If you’ve been reading this Chicago Now blog for some time, you’ve noticed that I haven’t posted since January. There’s a story behind why I’ve been absent, and why I’m moving on.

In February, as my mother’s caregiver, I witnessed her experiencing so much pain that she was bedridden. Initially hospitalized, she was then referred to various facilities. She finally passed in April, a few days before Easter Sunday. Since then, I’ve been dealing with grief, adjusting to a “new normal“, and engaging with appropriate external resources to deal with the anxiety and depression that come with grieving a loved one.

(The other major factor is that, around the same time, I started a six-month contract position. As a freelance marketing consultant, it helped that I had a job that provided focus and structure during this period. Although that contract ended recently, I am extremely grateful that my colleagues and teammates were very understanding. Thanks to that position and judicious savings, I’m in a good position to seek work while I’m grieving).

However, the other issue is that I’ve heard through informal channels that Chicago Now, as a platform, will be folding. Back in 2019, the Alden Group purchased the Chicago Tribune, with Chicago Now in relative limbo. As someone who has blogged for the platform since 2012 (starting with Stalker), there’s a slight sense of melancholy about this folding, especially since…

I need to say this with some diplomacy and tact, but I’m feeling less connected with the community of Chicago Now bloggers. Over the past few years (especially since COVID), my experience has moved from feeling like I’m part of a healthy, lively community to feeling disconnected and out of place. Short example: I asked for advice on a technical matter only to be lectured about how I “shouldn’t” rely on it by a person whom I did not know. When I asked again a few months later – to a person who might have that information – I was informed that they “didn’t know.”

But this isn’t about snarking – it’s about the future. As someone who is both a professional copywriter and a New Pulp author, I want to streamline both efforts. That means working through the emotional aftermath of grief (I highly recommend reading It’s OK That You’re Not OK (non-affiliate link) to those who are grieving and friends/family of such people) as well as moving away and focusing my efforts on those goals.

Part of that will be exporting and archiving this blog onto another WordPress site (work is going slowly, but surely). Much of my current blogging focus will be providing both patron-only and public content on my Patreon site. (If you want to support a creator financially, you’re more than welcome to subscribe on either a monthly or yearly basis). But for now, I’m focusing on moving forward in recovering from grief. You are always welcome to email me with questions, concerns, or thoughts.

I have no idea how to end this blog post in an articulate manner. After all, Chicago Now has been a large, critical part of my writing career. However, I think this speech from one of my favorite television shows sums it up better than I could:

Ave atque vale, Chicago Now. It’s been a blast.

Entering August, the Dog Days, the third month of meteorological summer, the heat and humidity every day. Gardens are overgrown and maybe really weedy. Days of day lilies are almost done.

There are seedpods on the milkweeds. Tomatoes and peppers are ripening. And what to do with all the zucchini?

It is a time of ripening fields. In the stores and farmers’ markets, produce is fresh and plentiful. It’s like summer will never end.

And in these endless afternoons, do we still listen to baseball on the radio?

Do we think about mosquitos, and heat exhaustion, floods and thunder?

Do we think about the fall weather forecast, and back to school?

Already, the aisles of school supplies at Walgreens. And ice cream on sale.

And what about ChicagoNow, this site of so many wonderful blogs, such talent and variety, this community of writers? As of now, things remain uncertain. Maybe this will all go away tomorrow….

But even so, I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my postings on Chicago Weather Watch. Thank you to those who have left comments here–especially Jack and Margaret Serious, and Aquinas Wired, who left the very first comment—a perfect haiku on Hiroshige snow. Thank you!

Thank you, Jimmy Greenfield, who built this community, and welcomed me. It has been an honor and a pleasure.

Thank you all for sharing the moon and the weather with me!

Fabian Pertuz (photo by Stephanie Lynn)

AAA

Iowa 5, Toledo 4

Game Recap

Iowa trailed 4-1 in the bottom of the 7th when Levi Jordan hit a two-run homer to close the gap to one. An error by Toledo on a Narciso Crook grounder scored Alfonso Rivas from 3rd to tie it the next inning. Zach Davis came in as a pinch runner for Crook and went 1st to 3rd on a single by Matt Mervis, then came home on another single by Darius Hill to put the Cubs in the lead. Brendon Little closed it out in the 9th to secure Iowa’s third consecutive come from behind victory.

