#fuck developers

As my neighborhood continues to change drastically around me — I have growing negativity towards the transition. The temptation to rant, compelled to comment and critique, sucks at my limited energy because I want to scream -- get out of here! Rage. I have rage.

Why does the glut of new people with money have to suck away the things I like(d) about where I live? Some things are not all gone, and I still know many of my neighbors. But, I feel surrounded by frat boy types; affluent people who annoy me with their entitlement; and people who would have never stepped foot in m neighborhood 10 years ago. I liked where I lived  a decade ago and have always loved my space.

What does a human do when their home is currently being colonized by people who have no investment in community and are just passing through? Especially the 1-2 year leasers who want to live in the cool neighborhood. My new young co-worker who currently lives in Lakeview actually said to me that he is looking in Logan Square because he wants to live in a "cool neighborhood" -- agh! I am sure he personally is not an evil person -- but it makes me want to scream. I think I stuffed it down at work, but some of it burbled out.

I feel resentful of all the bars within 500 feet of me. I go to one and like the place, but only when the "real neighborhood" is there. I don't like the fact that around me is now becoming the ultimate adult dude playground.

I am resentful of the recently installed smoke shop light screaming with its blue tinged ugly light into my bedroom window -- I miss my night time iron fire escape stoop with moody yellow light casting shadows on my building like in West Side Story. Now it is cold, flat blue light.Not to mention that the 4-story building stole all the light for my plants and fucked up my great view of the EL, trees, and sky -- and nothing else on the south facing windows of my place -- all gone. Now it is 4-stories of ugly brick architecture with giant TVs in each window.

Stiletto healed overly decorated ladies tip-toeing across the street to the brew pub with their boring dudes in tan pants and button down blue shirts just makes me cringe.

Because I have no choice in the matter, I need to figure out how to deal with my rage about the situation: it ends up making me unhappy and it actually physically affects me. I don't want to feel constant negativity to those who are new around me, but I also will never make peace with this type of development going on.

-- my above rant is also a draft..

seeking a way to be opposition to this without it also affecting me emotionally -- I have a hard time separating these things. It is almost a personal affront... like how a certain festival was ruined and now reflects and caters to the exact elements I find repulsive.