Finding a New Balance

Every city has its own character and culture. Things that seperate it from other places and remind you exactly of where you are. Today, I visited one of those places for Chicago... I went grocery shopping at Jewel.

Jewel-Osco, owned by Albertson's, is not exclusive to Chicago. However as far as grocery stores go in this city, it's the only one that's worked it's way into our local lexicon. A proper Chicagoan does not say, "I went to the Jewel today." We say, "I went to da Jewels." The store has such a long standing relationship with this city that we've gifted it our most precious of accent markers by replacing 'the' with 'da' (aka, 'da Bears') and unecessarily pluralizing the name.  All the hallmarks of a Chicago icon.

Yes, I could've gone to Whole Foods and I still have my Mariano's club card... but for a woman on a budget, da Jewels is my best option. And it's the most 'local' I've felt since returning to the area six days ago. I have to admit, it's throwing me for a loop not to be shopping at a Safeway.

While I learn to re-embrace the characteristics of my hometown, I'm also pushing to include my new interests. As if it heard my thoughts, the universe provided me with balance by confirming my volunteer spot at the Chicago Improv Festival in late April. My schedule is not final, but I'll have the opportunity to immerse myself in Chicago's improv community - something I greatly miss after returning from Vancouver. 

I keep reminding myself that this is a process and to be patient as I find my footing again. ...I've never been very patient with myself. Even a six month vacation hasn't changed that. Wish me luck.

Best Laid Plans

Just over a week ago my family arrived in Las Vegas to assist me in my drive back to Chicago. However after fifteen minutes in the lobby of my Holiday Inn, they instead drove me to a nearby hospital where I was quickly admitted and spent three days being treated for pneumonia. ...guess I was worse off than I thought.

Eventually we did end up on the road and spent five days driving back to the Chicago area. We passed through Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, and finally Illinois.

The Open Road

Our Little Caravan

We didn't stop for much, but did run across a few interesting things on the road...

Giant Convoy of Military Equipment

...don't mess with Nebraska

So Many Wind Farms!

We stopped overnight in Kearney, Nebraska and stumbled into a festival celebrating the annual migration of 500,000 cranes through the area. We were asked constantly, "Are you here for the cranes?" Eventually I began answering that I was "Here for the pneumonia" ...my patience was short.

I spent the week of our road trip bouncing between two mental states. The majority of the time I spent struggling with the side effects of my many medications. Occasionally, however, I'd force myself back into the original purpose of my road trip - transitioning from my life in Vancouver to my return to life in Chicago. 

Overall I spent 20 consecutive days on the road, but as we finally arrived in the Windy City I felt overwhelmed and under prepared. I was back, but it was incredibly difficult to believe. I've been 'home' three days now, but I'm still confused when I don't wake-up in Vancouver each morning. I feel like I'm going through withdrawal from the life I had created for myself... it seems obvious, but I genuinely didn't expect it to be this challenging. I spend much of my time living vicariously through Facebook and looking through photos from the last six months. 

I'm still under doctors orders to 'take it easy' and 'avoid normal levels of activity' so I'm forced to spend time slowly unpacking and couch-surfing.  I'm unsure if this is helping or hindering my adjustment to life in Chicago...

Either way, I'm here to stay. If only my brain could catch-up.

Gotta Know When to Hold 'Em, Gotta Know When to Fold 'Em

It's tough knowing when to call it quits. As I crossed into my fourth state, Nevada, I had a feeling I might have to. After a visit to urgent care Tuesday evening it was confirmed: I have pneumonia. They're unsure the type, bacterial or viral, but as bacterial is most common we're starting there. (Though last night's doc and I are both leaning towards viral, since this all began after a took a spill in the rainforst.)

My road trip as I had intended it is over. Family are flying out Thursday morning to drive my car, so I may rest, and we will be heading directly back to Chicago. It should take about six days.

This is the opposite of how I envisioned this trip ending. I feel like an explorer who had to send up a flair on the last leg of the journey. It wasn't even supposed to be the hard part! But alas, mine will be the story that ends with the arrival home where someone else is driving the sled, instead of me.

Despite the ego blow, health-wise I feel miserable and these next six days can not pass fast enough. I'm counting the hours until my cavalry arrives.