Darius Hill is your @EMCInsurance Player of the Game with this RBI single to give us the lead in the eighth! pic.twitter.com/RY2S1wvoqQ

August 6, 2022

Top Performers

Levi Jordan: 1-4, HR (5), R, 2 RBI (.253)Alfonso Rivas: 2-4, 3B, 2 R (.333)Darius Hill: 2-4, R, RBI (.343)Matt Mervis: 2-4, 2B, RBI (.255)Bryan Hudson: 1.1 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K (4.50)Dakota Mekkes: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 3 K (W, 1-2, 5.09)Brendon Little: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (S, 1, 4.64)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Jeremiah Estrada received a well earned promotion to Iowa after beginning the season in High-A South Bend. The oft-injured former 6th rounder had thrown just 40 career innings prior to 2022.

Estrada’s fastball is explosive. Not only does he throw hard but hitters just don’t seem to pick it up well either. Even back when he was throwing low-90s he generated whiffs.Meteoric rise for former above slot 6th round prep pick, who was hampered by injuries his entire career.

August 5, 2022

AA

Rocket City 4, Tennessee 1

Game Recap

Yonathan Perlaza has been a one man wrecking crew of late, and that continued in this one as Rocket City failed to get him out even a single time. When they eventually hit him with a pitch it nearly started a brawl.

Perlaza again! Number 18 on the year. pic.twitter.com/CxqLzllAnh

August 6, 2022

Top Performers

Yonathan Perlaza: 2-2, 2B, HR (18), R, RBI, BB, HBP (.260)Andy Weber: 2-4 (.297)Walker Powell: 4 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (2.88)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Hunter Bigge received a promotion from South Bend to replace Estrada in the Tennessee pen.

High-A

Fort Wayne 6, South Bend 5

Game Recap

Luis Devers just keeps on rolling. His changeup is a weapon and he simply does a great job of working quick, pounding the zone, and mixing in all of his pitches. His 2.58 ERA in 15 games with Myrtle Beach was good, but he’s been even better since his promotion (0.34 ERA in 6 games, 26.2 IP).

Oh, the many uses of Luis Devers’ changeup. He strikes out the side in the second to bring his total up to 5.

1-2 putaway pitchFull count strikeout2-0 gotcha pic.twitter.com/CNY44fgHrb

August 5, 2022

He wasn’t the only story in this one, as Fabian Pertuz blasted a pair of homers, and Kevin Made made an impact with both his bat and glove.

Pertuz!!! pic.twitter.com/Y1ayG2RtR6

August 5, 2022

Fabian Pertuz with two tanks in two ABs tonight pic.twitter.com/qyHsQ7QqSM

August 5, 2022

Pertuz is locked in. 3rd hit and another ribbie. pic.twitter.com/rP2WW3YjOK

August 6, 2022

Kevin Made defense. Life is good. pic.twitter.com/ojL7oA3BYl

August 6, 2022

Top Performers

Luis Devers: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 6 K (0.34)Fabian Pertuz: 3-4, 2 HR (6, 7), 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 SB (10, 11) (.246)Jonathan Sierra: 3-4, 2B, R, RBI (.272)Luis Verdugo: 2-5 (.278)Kevin Made: 1-4, 2B, R, BB (.186)

Low-A

Lynchburg 14, Myrtle Beach 13

Game Recap

A brutal loss. The Pelicans were up 13-7 heading into the 9th. But Angel Hernandez was unable to hold the lead.

It wasted a terrific night on offense from up and down the lineup. Ezequiel Pagan led the way (as he often does), with four hits including his 10th home run.

