I spent the past weekend in Northern Wisconsin rock climbing (or attempting to do so) and it seems that I have come back to Chicago speaking only in rock climbing metaphors. I had to scrap future plans and rearrange my life a bit these past few weeks, meaning that soon I will be living somewhere new and trying my hand at something unexpected so I’m reminding myself frequently: Must not freeze while on rock. Must jump for next hand hold. It’s possible (!) but. only. if. one. jumps.

Earlier this year I had a daydream floating in the back of my mind that I would save up enough money and apply to grants to fund an extended stay in Mexico, where I could write full time. Alas, there have been unexpected expenses and a recent grant decline that calls for me to rearrange my daydreams, putting travels on hold indefinitely. But it’s okay. I’m realizing that I can keep at it, every day, spending as much time writing as my boyfriend spends at the climbing gym, and get the same work done here in Chicago. Plus, because I like working toward improbable goals, I’ve come around and softened my stubborn, slightly skeptical view toward continued education and decided to spend my fall applying to MFAs, hoping that one day a program will have me.

So that’s mainly what’s new with me. I turned 26 last week and am off to a wedding next weekend because well, 'tis the season. In all I’ve made very little progress on my summer to-do list but I did recently make a blueberry crumble for a friend’s birthday and swam in the crystal blue lake of ours twice this July so I’m chalking it up to a win. Mainly I’m just trying to soak it all up before these humid, sweaty, impossibly sunny days leave me.