BLOG NOTE: I do not anticipate updating my blog during these next days. I plan on speaking to you again from Chicago.  Thanks for your readership and curiosity in my journey. It's still going... just on hold a bit.

I May Be Dying of Dysentery

All U.S. 1980's-babies will remember playing the computer game, "The Oregon Trail." It was an educational game in which you managed resources & battled obstacles as your wagon train attempted to make it from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon. Most kids played it in school, some had it at home, but it's stellar DOS graphics and unique methods of peril & death left our generation with a long standing joke: "You Have Died of Dysentery."

Note: I am aware that, sadly, people die of dysentery every day because of a simple lack of access to clean water. As children in a first world country, we found the method of death foreign and ancient. I mean no disrespect when I use it here as a call-back to a childhood game.

The irony of my journey was not lost me as I drove through the pacific northwest. I was literally following the beginning steps in the game...

Stocking-up on Supplies

Organizing the Other People on your Trip.

Mine are in various cities and not in the car, but still...

 Taking Stock and Mapping Travel

All these things have made me giggle like the little kid I was when I first played the game. I giggled on the inside, however, as the respiratory bug I've been battling for weeks has worsened, leaving me to feel like I may meet the iconic ending in the game.

There are many ways to die in Oregon Trail. You could be eaten by a bear, drown when your wagon attempts to cross a river, starve to death, be murdered by a fellow wagon train member during an argument. The one that our generation remembers most, however, is dysentery. It was the most common way to die - no reliable access to clean water. I'm sure the game's creators were trying to teach us about the importance of plumbing systems and the fragile nature of the human body. But as kids, all we knew was that dying of dysentery meant you were dying from something that involved diarrhea. To ten year olds that's hilarious.

Luckily, my issue just involves coughing, sneezing, decreased lung capacity, and general cold / respiratory nastiness. It does, however, make it challenging to drive hundreds of miles when you're taking cold medication and antibiotics. I won't go into the nastier details - we all know what this feels like. Due to my suppressed immune system it means I experience it much longer than most. So far it's going on five weeks.

I'm now in San Francisco being taken care of by my sister's sister-in-law, Maria. Instead of the two of us hitting the town Friday night, she brought me Kleenex, crackers, and soup. She has allowed me to be super-disgusting on her couch and I am eternally grateful.

For the first time in five weeks, I feel like there could be hope to getting better. Maybe that's a lesson they should have included in the original game. ...So many things in life can be fixed by a family member.

...or by a Tardis

Next Up: Multi-day drive to Las Vegas. Wish me luck!

Portland, Oregon

They Stole This From Austin, TX

 Downtown Coffee Shop - They made coffee & tea while playing music on vinyl. 

So much Portland!

World Famous Voodoo Donuts

Underground Portland Tour
My walking tour that afternoon highlighted the more insidious & bizarre parts of Portland's history, which I always find most interesting in any city I visit. We toured half the downtown area, eventually ending in the 'Shanghai Tunnels.' So here's what I learned: The tunnels below the city were not built or used for kidnapping and smuggling sailors to ships waiting in the harbor. This act, known as 'crimping' (I giggled, too) was completely legal and supported by both the population and the local police force. While their spending was an important part of the economy, these ship crews were also considered 'undesirables.' (Except for the captains, they held a different standing.) So after a few days stay in port, local men made deals with ship captains to wrangle and return these ship crews to boats - any boats. The Captains would pay for 20 /21 men and then would leave port before they could abandon the ship. While morally ambiguous, it was completely legal.

The 'Shanghai Tunnels' were originally built to control flood waters each spring and as water cisterns. As the waters rose and the river flooded, the wells or pits would collect and store the water. In the event of a fire, the building's owners, occupants, and fire crews would use that water to put out the blaze. It wasn't until later that the tunnels were used for prostitution and opium dens. For safety purposes they were eventually sealed off - but that wasn't until a few decades ago.

The 'Shanghai Tunnels' are an important and interesting part of the city's history, but no where near as salacious as you may have heard.

Say Cheese!
Just an hour and a half drive west of Portland - out to Hwy 101 - is the town of Tillamook and their famous cheese factory. You may feel this an odd thing to tour, but I disagree. Not only is 'Tour a Cheese Factory' an awesomely quirky road trip activity, but as someone who grew up just a few minutes shy of Wisconsin, it felt like a necessity.