Had to include the replay. @PaganEzequiel hits the CLUBHOUSE! pic.twitter.com/rLtjygVO0L

August 6, 2022

What a catch by Alejandro Rivero! pic.twitter.com/Ekyhg6Y5Kd

August 6, 2022

Top Performers

Ezequiel Pagan: 4-6, HR (10), 2 R, RBI (.300)Ethan Hearn: 3-4, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB (.196)Felix Stevens: 3-6, 3B, 2 RBI (.239)James Triantos: 2-5, 3B, 2 R (.265)Jacob Wetzel: 2-5, R, RBI, BB (.225)Scott McKeon: 1-3, 2B, 2 R (.280)Josue Huma: 2-6, R, 2 RBI (.275)Alejandro Rivero: 1-4, 2 R, BB (.259)Didier Vargas: 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (4.50)Gregori Montano: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K (0.00)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Infielder Liam Spence was assigned to Myrtle Beach from Mesa.

ACL

Cubs 6, Guardians 4

DSL

Cubs Blue Suspended

Yankees 17. Cubs Red 5

Entering August, the Dog Days, the third month of meteorological summer, the heat and humidity every day. Gardens are overgrown and maybe really weedy. Days of day lilies are almost done.

There are seedpods on the milkweeds. Tomatoes and peppers are ripening. And what to do with all the zucchini?

It is a time of ripening fields. In the stores and farmers’ markets, produce is fresh and plentiful. It’s like summer will never end.

And in these endless afternoons, do we still listen to baseball on the radio?

Do we think about mosquitos, and heat exhaustion, floods and thunder?

Do we think about the fall weather forecast, and back to school?

Already, the aisles of school supplies at Walgreens. And ice cream on sale.

And what about ChicagoNow, this site of so many wonderful blogs, such talent and variety, this community of writers? As of now, things remain uncertain. Maybe this will all go away tomorrow….

But even so, I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my postings on Chicago Weather Watch. Thank you to those who have left comments here–especially Jack and Margaret Serious, and Aquinas Wired, who left the very first comment—a perfect haiku on Hiroshige snow. Thank you!

Thank you, Jimmy Greenfield, who built this community, and welcomed me. It has been an honor and a pleasure.

Thank you all for sharing the moon and the weather with me!

Fabian Pertuz (photo by Stephanie Lynn)

AAA

Iowa 5, Toledo 4

Game Recap

Iowa trailed 4-1 in the bottom of the 7th when Levi Jordan hit a two-run homer to close the gap to one. An error by Toledo on a Narciso Crook grounder scored Alfonso Rivas from 3rd to tie it the next inning. Zach Davis came in as a pinch runner for Crook and went 1st to 3rd on a single by Matt Mervis, then came home on another single by Darius Hill to put the Cubs in the lead. Brendon Little closed it out in the 9th to secure Iowa’s third consecutive come from behind victory.

Darius Hill is your @EMCInsurance Player of the Game with this RBI single to give us the lead in the eighth! pic.twitter.com/RY2S1wvoqQ

August 6, 2022

Top Performers

Levi Jordan: 1-4, HR (5), R, 2 RBI (.253)Alfonso Rivas: 2-4, 3B, 2 R (.333)Darius Hill: 2-4, R, RBI (.343)Matt Mervis: 2-4, 2B, RBI (.255)Bryan Hudson: 1.1 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K (4.50)Dakota Mekkes: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 3 K (W, 1-2, 5.09)Brendon Little: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (S, 1, 4.64)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Jeremiah Estrada received a well earned promotion to Iowa after beginning the season in High-A South Bend. The oft-injured former 6th rounder had thrown just 40 career innings prior to 2022.

Estrada’s fastball is explosive. Not only does he throw hard but hitters just don’t seem to pick it up well either. Even back when he was throwing low-90s he generated whiffs.Meteoric rise for former above slot 6th round prep pick, who was hampered by injuries his entire career.

August 5, 2022

AA

Rocket City 4, Tennessee 1

Game Recap

Yonathan Perlaza has been a one man wrecking crew of late, and that continued in this one as Rocket City failed to get him out even a single time. When they eventually hit him with a pitch it nearly started a brawl.

Perlaza again! Number 18 on the year. pic.twitter.com/CxqLzllAnh

August 6, 2022

Top Performers

Yonathan Perlaza: 2-2, 2B, HR (18), R, RBI, BB, HBP (.260)Andy Weber: 2-4 (.297)Walker Powell: 4 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (2.88)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Hunter Bigge received a promotion from South Bend to replace Estrada in the Tennessee pen.

