Hi, this is Dylan Thuris, and you've reached the Atlas Obscura podcast line.

I'm not here right now, but leave me a message about all of the wonderful, amazing, beautiful places that make you deeply grateful.

After the beep.

Hi, Dylan. This is Jessica.

I would like to give thanks for the neighborhood I live in, Logan Square in Chicago, Illinois.

Now, I would hope most people are thankful for their neighborhood, but I have a special reason for mentioning it.

I experience anxiety. I have most of my life, and that anxiety manifests itself in agoraphobia,

or what's commonly known as a fear of leaving the house. This fear has had varying severity throughout my life, but generally it's always been there.

During the pandemic, when we all had a lot more time on our hands, I took up many hobbies,

one of them being going for walks. I started just by going around the block, or going to the closest park and back.

I soon found that I didn't like just wandering around.

I much preferred it if I had a destination in mind.

So this led to researching architects, public art, sculptures, parks, graffiti, and historic houses in my neighborhood and

eventually venturing beyond. 5,000 steps a day turned into 7,000, turned into 10, turned into 20,

and after four years of walking nearly every day, I have documented almost

1,500 destinations just outside my house. By doing this, I may not have improved my sense

of direction. Google Maps is really what made this possible, but I have learned that I can get anywhere on my own two

feet. It has literally changed my brain, and it wouldn't have happened if I didn't live in a dense

and walkable city that has a nearly unending list of things to see. Hi, Atlas of the Furotine.

This is Maddie from Kansas.

And even though I don't live there anymore, I grew up really

close to the Conva Prairie, which is a research area of the Tallgrass Prairie.

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