On the 100th day, she decided to keep her thoughts to herself. For a variety of reasons, I have decided to stop creating blog entries about my time in Chicago. The biggest one is that the training wheels are off, so to speak. My life was oatmeal when I moved to Chicago on July 15, 2011, as of October 26, 2011, it is Ruti-Tuti-Fresh and Fruity. Let's see if I can give a rundown and wrap up with a sweet pearl of wisdom.
Friends:
Rachna is back in New Delhi. Coleman is still dropping into the bookstore, and we have plans to go to happy hour next Friday. Robert still loves the Oriental Museum, and I am still likely to join him for tours and lectures, when it is convenient.
Roommate:
Lauren is doing well. We have a nice rhythm of equally contributing to groceries and cleaning responsibilities. If one of us cooks, we don't mind sharing and we catch up with each other when time permits. She is going to a speed dating function next week, I would go but...
Romance:
I have a boyfriend. His name is Marvin and we have been dating for a couple weeks now. You might remember my first impression of him from a previous blog entry but since then, the more I learn, the more that I enjoy his company. He is so intelligent, thoughtful and good natured, I am very excited to see where this relationship goes.
Volunteer:
I connected with Beverly Cook from the Harsh collection yesterday and she is eager to get me aboard to help her with some of those materials. She does have vacation to burn up, so she plans to get me on the schedule in the middle of November. Bea Julian from the DuSable museum has a lot on her plate, but she still manages to send me job postings and resources that will move me along in the profession. I am still debating on whether to become a docent or not, I suppose that it can't hurt and it would be a consistent commitment.
Work:
I'm still plugging away at the university bookstore. Luckily, my new position at the Johnson Publishing Company starts on November 1st, and the monotony will be broken up. I will work 2 days at the bookstore, 3 days at the publishing company, and some Saturdays at the bookstore. While this will keep me stable, I am always looking for full time opportunities in archives.
School:
I have submitted my application to Drexel University for the Archival Certification program. They are on a quarter system and only admit students in the Spring and Fall quarters. The cohort, that I expect to join starts in February 2012. The program is 15 units of online courses and the credential will allow me to take the Certified Archives exam and participate in various professional organizations.
As far as my personal well-being, I am very proud of what I have accomplished in a very short amount of time. I don't have any regrets about the decisions that I have made, in fact I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Everything seems to have happened for a reason. Working at the Scottsdale Public Library has given me some lifelong friends, that I don't know what I would do without. My year working with library materials made me a shoe-in for this position in the bookstore. My time at the University of Arizona gave me an opportunity to get two credentials which will continue to serve me well. Everything isn't perfect, but I do feel that I have the tools (experience and wisdom) to fix anything that could come up. The winter weather is knocking on the door, but I've got my long underwear and Big Bertha coat, so I'm singing "hit me with your best shot!" Just like my London blog provides a nice stroll down memory lane, I am hoping to do the same for Manifest Destiny. I want to integrate some pictures, do some editing, and add to some of the sparse entries from the past couple of weeks.
In closing, thank you for your audience it definitely kept me motivated. If you want to know more about what I am up to, you know how to reach me!
Love Always.
Chaitra
Friday 28 October 2011
Tuesday 25 October 2011
Thursday 20 October 2011
Day 94 - Downtown Library
I took two buses to get downtown today in order to get work done in the big public library. I ate my lunch in the atrium and came back to the fourth floor to FOCUS.
Day 93 - Living Single
I watched the funniest episode of Living Single this morning! It was the one where Regine is dating the father and son, and Kyle agrees to help the others in the stock market. Since I had to be at work at 12:00, I was not late today. I thought that my thick sweater and scarf would be enough protection against the cold and wind, but I was mistaken. Not only was my umberella flipped inside out, my forehead was throbbing like I had been hit with a hammer. Walking to work was not as bad as walking home which was East, right into the weather madness. I don't know why the wind is so angry, but it is.
Day 92 - Best Optometrist
I have not seen my glasses in 21 days, so I decided that I needed to get another pair. I made an appointment at Wal-Mart and headed out there this morning
Day 91 - Overslept
I was about an hour late for work this morning, because I overslept. I called as soon as I woke up, but when I got there, no one really seemed to notice.
Tuesday 18 October 2011
Day 90 - Going with the Flow
For Lauren's last day in Chicago, we woke up late and packed the car, just in case the day ran long, she could still get to the airport in time. Lauren (roommate) made too much food for breakfast, we reaped the benefits of eggs, sausage and banana pancakes. Our first stop was the Pilsen Market. Lauren and I were both expecting a Chicago version of Camden Market in London. Some food, arts, crafts and fashion would have been nice, but I guess it was too late in the day and too cold inside to warrant all that. The "market" had about 6 vendors, alongside the fresh produce and homemade jam, it looked like people were selling the contents of a less than fashionable old lady's attic.
We stayed there for about 10 minutes and then drove to Michigan Avenue to check out some more stores. I took Lauren to TopShop, H&M and the mall at Water Tower Place. We each found some pieces that we couldn't live without. We shared some Aunt Annie's pretzel sticks, and then decided to check out the Hancock Observatory, which was the next building over. We didn't want to spend the 15 dollars to go to the top, so we walked down the street to take pictures near the water where Michigan Ave crosses Wacker Dr, over the Chicago River. On our way we stopped at an architecture tour in the Chicago Tribune building. The tour was free and we were guided through the lobby and up to the executive offices on the 25th floor. The view was cool and we learned how gang rivalries and city politics played out in the actual building as well as within the paper.
Afterwards we took our pictures and realized that we needed to head back to the car. When we got there, I drove Lauren to O'Hare and we had our goodbyes. I found an old cassette in my glove compartment, so the ride home in all of the traffic was not as bad as it could have been. I made it home in time for the Amazing Race.
We stayed there for about 10 minutes and then drove to Michigan Avenue to check out some more stores. I took Lauren to TopShop, H&M and the mall at Water Tower Place. We each found some pieces that we couldn't live without. We shared some Aunt Annie's pretzel sticks, and then decided to check out the Hancock Observatory, which was the next building over. We didn't want to spend the 15 dollars to go to the top, so we walked down the street to take pictures near the water where Michigan Ave crosses Wacker Dr, over the Chicago River. On our way we stopped at an architecture tour in the Chicago Tribune building. The tour was free and we were guided through the lobby and up to the executive offices on the 25th floor. The view was cool and we learned how gang rivalries and city politics played out in the actual building as well as within the paper.
Afterwards we took our pictures and realized that we needed to head back to the car. When we got there, I drove Lauren to O'Hare and we had our goodbyes. I found an old cassette in my glove compartment, so the ride home in all of the traffic was not as bad as it could have been. I made it home in time for the Amazing Race.
Monday 17 October 2011
Day 89 - All Smiles
We managed to wake up by 9:00 because we wanted to go out for breakfast. When we got to Yolk, in the South Loop, we had to wait 45 minutes to be seated. I was seriously doubting why we were sitting in the cold for this food, when there were 15 other restaurants in the area, but Lauren encouraged me to stick to the course. When I did see the menu, I was not disappointed, after much deliberation, I chose the "When in Rome" omelet, with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and spinach. Lauren had strawberry crepes, they were good too. From there, we decided to leave my car and catch a bus back to Hyde Park to visit the Museum of Science and Industry. Unfortunately, the number 10 bus did not want to come for 30 minutes, so we went back to the car and drove to the museum.
I had been to this museum once before in 2007 with my mom, so I was excited to go again. This time, there were traveling exhibits surrounding Dr. Seuss and another called the Smart House. We decided to tour the Smart House, which is a 2-3000 square foot house that has been designed with the best of sustainable and eco-friendly materials and processes. It is all about recycling, reducing and reusing. For example, there were solar panels and a wind turbine that generated energy for the house. The windows were double and triple paned to better insulate the house. Water from the washing machine is recycled into the toilet water, the furniture is made of old tires and the kitchen cabinets are old chemistry closets from the university. Our tour guide was Milo, and he was so excited about the house, it was contagious, Lauren and I are thinking about how we can split the cost of a compost machine and share it across states. After the tour we wandered through the museum's permanent exhibits. We strapped in for a brainwaves contest, and I won. The headbands measured brain waves and that pushes a ball across the table. The person who is the most relaxed will be able to "push" the ball into the goal at the end of the table. Alot of people were watching us which made Lauren anxious, I cleared my mind and beat her in less than 5 minutes! We also looked at the genetically modified chicken, the airplane exhibit and the human body, rooms. All of the exhibits were hands-on and read and touched as many things as any kid that might have been a third of our age.
After the museum, we went home to relax before we would back downtown for dinner and dancing. We wound up watching Vh1's Top 100 songs of the 00's. Beyonce's Crazy in Love was number one. I put on one of my new dresses and Lauren let me borrow her black wedges. Lauren was just as fabulous in her new dress and tall boots. We drove to Cafe Iberico for tapas and sangria. Lauren and I had both been here before and were excited to get to the garlic shrimp and patatas bravas. The place was crowded and we had to wait 45 minutes to be seated. We ate and drank with joy. Marvin met us at the restaurant after a couple of hours and bought us dessert. Lauren and him had easy conversation and I could not stop smiling. Here I am a thousand miles away from "home" and feeling as loved and accepted as can be. Sometimes I feel cold and distant, but if I can count these two beautiful souls as friends, I must be doing something right. After a little while we left the restaurant and I told Marvin that we were going to paint the town on Lauren's last night in the city. He buttoned my coat, gave us a few ideas and told us to be careful, then we parted ways.
Lauren and I headed towards Division Avenue to find some bars/clubs. We wound up at The Hunt Club, which was packed and the DJ was playing the techno hits. We went upstairs to get drinks and check the place out. Within 15 minutes, we were approached by some suspicious looking characters. The shorter one asked if he could buy me a drink, I said no thank you. He stood next to us and started talking anyway. Wandi is from Cape Town, South Africa and he is here with the UniverSoul circus. What! He brought over his fellow acrobats and the Russians from the high flying trapeze act. I told them that the show was great, but they all got real quiet when I asked them about free tickets to Sunday's show. Lauren wandered off to talk to someone else and when Wandi and I disagreed about the negative impact of smoking, I escaped to the ladies room. When I got back to the bar, Ashley from Ohio bumped into me and insisted on buying me a shot in order to make up for it. Sure, chocolate cake shots for everyone! Ashley was out for her birthday with her friends Shrey and Vikram. We shared alot of laughs, they were so friendly! Lauren joined me we decided to migrate downstairs. She introduced me to some Czech guys that she met earlier, which was interesting.
We left the Hunt Club and walked across the street to another bar, but refused to pay a cover and kept on walking. By this time, the shoes were hurting my feet were! I just wanted to sit down somewhere. Lauren had her phone with the maps and insisted that another great club was right around the corner, I love her but I couldn't walk another block. I started walking towards the car, and she came with me reluctantly. On the street we ran into CanoPuerto Rico. We tried to ask them for directions, but they only spoke Spanish, and of course whenever I drink I am fluent in Spanish. Something about reduced inhibitions brings all of that high school Spanish straight to my brain. I was talking and translating, they offered to give us a ride and to their dismay, we had to say no. We met another guy in the street, while he was talking some women drove by and shouted, "don't do it girl, he already got 3 baby mamas". He swore he had no idea who they were, riiight. We finally made it to the car, by now it is 4:45 and we want McDonalds! We were waiting in the drive-thru line when an employee came out and switched the regular menu with the breakfast menu. We were upset, egg mcmuffins are not an adequate substitute for chicken mcnuggets. We just ordered juice and coffee and headed home. This night is definitely going in the hall of fame, top night!
I had been to this museum once before in 2007 with my mom, so I was excited to go again. This time, there were traveling exhibits surrounding Dr. Seuss and another called the Smart House. We decided to tour the Smart House, which is a 2-3000 square foot house that has been designed with the best of sustainable and eco-friendly materials and processes. It is all about recycling, reducing and reusing. For example, there were solar panels and a wind turbine that generated energy for the house. The windows were double and triple paned to better insulate the house. Water from the washing machine is recycled into the toilet water, the furniture is made of old tires and the kitchen cabinets are old chemistry closets from the university. Our tour guide was Milo, and he was so excited about the house, it was contagious, Lauren and I are thinking about how we can split the cost of a compost machine and share it across states. After the tour we wandered through the museum's permanent exhibits. We strapped in for a brainwaves contest, and I won. The headbands measured brain waves and that pushes a ball across the table. The person who is the most relaxed will be able to "push" the ball into the goal at the end of the table. Alot of people were watching us which made Lauren anxious, I cleared my mind and beat her in less than 5 minutes! We also looked at the genetically modified chicken, the airplane exhibit and the human body, rooms. All of the exhibits were hands-on and read and touched as many things as any kid that might have been a third of our age.
After the museum, we went home to relax before we would back downtown for dinner and dancing. We wound up watching Vh1's Top 100 songs of the 00's. Beyonce's Crazy in Love was number one. I put on one of my new dresses and Lauren let me borrow her black wedges. Lauren was just as fabulous in her new dress and tall boots. We drove to Cafe Iberico for tapas and sangria. Lauren and I had both been here before and were excited to get to the garlic shrimp and patatas bravas. The place was crowded and we had to wait 45 minutes to be seated. We ate and drank with joy. Marvin met us at the restaurant after a couple of hours and bought us dessert. Lauren and him had easy conversation and I could not stop smiling. Here I am a thousand miles away from "home" and feeling as loved and accepted as can be. Sometimes I feel cold and distant, but if I can count these two beautiful souls as friends, I must be doing something right. After a little while we left the restaurant and I told Marvin that we were going to paint the town on Lauren's last night in the city. He buttoned my coat, gave us a few ideas and told us to be careful, then we parted ways.
Lauren and I headed towards Division Avenue to find some bars/clubs. We wound up at The Hunt Club, which was packed and the DJ was playing the techno hits. We went upstairs to get drinks and check the place out. Within 15 minutes, we were approached by some suspicious looking characters. The shorter one asked if he could buy me a drink, I said no thank you. He stood next to us and started talking anyway. Wandi is from Cape Town, South Africa and he is here with the UniverSoul circus. What! He brought over his fellow acrobats and the Russians from the high flying trapeze act. I told them that the show was great, but they all got real quiet when I asked them about free tickets to Sunday's show. Lauren wandered off to talk to someone else and when Wandi and I disagreed about the negative impact of smoking, I escaped to the ladies room. When I got back to the bar, Ashley from Ohio bumped into me and insisted on buying me a shot in order to make up for it. Sure, chocolate cake shots for everyone! Ashley was out for her birthday with her friends Shrey and Vikram. We shared alot of laughs, they were so friendly! Lauren joined me we decided to migrate downstairs. She introduced me to some Czech guys that she met earlier, which was interesting.
We left the Hunt Club and walked across the street to another bar, but refused to pay a cover and kept on walking. By this time, the shoes were hurting my feet were! I just wanted to sit down somewhere. Lauren had her phone with the maps and insisted that another great club was right around the corner, I love her but I couldn't walk another block. I started walking towards the car, and she came with me reluctantly. On the street we ran into CanoPuerto Rico. We tried to ask them for directions, but they only spoke Spanish, and of course whenever I drink I am fluent in Spanish. Something about reduced inhibitions brings all of that high school Spanish straight to my brain. I was talking and translating, they offered to give us a ride and to their dismay, we had to say no. We met another guy in the street, while he was talking some women drove by and shouted, "don't do it girl, he already got 3 baby mamas". He swore he had no idea who they were, riiight. We finally made it to the car, by now it is 4:45 and we want McDonalds! We were waiting in the drive-thru line when an employee came out and switched the regular menu with the breakfast menu. We were upset, egg mcmuffins are not an adequate substitute for chicken mcnuggets. We just ordered juice and coffee and headed home. This night is definitely going in the hall of fame, top night!
Sunday 16 October 2011
Day 88 - Vintage Shopping
Lauren and I got up bright and early to get the day started. We ate breakfast, cleaned up and headed toward the bus stop. We knew that we would have to take the bus, a green train and a blue train to get to the shopping district that we had read about. Wicker Park and Bucktown are neighborhoods in the western side of the city and they have an amazing assortment of vintage and thrift stores/boutiques. We must have walked through 10 different stores. I found a grey cardigan with buttons of varying sizes, it sounds crazy but it is my new favorite piece of clothing. I found a couple of dresses and a hat, all for much cheaper than mainstream stores. Lauren also went a little crazy and bought more than a few dresses and pairs of earrings. The icing on the cake is that all of the stuff is unique and bargain priced, there is no better thrill.
