see as i saw

Despite no longer being beholden to daily posting, I couldn't seem to break the habit today.  There was sunlight, a rare winter occurrence.  Even though it was a balmy 25 degrees outside, I bundled up and spent as much quality time with my camera as possible...until my fingers went numb.  Then I stopped at Starbucks and had a hot chocolate.

Even though the scenery is mostly dreary and colorless, I made it my mission to somehow draw out visual interest with the textures, light and shadows.  I'm relatively pleased with my little mission, although there were quite a few duds in the camera roll.

By the nature of my job duties, I sift through inordinate amounts of internet content.  Even if I don't stop to read full articles, every day is a veritable Cliff's Notes of news, informative articles and pop culture.

This prologue has a point.

Today I learned about the revival of the original Herbal Essences.  The kind with a scent that could somewhat rightfully claim the herbal title.  I was a loyal purchaser, turned detractor when they changed up the whole product line.  Thanks to dying market share, they're looking for people like me and hoping we'll come traipsing back to their shelves for a revival.

Well, they may win, sort of.  At least in the short term.  I will, in fact, purchase their product again - thanks in part to my prior affinity, as well as a marketable decision to make the products sulfate-free.  There will be no total buy-in until a test period has concluded, though.  Plus, they have to overcome the fact that I'm quite happy with my Aussie conditioner.

Word on the street also suggests that you'll see at least one new adaptation of those shower scene commercials around the Grammy awards.  (I may be seriously grasping at straws for blog topics now. Hair products...really? Oh well.)

Let me be honest.  I completely forgot to post on Monday night.  And my exhaustion far surpassed the desire to keep my promise to myself last night.  Quite frankly, I'm not okay with either of those things.  Without going into the minutiae, life priorities and mindset have been in a bit of upheaval lately, coming to a head at the beginning of this week.

Today I found myself thinking about something that I said off the cuff, when confronted by a situation where I was asked to speak to essentially our entire U.S. office without prior notice.  As a new-ish employee, I was asked to introduce myself and also mention what inspires me.  I don't tend to blurt what's top of mind, but there wasn't time to think.

Instead of saying something that would seem a likely response (perhaps traveling), I said that I'm inspired by the broad array of people that I run across daily, because interacting with someone in any way can teach you something if you keep your eyes and mind open.  I'm not sure where it came from, I wondered for a few seconds how open I really keep my eyes and mind, and then I became absorbed in the tasks at hand.

This week has made me hyperaware of my own words.  There was a perspective change that needed to happen, but I wasn't exactly changing my own mind.  So I tried to spend more time focusing on the people around, what they were saying, and what they really meant.  And things started to turn a few degrees.

I suppose the general point of my vague musing is that despite what seems like randomness or meandering, the universe always seems to lead you through and to the places that you need.  It may be discouraging while you're waiting to get 'there' and trying to figure out why you're 'here'.  Sometimes you can look back later and understand the journey, but often you can't.  Regardless of all of that, I have to marvel at the way the chips fall sometimes.

Perhaps thanks to a hybrid of my stress level and the impending winter weather, I've been at odds with public transportation lately.  We've hit that apex in the year when buses start to pass you by, because they're already packed full.  Or every time I'm ready to leave, the next bus is 25 minutes away.  Odds are high, especially on certain routes, that someone will be crazy and someone else will be obnoxious.

I understand the other side of the argument, too.  There are no worries about finding a parking spot. If I've had a few glasses of wine, I don't have to be concerned about how I'll get home.  Dealing with crazy people operating automobiles is generally more threatening than the crazy guy in the next bus seat.

But there are many moments where I just crave the simplicity of jumping in my car, pulling up in front of the store or gym, and heading inside.  Then when I'm ready to leave, my mode of transportation is ready to sweep me away home.  I don't have to wait for it to arrive, it doesn't stop every block.  The few times that I've driven to work, it was amazing how much time was shaved off of my commute.

There may be some added sensitivity in light of the announcement about increased CTA fares in 2013.  My monthly pass is getting hiked up 16% to $100 per month.  That's hefty.  But unless they're also deciding to stop charging for garage parking in the Loop, you'll continue to see me board the bus every workday.

What a difference a day makes.  I went for a walk on the beach this morning, but it was an unequivocal leap from the standard to which I became accustomed.  I substituted my bathing suit for full winter attire.  The sound of ocean swells and reggae tunes was replaced by the traffic on Lake Shore Drive. I didn't venture to tread barefoot on the shoreline, because I wasn't up for frostbite on my first day home.

In the end, I still readily admit that my well of love for Lake Michigan runs deep.  It's probably just going to take a little while, and some warmer weather, to regain a bit of that luster in my eyes.  Even though winter weather can be a deterrent to exploration, I want to use some of this unfettered time in my life to venture outside of the bubble that has defined my years in Chicago.  There are assuredly areas of inspiration I've never tapped in this city.