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.