We had lunch at a Mexican dive restaurant. My carne asada burrito was not bad, not as good as Filiberto's in Phoenix, but it was okay. We continued to shop in an Aldo shoe outlet, an army surplus store and a giant wig/hat store. It was so cool to hand out with a like minded person. If either of us saw a store that piqued an interest, the other one agreed to go inside and check it out. More than once, I went into a store that I had no initial interest in and came out with a purchase. The turning point of our trip was our stop in the Verizon store. Lauren has been eyeing the iPhone 4S, and she seized the moment to upgrade her phone. I was happy for her because we can share iPhone tales, and because her old phone was a brick, it was time for her to join the smart phone revolution. From that moment on, I had to exercise patience while she checked and double checked directions and customer reviews for anything that we thought about doing.
We rested for a few moments and had a cocktail in a Wicker Park bar before heading back to Hyde Park. Our plan was to get back, order some pizza, relax and get ready for a late night out in the city. The trains were fine, but we wound up waiting for a bus for about 45 minutes, less than 2 miles from my place, it was pretty frustrating. We ordered the pizza and then took real naps. By the time that the food arrived, we felt better and went through the beautifying rituals. It was fun playing with make-up and swapping techniques on getting the best out of our equally curly hair styles. Lauren (roommate) suggested a few places for us to check out, but we decided to go another direction. We drove around on the north side for a few minutes but nothing looked good, so we went downtown.
I parked and we walked over to Excalibur. The people inside were very eclectic, we got in for free, and through the mist and laser lights, we sipped our little cocktails and looked around. After 45 minutes, we walked down the street and check out a few other more low key bars. We started to text each other instead of talking because it was so noisy. Nothing of consequence happened, it was just nice to be out and about with one of my best friends. Last call at the last bar that we went to was 4:00 AM, and we left right around 3:30. In any other circumstance, I might have been in a coma like level of sleepiness but I could barely sleep in anticipation for what tomorrow would bring.
We had lunch at a Mexican dive restaurant. My carne asada burrito was not bad, not as good as Filiberto's in Phoenix, but it was okay. We continued to shop in an Aldo shoe outlet, an army surplus store and a giant wig/hat store. It was so cool to hand out with a like minded person. If either of us saw a store that piqued an interest, the other one agreed to go inside and check it out. More than once, I went into a store that I had no initial interest in and came out with a purchase. The turning point of our trip was our stop in the Verizon store. Lauren has been eyeing the iPhone 4S, and she seized the moment to upgrade her phone. I was happy for her because we can share iPhone tales, and because her old phone was a brick, it was time for her to join the smart phone revolution. From that moment on, I had to exercise patience while she checked and double checked directions and customer reviews for anything that we thought about doing.
We rested for a few moments and had a cocktail in a Wicker Park bar before heading back to Hyde Park. Our plan was to get back, order some pizza, relax and get ready for a late night out in the city. The trains were fine, but we wound up waiting for a bus for about 45 minutes, less than 2 miles from my place, it was pretty frustrating. We ordered the pizza and then took real naps. By the time that the food arrived, we felt better and went through the beautifying rituals. It was fun playing with make-up and swapping techniques on getting the best out of our equally curly hair styles. Lauren (roommate) suggested a few places for us to check out, but we decided to go another direction. We drove around on the north side for a few minutes but nothing looked good, so we went downtown.
I parked and we walked over to Excalibur. The people inside were very eclectic, we got in for free, and through the mist and laser lights, we sipped our little cocktails and looked around. After 45 minutes, we walked down the street and check out a few other more low key bars. We started to text each other instead of talking because it was so noisy. Nothing of consequence happened, it was just nice to be out and about with one of my best friends. Last call at the last bar that we went to was 4:00 AM, and we left right around 3:30. In any other circumstance, I might have been in a coma like level of sleepiness but I could barely sleep in anticipation for what tomorrow would bring.
Thursday 13 October 2011
Day 87 - Breakfast Feast
Finally a day off! I slept in until 9:30 and woke up to a call from Marvin. He wanted to meet me for breakfast. I told him that I needed to follow up on a few things and do laundry, plus it was raining, I didn't really want to leave the house. He said, no worries, I'll bring it to you! Who can say no to that. An hour later, I had the most decadent breakfast ever. Pancakes, French toast with blueberries, turkey sausage, veggie omelette, roasted potatoes, raisin bagel, corned beef and hash, and every condiment known to man. We shared everything, and some good conversation. I gave him a tour of the house and introduced him to Simba and Misty. He seemed a little thrown by the cat on the countertop (just like my aunt) but he said it was a small sacrifice for such a nice place.
My afternoon was full of laundry and Judge Judy. I had planned to follow up with some of the repositories that I want to learn more about, but I took a nap instead. By the time I caught up on my blog and put my laundry away, Lauren was home. We had a relatively good chat about her realizing the futility of chasing men, and she was going to be open to finding someone better for herself. At the same time, she wants to have a baby, so the "one" needs to come along very soon. Some things that I don't understand...I don't mind being a sounding board. I haven't told her about Marvin, I suppose I will have to eventually, but it is nice to have my little secret. Lauren made kale with ham and garlic, and gracioulsy shared it with me, it was pretty good. We watched Grey's Anatomy together and now I'm debating when to leave to pick Lauren (friend) up from the airport. Her flight out of Phoenix was delayed, so she should be here around 11:30..can't wait for the fun to begin!
My afternoon was full of laundry and Judge Judy. I had planned to follow up with some of the repositories that I want to learn more about, but I took a nap instead. By the time I caught up on my blog and put my laundry away, Lauren was home. We had a relatively good chat about her realizing the futility of chasing men, and she was going to be open to finding someone better for herself. At the same time, she wants to have a baby, so the "one" needs to come along very soon. Some things that I don't understand...I don't mind being a sounding board. I haven't told her about Marvin, I suppose I will have to eventually, but it is nice to have my little secret. Lauren made kale with ham and garlic, and gracioulsy shared it with me, it was pretty good. We watched Grey's Anatomy together and now I'm debating when to leave to pick Lauren (friend) up from the airport. Her flight out of Phoenix was delayed, so she should be here around 11:30..can't wait for the fun to begin!
Day 86 - Cutest Outfit
I am loving this weather and the super fun clothes that I get to wear. Today's ensemble will be called, Wildberry Skittle. I wore my powder blue lacey tights, tall black boots with silver buckles, magenta broom skirt, lavender cami, and a blue cardigan. I was working the IV out of Roy G. Biv. To make things better, Marvin surprised me at work. He was finished with his classes and heading to work. We talked for a minute and then I walked with him out of the store, we may or may not have been holding hands. When I got back, all the girls were giving me the business. "Chaitra, I see you blushing!" All I could do was laugh and head upstairs. I know I'm too old to be this giddy but he is super sweet, I like him.
After work, I cleaned up my room and got ready for my nightly, television, computer, letter writing, and reading routine. Around 9:00, Marvin called asked me if I wanted to come over and watch a movie. That sounded like more fun than what I was about to do, so I got ready and picked him up at the train station. He was thinking about going to Riverdale to see his friend, Craig and Craig's son, Anthony. I guess that Anthony is leaving for the Air Force next week. I offered to join him, but Anthony was sleeping, so he will have to go another time. Instead of watching a movie, he set up his record player and we listened to Harry Belafonte. Apparently there is a lot more to him than the Day-O song, he is a folk singer and Broadway actor. I feel so ignorant some times. All of his records were great, throw in a little Sam Cooke, Nina Simone and Mahalia Jackson, I fell down a soul music tunnel. I drove myself home after a little while, life is good.
After work, I cleaned up my room and got ready for my nightly, television, computer, letter writing, and reading routine. Around 9:00, Marvin called asked me if I wanted to come over and watch a movie. That sounded like more fun than what I was about to do, so I got ready and picked him up at the train station. He was thinking about going to Riverdale to see his friend, Craig and Craig's son, Anthony. I guess that Anthony is leaving for the Air Force next week. I offered to join him, but Anthony was sleeping, so he will have to go another time. Instead of watching a movie, he set up his record player and we listened to Harry Belafonte. Apparently there is a lot more to him than the Day-O song, he is a folk singer and Broadway actor. I feel so ignorant some times. All of his records were great, throw in a little Sam Cooke, Nina Simone and Mahalia Jackson, I fell down a soul music tunnel. I drove myself home after a little while, life is good.
Tuesday 11 October 2011
Day 85 - Return of the Admiral
After watching 90 minutes of Dancing with the Stars on Hulu, I was running a little late in getting ready for work. Luckily the weather was nice and I busted out the Admiral. I made it to work in 5 minutes flat. Once there, I did my best to avoid Caitlyn (she is so dull, I can't take it). Then I did my best to stretch out the work so that I wouldn't be caught standing around. This job is so stupid, just keep reminding myself to stay the course. When I got home, I made spaghetti with leftover spinach mixed into the sauce. I watched Tim Allen's new show, the parallels to Home Improvement are cute. Now, I'm watching the Results show of Dancing with the Stars. I am looking forward to scrap booking and working on my application essay for Drexel University, I've decided on their archival certification program, it is ranked #4 in U.S. News and World Reports. The next application deadline is February 1.
I almost forgot, when I go to work this morning, Mary said that someone from the DuSable Museum came into the bookstore looking for me. Mary is a little old lady who works as a cashier in the bookstore. Every time she climbs up the stairs, she grunts and I am a little concerned. She is sweet and she told me that DuSable wanted to offer me a job as a docent. When I called, I found it was just another way to volunteer. Darn it Mary, you got me all geeked up for nothing! Honestly, it wasn't that serious and I see that they really need knowledgeable people to be docents, but they should also look for some money to offer people some kind of compensation. Who can afford to spend all of that time learning the ins and outs of the exhibits, give tours all through the week, and still support him or herself. As soon as my schedule is set, I'll see if I have any time, but I can't make any promises.
I almost forgot, when I go to work this morning, Mary said that someone from the DuSable Museum came into the bookstore looking for me. Mary is a little old lady who works as a cashier in the bookstore. Every time she climbs up the stairs, she grunts and I am a little concerned. She is sweet and she told me that DuSable wanted to offer me a job as a docent. When I called, I found it was just another way to volunteer. Darn it Mary, you got me all geeked up for nothing! Honestly, it wasn't that serious and I see that they really need knowledgeable people to be docents, but they should also look for some money to offer people some kind of compensation. Who can afford to spend all of that time learning the ins and outs of the exhibits, give tours all through the week, and still support him or herself. As soon as my schedule is set, I'll see if I have any time, but I can't make any promises.
Day 84 - Carrots and Humus
Short and sweet. I went to work. After work, Marvin and I walked around the Midway. When I got home, I ate humus and carrots. I caught up with my sister and then I went to sleep...
Sunday 9 October 2011
Day 83 - Clybourne
I had planned to sit down somewhere today and rest, but Lauren invited me to a play with her and her family. Lauren's parents picked us up around 2:00 and we drove to Steppenwolfe Theater in Lincoln Park. The play is called Clyborn and it has been compared to "A Raisin in the Sun" with its themes of racism and housing. Lauren's sister and her boyfriend also met us at the theater. I found out that today is Mrs. Richardson's birthday and the tickets were a gift. The show was very thought provoking. The first half is set in the 1950's when housing is having a hard time getting integrated, and modern times where a new couple is trying to tear down a house and build a new one, unknown to them, erasing the history of the neighborhood. There are moments when I wanted to close my eyes, partly because I was tired and partly because the tension on stage was a little too much for me.
After the show, I walked with Lauren to CB2, Crate and Barrel, and Bed, Bath and Beyond, she was looking for a stainless steel mixing bowl. Then we linked up with the others at J. Alexander for a birthday dinner. I had fish tacos and shared chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. Although I spent more than I wanted to, I understood how it might have been awkward for Lauren to hang out with her family by herself. Kristin and Tahir were all coupled up, whispering to one another. Lauren's mom and dad argue often and are just reaching out for supporters of their respective positions. Then there is Lauren, that might have an impact over time. Another element of the dinner conversation that irritated me was their emphasis on superficial things. Lauren's mom whispers across the table to me, "have you found another job yet?" I told her about JPC, but in hindsight, why does it matter? While Lauren and I were walking to the stores, she asked if I had tried a Brazilian Blow-Out for my hair. It is supposed to be a new way to straightened hair, no I like my big frizzy curls!
I tried to follow their conversations and stay engaged, but by my second taco, I had to tune them out..the sarcasm and bickering, was exhausting after awhile. The kicker is that, I assumed her dad was going to pay for the meal, so I ordered very lightly. When the bill came, they spilt it among everyone, so there I am paying a percentage of the automatic gratuity and the cocktails that everyone else was enjoying. I promise I'm not cheap but I hate having to pay for something that I didn't enjoy. Tomorrow is a new day, and I don't hold grudges but I will definitely be more cautious about throwing my lot in with those folks.
After the show, I walked with Lauren to CB2, Crate and Barrel, and Bed, Bath and Beyond, she was looking for a stainless steel mixing bowl. Then we linked up with the others at J. Alexander for a birthday dinner. I had fish tacos and shared chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. Although I spent more than I wanted to, I understood how it might have been awkward for Lauren to hang out with her family by herself. Kristin and Tahir were all coupled up, whispering to one another. Lauren's mom and dad argue often and are just reaching out for supporters of their respective positions. Then there is Lauren, that might have an impact over time. Another element of the dinner conversation that irritated me was their emphasis on superficial things. Lauren's mom whispers across the table to me, "have you found another job yet?" I told her about JPC, but in hindsight, why does it matter? While Lauren and I were walking to the stores, she asked if I had tried a Brazilian Blow-Out for my hair. It is supposed to be a new way to straightened hair, no I like my big frizzy curls!
I tried to follow their conversations and stay engaged, but by my second taco, I had to tune them out..the sarcasm and bickering, was exhausting after awhile. The kicker is that, I assumed her dad was going to pay for the meal, so I ordered very lightly. When the bill came, they spilt it among everyone, so there I am paying a percentage of the automatic gratuity and the cocktails that everyone else was enjoying. I promise I'm not cheap but I hate having to pay for something that I didn't enjoy. Tomorrow is a new day, and I don't hold grudges but I will definitely be more cautious about throwing my lot in with those folks.
Day 82 - Marvin's Room
After work today, I had plans to meet Marvin at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater to check out The Follies. He is the box office manager and was able to comp a ticket for me. I had to take two buses and a train to get to the theater which is located on Navy Pier. The second bus was extremely crowded and extraordinarily late. At every stop, I had to get off of the bus let someone, most likely with a double decker stroller off of the bus. The door opened on my butt more than once. I had never seen Navy Pier lit up and crowded as it was tonight, I made it to the theater, just in time to get my ticket and be seated just before the curtain rose.
Steven Sondheim's Follies is the story of vaudeville performers from the 40's who get together in 1971 for a reunion, just before the theater is shut down. It was really cool the way that it was designed to show the older and younger versions of the characters, often on stage at the same time. The first half is very dramatic, but the second half has that super quirky, musical, comedic vaudeville style to it. The music was great and I really enjoyed the dance numbers. The character of Phyllis was after my own heart, her rival Sally was a twit. During intermission, I watched fireworks from the theaters' windows. After the show, I met up with Marvin on the fourth floor of the theater. He walked me out to the balcony, off of the administrative offices of the theater. The view was breathtaking. Marvin pointed out the significant buildings and explained that on a clear day, you can see all the way to Indiana. After that, he gave me an informal tour of backstage. All of the actors were gone, but I saw the costume department and where they kept all of the props.
Since we were at Navy Pier looking for something to do, we decided to check out the IMAX theater. Although it wasn't my idea, I was complicit in taking us to watch Real Steel with Hugh Jackman. I understand that the movie is ridiculous and should have went straight to video. In the interest of not being a Debbie Downer, I took it for what it was and rode out the highs and lows. When the robot with the heart of gold defeats the battery operated behemoth, I clapped and cheered. After the movie, we walked around the Botanical Garden at Navy Pier. I told Marvin that I wanted some greasy late night takeout, but he decides to take me to Cafe Tiempo instead. It is a 24 hour cash only restaurant in the Gold Coast neighborhood. I had an omelet and we shared some interesting conversation. It was probably about 3:00 AM when we left the restaurant.
From there, we went back to his place for a tour and jam session. We listened to his box set of doo wop classics, Gil Scott Heron and some group called Reindeer Station. He drove me home just as the sun was coming up, and I went straight to bed. I think that Marvin is a great person to know in this city and his work ethic really inspires me.
