Three weeks in Chicago and three big lessons I've learned:

1.  This is going to take some time.  Ezra, (Mr. Equity actor boyfriend) and I met with a casting director at one of the big Equity houses here and he encouraged us to take our time and get to know the theatre companies and the community.  See productions and determine whether or not we would be a good fit for that company.  Audition with their playing space in mind.  Take classes and make connections in the theatre community.  We were grateful for the advice and I realized (and this is something I didn't think about when I lived here four years ago) that planting roots in the Chicago theatre community will take some time - just like the roots of any other living organism.

2.  It takes an hour to get just about anywhere.  On the El, on the bus, in the car - one hour.  To walk, to wait, to board, to ride, to deboard, to walk again.  To check my hair after walking in the wind.  One hour.

3.  I choose art.  Yes, I'm afraid of the bills and October rent being due and at this moment, I'm ready to work at least 40 hours a week in whatever capacity.  But my life will never be about my nice possessions.  It will be about the odd piece of furniture I found in the alley, brought home, scrubbed and sanitized and reinvented to be the greatest conversation piece in my apartment.  The creation and the conversation will fulfill me.  And, as much as I think I might be happier with a living room set from a catalog, happiness will be in the rose-made-of-palm-leaf, purchased by Ezra from a Savannah sidewalk vendor, that sits on the dash of my car.