I live a completely different life ever since moving to Chicago from the suburbs.

In the suburbs, my options were television or the internet. If by chance I wanted to go out, there wasn’t really anywhere to go. Everywhere is homogeneous with Starbuck’s, Jewel and Blockbuster, palpably sucking the culture and livelihood out of every suburban community. Life was/is boring. Places like the Wheaton Grand are trying to change that but don’t seem very successful and thus aren’t really the greatest option. (I’ve made fun of them before, but in retrospect I do respect what they’re trying to do.)

Within city limits, I’m never bored and never alone (unless I want to be). In fact, the big problem I have these days is that there’s TOO much to do. I’ve discovered that “American culture” isn’t just an oxymoron.

Sure, I could drive into Chicago from time to time, but let’s face it. It’s a visit. It’s a drive. I just couldn’t do it every weekend, and I really wouldn’t get to know all the cool people here. I’d still be experiencing the music, theater, art and community from the outside.

Yes, Chicago has its difficulties too. The traffic, the parking, the expensiveness – I’m still trying to figure it all out, deal with it, and just get over it. I may never.

I don’t know if it’s a Chicago thing or just a city thing. I’ve never lived in any other major metropolitan area so I can’t say. I’m not going to stick a cliche up your butt and say it’s “my kind of town,” but I also don’t really see any advantages to moving to New York or LA (Maybe Paris if the opportunity ever came up). This place is changing me; I’m not sure if it’s for good or bad, but I’m not going back.