Steven Sondheim's Follies is the story of vaudeville performers from the 40's who get together in 1971 for a reunion, just before the theater is shut down. It was really cool the way that it was designed to show the older and younger versions of the characters, often on stage at the same time. The first half is very dramatic, but the second half has that super quirky, musical, comedic vaudeville style to it. The music was great and I really enjoyed the dance numbers. The character of Phyllis was after my own heart, her rival Sally was a twit. During intermission, I watched fireworks from the theaters' windows. After the show, I met up with Marvin on the fourth floor of the theater. He walked me out to the balcony, off of the administrative offices of the theater. The view was breathtaking. Marvin pointed out the significant buildings and explained that on a clear day, you can see all the way to Indiana. After that, he gave me an informal tour of backstage. All of the actors were gone, but I saw the costume department and where they kept all of the props.
Since we were at Navy Pier looking for something to do, we decided to check out the IMAX theater. Although it wasn't my idea, I was complicit in taking us to watch Real Steel with Hugh Jackman. I understand that the movie is ridiculous and should have went straight to video. In the interest of not being a Debbie Downer, I took it for what it was and rode out the highs and lows. When the robot with the heart of gold defeats the battery operated behemoth, I clapped and cheered. After the movie, we walked around the Botanical Garden at Navy Pier. I told Marvin that I wanted some greasy late night takeout, but he decides to take me to Cafe Tiempo instead. It is a 24 hour cash only restaurant in the Gold Coast neighborhood. I had an omelet and we shared some interesting conversation. It was probably about 3:00 AM when we left the restaurant.
From there, we went back to his place for a tour and jam session. We listened to his box set of doo wop classics, Gil Scott Heron and some group called Reindeer Station. He drove me home just as the sun was coming up, and I went straight to bed. I think that Marvin is a great person to know in this city and his work ethic really inspires me.
Friday 7 October 2011
Day 81 - First First Friday!
I was so tired at work today, I didn't think that I was going to make it to quiting time. I was on the phone for awhile with Marvin last night but I'm always taking naps, I didn't think it would have such an impact. At 4:00, even though I needed to get ready for First Friday, I had to return my red box and get an energy drink, which added an extra twenty minutes to the moment when I would be home.
I got ready quasi-fast and headed downtown to meet Coleman at 6:30 at the Metropolitan Contemporary Art Museum. I had bought tickets in advance with the "Meet Up" that I joined, and we got wrist bands at the entrance. The museum looks very interesting but I didn't get to see it because as soon as we entered Coleman was approached by two women that he went to college with. Then those women had friends approach our group, everyone was very friendly and they were excited to tell me their Chicago snow stories.
When we broke away to get drinks, we learned that we had to go to another kiosk to get tickets to use to buy the drinks. Coleman wound up buying me 2 white wine spritzers and I was feeling pretty good. We staked out a table outside and we talked with two more of Coleman's friends, they were at his party a few weeks ago, but I didn't recognize them. We ran into one more acquaintance of Coleman's from college who is a Zumba instructor at the YMCA in downtown Chicago, I have her card, I might have to check that out.
My drinks were spread out over the evening, and when we took seats on the steps outside, Coleman and I crossed a friendship bridge. The name of this bridge is the blues, I used to think that my parents were the only ones who listened to certain artists, gone are those assumptions. Johnnie Taylor, Peggy Scott Adams and Clarence Carter were artists that we both knew. He was telling me about Millie Something and Etta Jones, Someone LaSalle, and Bobby Blue Bland that I need to check out.
It was nice that he could have spent the night following around the familiar faces that he encountered but he stayed with me instead. We left after an hour and a half because he had another party to go to on the north side. Before he did that, we had to check out one of the gay bars close to the museum. This place is called Second Story and it might be 900 square feet on the second floor of a building. Coleman knew quite a few people in there and some of them had heard of me. These men were so sweet, and we spent about 45 minutes laughing, talking and people watching.
From there Coleman walked me to Club Vertigo. I took an elevator to the penthouse level and ordered a glass of water. I walked around the space in awe of the view, and found a wall to lean on. This is when I was approached by Mark. I felt like I was on Jersey Shore, and he moved on as soon as he realized that I was not DTF. It was flattering but I might have been chopped up and put in his freezer, messing around with him. He was talking about wrapping me in bubble wrap and sneaking me out of there and his skills with Reiki massage, thanks but no thanks Mr. Mark.
That encounter was a sobering experience for me and I knew that I was ready to go home. I got a little turned around, but I figured it out. When I got to Hyde Park, I stopped at the Wok and Roll and ordered some cashew chicken, delicious. I would take that over 99 cent tacos at Jack in the Box, any day of the week. Lauren was up when I got home, I filled her in on the night's events and headed to bed. Downtown Chicago was everything that I hoped it would be. I had a very good evening, and I am looking forward to many more, just like this.
I got ready quasi-fast and headed downtown to meet Coleman at 6:30 at the Metropolitan Contemporary Art Museum. I had bought tickets in advance with the "Meet Up" that I joined, and we got wrist bands at the entrance. The museum looks very interesting but I didn't get to see it because as soon as we entered Coleman was approached by two women that he went to college with. Then those women had friends approach our group, everyone was very friendly and they were excited to tell me their Chicago snow stories.
When we broke away to get drinks, we learned that we had to go to another kiosk to get tickets to use to buy the drinks. Coleman wound up buying me 2 white wine spritzers and I was feeling pretty good. We staked out a table outside and we talked with two more of Coleman's friends, they were at his party a few weeks ago, but I didn't recognize them. We ran into one more acquaintance of Coleman's from college who is a Zumba instructor at the YMCA in downtown Chicago, I have her card, I might have to check that out.
My drinks were spread out over the evening, and when we took seats on the steps outside, Coleman and I crossed a friendship bridge. The name of this bridge is the blues, I used to think that my parents were the only ones who listened to certain artists, gone are those assumptions. Johnnie Taylor, Peggy Scott Adams and Clarence Carter were artists that we both knew. He was telling me about Millie Something and Etta Jones, Someone LaSalle, and Bobby Blue Bland that I need to check out.
It was nice that he could have spent the night following around the familiar faces that he encountered but he stayed with me instead. We left after an hour and a half because he had another party to go to on the north side. Before he did that, we had to check out one of the gay bars close to the museum. This place is called Second Story and it might be 900 square feet on the second floor of a building. Coleman knew quite a few people in there and some of them had heard of me. These men were so sweet, and we spent about 45 minutes laughing, talking and people watching.
From there Coleman walked me to Club Vertigo. I took an elevator to the penthouse level and ordered a glass of water. I walked around the space in awe of the view, and found a wall to lean on. This is when I was approached by Mark. I felt like I was on Jersey Shore, and he moved on as soon as he realized that I was not DTF. It was flattering but I might have been chopped up and put in his freezer, messing around with him. He was talking about wrapping me in bubble wrap and sneaking me out of there and his skills with Reiki massage, thanks but no thanks Mr. Mark.
That encounter was a sobering experience for me and I knew that I was ready to go home. I got a little turned around, but I figured it out. When I got to Hyde Park, I stopped at the Wok and Roll and ordered some cashew chicken, delicious. I would take that over 99 cent tacos at Jack in the Box, any day of the week. Lauren was up when I got home, I filled her in on the night's events and headed to bed. Downtown Chicago was everything that I hoped it would be. I had a very good evening, and I am looking forward to many more, just like this.
Thursday 6 October 2011
Day 80 - A Moment of Clarity
I didn't have to work today, but I woke up at 7:00 AM anyway with a moment of clarity. I called Coleman and Rebecca right away and withdrew my candidacy, I also sent them emails. I didn't want them to spend another minute of their time considering me for that position. Then I called Mindy from Johnson Publishing Company and accepted their offer of employment. It was so good to get that over with. I drafted a few mock schedules to see how I could get the bookstore, volunteering and the new job into a work week. I will need to see if everyone is on board with my ideas, but I think that I have a handle on the situation. I also did a little budget analysis and I think that a few special people might be getting Christmas presents this year, :)
I watched two episodes of Mad Men this morning. That show is great, if you don't know by now, I don't know what to tell you. I texted Coleman to see if our fledgling friendship had survived the trauma of me backing out. He called me back and we had an interesting conversation, full disclosure. He said the position was mine, there was not another candidate that even came close...that stung a little. He also said that the tough interviewer was an asshole and nobody likes him. I told him that it didn't help that three out of the six people that I have met along the process had plans to leave the department within the next 6 months. Overall, the position was going to be a challenge without the necessary forward progression that I am looking for. I guess that is how I know that I am on the right track, when I sacrificed what I want now (more money) for what I want most (a career in archives). Coleman proceeded to tell me about the amazing Italian man that he met last night, and how Beyonce will never be a Patti LaBelle, Tina Turner, or Chaka Khan. I begged to differ about Beyonce, but I imagine that we will be better friends without working together.
I cleaned the house and then decided to get out and enjoy this beautiful weather. I brought my book and my purse with me to the park, and read for a little bit. Then I started walking, no particular destination in mind. I noticed so many food places, I felt like stopping in all of them....Giordano's Pizza, Pizza Capri, Boston Market, Jamaican Food, Ribs n Bibs, Wok n Roll, Subway, and they just built a Five Guys on 53rd Street. The line was pretty long and I had burgers last week. I would have loved some cajun fries but I resisted the urge. I went to CVS, read an entire celebrity gossip magazine, and treated myself to that new peel off nail polish. Hope told me about it before I left Arizona and I think it will be fun. Apparently, you just stick on the "polish sticker" and file it around your nail bed, and it will come off with nail polish remover. I borrowed Rio from the red box, then I bought tomatoes and carrots at Hyde Park Produce and walked home.
I watched two episodes of Mad Men this morning. That show is great, if you don't know by now, I don't know what to tell you. I texted Coleman to see if our fledgling friendship had survived the trauma of me backing out. He called me back and we had an interesting conversation, full disclosure. He said the position was mine, there was not another candidate that even came close...that stung a little. He also said that the tough interviewer was an asshole and nobody likes him. I told him that it didn't help that three out of the six people that I have met along the process had plans to leave the department within the next 6 months. Overall, the position was going to be a challenge without the necessary forward progression that I am looking for. I guess that is how I know that I am on the right track, when I sacrificed what I want now (more money) for what I want most (a career in archives). Coleman proceeded to tell me about the amazing Italian man that he met last night, and how Beyonce will never be a Patti LaBelle, Tina Turner, or Chaka Khan. I begged to differ about Beyonce, but I imagine that we will be better friends without working together.
I cleaned the house and then decided to get out and enjoy this beautiful weather. I brought my book and my purse with me to the park, and read for a little bit. Then I started walking, no particular destination in mind. I noticed so many food places, I felt like stopping in all of them....Giordano's Pizza, Pizza Capri, Boston Market, Jamaican Food, Ribs n Bibs, Wok n Roll, Subway, and they just built a Five Guys on 53rd Street. The line was pretty long and I had burgers last week. I would have loved some cajun fries but I resisted the urge. I went to CVS, read an entire celebrity gossip magazine, and treated myself to that new peel off nail polish. Hope told me about it before I left Arizona and I think it will be fun. Apparently, you just stick on the "polish sticker" and file it around your nail bed, and it will come off with nail polish remover. I borrowed Rio from the red box, then I bought tomatoes and carrots at Hyde Park Produce and walked home.
Wednesday 5 October 2011
Day 79 - Al Green Album Art
I am highly favored to wake up and experience a day like this. It didn't start off too extraordinary, just an english muffin for breakfast and Windy City Live on television before work.
Less than an hour into my work day and I am approached by a bearded stranger named Marvin. Marvin is looking for a book about diets for your blood type to give to his cousin. We don't have it but I went ahead and put in the order for him. You would think that would be the end of the story, but Marvin doesn't see it that way. He keeps smiling and talking and my interest is piqued. I wish that you all could see him, he has a medium build, just jeans, baseball hat and a t-shirt, a FULL beard, a bald head (I bet he used to have locs) with a very nice smile, a patterned Hezbollah type of scarf, a little kabbalah string around his wrist and an arrowhead charm around his neck. Something about him was instantly nostalgic and familiar. He looks like he jumped off an Al Green album cover from 1976, pointing and grinning. I could see him in the 80's, hanging out on an air force base with my dad in Germany, with little gym shorts and tall striped tube socks.
We talked about Chicago, family, and balancing work and school. When he called his cousin to tell her about the book and other random family information, he handed me the phone. I talked to his cousin for almost 10 minutes. Her name is Shekentha, and she thinks that we should all go out for coffee soon and she invited me to her birthday party. I told her that her cousin kept smiling at me and I didn't know what to do about it, she said his smile does have that effect on people. This man is a trip. Before we exchanged numbers he explained that his schedule is jam packed and he prefers texting with people, so I won't be holding my breath on any extended late night conversations. It was nice to connect to someone today, it really was one of the highlights.
When I picked up my phone at lunch time, I saw that I had a missed call from the Johnson Publishing Company, they offered me the job!! There it is, two birds in the hand. I can work at the bookstore and the archives, giving myself a little more financial stability. First thing in the morning, I will be calling Coleman and Rebecca and withdrawing myself for consideration. Those will be tough calls because I feel like they might have staked their reputations in support of me, I suppose it is better to let them know sooner than later. I had a great talk in the lunch room with Brittany and Curtis.
When I get back to the trade desk, I am asked to look up a few books for a Mr. Wayne Winter. We didn't have his books but he said that he would be remiss if he didn't ask me which church I go to. I explained my situation and how I have been exploring different options in Hyde Park, he said that his was non-denominational and they had services at the Illinois Institute of Technology on Sunday mornings. I will definitely be checking that one out. He gave me his wife's phone number in case I wanted to talk to someone about religion in the meantime. I thought that was very kind of him, it let me know it was really about the religion and nothing tawdry.
The last king to visit me was Mr. Ford who had plans to recruit me in his entrepreneur training program. He asked me about college and how I felt about making money in new ways. I told him that I wasn't business oriented, but that was a nice sales pitch. Then he got a little indignant and said it wasn't a pitch, he was just trying to prepare young people for this tricky economy and show them how to become independently wealthy. I wished him luck and said that I would call when his books arrived. The rest of the afternoon was uneventful, other than the fact that my favorite pack of cookies experienced a price hike. They added one cookie to the sleeve and raised the price 20 cents, which was embarrassing for me when my dollar didn't cut it, it is good that I am down with the cafe crew. I bet that Caitlyn would not have been able to walk away with those cookies like I did.
I'm still pushing through my Susanna Clarke novel, and ABC Wednesdays didn't disappoint. Today was definitely a good day.
Less than an hour into my work day and I am approached by a bearded stranger named Marvin. Marvin is looking for a book about diets for your blood type to give to his cousin. We don't have it but I went ahead and put in the order for him. You would think that would be the end of the story, but Marvin doesn't see it that way. He keeps smiling and talking and my interest is piqued. I wish that you all could see him, he has a medium build, just jeans, baseball hat and a t-shirt, a FULL beard, a bald head (I bet he used to have locs) with a very nice smile, a patterned Hezbollah type of scarf, a little kabbalah string around his wrist and an arrowhead charm around his neck. Something about him was instantly nostalgic and familiar. He looks like he jumped off an Al Green album cover from 1976, pointing and grinning. I could see him in the 80's, hanging out on an air force base with my dad in Germany, with little gym shorts and tall striped tube socks.
We talked about Chicago, family, and balancing work and school. When he called his cousin to tell her about the book and other random family information, he handed me the phone. I talked to his cousin for almost 10 minutes. Her name is Shekentha, and she thinks that we should all go out for coffee soon and she invited me to her birthday party. I told her that her cousin kept smiling at me and I didn't know what to do about it, she said his smile does have that effect on people. This man is a trip. Before we exchanged numbers he explained that his schedule is jam packed and he prefers texting with people, so I won't be holding my breath on any extended late night conversations. It was nice to connect to someone today, it really was one of the highlights.
When I picked up my phone at lunch time, I saw that I had a missed call from the Johnson Publishing Company, they offered me the job!! There it is, two birds in the hand. I can work at the bookstore and the archives, giving myself a little more financial stability. First thing in the morning, I will be calling Coleman and Rebecca and withdrawing myself for consideration. Those will be tough calls because I feel like they might have staked their reputations in support of me, I suppose it is better to let them know sooner than later. I had a great talk in the lunch room with Brittany and Curtis.
When I get back to the trade desk, I am asked to look up a few books for a Mr. Wayne Winter. We didn't have his books but he said that he would be remiss if he didn't ask me which church I go to. I explained my situation and how I have been exploring different options in Hyde Park, he said that his was non-denominational and they had services at the Illinois Institute of Technology on Sunday mornings. I will definitely be checking that one out. He gave me his wife's phone number in case I wanted to talk to someone about religion in the meantime. I thought that was very kind of him, it let me know it was really about the religion and nothing tawdry.
