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.
Friday 23 September 2011
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.