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.