This was the year that I quit. I quit everything. I quit guitar lessons. I quit salsa dancing. I quit my softball team. I quit relationships. I quit blogging.
I guess that quit might be too a strong word. Stopped might be better. I stopped going. I stopped caring. I stopped showing up. I didn’t purposely leave any of those things. I didn’t yell, “I QUIT!” and storm off in a huff. There were no calculated decisions. No pros and cons lists.
I just didn’t have the energy to keep going. With anything. And so, I stopped.
I spent most of the year trying to claw myself out of a bad situation. But the more I tried the more I got pushed back down. And then everything felt even worse. And so, I stopped trying at that too.
Sorry if I’m vague here but it’s something I can’t talk about online. I promise I’m OK. I’m just not happy.
I never stopped blogging. Blogging has always been one of the things that’s made me happiest. But, for a time, this year, I rarely wrote anything. In all, I wrote 21 posts this year. 22, I suppose, if you count this one. Five of those were in January. The next five spread from February through July. There were four months where I didn’t write a thing. Part of it was that it was hard to write when I knew I couldn’t write the truth, what I was really feeling. And that cloud over my head was a cloud over my writing. And then I just lost any energy to write anything at all.
I’m back, though, kind of, sort of, with a renewed energy and a different focus. I’m taking different steps this time. Stepping towards what I really need instead of temporary fixes. It sucks more in the meantime but I’m hoping that, eventually, things will work out.
Sorry, vague. Whatever.
Anyways, since I was absent here, here is the year that I didn’t blog…
I marched at the women’s march.
Chicago Women’s March
Chicago Women’s March
Chicago Women’s March
Chicago Women’s March
Chicago Women’s March
I ate. A lot.
Bacon stuffed pancakes at Over Easy in Lincoln Square.
Beignets at Big Jones brunch.
Ham, pickles, and pimento cheese at Big Jones brunch.
Spoonbread at Big Jones brunch.
Chaurice and peach butter crepes at Big Jones brunch.
Birthday lobster roll at Luke’s Lobster.
Budlong hot chicken.
Liver dumpling soup at Chicago Brauhaus.
Pork Schnitzel at Chicago Brauhaus.
Coconut Chicken and waffles at Golden Nugget Pancake House.
Dimo’s Pizza.
Dimo’s Pizza.
Cocktail at Bad Apple in Lincoln Square.
The Fig is In Burger at Bad Apple in Lincoln Square.
Fish and Chips at Elephant and Castle.
Johnny cakes at Gather in Lincoln Square.
Sausages at Gene’s Rooftop in Lincoln Square.
Rahm Schnitzel at Himmel’s in Lincoln Square.
Hot Doug’s Taco in a Bag.
Sausage at Jerry’s Sandwich Shop.
Shrimp skewers at Latinicity.
Shrimp and grits at Luella’s.
Strawberry milkshake at Margie’s.
Cheeky Nando’s.
Waffle and bacon at Golden Nugget.
Blueberry pancakes at Kanela Breakfast Club.
Pie for here and pie to go at Bang Bang Pie.
Brisket and sausage at Smoke Daddy BBQ.
Tacos at Big Star.
Cocktails at The Sixth.
Cocktails at The Sixth.
Cocktails at The Sixth.
Short rib sandwich at Two Brothers Roundhouse.
Grizzly Pear Cinder at Will’s Northwoods Inn.
Cheese curds at Will’s Northwoods Inn.
Pork Belly torta at Xoco.
Spinach pizza at Pequod’s.
And had a lot of doughnuts.
NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY
NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY
Red Velvet doughnut at The Grind in Lincoln Square.
Paczki Day
Infused doughnut at a Yelp networking event.
Speaking of eating a lot, my friend Nick came to visit for a weekend. And we ate. A lot.
Fish fry at Parson’s Chicken and Fish.
Fried amish chicken at Parson’s Chicken and Fish.
Hush puppies and cheese curd fritters at Parson’s Chicken and Fish.
Monsieur Coconut cocktail at Parson’s Chicken & FIsh.
Best Intentions Fancy CocktailBar in Chicago.
Moscow Mule in a soup can at Best Intentions.
Wondermint Malted at Best Intentions.
Bang Bang Pie.
Emporium Barcade in Logan Square.
Emporium Barcade in Logan Square.
Beer cheese pretzel and bacon fat popcorn at Revolution Brewing Brewpub.
Beer flight at Revolution Brewing Brewpub.
Cocktail at Furious Spoon in Logan Square.
Cocktail at Furious Spoon in Logan Square.
Ramen at Furious Spoon in Logan Square.
Chilaquiles at Cafe Selmaire in Lincoln Square.
Guacamole at Big Star.
Taco de Zanahorias at Big Star.
Double chocolate doughnut from Stan’s.
Hot Doug’s Pizza at Piece Chicago.
Beer at Piece Chicago.
iO improv in Chicago.
I went to some festivals.
And, yup, ate some stuff there.
Beer and sausage at Maifest Chicago.
Maifest Chicago.
Square Roots Festival
Square Roots Festival
Budlong hot chicken at Square Roots Festival.
Ice cream sandwich at Square Roots Festival.
Square Roots Festival
Taste of Chicago
Pork Paticon at Taste of Chicago
Gator bites at Taste of Chicago
Cheesecake at Taste of Chicago
Taste of Randolph
Taste of Randolph
Beer festival at the Field Museum.
