(Forget) February

thank you for voting, 2/22/11
Originally uploaded by mod as hell

It IS over. Isn't it? Easily the worst month for me, personally, I've had in a long, long time (2010 overall still was worse, since this blog hasn't recovered from it yet). Not just that there's one unresolved situation that started the month off badly and gnawed at me every day (if considerably less so by the past week), but...well, other frustrating things, many of them having to do with Chicago, the kinds of stories I've wanted to talk about to get this beyond a personal blog and be respectable again.

Such as: the election! This photo is a quick shorthand for the lousy month (and my timing isn't completely bad, since 2/28 was the day of the big reveal of the identity of the @MayorEmanuel Twitter. I trust you can find plenty about it elsewhere). At least I voted...

Oh hey, it's Valentine's Day

Valentine's decorated Thrift (Salvation Army, S. Western)
Originally uploaded by katherine of chicago

At least I know I haven't posted this photo here before, since I only posted it on Flickr a few days ago (it's from 2010, hence the lack of mountains of snow). And if there's anyone reading this blog who somehow hasn't seen my "What nerds do for Valentine's Day" candy hearts image, just search that on Flickr.

I am on the verge of writing a real post again and a serious one and it'll be about Valentines and self-improvement and such, and late but I don't really care...I'm trying to be in a good enough mood to write something a bit depressing, if that makes sense (i.e., never write while crying).

Today wasn't terrible: I had some fun on the internet. I know that's not what's supposed to make me happy, but it's about all I've got right now, so...Waking up to hit 500 Twitter followers for the first time, and as promised when I reached that number, changing my icon temporarily to a mildly racy photo of myself (uh, this was timed very awkwardly for Valentine's Day). I found out someone had first tried Jeppson's Malort on a previous V-Day and coined the term "Malortiversary," to the delight of several. (My own first experience with said beverage was at a party in summer 2010.)

I had my first bike ride of a couple-miles-plus round-trip in a while, and went to a usual haunt (New Wave Coffee), fueling myself to work on the aforementioned personal piece but right then they started blasting very obnoxious (at least under circumstances of wanting relative quiet for introspection and contemplation and all) music loudly. (Also, I had their delicious breakfast sandwich for the first time--an online friend had it the first time he visited NWC, and I was sitting at the table we'd sat at, and we're not in touch much but right as I sat there he texted me about another Chicago visit. Eeerie!) Even better, I got my bike back in the garage for the first time since before the blizzard!

And then I should have gone out, but bought Berghoff and Goose Island beer at the nearby store instead, and I'm debating the other piece and writing this for now. Hoping all of you had a good Valentine's Day.

This is 2011.

buried garage, Humboldt Park
Originally uploaded by katherine of chicago

It appears every time I try to re-commit to this blog I fail more spectacularly, so I'll make no promises now. Just...hey, happy no-longer-new year! Thank you to anyone who supported me and my work in 2010. I am definitely interested in finally getting this blog to be more of a place for photoessays and travelogues than the random personal stuff and isolated photos I've been doing.

I've made progress on the computer issues, I've had some good experiences in the past few months, but right now things are very challenging, and besides the functioning computer setup I need to commit myself to getting a roommate, a job, and I guess, a therapist. (Any assistance greatly welcome, through email or social media since apparently this blog only attracts spam comments, I've been told.) There's a heavy essay delving more deeply into all this I've been afraid to write and afraid to post, but I can't avoid it forever.

But at least today, a week after the 2011 Blizzard, I got my bicycle back and working. (I walked about three miles round-trip just before and as the blizzard hit to retrieve my bicycle from a CTA station and leave it at a store to get a flat fixed.) Even a few blocks in the brutal cold was exhilarating (it'd be better if the brakes functioned better; not much room for error when the streets are full of slush.) Alas, the garage still looks essentially like this photo. You can find a small (well it is right now, because I was only able to post photos taken with the camera on my new smartphone) set on Flickr.

NaBloPoMo, day 2

Trains Magazine, August 1975
Originally uploaded by mod as hell

It's late, I'm sleepy, I fell asleep during election coverage and waiting for my computer to restart and having to redo things I was working on. I picked an image nearly at random. I may write tomorrow about Election Day...I may even have a new image from the day. Here's something from my vast collection of train-related things on this Flickr account.

