photo photosoflessthanamazingjourneys made crazy chicago trips back hours drove teach copywriting class mediabistro night spent night in-laws evanston drove back today days leading dreading journey difficult time kind compassionate alternated scolding whiner demanding bottom causing dread extricate system part decided we've busy traveling burnt wanted spend entire week nights driving couple miles takes town finally admit dreading long highway drive cornfields stress navigating chicago rush hour traffic dinner class jason make feel relaxed confident generally likable brilliant despised feeling time time life years lived trip long road trip made significant purchase computer house divorce changed matter months exhilarating word empowering word things made feel realized missed marrying young letting tiny insistent internal voice capable things reason find simpering voice banished vowed lots things boldly pleasure learning claim independence initial reaction yesterday detected whine welling you're soft weak dependent years marriage jason happen ways happen drove chicago navigating rush hour traffic downtown north side dinner gave talk taught seminar drove in-laws house night thought today driving half hours home realized feelings life confidence independence capable single parenting house buying lawn mowing long road trips long evenings weekends choose choice jason general finally starting accept make weak makes strong kind person glad finally 