Sold during Covid-19 pandemic....proud of myself!

I’ve been a performing musician for most of my life. I make the distinction of “performing musician” because it’s pertinent to this blog. I’m a formally trained trumpet player who’s played with many different groups spanning many different musical genres.

Recently I decided to delve into improv, taking classes to start. I loved it from the get go. I had a feeling I would either love it or hate it (would it be too much like “Dungeons and Dragons” that I didn’t like as a kid?) I think I have my first improv teacher to thank for introducing me to the world with such magic, knowledge, and happiness.

Anyway, you might think improv and music would be so similar, and henceforth, the reason I fell in love with improv. But I’ve come to realize that they are SO different.

Performing music is such an intensive experience- most notably involving so much preparation ahead of time. Knowing the music, practicing your part by yourself, then combining it with the group which involves even more prep ahead of the performance. If you’re playing legit music (where strictly playing the notes and markings on the page is everything), the magic that happens is predictable (albeit wonderful). With improv, the fact that nothing is planned is what makes it so exciting for me.
Yes, you take classes with others, and if the stars align (as in my case), you gel with others so much so that you form an improv troupe and perform together. This involves rehearsing to make sure that you understand whichever form you are doing. But then, everything else is made up and that’s where the magic happens.

As a musician, I rely on another musician I’m playing with to know and execute their part. But with improv, I have no idea what I and my improv partner(s) on stage will create…but I know they have my back and that I’m not alone. There’s a freedom in not having to come to the stage prepared. Yes I still love music- it’ll always be my first creative love.

Yes both improv and music involve the magic of creativity and the right brain experience. But they are so so different. Maybe that difference is the reason I love it so much.

As the warmer weather is fading out and cooler nights prevail, it won’t be long before the nasty sting of winter hits. That makes me worry for animals lost outside. Most people I’ve seen around Andersonville with dogs seem to be lovingly attentive to them…taking them for walks, picking up after them, even occasionally giving them treats. So why are the neighborhood cat moms and dads having a hard time tending to their fur-babies? Almost daily people are posting about their cats getting out and being lost!  I’m thankful for apps like Nextdoor that allow neighbors to post about such things, but the amount of lost animals seems like an epidemic to me. It makes me so sad for people because I am such an animal lover and want people’s beloved animal-babies to be loved and cared for indoors. It breaks my heart that anyone would have to go to bed not knowing where their companion animals are. *Note of suggestion- don’t willingly let them outside*

I know, cats are lil sneaks and want to run through doors, but perhaps an extra moment of diligence might help prevent escapes? Andersonville residents are mostly kind and helpful and have used Nextdoor to post found animals. I’m grateful for that as I’m sure those worried pet owners are as well. 

So take an extra minute today to hug your wonderful animals. They love unconditionally and only need your best care in return.

Andersonville is chock full of so many amazing things- shops, locale, the people. I want to make the place I live and love even better. Might I suggest a vegan restaurant? Or how about those wonderful restaurants that are here offer more vegan options? A woman cannot subsist solely on salads and Impossa Burgers! Yes, we do cook but one of the perks of living here is the short walk to dining establishments.  I love Andersonville and want to support it; that’s why it’s sad to me that I need to go to other neighborhoods to get vegan food. My money then goes to supporting that neighborhood rather than Andersonville.

A little back story about what brought me to veganism: I’ve been vegetarian for 14 years. It’s a path I took for animal rights. Back then, the vegan cheese and non-dairy options were, quite frankly, bleak. My wife first offered me a taste of vegan cheese and I couldn’t even bring it to my lips because it smelled so awful! As time went on, companies perfected vegan milk. Yum! Now when the hell is that vegan cheese gonna melt? Finally, not too long ago, it happened- vegan cheese that tastes great AND melts! Gold. In addition, it was bothering me to partake in cruelty to animals in anyway….so I went vegan and never looked back! Might I add that it helped with my health a great deal- I’ve lost upwards of 70 lbs over the course of years and kept it off. 

There are more people going vegan for a variety of reasons. The point is, there should be more vegan restaurants in every neighborhood. All restaurants should definitely offer more vegan options on their menu. The obligatory salad option (if you hold the dairy cheese and dressing) is just not enough...especially with the increasing vegan "meat" options. More healthy people AND less cruelty? That's a win!

I'm starting this blog with a story about what brought me to my current neighborhood...one which I've loved even before living here. 

I was a suburbanite for the majority of my life and I liked it (or so I thought). My wife and I, being vegan, found ourselves in the city (Chicago) much of our free time.  Oh the vegan dining options! In the burbs our best hope was Chipotle...and although we liked it, there's only so many variations we could make on beans, rice, and lettuce. Besides the dining, we liked the atmosphere, the inclusivity and welcoming community feel of Andersonville, and the shops. 

My wife works in the city and had a gross commute and was getting sick of it. She'd always wanted to try living in Chicago, so she slowly but surely started working on me. Wait, back it up a second Robin! You just raved about hanging in Andersonville. Why wouldn't you want to live here?  Well, I did like a little breathing room between me and my neighbors. I mean, I'll be on one side of my fence, and I'll happily wave to you on your side....but there's no need to pass you the sugar from my window.  Also, a quiet place to come home to after a long day of real-estating is nice (read no shared floors or walls or hearing what neighbors were watching on tv). And the parking? Um, I liked my non-shared garage with tool chest and workbench, thank you!  So where does that leave us in the story? Ah yes, the title of this post. I decided to be The Good Wife and move for my wife. Yes, I made my opinions very well known to anyone who would listen before I agreed. When our friends wonder how we've acclimated, they turn to me and ask how I like it. I answer with a huge smile and tell everyone I love it!! We found a quiet building with lovely neighbors AND gated parking (that workbench will wait for another day). My commute doesn't change since I drive all around the city and burbs anyway, but my wife's commute has been cut down tremendously. And I do love taking public transportation when I can! Andersonville has such a sense of community and feels more close-knit to me. I love saying hi and meeting new people on our walks. 

Before this makes me look too much like a martyr, let me add that it's really my wife who is The Good Wife. We looked at several places before purchasing our current one. And those checked off all my wife's boxes...which I would've been fine with. But when she saw my face light up upon seeing our place, she's the one who compromised to make me happy.

And I am! So happy with Andersonville...my city home.