So. Been a while, huh?

They're still letting me go to work, which is just wonderful. A lot of early mornings and a pretty exhausting commute, but overall I really like the work I'm doing. The school's small enough that I get to know everyone as more than their ID number and in addition to the graduate advising, I also get to coordinate the graduate admissions process. Yes, I know, this does not sound like fun to anyone else. But that's where life works out, because if you're good and nerdy enough you can like the jobs that others would find tedious. Not that it isn't sometimes - I mean, it is an office job. But despite a few bad incidents, things are pretty much moving along. One thing I've noticed is that at a prestigious school like Columbia U., an employee with my age and experience is allowed to do practically nothing, but at UIC, not only do I get to meet with a population of amazing diversity - ethnically, socioeconomically, and personality wise - I also have a huge amount of freedom and authority to shape my own work process and how things run. To go from data entry at a world class school to constant creation and improvisation at a school that is hungry for new organization - is a very sudden, sometimes scary, but mainly welcome change.

Anyhow, it seems that I am in the real world. Most days it's reassuring, some days I get bored. But this looks like the next step - and if I could liven it up a bit, I think I'll be set for a career here.

Happy late New Year.

Ok, I have a job! Thank goodness, because rent this month was going to get interesting. I haven't officially signed anything yet so hopefully everything will go smoothly, but I start on Monday as an academic advisor at UIC's School of Architecture. I like that it's a little more artistic, or at least in a very creative environment, and also since it's a smaller school I will be part of a lot of different things, i.e. admissions, orientation, advising, academic stuff, etc. I'm pretty excited about it and it feels great to have the security and to know that soon I'll be putting my Masters degree to good use. I also love not writing cover letters all day. So yay! After many many applications all is good. :)

Ok, well things have dragged on a bit through August. I interviewed with the Illinois Institute of Technology but it didn't work out. I had two interviews with National-Louis University and will hear back in a couple weeks whether or not I got it. I have two interviews this Tuesday, one with UIC and the other with Northwestern. Those could both be really cool so I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but generally this has been quite an ongoing process. I'm trying to keep motivated, but I will enjoy the time when I'm doing something useful again, even if it is hard work or a long commute. At least that's what I think now. :) For now a full time job that pays you sounds pretty sweet compared to double-shifting in debt. Here's to employment in September.

Other than that, things are ok. One hard thing did happen earlier this week when my childhood Pastor/teacher/friend passed away suddenly. He has known both my sister and I from birth and has been there for all our major life events. It was quite the shock and he will be very much missed, especially as he was the foundation of our Church and its ministry for as long as I can remember. Besides that, he was only 58. I've had many relatives and friends pass away but mainly they were sick beforehand and in the hospital. It's never easy but when someone goes suddenly, it makes you think about what you last said to that person, or didn't say. Anyhow, it'll be fine, but it definitely brought on a lot of contemplation.

Well things are good but gradual. I have kept busy unpacking, setting up all the utilities/essentials, seeing people, and doing ridiculous things like buying real couches. I know we need somewehere to sit, but it was still a shock to buy furniture that doesn't look like a futon.

The job search has been...ongoing. I did have one interview last week and two more this next week, so things are definitely picking up, but there was a dryspell for a few weeks that made me nervous. Now, though, it looks like I'll have a good job of some kind by the end of the month. I'm not used to this downtime, but I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts.

Other than that, I think Remy and Mike like it here, too. Oddly enough we're headed back to Michigan this weekend for a wedding, and it will be fun to see the old college town. It was only a year ago but the nostalgia is ridiculous.

awwwww...

Wow. Ok, it's official. Mike got an interview, then another interview, than a job at Motorola in Deer Park, Illinois. Then, just this past weekend we went out with our realtor (Sue Carey!) to look at places to live, and have now all but signed on a little rental house in Deerfield. This is huge. I am happy, nervous, relieved, excited, and bewildered. But mostly happy. There's a fenced yard where Remy can do, well, whatever it is that Remy does, and a screened in porch plus a front bay window where I can do what I do - basically laze around and read. ;)

A lot of people are surprised or unsure that someone (me) would choose to leave a city like New York at the age of 23 to go back to the suburbs near where she grew up. That's comepletely understandable. I guess the only way I can really explain it is that this past year to year and a half has been so much work and craziness that I'm really just tired. Living in somewhere exciting sounds...kind of exhausting to me. Chicago will be there, and it's most likely that I'll take the train in and work downtown, so I'll get my frequent city fix. But mainly, I'm really excited about the quiet...being able to cook dinners, sitting on the porch...I feel like an old woman, but it's going to be sweet. Just a quiet, comfy, relaxing place to go back to. And definitely an improvement from the long distance thing this past year. That's obviously my favorite part. But the family, family friends, and the six close Michigan friends that just up and moved to the city this summer certainly don't hurt matters, either. So yes, I wanted to send out an update. If Val reads this, Val I must see you!!! I officially head out around July 1st and move in the 3rd. Here we go again...but this time, I'm gonna sleep.

Do any of the game lovers out there know about this and/or do you think it will be good?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8372603330420559198


p.s. lol - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3DRiREBm9Q