The last king to visit me was Mr. Ford who had plans to recruit me in his entrepreneur training program. He asked me about college and how I felt about making money in new ways. I told him that I wasn't business oriented, but that was a nice sales pitch. Then he got a little indignant and said it wasn't a pitch, he was just trying to prepare young people for this tricky economy and show them how to become independently wealthy. I wished him luck and said that I would call when his books arrived. The rest of the afternoon was uneventful, other than the fact that my favorite pack of cookies experienced a price hike. They added one cookie to the sleeve and raised the price 20 cents, which was embarrassing for me when my dollar didn't cut it, it is good that I am down with the cafe crew. I bet that Caitlyn would not have been able to walk away with those cookies like I did.
I'm still pushing through my Susanna Clarke novel, and ABC Wednesdays didn't disappoint. Today was definitely a good day.
Day 78 - 50/50
I have no excuse for not posting last night. I was watching the Ken Burn's Prohibition documentary on PBS, which was fascinating because so much of the drama took place in Chicago. 1925 Chicago had Al Capone, flappers, jazz, murder, sex, hypocrites, fugitives, crime syndicates and alcohol, what more do you need? I tried to watch Jay Leno, but Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries were on, and I had to turn it off. I try hard not to be a hater, but they are so stupid, I don't know what brought them together but I doubt that it will be enough to keep them together. I love celebrity nonsense, but they don't even pretend to be normal, it seems like they stalk cameras instead of the other way around, that's enough about them. I went to sleep with barely a notion of turning on the computer.
Yesterday was pretty good. Work was busy and I was off by 2:15. I was feeling restless so I called Coleman and asked if he wanted to go to the movies. Silly me, he is a grown up who works all day and doesn't have time for movie on a week night. He said that we could go another time. I decided to go anyway and see the new Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen movie, 50/50. The critics said that it made cancer, funny. I would like to take issue with that point, cancer is miserable for anyone who has seen it first hand. Maybe I am a glutton for punishment but that movie just pulled my heart out. When he has to go in for his surgery and he reaches for his mom, I lost it. It was a good movie, there were a few funny parts but overall it left me feeling depressed. I never used to cry at movies, but now I am a big sap, maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, between this and The Help, I might need to start carrying around a little box of Kleenex.
After the film, I went to wander around Target. That might sound boring, but this Target is in the South Loop and it is two stories high, on top of two floors of parking garages. The parking lot at the top gives good views of the city, and there are high rise buildings all around the store. A campus of Columbia College is located over here, so there are all kinds of interesting people to see. I have been looking at Craiglist and other apartment finders for places in the South Loop. It is so close to the museums, Soldier Field, and the trains, it has an urban feel without being as congested as the north side. However, it is more expensive than Hyde Park, I will just keep looking. In Target, I bought some groceries and avoided the Halloween candy aisle. The man at the register, Gabriel, was talking me up. I was telling him that groceries are so expensive. He said that is why you get a man take care of them for you. I was like really?? Then he said that if I let him take me out, I wouldn't have to worry about it. That's funny, because it would never happen. He wasn't really my type. I loaded the car and headed home. I paid attention to the signs this time and didn't park on a street that was being cleaned on Wednesday. As I was walking in the house, I realized that I had made it in time to catch the DWTS results...poor Kristin.
Yesterday was pretty good. Work was busy and I was off by 2:15. I was feeling restless so I called Coleman and asked if he wanted to go to the movies. Silly me, he is a grown up who works all day and doesn't have time for movie on a week night. He said that we could go another time. I decided to go anyway and see the new Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen movie, 50/50. The critics said that it made cancer, funny. I would like to take issue with that point, cancer is miserable for anyone who has seen it first hand. Maybe I am a glutton for punishment but that movie just pulled my heart out. When he has to go in for his surgery and he reaches for his mom, I lost it. It was a good movie, there were a few funny parts but overall it left me feeling depressed. I never used to cry at movies, but now I am a big sap, maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, between this and The Help, I might need to start carrying around a little box of Kleenex.
After the film, I went to wander around Target. That might sound boring, but this Target is in the South Loop and it is two stories high, on top of two floors of parking garages. The parking lot at the top gives good views of the city, and there are high rise buildings all around the store. A campus of Columbia College is located over here, so there are all kinds of interesting people to see. I have been looking at Craiglist and other apartment finders for places in the South Loop. It is so close to the museums, Soldier Field, and the trains, it has an urban feel without being as congested as the north side. However, it is more expensive than Hyde Park, I will just keep looking. In Target, I bought some groceries and avoided the Halloween candy aisle. The man at the register, Gabriel, was talking me up. I was telling him that groceries are so expensive. He said that is why you get a man take care of them for you. I was like really?? Then he said that if I let him take me out, I wouldn't have to worry about it. That's funny, because it would never happen. He wasn't really my type. I loaded the car and headed home. I paid attention to the signs this time and didn't park on a street that was being cleaned on Wednesday. As I was walking in the house, I realized that I had made it in time to catch the DWTS results...poor Kristin.
Monday 3 October 2011
Day 77 - Pumping and Jumping
I had an unexpected lunch with Coleman today. I had planned to eat my lunch in the cafeteria and read my book, and here he comes. I was happy for the company and he blew me away with the range of topics that he expounded on. First off, he says that I am still in contention for the position. They are interviewing candidates for another position, and will be making a decision about this one soon. He says that the committee's concern is not whether I can do the job but if it is at all connected with where I want to be. That is a little re-assuring. He says that I would need to convince them that this job is going to move me in the right direction...not sure how I am supposed to do that when the interview is over. They should be letting me know something by the end of the week.
I don't know how we got here, but he told me how women need to empower ourselves, starting by not taking our husband's names when we marry, not settling for men who can't contribute equally or more financially, and not being in dramatic and unfulfilled relationships. He had an interesting point about looking at the dominant groups in culture if you want to improve your station. Whatever the rich, heterosexual, white, males in our population are doing, going to college, travelling, playing golf, we should all get on board. He did concede that his opinions may be part of the reason that he is single. He told me that he always says what is on his mind, and he doesn't have tolerance for excuses, especially for the men that he dates. As a Black man, he can't stand the recurring lament that they have more challenges than anyone else, he is out here pumping and jumping to make a living and they should be too. I asked him if he would date a starving artist, he said no, he better be an art professor or selling his work for high prices. All I could say was wow! He is quite a character. I really should make a more concentrated effort to hang out outside of work.
I spent the evening watching Dancing with the Stars, downloading music and reviewing my notes from the copyright lecture that I attended a few weeks ago. I skyped with my good friend Joseph tonight and he gave me the standard kick in the bum (figuratively) that I didn't ask for. I was explaining my job situation and some of my frustrations, and he basically told me to stop lamenting and think rationally about what I want. He did admit the Johnson Publishing Company vs. University of Chicago issue was tough, but I need to have my mind made up for any possible scenario. I blame Joseph's pragmatism and poise on his degree in hotel and restaurant management. He always knows what to say and the etiquette for these professional situations, I'm jealous and he is smug, but we manage to get along. He has an incredible amount of faith in me and whenever we get off the phone, I feel empowered to keep on looking for that ideal position.
I don't know how we got here, but he told me how women need to empower ourselves, starting by not taking our husband's names when we marry, not settling for men who can't contribute equally or more financially, and not being in dramatic and unfulfilled relationships. He had an interesting point about looking at the dominant groups in culture if you want to improve your station. Whatever the rich, heterosexual, white, males in our population are doing, going to college, travelling, playing golf, we should all get on board. He did concede that his opinions may be part of the reason that he is single. He told me that he always says what is on his mind, and he doesn't have tolerance for excuses, especially for the men that he dates. As a Black man, he can't stand the recurring lament that they have more challenges than anyone else, he is out here pumping and jumping to make a living and they should be too. I asked him if he would date a starving artist, he said no, he better be an art professor or selling his work for high prices. All I could say was wow! He is quite a character. I really should make a more concentrated effort to hang out outside of work.
I spent the evening watching Dancing with the Stars, downloading music and reviewing my notes from the copyright lecture that I attended a few weeks ago. I skyped with my good friend Joseph tonight and he gave me the standard kick in the bum (figuratively) that I didn't ask for. I was explaining my job situation and some of my frustrations, and he basically told me to stop lamenting and think rationally about what I want. He did admit the Johnson Publishing Company vs. University of Chicago issue was tough, but I need to have my mind made up for any possible scenario. I blame Joseph's pragmatism and poise on his degree in hotel and restaurant management. He always knows what to say and the etiquette for these professional situations, I'm jealous and he is smug, but we manage to get along. He has an incredible amount of faith in me and whenever we get off the phone, I feel empowered to keep on looking for that ideal position.
Sunday 2 October 2011
Day 76 - Accepting what is, Striving for what could be
I was uber lazy today. I got up at 9:00, had a glass of orange juice and then went back to sleep. Who does that? I finally got up and got dressed around 11:30 and had a baked sweet potato. I watched some Jersey Shore and got ready to go to the Oriental Institute. I had planned to meet Rob there this afternoon to watch a film about archaeology. He couldn't make it because his church function lasted longer than he thought it would. I watched the film anyway and toured the museum afterwards. The close up of the winged bull with a human head wall carving frightened me. The figure is about 16 feet tall and stands alone in a dimly lit gallery. I felt like it was going to come to life at any moment. I visited the Seminary Co-Op bookstore, and it was amazing. The store is tucked away downstairs and all the books are stacked haphazardly on these makeshift wooden shelves. The aisles were narrow and long and form a veritable underground labyrinth. I wanted to stay longer but I was hungry so I eased my way back home.
I talked to Rob for a little bit this afternoon and received a sample of his take on women, apparently we are a manipulative gender who play the victim card too much. He tried to back track but it was too late, I went into a diatribe about gender inequality and damage done in the socialization of girls at an early age. I like healthy debate, and it was nice to not dwell on the current disappointments in his life. I also talked to my sister, and a couple of other friends today and the entry title sums up the theme from all of our conversations.
Tariequa and Jeanetta stress that this is a recession. People are not guaranteed a college degree, a new home, a spouse, 2.5 kids, and a nest egg. It is necessary to find joy where I am and not postpone all happiness until these uncertain benchmarks are met. Desmond and I have had some important conversations that acknowledge our feelings but don't try to force an unrealistic commitment on each other. I haven't stopped having dreams and ambition, but there are certain things that I am not going to do. I'm not going to take a job that I will hate, so that I can spend more money on things that I don't really need. I am not going to spend time with people that I don't like so that I'm not alone. The solution is to keep looking for a great job that I will enjoy and seek people that I will be able to engage with, and I'm working on both.
Amazing Race and 60 minutes were good, I can't believe that guy who climbed up the side of a rock, thousands of feet in the air without any assistance. He was like a real life Spiderman. 307/782 on Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, it is getting better.
I talked to Rob for a little bit this afternoon and received a sample of his take on women, apparently we are a manipulative gender who play the victim card too much. He tried to back track but it was too late, I went into a diatribe about gender inequality and damage done in the socialization of girls at an early age. I like healthy debate, and it was nice to not dwell on the current disappointments in his life. I also talked to my sister, and a couple of other friends today and the entry title sums up the theme from all of our conversations.
Tariequa and Jeanetta stress that this is a recession. People are not guaranteed a college degree, a new home, a spouse, 2.5 kids, and a nest egg. It is necessary to find joy where I am and not postpone all happiness until these uncertain benchmarks are met. Desmond and I have had some important conversations that acknowledge our feelings but don't try to force an unrealistic commitment on each other. I haven't stopped having dreams and ambition, but there are certain things that I am not going to do. I'm not going to take a job that I will hate, so that I can spend more money on things that I don't really need. I am not going to spend time with people that I don't like so that I'm not alone. The solution is to keep looking for a great job that I will enjoy and seek people that I will be able to engage with, and I'm working on both.
Amazing Race and 60 minutes were good, I can't believe that guy who climbed up the side of a rock, thousands of feet in the air without any assistance. He was like a real life Spiderman. 307/782 on Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, it is getting better.
Saturday 1 October 2011
Day 75 - Back by Popular Demand
Work was easy today because Trent was the only manager on duty. I'm pretty sure that he would let anything short of fire, flood or blood slide. I got a text message at 3:00 from Lauren that said, your BFF, Natay wants to know when you are coming home. Do I detect a little resentment? I hope not. Natay is her little sister, and I pick and choose when I want to hang out with them. That little girl better remember where her bread is buttered. At the same time, I like talking to her, she can be funny when she is not being shy.
I remember how my mom would be so good with kids, she especially liked the precocious and curious children. The crazy part is that she had no tolerance for bad behavior and would scold any child in her vicinity who was not acting properly. I used to ask her why she thought kids flocked to her when she was mean to them. She said she didn't know, but adults were the same way. I think that it boils down to kids loving attention, and if they behaved she could bring herself to their level in the form of playing pretend, coloring or making jokes, she was a big kid herself.
I think that kids like me for the most part, I just haven't mastered the "not letting them run all over me" part. I talked to Natay for a little bit and then Lauren had to take her home. I walked to the grocery store with plans to get ingridients for clam chowder, but I couldn't find any reasonably priced chicken broth, so I settled on some ground beef and pretzel rolls for some homemade hamburgers. My meal was delicious, and Lauren went to play tennis, so I had the house to myself again. He's just not that into you, was on so I would call it a good night.
I remember how my mom would be so good with kids, she especially liked the precocious and curious children. The crazy part is that she had no tolerance for bad behavior and would scold any child in her vicinity who was not acting properly. I used to ask her why she thought kids flocked to her when she was mean to them. She said she didn't know, but adults were the same way. I think that it boils down to kids loving attention, and if they behaved she could bring herself to their level in the form of playing pretend, coloring or making jokes, she was a big kid herself.
I think that kids like me for the most part, I just haven't mastered the "not letting them run all over me" part. I talked to Natay for a little bit and then Lauren had to take her home. I walked to the grocery store with plans to get ingridients for clam chowder, but I couldn't find any reasonably priced chicken broth, so I settled on some ground beef and pretzel rolls for some homemade hamburgers. My meal was delicious, and Lauren went to play tennis, so I had the house to myself again. He's just not that into you, was on so I would call it a good night.
Friday 30 September 2011
Day 74 - Spock Ears and Long Lunches
Today was a very nice day, filled with a new beginning and not surprising but sad nonetheless ending.
Starting with the bad news, Zach has been fired. All of his tardiness and dodging of responsibility caught up with him, and Saturday is his last day. I thought that he handled it very well, he told me that if he was a manager he would have fired himself too. The fact that he worked there at all was ridiculous. He doesn't have a car, and lives outside of the city, so he had to travel 4 miles to a train stop, ride the train for 45 minutes and then walk a mile to the bookstore. All for a minimum wage part time job. I think that it would have been hard for anyone to sustain. He has ears like Spock, he is charismatic, and he was funny, I'm going to miss him. This is one instance when facebook can be used for good instead of evil.
On a positive note, my lunch with Teresa was very nice. We went to a local cafe and the club sandwhich that I ordered was amazing. I told her about my quasi-disastrous interview at The University of Chicago, and she completely understood. She currently works for the university and has observed how snotty the faculty can be to anyone who is not working in an academic field. She plans to work in her current position for a few years and then transition to something that is closer to her interests. I have been thinking that if I don't get that position, I would be dodging a bullet, and if they offered it to me, I might decline. I would be struggling to prove myself all the time and constantly battling a negative perception. I don't really know what I'm going to do, but I was glad to get her perspective on it. The conversation flowed to the contrast between how people act in Arizona versus the behaviors out here. We have had some similar experiences and it was good to reflect, share and laugh about it.
Since I took an extra long lunch, I stayed later at work. By the time I got home, watched a couple episodes of Mad Men on the Roku, twisted up my hair, talked on my phone, had a few dance breaks courtesy of Beyonce and Drake, I was not feeling too bad about my Friday night at home.
Starting with the bad news, Zach has been fired. All of his tardiness and dodging of responsibility caught up with him, and Saturday is his last day. I thought that he handled it very well, he told me that if he was a manager he would have fired himself too. The fact that he worked there at all was ridiculous. He doesn't have a car, and lives outside of the city, so he had to travel 4 miles to a train stop, ride the train for 45 minutes and then walk a mile to the bookstore. All for a minimum wage part time job. I think that it would have been hard for anyone to sustain. He has ears like Spock, he is charismatic, and he was funny, I'm going to miss him. This is one instance when facebook can be used for good instead of evil.
On a positive note, my lunch with Teresa was very nice. We went to a local cafe and the club sandwhich that I ordered was amazing. I told her about my quasi-disastrous interview at The University of Chicago, and she completely understood. She currently works for the university and has observed how snotty the faculty can be to anyone who is not working in an academic field. She plans to work in her current position for a few years and then transition to something that is closer to her interests. I have been thinking that if I don't get that position, I would be dodging a bullet, and if they offered it to me, I might decline. I would be struggling to prove myself all the time and constantly battling a negative perception. I don't really know what I'm going to do, but I was glad to get her perspective on it. The conversation flowed to the contrast between how people act in Arizona versus the behaviors out here. We have had some similar experiences and it was good to reflect, share and laugh about it.
