2024 07 02
It doesnāt always feel like it these days, but itās crazy how big our world is. What am I getting at, exactly? Iām not entirely sure. It might just be the recent feeling of helplessness at events out of my control causing a feeling of insignificance. But to get a bit more specific, the feeling Iāve been pondering a lot lately has more to do with the simple idea that thereās a lot I havenāt seen.
Iām someone who prioritizes travel and exploration. I go out of my way to change my route and see sights and visit places I havenāt yet experienced. Lately, on longer runs through my city of Chicago, Iāve been struck by how little of the city Iāve yet to experience. Even after having lived in the same neighborhood for well over two decades, there are nearby streets which have escaped my eyes. I always get a nice little jolt of joy when I realize Iām venturing down a block that is new to me. Add alleys, parks, and building interiors into the mix and itās seemingly impossible to get to every space contained within Chicago in an entire lifetime!
The other day, I was jogging through Humboldt Park, a large recreation area near our house which I thought Iād seen every inch of over the years, and I went down a path I normally wouldnāt take, which led me to discover a small playground I didnāt know existed. I felt like a kid discovering a new toy!
This morning I was browsing google maps after my sister texted me a small town she wanted to check out south of Chicago. I pin every city and town Iāve been to, and I was struck by how little of the state Iāve yet to experience myself. Even after some recent trips dedicated simply to āexploring Illinois,ā Iād guesstimate Iāve been to maybe 10 percent of its towns. Even after more than four decades living in the state, itās largely a mystery to me. Itās this simple fact which has motivated me to want to get out, explore, and photograph as much of the state as I can.
It would take a lifetime. Or, more likely, Iāll lose interest after a few years of experiencing the same run down, sleepy town after the next, the gaps filled with farmland as far as the eye can see. āIāve been everywhere, man!ā Iāll proclaim confidently, knowing that even after seeing maybe a quarter of the state, itās still more than almost any other person I encounter.
-Clayton
Running through Chicago, Illinois. May, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
It doesnāt always feel like it in todayās connected world, but itās crazy how big this planet is. What am I getting at, exactly? Iām not entirely sure. It might just be the recent feeling of helplessness at events out of my control causing a feeling of insignificance. But to get a bit more specific, the feeling Iāve been pondering a lot lately has more to do with the simple idea that thereās a lot I havenāt seen. FOMO, perhaps ā gotta catch āem all.
Iām someone who prioritizes travel and exploration. I go out of my way to change my route and see sights and visit places I havenāt yet experienced. Lately, on longer runs through my city of Chicago, Iāve been struck by how little of the city Iāve yet to experience (Iāve internally dubbed my runs as āexploration,ā which helps convince my silly brain to do them surprisingly well!). Even after having lived in the same neighborhood for well over two decades, there are nearby streets which have escaped my eyes. I always get a nice little jolt of joy when I realize Iām venturing down a block that is new to me. The simple things. Add alleys, parks, and building interiors into the mix and itās seemingly impossible to get to every space contained within Chicago in an entire lifetime!
Soon, I will attempt to hit every bar on one street in Chicago as a fun little side quest. Even this one street, with something like sixty different establishments, will be challenging and likely take years to accomplish!
This morning I was browsing google maps after my sister texted me a small town she wanted to check out south of Chicago. I pin every city and town Iāve been to, and I was struck by how little of the state Iāve yet to experience myself when you really zoom in on the territory. Even after some recent trips dedicated simply to āexploring Illinois,ā Iād guesstimate Iāve been to maybe 10 percent of its towns. Even after more than four decades living in the state, itās largely a mystery to me! Itās this simple fact which has motivated me to want to get out, explore, and photograph as much of the state as I can, eventually working towards a photobook or some encompassing project.
It would take a lifetime to finish. Or, more likely, Iāll lose interest after a few years of experiencing the same run down, sleepy town after the next, the gaps filled with farmland as far as the eye can see. āIāve been everywhere, man!ā Iāll proclaim confidently, knowing that even after seeing maybe a quarter of the state, itās still more than almost any other person I encounter.
-Clayton