The February Chicago sky.

Moving to Chicago was a huge transition for me. I switched regions (south to north), climates (warm to oh so cold), and population (rural to urban). Before the move, I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to live in a bonafide city. And when we arrived in August, it was incredible – it was hot and sunny and there was so much to do: concerts, fairs, etc. And then it got cold and looked like the photo above.

It was the cold months that got to me. When the high is 20 degrees, it sometimes feels better to curl up at home, which can feel isolating and make you irrationally miss the place from which you came: your friends, your old apartment, and even your favorite grocery store. So, for me, it has become important to find ways to keep that lifeline open between me and home (which is Memphis, TN by the way).

Project Sketchbook

This has manifested itself in lots of different ways – from ridiculously long Skype conversations with my best friend, to hosting frequent visitors (remember this post?), to sending photos of special occasion outfits (my friends in Memphis really like to dress up). This semester however, my effort to keep connected has manifested itself in participation in an annual arts event called Project Sketchbook. What is Project Sketchbook?

“Project Sketchbook is an annual mail-art project organized by the Rozelle Artists Guild. We hand cut, assemble, sew, stamp, package, and mail as many miniature sketchbooks as we can (this year, nearly 250 thus far to keep up with requests) to whoever wants one. You fill it up however you want, and we collect them. All entries are featured in an annual printed catalog, and in a open to the public exhibition.”

It is a fantastic event, and when I was in Memphis I never participated. But this year I decided to. So, last week my sketchbook came in the mail and I spent, probably too much, time working in it this weekend. Come Friday, I will mail it back to Memphis. Even an exchange as small as this makes me feel like I’m not so far away from home and that I’m still participating in the community I left behind.

The start of my sketchbook.

So, as I (and every other Chicagoan – transplant or original) trudge through these last winter months, I’m going to keep talking to home. I will imagine the leafy green springness that will be arriving in Memphis so much sooner than here and send my hellos in my sketchbook. I will also try to enjoy Chicago in all of its truly gray, cozy, glory.