Since I took an extra long lunch, I stayed later at work. By the time I got home, watched a couple episodes of Mad Men on the Roku, twisted up my hair, talked on my phone, had a few dance breaks courtesy of Beyonce and Drake, I was not feeling too bad about my Friday night at home.
Thursday 29 September 2011
Day 73 - It's Cathartic
After careful thinking and a tweaking of the privacy settings, I have decided to continue with my blog. It is cathartic for me. There are still very personal elements of my life that will not be published on here, when I look back on the things that I have written I don't think it is too incriminating. Even if no one ever read it, it is important to me that it exists. This speaks to why I love archives so much, they reflect the authenticity of a moment, before our memories omit data and fill in the blanks with details imagined. If this blog was ever released to all the people that are mentioned in it, they would know how they impacted me. When I read it, I can remember my experiences clearly and try not to repeat the same mistakes. I still keep a written journal, which is completely out of control compared to the content of this blog. Also, in this digital format, I can sort and organize ideas and search for particular instances, much easier than a traditional journal. It also gives me something to commit to every night while I am in this state of flux.
I had my interview at Johnson Publishing Company this morning. I drove down there and arrived extra early and spent time in the 70's inspired lobby of this building. The walls had wood paneling, there was a giant geometrically patterned rug on the floor, and very sleek low to the ground red leather sectional couches. A very modern and abstract blob shaped sculpture protruded from the wall and the elevator doors stayed open on the first floor until someone called them up. I met with Mindy and Leigh who have been contracted to quickly process the 3600 linear feet of photographs and ephemera in the company's collection. They explained that they were targeting students and recent grads for this project because they can't offer alot of benefits, but it is good trench work experience for people in my position. I agreed, I also learned how they came to their position, and it was cool to see how they arrived at archives, one from a history background, the other from an art background.
Between the three of us, there was a training in content, in format, and in process. It does go to show that there are many ways to arrive at a chosen career path. My quick walk through the filing cabinets and opening random drawers revealed photographs of random celebrities like Robin Williams and Nelson Mandela. It was fascinating to me, but they stressed that the people they hire will need to be very focused and quickly, yet accurately get through as much of the files as possible. The interview was quick and informal, and I am very optimistic that they will be giving me an offer.
From there, I went to spend my Target gift card and finally buy a big winter coat at Burlington Coat Factory. Shopping was fun, I found all kinds of good deals. It was raining, but that was okay. By the time I got back to Hyde Park, found something to eat and returned my materials to the library, I was ready for a nap. I have to work on Friday and Saturday, so I didn't feel bad for making the most of my day off. After the nap, I decided to re-structure my closet. Now the jackets are all lined up from light to heavy. Next comes the sweaters and cardigans, then the button up shirt, finally the skirts and dressy tops. I folded up all the summer dresses and placed them in the hanging shelves, below the scarves, purses and belts. All the jeans and pants are folded in another set of hanging shelves. I put more items in the chest of drawers and I am content with the re-newed sense of order.
I wrote thank you letters to the interview committee from University of Chicago, watched X-Factor and Grey's Anatomy, and cooked my last pita pizza tonight. Tomorrow is an early day, maybe I will get through a few pages of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell before I go to bed tonight, I'm determined to finish it even if I haven't picked it up in weeks, what a shame...
I had my interview at Johnson Publishing Company this morning. I drove down there and arrived extra early and spent time in the 70's inspired lobby of this building. The walls had wood paneling, there was a giant geometrically patterned rug on the floor, and very sleek low to the ground red leather sectional couches. A very modern and abstract blob shaped sculpture protruded from the wall and the elevator doors stayed open on the first floor until someone called them up. I met with Mindy and Leigh who have been contracted to quickly process the 3600 linear feet of photographs and ephemera in the company's collection. They explained that they were targeting students and recent grads for this project because they can't offer alot of benefits, but it is good trench work experience for people in my position. I agreed, I also learned how they came to their position, and it was cool to see how they arrived at archives, one from a history background, the other from an art background.
Between the three of us, there was a training in content, in format, and in process. It does go to show that there are many ways to arrive at a chosen career path. My quick walk through the filing cabinets and opening random drawers revealed photographs of random celebrities like Robin Williams and Nelson Mandela. It was fascinating to me, but they stressed that the people they hire will need to be very focused and quickly, yet accurately get through as much of the files as possible. The interview was quick and informal, and I am very optimistic that they will be giving me an offer.
From there, I went to spend my Target gift card and finally buy a big winter coat at Burlington Coat Factory. Shopping was fun, I found all kinds of good deals. It was raining, but that was okay. By the time I got back to Hyde Park, found something to eat and returned my materials to the library, I was ready for a nap. I have to work on Friday and Saturday, so I didn't feel bad for making the most of my day off. After the nap, I decided to re-structure my closet. Now the jackets are all lined up from light to heavy. Next comes the sweaters and cardigans, then the button up shirt, finally the skirts and dressy tops. I folded up all the summer dresses and placed them in the hanging shelves, below the scarves, purses and belts. All the jeans and pants are folded in another set of hanging shelves. I put more items in the chest of drawers and I am content with the re-newed sense of order.
I wrote thank you letters to the interview committee from University of Chicago, watched X-Factor and Grey's Anatomy, and cooked my last pita pizza tonight. Tomorrow is an early day, maybe I will get through a few pages of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell before I go to bed tonight, I'm determined to finish it even if I haven't picked it up in weeks, what a shame...
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Day 72 - Censor Face
A woman that I admire a great deal asked me to reconsider the posting of any thought that I have in a given day. Perhaps I will re-consider the format. To be continued...
Tuesday 27 September 2011
Day 71 - Interview Blur
I made it to work this morning, and did not stop working until 3:15. The store was consistently full of people. It worked for me because I had all kinds of butterflies about this interview. I changed my shoes, put on some makeup and made it across the street to the hospital at 3:30. I met Coleman and Rebecca, they let me put my stuff down and gave me an agenda for the afternoon. I was to meet with Gavin, Ellie and Kathy in separate 15-20 minutes intervals.
Gavin was definitely the worst. The more I reflect on our discussion, the more frustrated I am. I wish that I would have said more in defense of myself. He had taken all kinds of notes on my resume and asked me why I thought I would be a good fit for this position. I was explaining my skills with communication, coordinating programs, working with faculty and event planning, and he took a few notes. He says we are weighing pros and cons, and my lack of experience in a health science discipline and my degree in library science were cons, he didn't mention a pro. He said that there wasn't a wrong answer, but could I explain what a residency is. How long do they last? What happens afterwards? He asked if I would leave if some library offered me a position. If I was looking at other positions right now, more tailored to my archives goals. He also asked if the bookstore would mind if I quit after such a short time? I was honest and in retrospect, he will probably use my answers to argue that I wasn't a good fit, and won't be devastated if they don't pick me. He wasn't outwardly mean, but I felt like I was slipping away from consideration throughout the entire discussion, not a good feeling on the first pitch.
I had a short break and then I met with Ellie, who Rebbecca told me was chosen to give me more of an idea of the office culture there. Ellie was the most welcome contrast from Gavin. She was about my age, dressed casually and just asked me to tell her more about myself. She explained that the position I was applying for was entry level, and her interaction with the incumbent was minimal. Since they share the space and similar objectives, it is good to have some rapport. She emphasized personality and attitude over content specialization, citing that after her master's degree in social work, she didn't expect to be managing budgets, but she is happy working on the administrative side of social services. We talked about our my preferred management styles and my preferences toward autonomy seemed to match how they work in this office. It was more of a conversation than a question and answer session.
Lastly, I was introduced to the executive director, Kathy. She did the best job of explaining what the nature of the position and the unit within the Biological Sciences Division. When faculty members get grant funding they drop it off with the CCTS, and we help them spend it on curriculum development. There are high stakes with making sure that the faculty are happy and continue to work with us, and that all of the grant objectives were met. She actually said from one sociologist to another, I haven't identified my profession with my undergraduate degree in awhile. She wanted to know more about my strengths. The most poignant question that she asked which seemed to be in line with what Rebbecca had mentioned were the various nuances that come with working with faculty. They are busy people and I would have to not take things personally when I don't get the results with my first attempt. She talked about relationship building and resilience. I liked her alot, she seemed engaged when I was talking and although she was serious, she didn't hesitate to crack a smile every once in awhile. She is going to Colombia in a few weeks, but she would be communicating remotely when they moved forward with the new hire.
There you have it, the ghosts of Career Doom, Career Rapport, and Career Potential. After all of that I sat down with Rebbecca and Coleman and de-briefed. I asked them again about that health science background and explained my concerns from Gavin's comments. Once again they were very encouraging about me having a competitive skill set, and that there was much for all of them to learn along the way. They also said that Gavin was relatively new and might not have a strong grasp of the nature of this position. I thanked them for being so patient about my recurring concern, and they said it was fine. I finally asked about salary and they didn't know, so Rebbecca is supposed to follow up with me this week, as soon as she hears from HR. I asked few additional questions and then we wrapped up, just under two hours after I arrived for the interview.
One thing that Coleman said that stuck with me is that the current staff dynamic is evident of people coming from diverse backgrounds, and growing within their roles in the Center. Essentially, it doesn't matter if I can't check off every box in the job description, I am bringing enough. With that being said, I think that I have a chance. They said that it would take at the most two weeks to get back to me. I will try to stall anything else until I hear from them.
In other news, my straight hair is no more and I found some tall rubber rain boots. I'm ready to step in some puddles!
Gavin was definitely the worst. The more I reflect on our discussion, the more frustrated I am. I wish that I would have said more in defense of myself. He had taken all kinds of notes on my resume and asked me why I thought I would be a good fit for this position. I was explaining my skills with communication, coordinating programs, working with faculty and event planning, and he took a few notes. He says we are weighing pros and cons, and my lack of experience in a health science discipline and my degree in library science were cons, he didn't mention a pro. He said that there wasn't a wrong answer, but could I explain what a residency is. How long do they last? What happens afterwards? He asked if I would leave if some library offered me a position. If I was looking at other positions right now, more tailored to my archives goals. He also asked if the bookstore would mind if I quit after such a short time? I was honest and in retrospect, he will probably use my answers to argue that I wasn't a good fit, and won't be devastated if they don't pick me. He wasn't outwardly mean, but I felt like I was slipping away from consideration throughout the entire discussion, not a good feeling on the first pitch.
I had a short break and then I met with Ellie, who Rebbecca told me was chosen to give me more of an idea of the office culture there. Ellie was the most welcome contrast from Gavin. She was about my age, dressed casually and just asked me to tell her more about myself. She explained that the position I was applying for was entry level, and her interaction with the incumbent was minimal. Since they share the space and similar objectives, it is good to have some rapport. She emphasized personality and attitude over content specialization, citing that after her master's degree in social work, she didn't expect to be managing budgets, but she is happy working on the administrative side of social services. We talked about our my preferred management styles and my preferences toward autonomy seemed to match how they work in this office. It was more of a conversation than a question and answer session.
Lastly, I was introduced to the executive director, Kathy. She did the best job of explaining what the nature of the position and the unit within the Biological Sciences Division. When faculty members get grant funding they drop it off with the CCTS, and we help them spend it on curriculum development. There are high stakes with making sure that the faculty are happy and continue to work with us, and that all of the grant objectives were met. She actually said from one sociologist to another, I haven't identified my profession with my undergraduate degree in awhile. She wanted to know more about my strengths. The most poignant question that she asked which seemed to be in line with what Rebbecca had mentioned were the various nuances that come with working with faculty. They are busy people and I would have to not take things personally when I don't get the results with my first attempt. She talked about relationship building and resilience. I liked her alot, she seemed engaged when I was talking and although she was serious, she didn't hesitate to crack a smile every once in awhile. She is going to Colombia in a few weeks, but she would be communicating remotely when they moved forward with the new hire.
There you have it, the ghosts of Career Doom, Career Rapport, and Career Potential. After all of that I sat down with Rebbecca and Coleman and de-briefed. I asked them again about that health science background and explained my concerns from Gavin's comments. Once again they were very encouraging about me having a competitive skill set, and that there was much for all of them to learn along the way. They also said that Gavin was relatively new and might not have a strong grasp of the nature of this position. I thanked them for being so patient about my recurring concern, and they said it was fine. I finally asked about salary and they didn't know, so Rebbecca is supposed to follow up with me this week, as soon as she hears from HR. I asked few additional questions and then we wrapped up, just under two hours after I arrived for the interview.
One thing that Coleman said that stuck with me is that the current staff dynamic is evident of people coming from diverse backgrounds, and growing within their roles in the Center. Essentially, it doesn't matter if I can't check off every box in the job description, I am bringing enough. With that being said, I think that I have a chance. They said that it would take at the most two weeks to get back to me. I will try to stall anything else until I hear from them.
In other news, my straight hair is no more and I found some tall rubber rain boots. I'm ready to step in some puddles!
Monday 26 September 2011
Day 70 - It's the little things
Since I didn't have to go to work until noon, I made the most of the morning and ran some errands. I went to the library, the post office and the bank. The nice thing about Hyde Park is that everything is in the neighborhood, I might have traveled a mile round trip. I would have ridden my bike but I had that bulky computer box to take to the post office. To reward my productivity, I stopped at Treasure Island (America's most European Grocer (real slogan)) and found a fresh apple turnover. When I ate it, I found that it could use a little less apples and a lot more pastry. Perhaps the way I got it was for the best. When I got home, I talked to Lauren for a little bit and then headed to work.
Once again the store was crowded with students trying to get their textbooks. At this point much of our inventory is depleted, so it kind of frustrating to send students to our competitors in order for them to get their books on time. I do my best and try not to let my co-workers or our customers stress me out. The bookstore is in an antiquated building, the elevator access to the second floor is behind a locked door. Whenever a customer with a disability uses the elevator, they have to knock, then we have to unlock the door and let them in.
Today a nice young woman with a seeing eye dog came up through the elevator and I let her in. I couldn't tell how sight impaired she was, but when I was explaining where she could find her books, she asked if she could hold my arm and lead her to them. I said sure, I found her books, narrated all of my movements, and walked with her through the elevator and back downstairs to the cash register. I couldn't believe how insensitive our store was to the needs of people with disabilities. The aisles are narrow, and the placement of materials is very convoluted. I don't know how she could have done it without assistance, which is not fair. I was glad that I could help. It is interesting to realize how the majority of the buildings that I am used to in Arizona are more sensitive because they were built when the ADA existed, trying to fix old buildings is probably a lot like pulling teeth.
At a welcome lull in the flow of customers, I was approached by a woman who said she found me. What? It took me a second to realize it was my godmother's friend Teresa! We had talked a few times since I moved here, but she was really busy looking for a new house, nesting with her new husband, and trying to get her mother into a nursing home. She works for The University of Chicago, and she took some time out to come visit me. We decided to do lunch on Friday to really catch up. The rest of the work day flew by and even though I raced home, I still missed the first half of Dancing with the Stars. Oh well, after the show went off, I spent an hour on my hair and my eyebrows for tomorrow's interview. I still need to figure out how I am going go from bookstore comfy to interview chic in 15 minutes, but where there is a will there is a way.
Once again the store was crowded with students trying to get their textbooks. At this point much of our inventory is depleted, so it kind of frustrating to send students to our competitors in order for them to get their books on time. I do my best and try not to let my co-workers or our customers stress me out. The bookstore is in an antiquated building, the elevator access to the second floor is behind a locked door. Whenever a customer with a disability uses the elevator, they have to knock, then we have to unlock the door and let them in.
Today a nice young woman with a seeing eye dog came up through the elevator and I let her in. I couldn't tell how sight impaired she was, but when I was explaining where she could find her books, she asked if she could hold my arm and lead her to them. I said sure, I found her books, narrated all of my movements, and walked with her through the elevator and back downstairs to the cash register. I couldn't believe how insensitive our store was to the needs of people with disabilities. The aisles are narrow, and the placement of materials is very convoluted. I don't know how she could have done it without assistance, which is not fair. I was glad that I could help. It is interesting to realize how the majority of the buildings that I am used to in Arizona are more sensitive because they were built when the ADA existed, trying to fix old buildings is probably a lot like pulling teeth.
At a welcome lull in the flow of customers, I was approached by a woman who said she found me. What? It took me a second to realize it was my godmother's friend Teresa! We had talked a few times since I moved here, but she was really busy looking for a new house, nesting with her new husband, and trying to get her mother into a nursing home. She works for The University of Chicago, and she took some time out to come visit me. We decided to do lunch on Friday to really catch up. The rest of the work day flew by and even though I raced home, I still missed the first half of Dancing with the Stars. Oh well, after the show went off, I spent an hour on my hair and my eyebrows for tomorrow's interview. I still need to figure out how I am going go from bookstore comfy to interview chic in 15 minutes, but where there is a will there is a way.