I was worried I'd walk in and be the only person there. After all, it was a Wednesday at 11:30am. But nope, plenty of weird people out there like me AND Tillamook has highly investing in their draw as a roadside attraction.

Still Milk...

MAGIC! Cheese!

 Smaller Cheese!

Exhibit Area with More Information Than I Could Absorb

Ad #1 - Not Sure This is Science

Ad #2 - If This Were True, I Wouldn't Be Battling the Plague Right Now

The most popular part of the tour was the cafe. Oh no, it's not a little stand. It was a specially built addition to the building that offers salads, burgers, and my favorite, an entire menu of grilled cheese sandwiches. 

A Classic with Tots

The cafe also hosts a VERY large ice cream bar with home made waffle cones, and giant sundaes that give Ben & Jerry's a run for their money. After my lunch I wanted to go small...

This Is a Junior Cone!

It was also some of the best ice cream I've ever had.

Whether or not you have an interest in dairy farming or quirky roadside activities, Tillamook is a great stop on your trip. If you need some convincing, most of the drive out goes through Tillamook State Forest with multiple trail heads and picturesque mountains with pine trees. A beautiful drive for a very tasty treat.

Next Stop: San Francisco, CA for a weekend of fun with family!

My Canadian Hangover

I was unsure how I'd feel on my last full day in Vancouver. I assumed I'd be sad, angry, frustrated, bemoaning the task of packing, etc... but I didn't. I just felt happy. I had taken time to reflect on my journey the day prior and it left me feeling very satisfied with my time in Vancouver in a way I didn't expect. I originally left Chicago for Van in an attempt to detox from my job, reset myself and the direction of my life... and I feel like I've succeeded.

That evening I was treated to a lovely & humbling goodbye party with my improv family. Our group of students very quickly became my chosen family in Vancouver and boy, did they give me a proper send-off! I don't really have photos from that evening because I was too busy enjoying it. To me, saying goodbye to friends is much more about conversations than standing around taking pictures. (Don't get me wrong, there's a few wacky moments on camera, but they're for us to laugh at. Not everything needs to be on the internet!)

Love Notes

My amazing-aussie-Amanda organized our evening and gifted me a card with messages from each member of our group, as well as a frame with multiple photos of us. It's now sitting next to the TV in my hotel room, where it will rest in each city I stop in. 

Only Available in Canada

Robert ensured I was well-stocked in my Canadian delicacies before crossing the border. The Kinder Surprise Egg is now illegal in the States, so I had to open it and just take the toy inside.

Tinkerbell! 

 Letters From Home

Roxi & Karla gifted me amusing postcards to mail during my road trip, a little pick-me-up book for those lonely moments I'm sure to encounter, and a book about beavers. Because, Canada.

The group also graciously and unnecessarily plied me with copious amounts of vodka over our six hours at the bar. (Yikes!) I hugged and cried until the bar closed and they poured me into a cab around 1:30 a.m. I am so humbled by their generosity. My colleagues, friends, and family in Chicago were so supportive when I left my hometown. It still boggles my mind that my departure from Vancouver was just as lovely.

The Next Day...
Did you see above where I mentioned "copious amounts of vodka?" Folks, it was not necessary for everyone to buy me a drink. There were nearly 15 of you over the course of the evening! But you did...

I had a deadline to leave my extended-stay home by 10:30 am and still had to load half my car. In my 'slower state' it took me two and a half hours to complete everything and I handed in my keys with two minutes to spare. Success!

My Bags Are Packed, I'm Ready To Go...

I didn't stick around after taking this picture. I plugged in my GPS, set it for Washington State instead of British Columbia, and drove directly to the U.S. border.

Reaching the Seattle area, I had the pleasure of meeting a childhood friend & her family for dinner. We ate pizza & gelato, I told stories with her elementary school-aged daughter, and was exhausted just watching her chase around her son. I had a great time.

I can't be bothered to look up - I'm eating gelato.

Not only did I have a great evening, but it gave me a wonderful start the U.S. portion of my road trip. I left my Vancouver family and walked right into another. I don't know what good karma I earned, but I'm getting it back in spades.

I'm also still a bit hungover... it appears Vancouver will be with me for a while. ...That's ok with me.