I'm moving to Urbana Champaign, IL. After nearly 39 years living in New York State, 34 of which were in New York City, 5 in Rochester, I am heading out to the Midwest.
I'm nervous. I'm excited. I'm sad.
I'm dreading the actual move which is estimated as an 11-hour drive.
On August 31st, I will be homeless for about a week, staying with my aunt and uncle here in Rochester.
My wife wants to try living somewhere new. She's been in Rochester longer than I have and decided she's done with this place.
I have no connection to the Midwest. Two of my brothers lived in Wisconsin for about 5 years, but they've moved back to NYS already. Another brother of mine lived in Chicago, IL for almost 2 years and hated it. He couldn't stand the winters there. Too cold and too long for him.
Now I'll give living in the Midwest a shot.
I've already found two figure drawing sessions that offer sessions weekly. One is through the University of Illinois and the other through an artist collective. I could draw three times a week if I really wanted.
I've found a boxing gym. I know that there is a rowing community out there too. There is a Planet Fitness and Crunch Gym. I'll probably keep Planet Fitness for now but may switch over to Crunch (I like that they have real power racks and barbells that aren't attached to machines.)
I have a close friend living in Chicago. My wife has her friends in Chicago.
We'll be living in Savoy, IL in a nice three-bedroom home with a big, finished basement. Our surrounding area is just a bunch of corn fields.
I've never lived in such a rural area before. The University of Illinois is literally the heart of that "city."
We will be there for two years max.
I need to live in a proper city. Chicago is the ultimate goal.
Something tells me we may move back to NYS in the future. We might even move to NYC if it makes financial sense.
The "hero" always returns home at the end of the journey if we're following Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey model.
The only way I can return to NYC is if I'm making a lot of money. At least $250K for it to make sense.
Living in Urbana Champaign will be my "monk mode" phase of life. I'll be turning 40 over there. I want to get into excellent physical shape, develop a consistent studio practice, and refine my musical chops. Lord knows I'll have the time out there with the lack of distractions.
I want to grow as an artist and really lean into my creative practice. Most of all, I want to connect with more people. I want to connect with artists and like-minded people.
This move can be a real opportunity for me to further realize who I'm meant to be. Resurrect old dreams and live the life I want to live.