High-A

Fort Wayne 6, South Bend 5

Game Recap

Luis Devers just keeps on rolling. His changeup is a weapon and he simply does a great job of working quick, pounding the zone, and mixing in all of his pitches. His 2.58 ERA in 15 games with Myrtle Beach was good, but he’s been even better since his promotion (0.34 ERA in 6 games, 26.2 IP).

Oh, the many uses of Luis Devers’ changeup. He strikes out the side in the second to bring his total up to 5.

1-2 putaway pitchFull count strikeout2-0 gotcha pic.twitter.com/CNY44fgHrb

August 5, 2022

He wasn’t the only story in this one, as Fabian Pertuz blasted a pair of homers, and Kevin Made made an impact with both his bat and glove.

Pertuz!!! pic.twitter.com/Y1ayG2RtR6

August 5, 2022

Fabian Pertuz with two tanks in two ABs tonight pic.twitter.com/qyHsQ7QqSM

August 5, 2022

Pertuz is locked in. 3rd hit and another ribbie. pic.twitter.com/rP2WW3YjOK

August 6, 2022

Kevin Made defense. Life is good. pic.twitter.com/ojL7oA3BYl

August 6, 2022

Top Performers

Luis Devers: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 6 K (0.34)Fabian Pertuz: 3-4, 2 HR (6, 7), 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 SB (10, 11) (.246)Jonathan Sierra: 3-4, 2B, R, RBI (.272)Luis Verdugo: 2-5 (.278)Kevin Made: 1-4, 2B, R, BB (.186)

Low-A

Lynchburg 14, Myrtle Beach 13

Game Recap

A brutal loss. The Pelicans were up 13-7 heading into the 9th. But Angel Hernandez was unable to hold the lead.

It wasted a terrific night on offense from up and down the lineup. Ezequiel Pagan led the way (as he often does), with four hits including his 10th home run.

Had to include the replay. @PaganEzequiel hits the CLUBHOUSE! pic.twitter.com/rLtjygVO0L

August 6, 2022

What a catch by Alejandro Rivero! pic.twitter.com/Ekyhg6Y5Kd

August 6, 2022

Top Performers

Ezequiel Pagan: 4-6, HR (10), 2 R, RBI (.300)Ethan Hearn: 3-4, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB (.196)Felix Stevens: 3-6, 3B, 2 RBI (.239)James Triantos: 2-5, 3B, 2 R (.265)Jacob Wetzel: 2-5, R, RBI, BB (.225)Scott McKeon: 1-3, 2B, 2 R (.280)Josue Huma: 2-6, R, 2 RBI (.275)Alejandro Rivero: 1-4, 2 R, BB (.259)Didier Vargas: 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (4.50)Gregori Montano: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K (0.00)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Infielder Liam Spence was assigned to Myrtle Beach from Mesa.

ACL

Cubs 6, Guardians 4

DSL

Cubs Blue Suspended

Yankees 17. Cubs Red 5

Entering August, the Dog Days, the third month of meteorological summer, the heat and humidity every day. Gardens are overgrown and maybe really weedy. Days of day lilies are almost done.

There are seedpods on the milkweeds. Tomatoes and peppers are ripening. And what to do with all the zucchini?

It is a time of ripening fields. In the stores and farmers’ markets, produce is fresh and plentiful. It’s like summer will never end.

And in these endless afternoons, do we still listen to baseball on the radio?

Do we think about mosquitos, and heat exhaustion, floods and thunder?

Do we think about the fall weather forecast, and back to school?

Already, the aisles of school supplies at Walgreens. And ice cream on sale.

And what about ChicagoNow, this site of so many wonderful blogs, such talent and variety, this community of writers? As of now, things remain uncertain. Maybe this will all go away tomorrow….

But even so, I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my postings on Chicago Weather Watch. Thank you to those who have left comments here–especially Jack and Margaret Serious, and Aquinas Wired, who left the very first comment—a perfect haiku on Hiroshige snow. Thank you!

Thank you, Jimmy Greenfield, who built this community, and welcomed me. It has been an honor and a pleasure.

Thank you all for sharing the moon and the weather with me!