in the beginning

I've lived in Chicago for almost nine years (this June). I moved here from Staunton VA in 2008 for a few reasons:

I wanted to walk down the street without recognizing anyone.
I wanted to be able to go to awesome museums.
I didn't want to have to have a car.
the guy I was seeing asked me if I wanted to be a big fish in a little pond, or a little fish in a big pond, and I chose the latter.
I was bored, and felt like my life was stale.
I wanted to try something new.
and, if we're being honest, I was developing a crush on a guy here in Chicago who said I could stay with him, if I decided to move.

so I moved. it only took about a month to make the decision, and as with most things in my life, I didn't think about it too much, I just did it: visited Chicago in May, went to a Cubs game, loved it, packed up my station wagon two weeks later with my cat and everything I wanted to own, and drove into the city around 2am on June 24th. it was terrifying, and exciting, and a little crazy/irresponsible, but adventurous.

so almost nine years I've been here, and I'm finally in a place where I can start doing things "the Virginia way" while still having the option to go to outstanding museums, ride a bike nearly everywhere, and order Vietnamese food in the early hours of the morning.

so this is the story.

I live in a loft in an artist's building in Wicker Park with some pretty cool guys, I work a retail gig, and occasionally do bike courier jobs to get the bills paid, I still have that cat (her name is Olivia), and I added two dogs, Ike and Al, into the mix. this Spring I'm going all in: I'm singing songs on my guitar, I'm growing flowers and vegetables, I'm making kombucha, I'm vermicomposting (red wigglers), and my beehive should be installed by the end of the month. living that hippie life.

I know there are people here in the city and surrounding suburbs doing it better, and bigger, and prettier, but here I am. I'm on the map. and if, at the end of the Summer, I can make a substantial salad from my garden, and top it off with some sweet honey from my beehive, I'll consider it a success.