Neurotic As Hell

September 6, 2016

in 40×40 List, Austin, North America, Texas, travel, United States

On Austin. And hope.

A few weeks ago, I had a day. A day where I was both upset over something and excited about something and my emotions were all over the place. And all I kept thinking, all that day, was, "I need change." "I need to make my world what I want it to be." "I need to reclaim my life." So, that day, I signed up for guitar lessons and bought a Groupon for salsa lessons and looked up tattoo artists and booked a flight. Because, sometimes, I go overboard. But anyways. I booked a flight to Austin that day because it's been on my list...

Haul of vegetables from Green City Market

September 1, 2016

in Chicago Life

August Alive.

Things have started getting better. I've started feeling better. I've started feeling more alive again. Of course, when I'm feeling good, when I'm feeling alive, I tend to go overboard, I tend to take on more things. I tend to overextend. I'm hoping, now, I'm able to balance. I'm hoping, now, I won't fall down another rabbit hole. I suppose we'll see what happens next. But, August. August was a good month. Here are some of the things I did...

Brisket plate with jalapeno cheese grits and campfire chili beans at Micklethwait Craft Meats food truck in Austin, Texas.

August 29, 2016

in 40×40 List, Austin, food, North America, Texas, travel, United States

Life List #216: Eat everything in Austin, Texas.

I had but one goal for my four-night vacation in Austin, Texas: eat everything. Austin's food scene excited me. The city is probably best known for tacos and Tex-Mex and barbecue. And who wouldn't be excited for tacos and Tex-Mex and barbecue? But it goes beyond that. There are food trucks on seemingly every corner, in every empty lot, attached to every bar. And those food trucks specialize in every cuisine and fare imaginable. Indian food. Eggrolls. Bacon-wrapped hot dogs. Peruvian creole. And there are just as many brick and mortars, from tiny whole-in-the-walls to fancy cocktail joints. And...

I take a lot of walks along the lakefront.

August 19, 2016

in Chicago Life

Reclaiming my life.

Someone once asked me why I like long-term travel. I thought for a second before replying, "When you're home you wake up every morning and think, 'What do I have to do today?' But, when you're traveling, you wake up and think, 'What do I want to do today?'" It was harder going from a full-time life of wants to a full-time life of have-tos than I led myself to believe. I was more depressed, coming home from travel, than I led myself to believe. That's not to say that being home isn't what I wanted. That's not to say that having a...

August 15, 2016

in fig tree, figs, relationships

On Figs and Metaphors and Men.

If you asked him, he'd tell you that I cry at everything. And, I suppose, in some ways, that's true. Because the girl he met did cry at everything. The girl he met was timid, shy, anxious, innocent, naive, emotionally unstable. Crying was her knee-jerk reaction to anything, everything she couldn't handle. And there were a lot of things she couldn't handle....

Miki Sudo wins the women's competition at the 2016 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hod dog eating contest at Coney Island.

August 4, 2016

in competitive eating, Fourth of July, holiday, New York, travel, United States

Women eat too, you know.

Every Fourth of July the best eaters in the world congregate at Coney Island and go head to head in the world's greatest hot dog eating contest. Half of those eaters are women. You might not know that from the media coverage of the contest. After all, the men's eating contest gets broadcast on ESPN while the women's is only ever available online. The women's contest is lucky to get a thirty second spot on the televised broadcast. And Joey Chestnut and Matt Stonie, ranked the number one and two eaters in the world, dominate the press, become trending topics on Facebook,...

August 1, 2016

in Chicago Life

Walking in July.

Do you want to know what I did in July? I walked. I got up early and ran on the elliptical before work. In the morning, I got off the train two stops early and walked the last mile to work. At night, I got off the train a stop or two early and walked home. I walked around the park, dodging the children and teenagers and adults hunting Pokemon. I walked around my neighborhood, winding down all the streets I've never before visited. I took six mile walks to other neighborhoods. I took ten mile walks along the lake. Much to...

Joey Chestnut wins the 2016 Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest at Coney Island.

July 13, 2016

in competitive eating, Fourth of July, holiday, New York, travel, United States

On traditions, the Fourth of July, and a hot dog eating contest.

Joey Chestnut and Matt Stonie took their prime spots at the center of the table and, from the moment the clock started ticking down, they were both fully focused on the win. For the first few HDBs they were neck and neck but, by two minutes in, Joey Chestnut had eaten to a steady lead. As the minutes ticked down and more hot dogs were eaten it was no longer a question of who would win, it was a question of whether the record would or would not be broken....

July 8, 2016

in New York, North America, travel, United States

New York. This Year.

I spent Fourth of July weekend in New York. Obviously. It was my eighth visit since my first time in 1999 and my seventh Fourth of July spent in the city since 2007. Whew. I was there, mainly, for the annual hot dog eating contest but, with an extended weekend, I also got a little chance to wander the city. I suppose the more times I end up in New York the less time I spend in Manhattan and the less time I feel the need to do actual things there. This time, I hung out in Park Slope with Amber, who...

July 2, 2016

in Chicago Life

In June I…

Went to a bonfire at Promontory Point in Hyde Park. Went to Maifest and Do Division festivals. Watched a lot of The Bachelorette. (And seriously, why has no one ever greeted me for a date with a boy band serenade? Or picked me up on a unicorn? Or taken me on a date to Argentina?) Went to the farmers market and bought vegetables coughbutreallycookiescough. Went to a Travel Massive event and met Mount Rushmore's George Washington. Made kolaczki for a work pot luck....

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Choosing Figs Blog

On Austin. And hope.

August Alive.

Life List #216: Eat everything in Austin, Texas.

Reclaiming my life.

On Figs and Metaphors and Men.

Women eat too, you know.

Walking in July.

On traditions, the Fourth of July, and a hot dog eating contest.

New York. This Year.

In June I…

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