realize I was overwhelmed with the people around me all the time. I was a person who acknowledged others on the train and in passing, and it exhausted my senses.

Now it's just life. I more likely to take a hack anyway. I eat more snacks at 7/11, Lyft Line exists, I wear a backpack, a tank top all winter so I don't sweat in foyers. But. All the daily difficulties are still there, and while I rarely think about them, they accumulate and bubble and infrequently burst and maybe I hassle a stranger on social media look, I'm sorry.

So the flip side is that this place is still so special. Last weekend for instance, on Friday I went downtown to meet a friend for fancy tourists-love-it icebox cake and free advanced tickets front row tickets to the hottest play of da year. And Saturday I graded papers before doing two shows at different theatres (in one I played a narcoleptic hedgehog and in the other Tara Lipinski). Sunday I had a meeting for a showcase and a 10 PM. This weekend I saw a dark new play in Edgewater, kicked butt in step class, did a celebration show for a wonderful charity, followed by a 9 PM, and today I will see another new work (dang!) matinee and meet with a writing partner before my 10 PM. Good Chi, grateful Chi.