It’s always a nice wake-up call when your own blog feed appears dimly lit in your RSS reader. (Reworded for mom, dad and others: I haven’t written a new blog post for a very long time.) So what does that mean? Time to get back on track, Ren!

Lately, I’ve found myself buried under an unexpected avalanche of freelance jobs, planning for an upcoming move to another glorious Chicago apartment and enjoying intense training sessions at the gym. While all these things are fantastic distractions from the phenomenon known as “a good night’s rest,” I am really starting to feel drained. Time to take a step back and relax, I suppose.

And what better time of year than to do just that: Spring has officially settled in for the long-haul here in Chicago. Street-side flowers and trees are blooming, the sun is shining and finally—finally—winter coats can be put into deep storage. It’s been such a pleasure heading out to lunch with coworkers and being able to thoroughly enjoy our walks to and from our gluttony-evoking destinations. Experiencing the warm sun gently brush your face as you stretch your legs from being cooped up in the office all morning is unfailingly therapeutic. I’ve even been taking extra time on my way home from work (now that it’s still light out post-5PM, why not?) to stop by for a quick jaunt through the park or a make a quick visit to the Buckingham Fountain.

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