Sunday 25 September 2011
Day 69 - Just let your SOUL glow!
I woke up this morning to a messy house and hungry pets, the lovely lady that I live with decided to go out last night and not come home until 11:30 this morning. I'm not judging, I'm just saying, your little animals can't feed and walk themselves. I cleaned up and I fed the animals, but I stopped short of walking the dog. When Lauren did get home, she got ready really fast and we went to pick up Natay for the circus.
Can I just say that the UniverSoul Circus is one of the best hybrid performances that I have ever seen. It is part concert, a little bit of comedy, part circus and a whole lot of house party. As we are walking up, I hear DMX's "ya'll gon make me lose my mind, up in here, up in here"...then the music flips to a Drake track. I get in the tent and it looks like a circus, three men are walking and riding bikes across the tightrope. All the seats are good seats, and the ringmaster was hilarious. Throughout the show, we sang if you're happy and you know it, we did the hokey pokey and we sang television theme songs from Spongebob Squarepants to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
The acts included some Asian women who did all kinds of tricks on bikes, there were folks from Trinidad and Tobago who danced on stilts and did extreme limbo. One man from France twisted his body up and down some rope to some Luther Vandross record. He was built like a male gymnast who specializes on the rings. There were Russian guys who flipped off of some swings (really high), it was actually pretty exciting. There were young men from South America who rode motorcycles in a cage, there were four bikers in this cage going 50 mph, I don't know how they managed to not run into each other. The second half of the show included the tigers and elephants. I have mixed feelings about animals in captivity. On one hand, the animals can't be happy doing tricks for people but on the other, how does a person get an animal to jump through a flaming hoop consistently, that is kind of amazing.
Oh, and in the middle of the circus, the ringmaster makes all the kids stand up and take the ringmaster pledge. They have to raise their right hand and swear to say no to drugs, learn, pray, love their families, and remember that they are all winners, then the beat drops to DJ Khaled's "All I do is Win", so much fun. The crowd participation was on another level. Men and women were invited to the stage to form a soul train line, and later two couples were chosen to do a dance off with each other. Natay kept looking around and asking to see my iPhone and I was trying to tell her to focus and get excited, how often does the circus come to town? Afterwards she said that her favorite part was the tigers.
We took Natay back home after the circus, but we sat in the car with her for about 30 minutes. She's so quiet in the beginning but once she got comfortable, she wanted to braid my hair and talk about her favorite music artists. She eventually spent her energy and consented to go inside and we will go out again next weekend. From there Lauren and I went to Target, I got away with just spending 10 dollars, Lauren went in another directions, it started with dog treats and ballooned into full blown grocery shopping. When we got home, I called my Uncle Jimmy. He had been on my mind and I found out that he had no idea that I had moved to Chicago. We spent about 45 minutes catching up and he said that he was really happy for me, it was good to hear.
Then I settled in to letter writing, scrap booking and watching CBS. 60 minutes and The Amazing Race were on point tonight. I'm feeling very comfortable and relaxed from the weekend's activities. Big things are going to be happening this week, and I'm ready to put my best foot forward.
Can I just say that the UniverSoul Circus is one of the best hybrid performances that I have ever seen. It is part concert, a little bit of comedy, part circus and a whole lot of house party. As we are walking up, I hear DMX's "ya'll gon make me lose my mind, up in here, up in here"...then the music flips to a Drake track. I get in the tent and it looks like a circus, three men are walking and riding bikes across the tightrope. All the seats are good seats, and the ringmaster was hilarious. Throughout the show, we sang if you're happy and you know it, we did the hokey pokey and we sang television theme songs from Spongebob Squarepants to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
The acts included some Asian women who did all kinds of tricks on bikes, there were folks from Trinidad and Tobago who danced on stilts and did extreme limbo. One man from France twisted his body up and down some rope to some Luther Vandross record. He was built like a male gymnast who specializes on the rings. There were Russian guys who flipped off of some swings (really high), it was actually pretty exciting. There were young men from South America who rode motorcycles in a cage, there were four bikers in this cage going 50 mph, I don't know how they managed to not run into each other. The second half of the show included the tigers and elephants. I have mixed feelings about animals in captivity. On one hand, the animals can't be happy doing tricks for people but on the other, how does a person get an animal to jump through a flaming hoop consistently, that is kind of amazing.
Oh, and in the middle of the circus, the ringmaster makes all the kids stand up and take the ringmaster pledge. They have to raise their right hand and swear to say no to drugs, learn, pray, love their families, and remember that they are all winners, then the beat drops to DJ Khaled's "All I do is Win", so much fun. The crowd participation was on another level. Men and women were invited to the stage to form a soul train line, and later two couples were chosen to do a dance off with each other. Natay kept looking around and asking to see my iPhone and I was trying to tell her to focus and get excited, how often does the circus come to town? Afterwards she said that her favorite part was the tigers.
We took Natay back home after the circus, but we sat in the car with her for about 30 minutes. She's so quiet in the beginning but once she got comfortable, she wanted to braid my hair and talk about her favorite music artists. She eventually spent her energy and consented to go inside and we will go out again next weekend. From there Lauren and I went to Target, I got away with just spending 10 dollars, Lauren went in another directions, it started with dog treats and ballooned into full blown grocery shopping. When we got home, I called my Uncle Jimmy. He had been on my mind and I found out that he had no idea that I had moved to Chicago. We spent about 45 minutes catching up and he said that he was really happy for me, it was good to hear.
Then I settled in to letter writing, scrap booking and watching CBS. 60 minutes and The Amazing Race were on point tonight. I'm feeling very comfortable and relaxed from the weekend's activities. Big things are going to be happening this week, and I'm ready to put my best foot forward.
Saturday 24 September 2011
Day 68 - A Date?
Today was very long. I worked from 9:00 to 5:00, essentially. The weather was rainy and cold when I had to walk to work in the morning, by the time I had to walk home, the sun was out, I had to carry my big coat and stow away my umbrella. I wasn't as productive today because Patsy snapped at me, I don't like that mess. I won't even bring up the petty circumstance, but suffice to say that I hate being called out on a normally acceptable action when I have been going above and beyond anything that anyone else in my department has done, since my first day. When I am a manager, I will remember the track record before I try to ruin some one's day. Anyway, 5:00 came and I don't have to go back until Monday.
I came home with every intention of watching season four of Mad Men and eating a homemade pita pizza. 30 minutes into my relaxing evening, Rob calls and asks if I am going to the Hyde Park Jazz Festival. I was thinking about going but I didn't want to go by myself and I assumed that it would be over by the time that I got off work. He was already up there, so I told him that I would join him in an hour or so. We met at the Rockefeller Chapel, which is an enormous Gothic cathedral that lines the Midway Plaisance. We watched a big band perform for a few minutes. Their rendition of "Round Midnight" by Thelonius Monk was very soothing. Next we crossed the street to an outdoor venue that was adjacent to all kind of vendors. It was just like the Hyde Park Street Fair with the homemade clothes and jewelery for sale, as well as a wide assortment of delicious treats. Unfortunately, I didn't have any cash, and I didn't feel comfortable taking money from an unemployed person who said he wasn't hungry. We both decided the music was too loud so we strolled over to the Booth School of Business where he showed me this sculpture that he likes. It looks like a tree with boulders placed on the branches. The "tree" is made of metal and we couldn't tell if the boulders were real or not. Then we went to the Robie House, a Frank Lloyd Wright building, and I told him all about Taliesen West in Scottsdale.
Then we walked back toward the university quadrangle, where there is a flower garden and posters for his beloved Oriental Museum. He explained this statue of a half man, half bull that was found outside the tomb of some Assyrian king, he actually consulted his notebook to tell me when the tomb was built...what could I say? We looked at the gargoyles that line the buildings of the quadrangle and detoured through the pond, where he remembered that someone from his grammar school fell in when they were younger. We stumbled upon another jazz concert venue, Mendel Hall where we witnessed an amazing performance from our seats in the balcony. DK Dyson was the lead vocalist, and she was amazing. Her voice was so clear and crisp, her hair was loc'ed and tied up in an elaborate bun. Her black tunic and skirt were accentuated with a wide belt at her waist.
When the audience wasn't clapping in time with the music, she said, "don't make me come down there", she came down there anyway and sang around and through them. I was enjoying it so much, it made me sad to think how much my mom would have liked it too. My whole notion of stretching the most out of life comes from the exciting stories she would tell and pictures she would show me of her on beaches in Madrid and nightclubs in Amsterdam. The whole time that I was in Europe, she was the only one that I talked to and she kept telling me not worry about the money, see and do EVERYTHING, I would never regret it, she was right. I really wish that she was here to share these experiences with me today, even if it was only over the phone. I felt myself getting emotional, but I excused myself and when I came back, Rob didn't seem to notice.
By the time the performance ended, the temperature had dropped and I was ready to go home, Rob said that he would walk me but he would also like to have his bike. We thought we would walk to his bike, he would walk me home, then he could ride himself home. The distance was greater that he had anticipated, and he worries that walking will make him skinnier (who says that?). Luckily by the time that we got to his bike, the festival shuttle was coming by. So, I hugged Rob good-bye and saved myself a good 20 minutes of walking, and made it home by 10:00. Overall my time with him was nice. He gave me a few compliments, offered to pay for something and asked me how I was liking everything. He seemed to appreciate the music on an intellectual level but he wasn't "feeling" it, so kudos to him for not complaining or interrupting my experience. Walking around that immaculate campus at night with the moon shining and jazz music playing in the background, was so cliche, it was like a scene from one of my favorite romantic comedies but I didn't reduce myself to that. I didn't indulge myself with any long stares, mildly suggestive closeness, or awkward romantic status questions. I still have alot of reservations about him, but I was happy to take part in another one of my new neighborhood's traditions.
I came home with every intention of watching season four of Mad Men and eating a homemade pita pizza. 30 minutes into my relaxing evening, Rob calls and asks if I am going to the Hyde Park Jazz Festival. I was thinking about going but I didn't want to go by myself and I assumed that it would be over by the time that I got off work. He was already up there, so I told him that I would join him in an hour or so. We met at the Rockefeller Chapel, which is an enormous Gothic cathedral that lines the Midway Plaisance. We watched a big band perform for a few minutes. Their rendition of "Round Midnight" by Thelonius Monk was very soothing. Next we crossed the street to an outdoor venue that was adjacent to all kind of vendors. It was just like the Hyde Park Street Fair with the homemade clothes and jewelery for sale, as well as a wide assortment of delicious treats. Unfortunately, I didn't have any cash, and I didn't feel comfortable taking money from an unemployed person who said he wasn't hungry. We both decided the music was too loud so we strolled over to the Booth School of Business where he showed me this sculpture that he likes. It looks like a tree with boulders placed on the branches. The "tree" is made of metal and we couldn't tell if the boulders were real or not. Then we went to the Robie House, a Frank Lloyd Wright building, and I told him all about Taliesen West in Scottsdale.
Then we walked back toward the university quadrangle, where there is a flower garden and posters for his beloved Oriental Museum. He explained this statue of a half man, half bull that was found outside the tomb of some Assyrian king, he actually consulted his notebook to tell me when the tomb was built...what could I say? We looked at the gargoyles that line the buildings of the quadrangle and detoured through the pond, where he remembered that someone from his grammar school fell in when they were younger. We stumbled upon another jazz concert venue, Mendel Hall where we witnessed an amazing performance from our seats in the balcony. DK Dyson was the lead vocalist, and she was amazing. Her voice was so clear and crisp, her hair was loc'ed and tied up in an elaborate bun. Her black tunic and skirt were accentuated with a wide belt at her waist.
When the audience wasn't clapping in time with the music, she said, "don't make me come down there", she came down there anyway and sang around and through them. I was enjoying it so much, it made me sad to think how much my mom would have liked it too. My whole notion of stretching the most out of life comes from the exciting stories she would tell and pictures she would show me of her on beaches in Madrid and nightclubs in Amsterdam. The whole time that I was in Europe, she was the only one that I talked to and she kept telling me not worry about the money, see and do EVERYTHING, I would never regret it, she was right. I really wish that she was here to share these experiences with me today, even if it was only over the phone. I felt myself getting emotional, but I excused myself and when I came back, Rob didn't seem to notice.
By the time the performance ended, the temperature had dropped and I was ready to go home, Rob said that he would walk me but he would also like to have his bike. We thought we would walk to his bike, he would walk me home, then he could ride himself home. The distance was greater that he had anticipated, and he worries that walking will make him skinnier (who says that?). Luckily by the time that we got to his bike, the festival shuttle was coming by. So, I hugged Rob good-bye and saved myself a good 20 minutes of walking, and made it home by 10:00. Overall my time with him was nice. He gave me a few compliments, offered to pay for something and asked me how I was liking everything. He seemed to appreciate the music on an intellectual level but he wasn't "feeling" it, so kudos to him for not complaining or interrupting my experience. Walking around that immaculate campus at night with the moon shining and jazz music playing in the background, was so cliche, it was like a scene from one of my favorite romantic comedies but I didn't reduce myself to that. I didn't indulge myself with any long stares, mildly suggestive closeness, or awkward romantic status questions. I still have alot of reservations about him, but I was happy to take part in another one of my new neighborhood's traditions.
Friday 23 September 2011
Day 67 - Chocalate Chip Theater
Friday finally came. I spent the morning applying to jobs and responding to emails. It feels like opportunities are piling up all around me. I received a callback from data company who is paying pretty good money for professionals to work on a special project in Oak Park. She said that she would forward my resume to her supervisors and call me sometime next week. I still have Johnson Publishing Company, the BMRC and Coleman's position in the air. I wonder if this is how it could work for everybody who ever felt like he or she was in a rut. I was the same person with the practically the same application materials when I was applying for jobs in Arizona, and I never heard anything. I move and suddenly things land in my lap, I don't understand it but I'm not going to knock it.
I wanted to go to the post office and to the circus box office before my volunteer event at DuSable tonight. I'm sending my broken computer to my dad in my new computer's box. However, the postmistress that I met today says that I need to wrap the box in brown paper, now I have to go get the paper and packing tape, so much for getting it done today. Lauren invited me to the UniverSoul circus with her and her "little sister", Natay. They already had their tickets, so I found one behind them for the Sunday afternoon show. By the time I got back, I had to get ready to usher at the Chocolate Chip Theater performance at DuSable. Once again I get there and no one knows where I'm supposed to be. At least Arlene was there, she appreciated my letter and she set me up at the membership table outside of the theater. The Chocolate Chip Theater Company had been in business for 29 years, but it was folding as a result of the economy, this was their farewell performance. The performance was actually a sequence of skits, songs and monologues from the troupe's most memorable performances.
I turned out to not be an usher, I just promoted membership to the audience members as they bought their tickets in the lobby. It could have been really boring but the three security guards, Bobby, Keetha, and Rae kept me entertained. I can't imagine any of them taking down a perp, but they opened the door and talked on their walkie talkies as well as any cop that I have seen. I also talked to some of the board members about their plans for the future. The time flew by and I snuck into the auditorium to see about 20 minutes of the show before intermission. I left around 8:30, and Rachna called. We decided to go eat at Leona's. As I was walking over there, I saw Lauren and Simba going out for their evening stroll...I was going to ignore her but it felt too wrong. I explained the situation, and she was like don't worry about it, I'm walking that way and I'll turn just before we get to the shopping center. That was very gracious of her. Rachna informed me that she is going to stop trying to fight her situation, and she made plans to go home to India next week and just re-set. I will be sad to see her go, she has been quite the character. We should be getting to together at least one more time, I owe her money and she wants to say good-bye to Lauren.
I did have to walk home in the rain, but my plastic bag and scarf saved my hair. I had a missed call from Rob and when I called him back we talked for a little bit. I found myself telling him all about Rachna and Lauren, he seemed concerned that I might have some unresolved issues with Lauren and he would talk to her if I wanted him too. I was like what?, no! I told him that I didn't want him to say anything to Lauren, he said that he just wanted to make sure that she was being nice to me. I told him that it wasn't that serious, the whole thing boils down to incompatible personalities between Rachna and Lauren. The entire situation is ridiculous, it wasn't as clear to me until I heard myself explain it to someone who didn't have a stake in it. I'm going to learn to get off the phone at night, this is not junior year in college, I will be miserably tired if I don't get enough sleep these days.