NaBloPoMo, day 1

"My Favourite Collects"
Originally uploaded by mod as hell

So I've decided to participate in National Blog Posting Month, in which I'll post something every day to BOTH my blogs (which I haven't been on much in a while, but I won't give another explanation right now). I found out about it too late last year to join in, but I figured I'd try it. (I've also signed up for its precursor, National Novel Writing Month--but haven't started yet. I don't write fiction, so my results will either be disastrous, or thinly-veiled nonfiction, or straight-up memoir, making me a NaNoWriMo "rebel."--that's a category on their site.)

Hopefully I can finally move from blogging-from-Flickr to my long-planned ideas for turning this blog into more of a blog of photo essays. And I've got a lot to add to the blogroll. And need to delete all the spam comments I was told I've gotten.

Right now I'll just start slow with a random photo from Flickr (I'd forgotten this one, but it had the most recent activity on this Flickr account, so why not).

See you tomorrow! No, I mean it.

oh! the big announcement!

post-storm sunset, Humboldt Park
Originally uploaded by katherine of chicago

I didn't mean to vanish from this blog or my other one for weeks, but I've had computer trouble I haven't addressed yet (or more accurately, the hours I spent at the Apple Store earlier this year didn't help).

The next post was supposed to be about a huge project called 50 Till 15 (with #50till15 on Twitter), counting down the 50 days until my 15 year anniversary of living in Chicago. Featuring photos taken over my 15 years of carrying a camera virtually every day and seeing every neighborhood in that time (which, can I just suggest, would make a person a fascinating subject for an article or interview?).

That didn't happen...so I changed it to 15 Till 15 (and #15till15). Still couldn't do it. Now it's almost time. I will post something on August 11, the Chicagoversary, but my exciting and not-too-sappy ideas for what I was going to do to commemorate this time will have to wait. (My most important/essential Chicago places, most missed places, biggest regrets [about living in Chicago--not about work/relationships/etc.], zany accomplishments, etc.)

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY!

...THE PLACE!, Logan Square
Originally uploaded by katherine of chicago

...what's with all the caps? Anyway, a few days ago it occurred to me something was coming up, and I should do a variety of projects to commemorate it. Including something every day on this blog and my main Flickr account, and possibly my sports blog and my other Flickr account, since I'd like to post on all four of those every day if possible, and this project has something for everyone. Oh, and I'll put it on Twitter, too, with an annoying hashtag.

Later tonight. Right now though I want to go for my 4th bike ride of the day. I only got my bike working again last Friday, and I have a lot of catching up to do. I don't want to be out long, as my k of c Flickr page is less than 500 views away from 1 million all time and I'd like to see that when it happens...

let's go Hawks

GO BLACKHAWKS
Originally uploaded by katherine of chicago

It's been hard to get much done at this blog when Chicago has a Stanley Cup Finals going on for the first time since I moved here. And when my main blog for months (even if I've been neglecting it too) is my other one about sports, A Little Chippy, and hockey is by far my favorite sport. (Most of my sports content goes on the other blog but I have a few stories and photo essays I'll be cross-posting...)

So, here's a small, tasteful message for the team, taken on my first Metra ride in weeks (okay, months), passing through Galewood on Chicago's northwest side, last Sunday.

(Apologies for the much-delayed update of how the literary reading I announced below went. It was great--photos/links coming.)

Two days from now!

KofC reads at this event, Friday 5/28
Originally uploaded by katherine of chicago

I'll be reading at this. Yes, posting two items in a row on the same event but it's a pretty big deal! And I'll post again on Friday! And I've got to work on the piece right now!

this is kind of a huge deal (to me)

This reading. The first literary reading for my longtime Chicago friend Jason's arts/literature center, and, oh, MY FIRST READING IN YEARS. Four or five years? I'm not sure. I haven't performed live since sometime before I reestablished (am I allowed to say "rebranded"?) myself as "Katherine of Chicago" in 2007 (I actually worry people won't know it's me with the name on the flyer!). I've missed it very much. I've thought of organizing my own events--about Chicago, about public transit, about urban exploration/abandoned buildings, about hockey--who knows. But reading at someone else's event is a good start. Especially since he picked a theme of urban decay/renewal!

May 28 in Hyde Park. More announcements to follow. I'll be writing a new piece...about the best story that's happened in my KofC days that I haven't yet told (well, it's a story I've told partially on Flickr). I'll have to look somewhat decent. I'll have to bring booze.