My Kind of Town

As a woman, I have a lot of opinions.

As a woman from the South, who has spent the last nine and a half years in the Midwest, I have a lot of opinions.

There's a lot of good about the midwest. But there is one area that could use some improvement: The Topography.

Being from the south (Kentucky so totally counts as the South, y'all), I'm used to having something interesting to look at. Like rivers:

And caves (which are mammoth):

And gorges:

And waterfalls:

And forests:

The midwest... well, it's different. It could use a little something... more.

As I obsess over the mountain view I'm going to have from my sewing room in our new Oregon home, I've been trying to think of all the things I'm going to miss about the midwest - specifically, Chicago. And really, it's the people. I love a lot about this city. It's where I made some of the best friends of my life, where I found myself, where I rediscovered my love of costuming, got my confidence/groove back, and took a lot of risks (mostly the good kind). I ran my first half marathon here and covered endless miles on the lakeshore path. I had more amazing nights out with you people than I can count (or remember). I have had some of the best food of my life here. It was inspiring, and sometimes frustrating, to live and work in such a beautiful, vibrant theatre community.

Most importantly, this is where I met, fell in love with, and married this guy:

Sorry, ladies. He's taken.

But when I balance the fees, the traffic, the taxes, the cost of living, the hordes of people, the smell, and the frantic pace against this:

I mean... c'mon. It's time for me to play in the mountains. And every single one of you will have a place to stay when you want to come play too.

I will miss the crap out of you people.

Chicago, you were great. You gave me so much, for which I will always be thankful. I would never leave you for NYC or LA. They've got nothing on you.

Chicago, I love you.