Ian Chinich on Moving Out, Leaving New Jersey, and Being Accountable to Your Loved Ones.

I haven't updated this blog in a while, but for those of you reading it (if there are any), I am looking to change things up a bit.  The Chinich family has definitely gone through crisis in the last year, with my father succumbing to his pancreatic cancer in October and the emotional toll that this obvious has had.  That being said, I moved back to New Jersey from Los Angeles with the sole purpose of taking care of my father and while it has been really nice to be around family and NJ friends--I dont think I can stay.

The emotional support and friendship a lot of people have given has been amazing, but it is dangerous to be living purely for my father's memory and in a house that still bares his images like a mausoleum.  That being said, some friends in RI have offered to take me in and develop a change of scenery.  Im thinking around May 1st.  For more information, "Ian chinich the Blog" Reports:  (i just wanted to say that :P  )

New Jersey has many things I still really like.  It has amazing food (Im a serial- pizza eating fiend...which probably isn't healthy), it has friends from both high school, college, as well as easy access to NYC and Philly.  Lastly it has my mother, brother, uncle, cousin, my mom and dad's partners, and others who have been really close on account of my fathers situation.  Being accountable to them and supporting them emotionally is a huge responsibility that I plan on continuing.  However, that does not mean I have to stay here and live in limbo either.  

RI has coffee milk, a really working class environment, cheap rent, new people to meet, and a group of supportive friends who already know all the circumstances of what I have been going through.  Despite the ridiculous unemployment that is there, I am also pretty confident I can find work.  As a result it seems really appealing.... and its still in the pizza belt--for the Win!

Ian Chinich at a Pizza Joint in Buenos Aires

Dealing with Death

I haven't put out a blog post for a while.  Most of the reason was that I wasn't sure of the utility of this medium, but I guess it is also a good place for me to express ideas of my own that probably nobody will ever read.

My father passed away on October 11th and since then, it has been a whirlwind of family, my fathers, friends, cleaning his home for company, figuring out how to pay his bills, and dealing with a myriad of emotions.

That being said, I have definitely come out on top, thanks to an amazing group of friends who have totally been there through everything.  Despite what has happened, I feel confident to come out stronger than ever.  My dad's humor is definitely not going away any time soon as I am filled with puns and "dad jokes".

The other end of things is I have started to feel very energetic in terms of productivity.  Maybe its cause I dont really sleep anymore, but aside from seriously upping my soccer skills at work, I have been writing a lot of political ideas down and been thinking through a number of issues that are rarely discussed in the circles I have frequented.  I am also much more in appreciation for people that work long term in working class jobs and still act as militants.

anyway.  enough of a rant for the day.   cheers.