The Best of 2018: Sights Seen and Photos Taken

My life is an open book. Or a published blog post, as the case may be.

Via this Seth Saith blog, augmented by my Facebook page--on which I share everything I write here, post my daily 6word Portraits and share various other thoughts, inanities and photographs--any who cares, or even doesn't, can know of every performance I see, including full reviews and Best of 2018 lists.

Theoretically, you would already know that my life largely revolves around friends, family--though I tend not to photograph either so much--rock concerts, theater, travel, art museums, movies, sports, other forms of culture and enlightenment, constant exploration and dining out.

2018 wasn't much different, and as the image above denotes, I ventured to Machu Picchu in Peru, as well as Boston and Milwaukee. But I also tried to make the most of my time at home, whether literally within my condo in a suburb of Chicago, or in pursuing all that the great Windy City has to offer.

Unlike my rash of previous Best of 2018 posts, this one isn't a competitive category and just tries--via some largely randomly chosen photos that I took (or a few I had taken of me)--to highlight my year.

Because it's rightfully taboo to take photos of theatrical performances, the plethora I attended won't be featured here--see my lists of Best Plays and Best Musicals--but I'll begin with some photos from some of the Concerts I caught. (I'm also not a big selfie taker, but go here if you really need to see some from over the years.)

The above pix represent U2, Buddy Guy, Robert Plant, David Byrne, Depeche Mode, Arcade Fire, Elton John and Pearl Jam. Just below is one of me with rocker Willie Nile, followed by a few other famous folks:

Stacy Keach and me

Kerry Kennedy, daughter of RFK, at the opening of an exhibit of she curated, at the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

Actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw at a screening of her film Fast Color in Chicago.

That's my mom and me at a Cubs game, which seems to make for a segue into other baseball-related pix.

A Mariachi band plays the U.S. National Anthem at Guaranteed Rate Field on Cinco de Mayo

Jim Thome makes his wife, Andrea, laugh at Jim Thome Day.

The first major league pitch ever thrown by Michael Kopech. Hopefully there will be many more.

As he is honored by the White Sox upon his retirement, Hawk Harrelson bids farewell to team owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

The beginning of what would be the Cubs' last game of the year, though the Wild Card game lasted nearly 5 hours.

A striking sky above storied Fenway Park in Boston, before an August 1 clash with the Yankees.

Might as well post other Boston photos here.

Inside the Boston Public Library

Next is a shot inside the beautiful Basilica of St. Josephat in Milwaukee.

 From there to Peru, first in Lima.

Yes, it's a catacombs. Eww.

Machu Picchu

Ollataytambo Sanctuary. The pic below is also from there.

Qorikancha in Cusco

With and without traveling companions, I also made a point of getting around Chicagoland, as seen below:

From the final days of Billy Corgan's tea shop in Highland Park.

I forget which art gallery this is, but it's one that I visited as part of an Art Walk
organized by the Evening Associates of the Art Institute of Chciago

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett

in Uptown

Part of a Chicago exhibit called Forced From Home, organized by Doctors Without Borders, about the refugee crisis.

Chicago Shakespeare Theatre brought A Midsummer Night's Dream to several Chicago parks.

Photo taken to document Loyola University's exciting run to the Final Four.

I turned 50 in 2018, and I gave a speech.