Rich Conversations: 008. Kevin Mueller
Show notes from episode 008 of Rich Conversations with Kevin Mueller. Answers are cut down to fit into writing format.
How long have you lived in Chicago?
Five years. Almost exactly. So I just fit into your five year requirement.
How would you describe your neighborhood?
Funny you should ask. My girlfriend and I just moved to Andersonville from the West Loop. I don’t know much about other than it’s Swedish. The Swedish American Museum and the Swedish flag on the water tower. There’s a bunch of cool shops on Clark. It reminds me a little bit of Milwaukee. The shops and everything. The east side to the lake. The place I was in in the West Loop was pretty residential, unfortunately, because I like seeing people. But the area is pretty busy whenever something was going on at the United Center.
If you have an open Saturday, how would you choose to spend it?
I have two answers. Somedays you wake up and you’re like “we’re doing this today.” We’re going to Ukrainian Village and hit up some of the outdoor bars and dive bars and get a few drinks with a group of friends. The other days I want to be productive and wake up at six or seven and get three hours of work done—prepping for the week ahead at school. Then ride my bike to Promontory Park and check out a bookstore in Hyde Park, check out Bridgeport. Bike is my primary mode of transportation in the city, in the summer.
When you think of Chicago, what colors do imagine first?
Black and white. Like black and white film. My dad is a big music fan. He followed this band, Uncle Tupelo, that split into two. One went to Chicago, which became Wilco. My mom got my dad this Wilco documentary called I’m Trying to Breaking your Heart. It’s shot in 35mm and the opening scene opens up with Michigan Avenue. It’s magical. It’d seen that documentary so many times before I came to Chicago, and that’s what I think of.
What’s your proudest moment as a Chicagoan?
In 2016 when Trump was supposed to speak at the UIC Pavilion and the city shut it down. I had applied for grad school at UIC just before that too.
If a friend visits you from out of town, what restaurant would you take them too?
The Chicago Diner. I took my girlfriend there for our first date. When my parents visited, I took them and that’s when I really knew it was good when it got the seal of approval from my dad—a classic Midwestern guy. He loved the Rueben.
What’s your hidden gem in the city?
Kin. Thai and sushi. It’s fantastic. It’s cheap. Clean and they play ambient music. There’s no one ever there, so they must thrive on takeout. BYOB.
What sound do you most affiliate with the city?
I take a lot of transit. I’m a CPS teacher and when I’m on the bus, the kids are so loud. They’re always laughing. If they were loud and being mean to each other, that would be one thing, but they’re always having a good time and smiling.
What music has influenced you during your time in the city?
I can’t get totally behind blues music. Chicago has a really rich Indie Rock scene. Jim O’Rourke. Music on Drag City Records.
What’s a common scene you see in your daily interaction with the city?
There’s a pretty high ratio of people I walk by that either nod or say hello. I see a lot of positive interactions amongst people.
If you were given secret information that Chicago would be destroyed in one week, what’s one quality you’d choose to keep to rebuild it?
There’s a kindness—this friendliness—but they’re not wimps. They don’t back down on things. Maybe grit’s the word. They’re accommodating but not pushovers. The winter gives it a resoluteness about it too.
What’s one thing you’d do to improve your neighborhood?
This is a small idea but would cost a lot of money. I think there should be a second loop. A couple miles out of downtown that connects all the lines together. Starts at like Irving Park on the north and curves down Pulaski. And then like the Garfield stops on the red and green lines on the south side. But it only connects existing train stations.
When people learn you’re from Chicago, how do they respond?
Well, usually when people find out I’m from St. Louis, they say “BEEP the Cardinals!” I feel conflicted. St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Chicago all have a part of me. I identify more with Midwest.
When you feel overwhelmed or need a mental escape but can’t leave the city, where do you go to clear your mind?
I’ve been under a lot of stress the past two years with grad school and a full-time job. I would always think, “I’m going to go to this place, and find clarity.” I’d ride my bike to these places and the next day I’d find that stress and anxiety still there. After a lot of searching, reading, and talking to people I trust, I found that when I do need the escape, the answer is there the whole time. It’s in me. Mindfulness/Meditation has been infinitely helpful for me. I don’t know any other way to put it. It’s as simple as sitting down, sitting still, and following your breath.
What’s something you’re curious about recently?
Mindfulness is definitely something. Writers that have taken Buddhism and Eastern philosophies and make it adaptable to the West. It’s all mindset. That’s everything in the world. When I’m thinking the most clearly, the game of life is easy. The board is highlighted and all the moves are clear, but it’s hard to get there.
Within the past five years of living here, what personal realization has improved your outlook on life the most?
It’s always a work in progress. Everything in life—that you get out of life—is something that you put in. The same or if not more work. The best nights I’ve had in Chicago are with friends that we’ve particularly planned. For example, last December some friends and I did an apartment crawl where each place had a themed appetizer and drinks. And then we’d travel throughout the night.
What’s something you dream of accomplishing over the next five years?
I’ve never been a “next five years plan” person, but I hope each day to get a little more self-actualization. Understanding myself as I function in the world and coming to peace with that. Coming to peace with my eccentricities.