I wanted to go to the post office and to the circus box office before my volunteer event at DuSable tonight. I'm sending my broken computer to my dad in my new computer's box. However, the postmistress that I met today says that I need to wrap the box in brown paper, now I have to go get the paper and packing tape, so much for getting it done today. Lauren invited me to the UniverSoul circus with her and her "little sister", Natay. They already had their tickets, so I found one behind them for the Sunday afternoon show. By the time I got back, I had to get ready to usher at the Chocolate Chip Theater performance at DuSable. Once again I get there and no one knows where I'm supposed to be. At least Arlene was there, she appreciated my letter and she set me up at the membership table outside of the theater. The Chocolate Chip Theater Company had been in business for 29 years, but it was folding as a result of the economy, this was their farewell performance. The performance was actually a sequence of skits, songs and monologues from the troupe's most memorable performances.
I turned out to not be an usher, I just promoted membership to the audience members as they bought their tickets in the lobby. It could have been really boring but the three security guards, Bobby, Keetha, and Rae kept me entertained. I can't imagine any of them taking down a perp, but they opened the door and talked on their walkie talkies as well as any cop that I have seen. I also talked to some of the board members about their plans for the future. The time flew by and I snuck into the auditorium to see about 20 minutes of the show before intermission. I left around 8:30, and Rachna called. We decided to go eat at Leona's. As I was walking over there, I saw Lauren and Simba going out for their evening stroll...I was going to ignore her but it felt too wrong. I explained the situation, and she was like don't worry about it, I'm walking that way and I'll turn just before we get to the shopping center. That was very gracious of her. Rachna informed me that she is going to stop trying to fight her situation, and she made plans to go home to India next week and just re-set. I will be sad to see her go, she has been quite the character. We should be getting to together at least one more time, I owe her money and she wants to say good-bye to Lauren.
I did have to walk home in the rain, but my plastic bag and scarf saved my hair. I had a missed call from Rob and when I called him back we talked for a little bit. I found myself telling him all about Rachna and Lauren, he seemed concerned that I might have some unresolved issues with Lauren and he would talk to her if I wanted him too. I was like what?, no! I told him that I didn't want him to say anything to Lauren, he said that he just wanted to make sure that she was being nice to me. I told him that it wasn't that serious, the whole thing boils down to incompatible personalities between Rachna and Lauren. The entire situation is ridiculous, it wasn't as clear to me until I heard myself explain it to someone who didn't have a stake in it. I'm going to learn to get off the phone at night, this is not junior year in college, I will be miserably tired if I don't get enough sleep these days.
Day 66 - Fashionista
Today, I was determined to go shopping. Ladies and gentlemen, that is exactly what I did. I took the bus to the Red Line and rode it north to the Chicago stop. I walked a couple of blocks to Michigan Avenue where the Water Tower mall is located. However, I discovered more interesting stores outside of the actual mall. I started with TopShop. I had been to this store before while I was in London, there is one in the Piccadilly Circus. The Chicago location is only the second one in America, there is also one in NYC. I remember that I bought a couple of tops and some jewelery from here when I was on a much stricter budget, so I was surprised to find myself priced out of the store today. The stuff is super cute, lots of off the shoulder tops, multi-colored jeans, stretchy dresses and mini-skirts. You get the feeling that if you mix and match it right then no one can deny your admission to the cool kids club. I saw these brown patterned Oxford shoes that I believe will be in my future if I have to eat ramen noodles for the rest of the autumn. I am assuming that since they are a flagship store that just opened a couple of weeks ago, they haven't developed a clearance section yet. I will check in a few months to see if they have made that happen, maybe my shoes will be there.
The next stop was H&M. They did not disappoint in the sale department, I just had to make the tough choices to only pick three items, when there were eight that I adored. I wound up with a big cardigan, a striped shirt and a stretchy skirt, plus some tights and rings (accessories weren't included in the debate). Next up was Filene's Basement, where I found a soft green cashmere sweater. The guys at Coleman's party praised cashmere to no end. They said, it is ideal because it will keep you warm as a layer underneath your jacket, but it breathes, so that you can cool down when you get inside. This store also had alot of boots that struck my fancy, but I resisted the urge to break the bank just yet. At both H&M and Filene's I spent alot of time in the dressing room. I would pick things up that clearly weren't my size, and justify how I could make it work. This is not a good idea. There is a reason that clothes come in different sizes and contrary to my mindset earlier today, it is very rare that "this brand runs big". Luckily, I was smart enough to know that if I had problems getting my arm or leg through a hole, this probably wasn't going to work out. The only consequence from my temporary illusions about my size were extra putbacks for the fitting room worker and some terrible memories of myself in very unflattering pieces of clothing.
After all of that retail fun, I stopped at Chick-fil-a for a late lunch. Then I caught the Red Line back to Hyde Park. The train was full of school age kids. I tried not to stare but I was listening to every word of the pointless conversations that these 5 girls were having. I don't know why children act like they don't want to go to school. Where else would they meet boys to flirt with and girls to hate on? I suppose a wise guy would answer, the train. One of the bolder girls was staring at this other young man and she asked him where he went to school and if he had a brother. He gave short replies, but she kept engaging him, asking him to sit closer and telling him to stop lying about his brother. He had to get off the train before she did, and her girlfriends were making fun of her until she threatened them with violence, in jest, I think. All of that walking, shopping and people watching made me sleepy but I knew that I needed to go to the grocery store too. I walked home, got my car went to Michael's for some food. In the parking lot, I realized that my rear passenger tire was looking flat, so I went to the gas station for some air. I haven't been to the gas station for air, since I went with my dad in the 90's. I almost asked for help, but I put on my big girl panties and did it myself, it was easy.
I was home by 5:00, took my nap and made a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup for dinner. Another glorious night of television. Grey's Anatomy is back. I had a super funny chat with my sister and I will be going to bed at any moment now. By the way, Rebecca called to set up an in person interview for next week. Imagine that? I was telling my sister that I will keep giving it my best effort and see where all the cards land. In the back of my mind, I am hoping that the BMRC archives and the Johnson Publishing Company positions come through too. I'd hate to think that I have been harping on archives for the past 18 months, just to take a job as a coordinator...however it is much easier to focus on your goals when you have stable employment and don't have to monitor every cent. I can "what if" myself to death, and I have a feeling that I will have a difficult choice soon, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
The next stop was H&M. They did not disappoint in the sale department, I just had to make the tough choices to only pick three items, when there were eight that I adored. I wound up with a big cardigan, a striped shirt and a stretchy skirt, plus some tights and rings (accessories weren't included in the debate). Next up was Filene's Basement, where I found a soft green cashmere sweater. The guys at Coleman's party praised cashmere to no end. They said, it is ideal because it will keep you warm as a layer underneath your jacket, but it breathes, so that you can cool down when you get inside. This store also had alot of boots that struck my fancy, but I resisted the urge to break the bank just yet. At both H&M and Filene's I spent alot of time in the dressing room. I would pick things up that clearly weren't my size, and justify how I could make it work. This is not a good idea. There is a reason that clothes come in different sizes and contrary to my mindset earlier today, it is very rare that "this brand runs big". Luckily, I was smart enough to know that if I had problems getting my arm or leg through a hole, this probably wasn't going to work out. The only consequence from my temporary illusions about my size were extra putbacks for the fitting room worker and some terrible memories of myself in very unflattering pieces of clothing.
After all of that retail fun, I stopped at Chick-fil-a for a late lunch. Then I caught the Red Line back to Hyde Park. The train was full of school age kids. I tried not to stare but I was listening to every word of the pointless conversations that these 5 girls were having. I don't know why children act like they don't want to go to school. Where else would they meet boys to flirt with and girls to hate on? I suppose a wise guy would answer, the train. One of the bolder girls was staring at this other young man and she asked him where he went to school and if he had a brother. He gave short replies, but she kept engaging him, asking him to sit closer and telling him to stop lying about his brother. He had to get off the train before she did, and her girlfriends were making fun of her until she threatened them with violence, in jest, I think. All of that walking, shopping and people watching made me sleepy but I knew that I needed to go to the grocery store too. I walked home, got my car went to Michael's for some food. In the parking lot, I realized that my rear passenger tire was looking flat, so I went to the gas station for some air. I haven't been to the gas station for air, since I went with my dad in the 90's. I almost asked for help, but I put on my big girl panties and did it myself, it was easy.
I was home by 5:00, took my nap and made a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup for dinner. Another glorious night of television. Grey's Anatomy is back. I had a super funny chat with my sister and I will be going to bed at any moment now. By the way, Rebecca called to set up an in person interview for next week. Imagine that? I was telling my sister that I will keep giving it my best effort and see where all the cards land. In the back of my mind, I am hoping that the BMRC archives and the Johnson Publishing Company positions come through too. I'd hate to think that I have been harping on archives for the past 18 months, just to take a job as a coordinator...however it is much easier to focus on your goals when you have stable employment and don't have to monitor every cent. I can "what if" myself to death, and I have a feeling that I will have a difficult choice soon, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Wednesday 21 September 2011
Day 65 - Fixin' to vs. Finda'
Today at work, I was flexing my multi-dimensional skill set. I really ought to be employee of the month. I spent the majority of the day in the textbook department, learning the computer applications and helping customers. I processed web orders and was left a lone for what seemed liked the longest 30 minutes of my life when I was hit with a random barrage of customer questions. Hopefully it will get better in the days to come. One thing that the textbook department has over tradebooks is the limitless supply of random conversation. Today did not disappoint. Patsy is from Tennessee and she says I'm fixin to go to the store. She also has fixins with her big Thanksgiving dinner. Jimmy is from Chicago and he says I'm finda go to the store. They ask me which one have I heard more often. I said finda sounds a little more natural to me, but I try not to say either, because it may be difficult for the average person to understand. This led to my learning that a person from Michigan may call a shopping cart, a buggy and a water fountain a bubbler. Language variation is a funny thing.
The evening was uneventful. I have been riding my bike for the last few days, I think that my lock issues were due to the colder temperatures. Now that it has been a little warmer, the lock works fine. The store is open later on account of rush, so I had to bike home in the dark. I really wanted some pancit from Noodles Inc, but the night and my budget said go home and make ramen noodles instead. Not quite the same, but I'm not hungry anymore. I'm happy that Modern Family is back, and I watched Revenge, the newest Wednesday night drama on ABC. I also attempted to do a little background research on the subjects that Bea suggested from the DuSable Museum. I found out that my friend Lauren has purchased her tickets and will be visiting on October 14, that should be a good time. Exploring will be a lot more fun when one of my besties can join me. I'm off for the next couple of days, let the fun/retail therapy begin!
The evening was uneventful. I have been riding my bike for the last few days, I think that my lock issues were due to the colder temperatures. Now that it has been a little warmer, the lock works fine. The store is open later on account of rush, so I had to bike home in the dark. I really wanted some pancit from Noodles Inc, but the night and my budget said go home and make ramen noodles instead. Not quite the same, but I'm not hungry anymore. I'm happy that Modern Family is back, and I watched Revenge, the newest Wednesday night drama on ABC. I also attempted to do a little background research on the subjects that Bea suggested from the DuSable Museum. I found out that my friend Lauren has purchased her tickets and will be visiting on October 14, that should be a good time. Exploring will be a lot more fun when one of my besties can join me. I'm off for the next couple of days, let the fun/retail therapy begin!
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Day 64 - Bored Dialing
I was not feeling very well today, I came home during my lunch break, I took an hour instead of the normal 30 minutes allowed. Funny how no one noticed, if this bookstore was in a horse race, it would be the horse that never left the gate. That is how oblivious the management can be at times. My interview at Johnson Publishing Company was pushed back to next Thursday. I did get an email from the BMRC archivist about the paid position which includes working with the DuSable museum. It looks like the position requires the candidate to be in school, hopefully they will make an exception for me, especially if I promise to enroll in a certificate program in January. I haven't heard back from Coleman and Rebecca, and that is okay.
I can't tell if people are blowing smoke up my caboose or not, but Arlene and Evelyn think that I am a great writer. So great, that I should write more articles for the museum and help Arlene draft a letter to encourage Black sororities and fraternities to collaborate with the museum. I am supposed to supply a draft of the letter by tomorrow afternoon. I always read what I submitted and I can see all kinds of areas for improvement. I am grateful for the opportunity to add more samples to my curriculum vitae but I am not really excited about being a ghostwriter without any compensation. Why would I shelve books for minimum wage when people who have problems communicating their ideas in writing, are make twice as much as I have ever earned? I guess that is why I am hustling, so that it won't be like this for me forever.
After I watched the results show of Dancing with the Stars and couldn't tell anyone about it because of my time zone, I was bored. I also watched the New Girl, the new sitcom with Zooey Dashenal, it was so cute. I love it when she sings. She plays the same quirky character in Yes Man, one of my favorite films. I'm scrolling through my phone, I called my Aunt Vern, and she didn't answer. I called Christian and he was preoccupied with his own issues, and couldn't talk for long. Who else? How about the new nerd, Rob, from Lauren's Labor Day party?
Of course he answers. I learned alot about this guy in our 2.5 hours of conversation. As I am writing this, the themes that echo are his fascination with the Bible and the corresponding Middle Eastern history and his slightly veiled pessimism. He is so strange, he needs friends in the worst way. Someone to let him know that he doesn't have to be smooth and charismatic for people to want to be around him. For every discouraging notion that he had, I tried to give him something positive to focus on instead. He said that he appreciated my perspective, was glad it worked for me but he was not buying it. He's like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. He doesn't understand why people don't just accept the misery that is life, and he is not going to pretend to be happy for anyone's sake.
He's mad that life hasn't turned out the way it was supposed to, he's frustrated with hypocrites at his church and he tries to rationalize why there is evil in the world. There were times when I wanted to hang up the phone because he fixated on the same point even after I acknowledged that I understood but could never agree. It was like two people taking turns hitting each other with hammers. I told him he was like Silas form the DaVinci Code, an ascetic who berates himself to no end. He doesn't allow himself any leisure, no movies, no music...just documentaries and books. That is ridiculous. I told him that I would help him figure out a way to move to a third world country, find a simple way to give meaning to his life and to those of others, talk about it on TED Talks, garner funding, and use his MBA to create a business that will save the world and put a little change in his pocket. He doesn't know it, but I just solved all of his problems.
I can't tell if people are blowing smoke up my caboose or not, but Arlene and Evelyn think that I am a great writer. So great, that I should write more articles for the museum and help Arlene draft a letter to encourage Black sororities and fraternities to collaborate with the museum. I am supposed to supply a draft of the letter by tomorrow afternoon. I always read what I submitted and I can see all kinds of areas for improvement. I am grateful for the opportunity to add more samples to my curriculum vitae but I am not really excited about being a ghostwriter without any compensation. Why would I shelve books for minimum wage when people who have problems communicating their ideas in writing, are make twice as much as I have ever earned? I guess that is why I am hustling, so that it won't be like this for me forever.
After I watched the results show of Dancing with the Stars and couldn't tell anyone about it because of my time zone, I was bored. I also watched the New Girl, the new sitcom with Zooey Dashenal, it was so cute. I love it when she sings. She plays the same quirky character in Yes Man, one of my favorite films. I'm scrolling through my phone, I called my Aunt Vern, and she didn't answer. I called Christian and he was preoccupied with his own issues, and couldn't talk for long. Who else? How about the new nerd, Rob, from Lauren's Labor Day party?
Of course he answers. I learned alot about this guy in our 2.5 hours of conversation. As I am writing this, the themes that echo are his fascination with the Bible and the corresponding Middle Eastern history and his slightly veiled pessimism. He is so strange, he needs friends in the worst way. Someone to let him know that he doesn't have to be smooth and charismatic for people to want to be around him. For every discouraging notion that he had, I tried to give him something positive to focus on instead. He said that he appreciated my perspective, was glad it worked for me but he was not buying it. He's like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. He doesn't understand why people don't just accept the misery that is life, and he is not going to pretend to be happy for anyone's sake.
He's mad that life hasn't turned out the way it was supposed to, he's frustrated with hypocrites at his church and he tries to rationalize why there is evil in the world. There were times when I wanted to hang up the phone because he fixated on the same point even after I acknowledged that I understood but could never agree. It was like two people taking turns hitting each other with hammers. I told him he was like Silas form the DaVinci Code, an ascetic who berates himself to no end. He doesn't allow himself any leisure, no movies, no music...just documentaries and books. That is ridiculous. I told him that I would help him figure out a way to move to a third world country, find a simple way to give meaning to his life and to those of others, talk about it on TED Talks, garner funding, and use his MBA to create a business that will save the world and put a little change in his pocket. He doesn't know it, but I just solved all of his problems.
