Another break-up.

Today is probably the last time I'll see my gym. Sadly LSF Verge, formerly Cheetah Gym, closes their doors at the end of the month. It's a huge bummer, and even though there were some rocky times in our relationship when they changed owners, they ended up righting the ship and creating a great atmosphere. But I guess it wasn't great enough to survive.

I've been a member since December 29, 2003. I know, what?! Heck, outside my family this has been my longest relationship with regular contact. When it briefly closed in 2007, it gave me a series of articles that at the time brought in crazy new traffic to Chicagoist. The gym really meant something to people.

It was also known as "the gym in the Real World house"—which was true—but to me it was always "the gym in Urbis Orbis" a '90s Wicker Park/Bucktown coffee shop I used to go to and drink coffee and buy 'zines. So it's roots go deep. I mean, do I really have any reason to go that part of town any more? Not really.

How do I even find a new gym? My company will start offering subsidized memberships to a nearby gym, but that doesn't start until the summer. And lord knows if I hold off until then my summer bod won't show up until winter at the earliest!