Beer festival at the Field Museum.
Beer festival at the Field Museum.
Christkindlmarket Chicago
Potato pancakes at Christkindlmarket Chicago
Christkindlmarket Chicago
And I went to Ribfest
Where I watched other people eat in the ribs eating contest.
Ribfest Chicago Ribmania Ribs Eating Contest
Ribfest Chicago Ribmania Ribs Eating Contest
Ribfest Chicago Ribmania Ribs Eating Contest
Ribfest Chicago Ribmania Ribs Eating Contest
I celebrated Fourth of July in Chicago for the first time in almost 10 years.
Fourth of July in Chicago.
Fourth of July in Chicago.
Fourth of July in Chicago.
I played some skeeball.
The one thing I didn’t quit.
Skeeball league.
Skeeball league.
Skeeball league.
Skeeball league.
Skeeball league.
I went to the Field Museum to see the tattoo exhibit.
The Field Museum in Chicago
Tattoo exhibit at The Field Museum in Chicago
Tattoo exhibit at The Field Museum in Chicago
Tattoo exhibit at The Field Museum in Chicago
Sue the dinosaur at The Field Museum in Chicago
Non alcoholic beverage plants at The Field Museum in Chicago
Figs at The Field Museum in Chicago
And the Smart Museum to see…concrete…
Concrete at the Smart Museum in Chicago
Smart Museum in Chicago
Smart Museum in Chicago
Concrete Vagina at the Smart Museum in Chicago
And I briefly dated a guy who took me to see concrete.
My mom fractured both of her shoulders.
I had to take care of her and her crazy dog for a week.
And I did a bunch of other random things…
Hillary Clinton going away karaoke party.
Hillary Clinton going away karaoke party.
Hillary Clinton going away karaoke party.
Idea potluck.
Me and some trophy.
Me and Alyssa at a salsa mixer.
Take your dog to work day.
Aladdin.
Bel Canto the Opera screening.
Chicago Voices concert.
Chicago Voices concert.
Hubbard Street Space.
Jesus Christ Superstar.
Rough Night screening.
Rough Night screening.
Rough Night screening.
Israel Travel Massive
Israel Travel Massive
Toronto Travel Massive
Toronto Travel Massive
Toronto Travel Massive
Toronto Travel Massive
Toronto Travel Massive
Florida Travel Massive
And, in case you missed it, here are some of the things I actually did blog about this year:
Hi, I'm Val. I spent most of my 20s in a standstill, unable to pick which path in life I wanted to take. I wanted the nomadic life of a traveler but also wanted the husband, the condo, and the kitten. Unable to decide which life I wanted more, I did nothing. When I turned 30 I’d had enough of putting my life on hold and decided to start “choosing my figs.” So, I quit my job, bought a one-way ticket to Europe, and traveled for three years. Now I'm back in Chicago, decorating my apartment in all the teal, petting my cats, and planning my next adventure.
All in all, blogged or not blogged, it looks to me like you had an interesting year… Of course, I say that as someone who LOVES to eat (and drink beer, and visit museums, and festivals). Heck, the hi-light of my year was making it back to my hometown (Milwaukee)_ for State Fair in August… so that I could get cream puffs there, for the first time in years!
I’ve been living in California for a decade and a half (can’t stand the midwestern cold… although I STILL love summers and early fall there!
I’ve gone through writer’s block for years now…
Over the years my bad poetry evolved in to a “blog” for a few years… and then back to bad, twisted , often politically charged (angry, but with snarky humor) poetry… and now the most I can stay focused on is a great line or two to start, but can’t complete.
Any, way you seem like you’re really an amazing, interesting person. I have enjoyed your blog (when you do blog), and hope you again find some enthusiasm for doing it!
Sometimes, words are evasive… but in time they do return!
Tom Dunne ("Jose Dunn" on Facebook)
December 28, 2017at12:03 pmMaybe you just need a NEW fig tree?
All in all, blogged or not blogged, it looks to me like you had an interesting year… Of course, I say that as someone who LOVES to eat (and drink beer, and visit museums, and festivals). Heck, the hi-light of my year was making it back to my hometown (Milwaukee)_ for State Fair in August… so that I could get cream puffs there, for the first time in years!
I’ve been living in California for a decade and a half (can’t stand the midwestern cold… although I STILL love summers and early fall there!
I’ve gone through writer’s block for years now…
Over the years my bad poetry evolved in to a “blog” for a few years… and then back to bad, twisted , often politically charged (angry, but with snarky humor) poetry… and now the most I can stay focused on is a great line or two to start, but can’t complete.
In case you’re the least bit curious…
https://caliwhine.blogspot.com/
Any, way you seem like you’re really an amazing, interesting person. I have enjoyed your blog (when you do blog), and hope you again find some enthusiasm for doing it!
Sometimes, words are evasive… but in time they do return!
Here’s to a Happier 2018!!!
Jen
December 28, 2017at2:46 pm::Hugs:: Here’s to a better 2018! And you’re right, you are less obsessed with Hamilton than I am. Got my tickets to see it again in Seattle!
Diane Marelli
January 3, 2018at10:48 pmHope to read more of your blogs in 2018! Here’s to a good year…