Mid 2019 has approached! The first half is done! I feel pretty great about everything. How do you? I have to sometimes stop & be like, OK, this is where you’re actually at & I’m totally OK with it! I’ve come a long way. & it keeps getting better! I’ve reached a good place. Not a comfortable place, but a good place. You should never live too comfortably. Yes, it was dark for a while, but after every storm there is a rainbow. Ironically, I’ve actually saw rainbows lately, too. That’s after the acid rain falls & summer storms, of course. Gotta love Chicago & it’s unpredictable weather! That’s life. & remember: we must listen & pay attention when life is talking to us. 2019A ended in a minor storm, but it was only to flush everything out. “When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know.” Right, legendary Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac? The rain has washed me. It was a great midseason finale.

During summer sabbatical I looked forward to exorcising myself of all the bad I’ve encountered as of late, a.k.a. “My Time at ‘Cliniswirl,’” & launching into 2019B clear & happy & headstrong! What’s also great is that everything going on in my fantastic life is GREAT footage for “Midwest’ Best!” Hahahaha! It’s all so crazy! With 2019B launching, that also signifies the second half of season 3! I swear, the story writes itself. Luckily, I’m the EP. It’s magic & anything can happen with magic. I’m excited!

I’ve gotten a lot of answers I was looking for. I’ve done some unofficial soul searching. Things aren’t so easy when you’re indecisive & look at things from 2 solid perspectives. I decided I was going to let things [really] fall into place. There’s only so much in our control! & yes, I still have a soul. Actually, if I haven’t shared already, & if I have, sorry to be repetitive, but my soul, what’s left, 😉 is divided into 3: it’s old, it’s British, it’s Robert Downey, Jr. from the 1980s. All those mixed with me, that is me. That over-the-top-extraordinary individual they call, Ronnie. I felt like I really needed to get back to me! I was in & out of this sick funk. I was still doing me & having a good time, but I knew I needed to make changes in other areas. Otherwise, I was going to really be in a spot I didn’t want to be in, a place that I had worked hard on to let go. Spoiler alert! Season 3A closes with “JC” leaving Cliniswirl, dramatically. Go figure. There’s definitely a bang, or two. Hey! It’s not an Otter Holmes story if it’s not scandalous & fun & thrilling! Then comes a break. I will share, what happens with me & what happens with “JC” are different things. Watch JC, read me. 😊

Aside from exorcising myself of Cliniswirl & the whore-ible bosses that ran the show, or tried to at least, I’ve really focused on catching up on my sleep! I was lacking sleep for a long time. Then came the time where I felt like I was depressed because I was sleeping so much. My hot body just needed to rejuvenate. I’ve also been able to give undivided attention to “Midwest’s Best.” I’ve been able to come up with some crafty stuff for an excellent piece of work. I’m still not ready to premier it. Just know that the cook is in the kitchen with a cool chef hat on.

I arranged it so that I had a few weeks in between leaving Cliniswirl & starting my new gig to do me, hence Summer Sabbatical. I’ll admit, I had originally only planned a week, but after I resigned from Cliniswirl, I was like, yeah, fuck you, be lucky I gave you notice. My two weeks’ notice was actually 2 business days. That should sum it up on how bad I didn’t want to be there. I had to do me. I did go back to LA in the beginning of June, which I would say “launched” summer sabbatical, but it’s always summer there. & I was just beginning to see actual results & answers on where life was taking me. At that time, I was REALLY just going with the flow. That trip was just an escape from the city here. This past LA trip was one of the better ones. I spent a lot of time with my family & things actually went pretty well! I did get to hang out with some friends, not all, but a good handful. & I didn’t need to detox for days when I returned to Chicago. That was an accomplishment. Sometimes, I’ll be down in the dirt & I’m just like, when will I ever learn?!?! But that’s life. I’m still living & learning!

After I quit Cliniswirl, I was eager to go somewhere, travel, get out, do something. It’s not like I’ve deprived myself of anything. I also went on holiday at the beginning of May to the south: Charleston, SC., Myrtle Beach, SC., & Savannah, GA. I was just wanting to feed the travel bug in me. But, again, I knew I needed to chill & sleep & take it easy & in some form or way get reacquainted with Chicago. Chicago IS like an onion, you can keep unpacking it & once you think you’ve learned something about it, dig a little deeper or view what is around you & then you’ll be like, OH!

With this new change, I’m going to see another side of Chicago & I’m going to take it for all its worth! The weather truly was on my side during summer sabbatical. If it did rain, it was an excuse to stay home & I was, & am, OK with that! I love my apartment. I binged watch so much random shit. But when it was sunny, which was a lot, humid or not, I was out & about. I took some of the best pictures that looked seriously picturesque. I was like, this looks fake. I did a lot a nature-like things. I felt like such an old school writer who went to the park & sat under a tree & wrote & pondered. Mentally I escaped from all that was around me. I love when you can find tranquility in or around chaos. I didn’t just spend all my time getting wasted. 😉 Although, there was plenty of that. This little piggy’s fatass started running by the lake again. I got to do a lot of everything. & I wasn’t rushed or limited on time. Like every person who gets super happy, I packed on a little weight, but I was like, fuck it, I’m still hot! & I’m happy, so fuck it! Now, I have to lose it. LOL. It’s all l good. I like exercising. & you best believe I took advantage of whatever free museum days I could! There’s so much to do & see.

I did escape to Detroit, Michigan. I wanted to go somewhere & it was very accessible. Gotta love that Megabus! Plus, it helped me with my I-want-to-see-all-the-Midwest-while-I’m-in-Chicago mission. I’ve been to Michigan, but I hadn’t been to Detroit, only the airport via a layover. I had a good time in Detroit. Everything worked out. I didn’t know Canada was just across the river. I was shocked when I learned there was an MGM Grand! I also have a passion for Motown. While I walked the streets of Michigan, & mind you, I did A LOT of walking, a piece of me wished I had experienced Detroit in its heyday. That place was probably the shit! Now, it sadly carries this stigma of being ghetto & corrupt & dangerous. I was fortunate enough to have a great experience. I saw beauty & greatness in it. There was a lot of great street artwork. It just has to reestablish itself.

Summer sabbatical was exactly what I needed. It really helped turn things around. Everyone always raves about Chicago being the shit in the summer. It was something I had already known & experienced, but now, I think I truly am going to experience something great & different. I feel like I’m going to see a whole new side of Chicago it’s great! I get a fresh start & the opportunity for a new outlook on things.