Monday 19 September 2011
Day 63 - Pursuit of a Mirror Ball
Season 13 of Dancing with the Stars has returned and brought so much joy to my heart! This season's contestants are very diverse, and I am looking forward to seeing what they are going to bring. I used to talk to my friends and the volunteers at Civic Center Library about every episode, luckily I have stayed in touch and will be communicating via email my impressions of the upcoming episodes. Lauren has never watched the show, which would explain why she chose to run her mouth through two of the numbers. I kept glancing over her shoulder at the screen, but she wasn't picking up what I was putting down. Ah, that is what Tuesday's show is for.
I think that Lauren and I had a breakthrough last night. She was telling me all about her friendships and her habit of befriending people that need "help" and the way that people have taken advantage of her in the past. So many of her stories involve someone trying to trick her, sabotage her or not giving her as much as she thinks she deserves based on what she has given to them. At the same time, she talks about how she would never bring a man around her single friends and she is wondering how long it will take Ola to get over her, since she broke his heart. I'm confused because how can you have such a high opinion of yourself and allow yourself to be abused at the same time? I can't call it. Today, she is fixated on finding another job because her supervisor is driving her crazy and she might interview at Johnson Publishing Company, the same place I am interviewing at on Thursday. She thinks it would be fun if we worked together and lived together....no it would not. If that happened, I would move out for sure. I'm glad that she likes me. However, it is unfortunate that she doesn't know me very well. I'm the glacier, like Kevin James in Hitch, and that is alright.
I think that Lauren and I had a breakthrough last night. She was telling me all about her friendships and her habit of befriending people that need "help" and the way that people have taken advantage of her in the past. So many of her stories involve someone trying to trick her, sabotage her or not giving her as much as she thinks she deserves based on what she has given to them. At the same time, she talks about how she would never bring a man around her single friends and she is wondering how long it will take Ola to get over her, since she broke his heart. I'm confused because how can you have such a high opinion of yourself and allow yourself to be abused at the same time? I can't call it. Today, she is fixated on finding another job because her supervisor is driving her crazy and she might interview at Johnson Publishing Company, the same place I am interviewing at on Thursday. She thinks it would be fun if we worked together and lived together....no it would not. If that happened, I would move out for sure. I'm glad that she likes me. However, it is unfortunate that she doesn't know me very well. I'm the glacier, like Kevin James in Hitch, and that is alright.
Sunday 18 September 2011
Day 62 - Talking out the side of my head
Throughout the course of the day, I had fabulous conversations with all of my favorite people. Thank goodness for free weekend minutes!
I have to add to this entry, because I was stuck in conversation with Lauren last night until 12:30, our trio is officially no more. Here is the scoop:
Rachna has decided to take evening strolls around Hyde Park to clear her mind and figure out what her next move will be. She invited me to join her last night, and I (probably not using the best judgment) invited Lauren and Simba. It seemed harmless at the time. Rachna is talking about how she is probably going to have to go back to India and she is not sure of what to do with her stuff. Apparently, she bought all kinds of household supplies from Wal-Mart and Target, that are unopened and she wants to return them and get her money back. Lauren suggested that she should get storage for all of her things, since she might want to come back to Chicago. Rachna says that storage makes no sense because she doesn't know when or if she will be back.
Here is where my dramatic irony comes in, because I know that Lauren doesn't want to drive Rachna to any store to return anything, but Lauren is trying to get Rachna to think that renting a truck and a storage unit is the best option. Rachna doesn't know why, but she senses Lauren's persistence and is not happy about it. We have been walking for about 20 minutes, and when we get to a corner, Rachna says I'll walk you guys home, and go back by myself, and we are like, no, there are two of us, we will make sure you get home, and we can walk back. Rachna keeps beating around the bush, saying that she wants to walk by herself, then she blurts out, I have something that I need to talk to Chaitra about in private. I was looking at her, like "what?" and Lauren is like "oh I see, BYE!"
I felt like a first grader, with all of these superficial friend alliances. I walked with Rachna, and she told me that Lauren's negativity was too much for her, she has enough stress in her life without that. Our conversation was not of much consequence, but of course I had to go home eventually and deal with Lauren. Lauren said that she doesn't care and I told her Rachna just wanted to talk about this guy she was seeing. I guess when they were at dinner last week, Lauren was not as supportive of that pursuit as she would have liked. Lauren seems glad to be off the Rachna hook, so the issue wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then Lauren proceeded to talk about her latest revelations about dating and how its depressing that she doesn't have love or babies in her life, when it feels like everyone around her does, a lot of woe is me....poor thing.
Side note, even with my umbrella evening dew/mist/rain devastated my hair do, :( Lauren used her super hot flat iron to try to flattened it out. It is no use, it has puffed up. I am really considering locs, if I get a better job that will allow me to go to the salon to maintain them, I'm going to do it!!
Sometimes I wonder if I am two faced, clearly I say things to Rachna about Lauren, that I would not want Lauren to know, and vice versa. I feel like they are two very self-involved people and I don't mind being a sounding board, and its my natural inclination to empathize, so it feels pretty harmless. I have plenty of time and opportunities with my real friends and family to re-charge my batteries, preventing myself from wallowing in a puddle of insecurities and disappointments.
I have to add to this entry, because I was stuck in conversation with Lauren last night until 12:30, our trio is officially no more. Here is the scoop:
Rachna has decided to take evening strolls around Hyde Park to clear her mind and figure out what her next move will be. She invited me to join her last night, and I (probably not using the best judgment) invited Lauren and Simba. It seemed harmless at the time. Rachna is talking about how she is probably going to have to go back to India and she is not sure of what to do with her stuff. Apparently, she bought all kinds of household supplies from Wal-Mart and Target, that are unopened and she wants to return them and get her money back. Lauren suggested that she should get storage for all of her things, since she might want to come back to Chicago. Rachna says that storage makes no sense because she doesn't know when or if she will be back.
Here is where my dramatic irony comes in, because I know that Lauren doesn't want to drive Rachna to any store to return anything, but Lauren is trying to get Rachna to think that renting a truck and a storage unit is the best option. Rachna doesn't know why, but she senses Lauren's persistence and is not happy about it. We have been walking for about 20 minutes, and when we get to a corner, Rachna says I'll walk you guys home, and go back by myself, and we are like, no, there are two of us, we will make sure you get home, and we can walk back. Rachna keeps beating around the bush, saying that she wants to walk by herself, then she blurts out, I have something that I need to talk to Chaitra about in private. I was looking at her, like "what?" and Lauren is like "oh I see, BYE!"
I felt like a first grader, with all of these superficial friend alliances. I walked with Rachna, and she told me that Lauren's negativity was too much for her, she has enough stress in her life without that. Our conversation was not of much consequence, but of course I had to go home eventually and deal with Lauren. Lauren said that she doesn't care and I told her Rachna just wanted to talk about this guy she was seeing. I guess when they were at dinner last week, Lauren was not as supportive of that pursuit as she would have liked. Lauren seems glad to be off the Rachna hook, so the issue wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then Lauren proceeded to talk about her latest revelations about dating and how its depressing that she doesn't have love or babies in her life, when it feels like everyone around her does, a lot of woe is me....poor thing.
Side note, even with my umbrella evening dew/mist/rain devastated my hair do, :( Lauren used her super hot flat iron to try to flattened it out. It is no use, it has puffed up. I am really considering locs, if I get a better job that will allow me to go to the salon to maintain them, I'm going to do it!!
Sometimes I wonder if I am two faced, clearly I say things to Rachna about Lauren, that I would not want Lauren to know, and vice versa. I feel like they are two very self-involved people and I don't mind being a sounding board, and its my natural inclination to empathize, so it feels pretty harmless. I have plenty of time and opportunities with my real friends and family to re-charge my batteries, preventing myself from wallowing in a puddle of insecurities and disappointments.
Day 61 - Coleman's Birthday Party!
I really think that I do everything for the people I love in this world. Tonight, when I went to Andersonville for Coleman's party, I thought that Lauren Smith would love to shop on Clark street, Joseph and Christian would love to date the men that were at the party, Travis would have joined to conversation about the value of vinyl, and Loren and Hope would have busted out their salsa moves when Suavmente came on. In that movie, "Playing with Hearts", Sean Connery has a line where he says something like when you fall in love with someone, you see yourself the way that they see you, so you actually fall in love with yourself. My friends and family do represent me and the fact that I thought of them while out with these strangers definitely made me feel a lot more comfortable, and made me miss them alot.
I talked to so many people tonight, I am actually sipping water now because my throat is sore. Jordan is Coleman's neighbor and he is a professor in the art department at DePaul. Chris is a graphic designer and he is from the "quad cities" on the Iowa-Illinois border. Scott works with Coleman and told me that I should stop complaining about my roommate because he once lived in a converted pantry with a schizophrenic for a roommate. Anthony is from Oregon and he has shoes that are older than me. Kirk is a lawyer, he lives downtown and he walked with me to the train station after the party. I met alot of women too, I just can't remember their names. Topics of conversation ranged from the scary ways that facebook is removing all privacy, the end of cohesive albums (artists just produce singles these days), things to do in Chicago, favorite vacation destinations, Chicago neighborhoods, and what I could expect in the winter. Although I smiled and listened to everyone's advice, I am a little rattled. Never before had anyone told me that I need to track storms on TV and go to the grocery store in advance, because I could be snowed in for three days! Tomorrow, I want to go shopping for some of this uber-necessary winter gear.
I felt very rebellious and a little scared when I decided to drive my car to the train stop and take the train all the way to Andersonville at 8:00 PM. Lauren always says that she doesn't ride on that train in this neighborhood, but she never rides the train at all. This was the most convenient way to get there, why shouldn't I do it? In my mind I could see the news, "local woman's body found dead, 150 yards from a Red Line train stop" Lauren in the interview, "I hate to see this happen, but I told her to keep her Arizona ass off of that train...there is a room available at..." I made it without any problems, I swear if you dress modestly, keep your head down, walk fast and mind your own business, nobody has anything to say to you. Based on the documentary I saw, most violent crimes involve people with a history of conflict between each other, these people don't know me from a can of spray paint.
As I was riding the train, I was wondering why I don't worry about the additional danger that comes with me walking around as a young woman. It is because I wasn't raised with that mind set. I played sports, I used to wear big t-shirts all the time, and if I hit my brother he socked me right back, there were no allowances because I am a female. I never think about crying to police officers or blaming my attitude on my period, these things just don't occur to me. So when I was saying goodbye to Coleman, and a lady overheard how I was getting home and said, a pretty girl like you shouldn't be riding the train at night, Coleman you better give that girl some cab fare...I was like no, don't worry about it, I'll be fine...they eventually let it go, but it definitely surprised me. Its not that I can't turn up the feminine fire when I want to, I just forget that in this world, it is impossible to turn off. I can see why heterosexual might women wear boxers, baggy jeans, sneakers and baseball hats, they are probably less likely to be victims when their femininity is hidden.
Overall, the night was great. I figured out how to get somewhere new and I met some interesting folks. Coleman is definitely a good contact to have.
I talked to so many people tonight, I am actually sipping water now because my throat is sore. Jordan is Coleman's neighbor and he is a professor in the art department at DePaul. Chris is a graphic designer and he is from the "quad cities" on the Iowa-Illinois border. Scott works with Coleman and told me that I should stop complaining about my roommate because he once lived in a converted pantry with a schizophrenic for a roommate. Anthony is from Oregon and he has shoes that are older than me. Kirk is a lawyer, he lives downtown and he walked with me to the train station after the party. I met alot of women too, I just can't remember their names. Topics of conversation ranged from the scary ways that facebook is removing all privacy, the end of cohesive albums (artists just produce singles these days), things to do in Chicago, favorite vacation destinations, Chicago neighborhoods, and what I could expect in the winter. Although I smiled and listened to everyone's advice, I am a little rattled. Never before had anyone told me that I need to track storms on TV and go to the grocery store in advance, because I could be snowed in for three days! Tomorrow, I want to go shopping for some of this uber-necessary winter gear.
I felt very rebellious and a little scared when I decided to drive my car to the train stop and take the train all the way to Andersonville at 8:00 PM. Lauren always says that she doesn't ride on that train in this neighborhood, but she never rides the train at all. This was the most convenient way to get there, why shouldn't I do it? In my mind I could see the news, "local woman's body found dead, 150 yards from a Red Line train stop" Lauren in the interview, "I hate to see this happen, but I told her to keep her Arizona ass off of that train...there is a room available at..." I made it without any problems, I swear if you dress modestly, keep your head down, walk fast and mind your own business, nobody has anything to say to you. Based on the documentary I saw, most violent crimes involve people with a history of conflict between each other, these people don't know me from a can of spray paint.
As I was riding the train, I was wondering why I don't worry about the additional danger that comes with me walking around as a young woman. It is because I wasn't raised with that mind set. I played sports, I used to wear big t-shirts all the time, and if I hit my brother he socked me right back, there were no allowances because I am a female. I never think about crying to police officers or blaming my attitude on my period, these things just don't occur to me. So when I was saying goodbye to Coleman, and a lady overheard how I was getting home and said, a pretty girl like you shouldn't be riding the train at night, Coleman you better give that girl some cab fare...I was like no, don't worry about it, I'll be fine...they eventually let it go, but it definitely surprised me. Its not that I can't turn up the feminine fire when I want to, I just forget that in this world, it is impossible to turn off. I can see why heterosexual might women wear boxers, baggy jeans, sneakers and baseball hats, they are probably less likely to be victims when their femininity is hidden.
Overall, the night was great. I figured out how to get somewhere new and I met some interesting folks. Coleman is definitely a good contact to have.
Friday 16 September 2011
Day 60 - Setting side of the Sun
I went to work, bright and early.
After work, I had an appointment with Cleopatra's Salon, in my neighborhood. When I made the appointment, a Middle Eastern man touched my hair, and said "eh, we can work with that". All day I was dreading the appointment, think that I was going to ask the stylist alot of questions before I would let him or her touch my hair today. However, when I got there, they took me straight to the shampoo bowl, and I wound up just watching ladies with all kinds of hair textures getting their "do's done". I put my faith in these middle eastern folks and their unfamiliar language and rolled the dice.
Overall, I would give the process a 76% and the final look, 87%. First a young woman washed my hair, then another young woman blow dried my hair, then a man flat ironed and curled it. The blow drying was the worst. My hair was wet, super curly, and a little knotted from my last round of twists. There were at least three knots that she seemed to be clawing it with the comb, my head is still throbbing from the trauma. At the end, my hair was super smooth and bouncy, I liked it alot. Now, I can't get it wet or sweat too much, plus I have to wrap it up at night. Beauty knows no bounds.
The Internet is working now. Lauren and I attempted to watch Mad Men on the Roku. I say attempted because she talked all through it! Grrrrr. I will be checking that out at another time. I talked to my Dad tonight, he is hilarious. Apparently, he is going to Bisbee for a Blues Festival this weekend. I told him how it is getting colder, and that I really want to go to a Bears game at Soldier Field when it is snowing. He said that I was out of my mind. I told him that thousands of people go every year and no one has ever died. He replied, you don't know if they have or not, and when your feet freeze, you are going to feel like you died. Silly papa. I told him that he was only saying that because he is on the setting side of the sun, aka old. He said that he would remember that and leave me 23 dollars in his will. Shucks, :(
After work, I had an appointment with Cleopatra's Salon, in my neighborhood. When I made the appointment, a Middle Eastern man touched my hair, and said "eh, we can work with that". All day I was dreading the appointment, think that I was going to ask the stylist alot of questions before I would let him or her touch my hair today. However, when I got there, they took me straight to the shampoo bowl, and I wound up just watching ladies with all kinds of hair textures getting their "do's done". I put my faith in these middle eastern folks and their unfamiliar language and rolled the dice.
Overall, I would give the process a 76% and the final look, 87%. First a young woman washed my hair, then another young woman blow dried my hair, then a man flat ironed and curled it. The blow drying was the worst. My hair was wet, super curly, and a little knotted from my last round of twists. There were at least three knots that she seemed to be clawing it with the comb, my head is still throbbing from the trauma. At the end, my hair was super smooth and bouncy, I liked it alot. Now, I can't get it wet or sweat too much, plus I have to wrap it up at night. Beauty knows no bounds.
The Internet is working now. Lauren and I attempted to watch Mad Men on the Roku. I say attempted because she talked all through it! Grrrrr. I will be checking that out at another time. I talked to my Dad tonight, he is hilarious. Apparently, he is going to Bisbee for a Blues Festival this weekend. I told him how it is getting colder, and that I really want to go to a Bears game at Soldier Field when it is snowing. He said that I was out of my mind. I told him that thousands of people go every year and no one has ever died. He replied, you don't know if they have or not, and when your feet freeze, you are going to feel like you died. Silly papa. I told him that he was only saying that because he is on the setting side of the sun, aka old. He said that he would remember that and leave me 23 dollars in his will. Shucks, :(