Meta: Not having had regular internet access in four months has curtailed my digital persona. This is massively out of date, and is out of chronology with July’s post, poted below. Just trying to keep the record straight.
So there are pretty big things afoot.
Narratively:
Since we last left off, I’ve gone to NYC for an audition (got it, more on that here), hung out with some crazy asian lawyers, reconnected with some friends from high school and college, gone home for a wedding of one of my best friends, visited my folks, had my tarot cards read, came back to Chicago and booked an understudy gig at Lookingglass, got a raise at the bike shop, quit the pizza shop, went to six flags with my swedish roommate, Ian, and (maybe?) a Girl, and now – just now – got back from a weekly fire spinning practice session in my neighborhood.
So much for the factual narrative.
Thematically:
I’ve been working on relaxation a lot lately – and it has taken a surprising amount of work. My dad once said that the Albuquerque Academy was training us all to be overworked and stressed out adults. Something to that. This last year and a half of my life has been so massively exciting and rewarding that I have a hard time reconciling it to the awful dark times of the summer of 06. In particular, since moving to Chicago I have had an awful lot of fun.
Now fun, see, this is serious stuff. And maybe now, having had so much of it, I know a little more about it. There are, okay, at least two broad categories of fun. One is an adventure, excitement-based fun. This, I think, is my strong suit, generally speaking. And many people, I think, would agree here. A strong and unapologetic enthusiasm for life. (Cut to thevideo.) I understood my move to Chicago as a big adventure when I did it, and it certainly has been. Arriving with a duffel bag and a plan, I have succeeded in all of my turn-of-the-century-young-man-as-immigrant dreams. Adventure. Excitement.
Which is also tiring, I have discovered.
The deep wellsprings of enthusiasm have dried up. Which is not to say that the spending of them wasn’t rewarding, or that I am not richer all the way round – only that I need to read and look at clouds for a while.
Having my tarot cards read was one of the most educational and helpful things I’ve ever had done to me. Very little of it was prediction oriented – it worked much more like a big and loosely narrative rorschach extravaganza. And rorschach tests are pretty useful.
August 1, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Its good to get an update on what you’ve been up to my man! I’m glad to hear that things are generally going well. If you’re still in Chicago I should try and visit for a little bit before you leave. I’ve always wanted to check the place out :).
You’ve accomplished a great deal since you first left for Chicago. I’m very proud of what you’ve accomplished, and in some ways envious of the adventure you’ve had. All of us in the core have gone to do some pretty amazing things with our lives so far, but I do think there is something to be said for some down time. I think everyone can use some time to relax, enjoy the small things and simple pleasures of life, and recharge a bit before embarking on the next adventure :).
Its really good to hear from you. Gimme a call at some point. We have lots of catching up to do :)