| high school? |
[Jun. 3rd, 2008|09:51 pm] |
I'm editing some papers for a friend of mine. I can't believe how horrible the papers of advanced tenth grade English are. Just for now, I'll leave you with this:
Sandra had many problems and went through a lot of painful events. She threw away a gift she had because an experience she had with a chained naked man. |
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| I'm embarrassed to say |
[May. 15th, 2008|10:40 pm] |
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that I was happy to be back at Fred's Pizza tonight. The regulars that came in were excited to see me, I was still the only server that knew what was going on, I had complete control of things, and I made $100. That's pretty good for one night. The best thing was actually being appreciated. I really miss that. I'm sure this will fade, but I just want to savor it for right now. Savor the idea that I can make my rent plus some while working at Fred's over the next two weeks. I'm working Friday and Saturday this week, next Thursday and Friday, and however many shifts I can talk people out of the following week. Cross your fingers. |
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| growing up? |
[May. 14th, 2008|06:54 am] |
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My first experience with work in Chicago has completely jaded me. The most ridiculous, cattiest experience I've had in my life happened not in high school, a la Mean Girls, not in a sorority, but in the 'professional' world. I guess I'll be retreating back to the restaurant industry and hope it turns out better, and if not, I'll be back in GR before too long because I can no longer afford to stay here. Anyone need a sublet in Chicago? |
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| It's been a while |
[May. 4th, 2008|06:52 pm] |
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I have been booted from my temp job because I asked for too much money. If you're interested in the details, ask.
I now have two more weeks of a job and then an uncertain future. Perhaps fortunately or unfortunately, I have already planned the rest of the month based on not having a job. My last day at the temp job will be 16 May. 18 May, Sunday, Beth and Jaime, both from college, are coming into town, separately. Beth is leaving on Tuesday and Jaime is staying until Thursday. I'm excited to not be working while they visit. Saturday, the 24th, I will pick up Ginny and John from Midway and head up to GR for her bachelorette party. I'm planning on staying in GR for the week, hopefully getting some shifts at Fred's to get some money since I'm pretty close to broke, and then the wedding is the 31st. Ideally, I'll get a job that starts the Monday after that, 2 June. I have an interview tomorrow for something I found on Monster, we'll see how that works out. If not hopefully the temp agency will find something.
Other than this job crap, my life is ridiculously boring. I am not the type of person that should move to a new city alone. I do nothing except work. I've recently started running again. I signed up for the Riverbank Run 5k, that's three years in a row. I should do the 10k but I figured it probably wasn't the best idea since I haven't run that much for a long time. I'll be in GR this coming weekend for the race, hopefully able to scam some free groceries from my parents. |
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[Apr. 8th, 2008|10:30 pm] |
I have recently gotten to the Arrested Development part of my Netflix queue and I'm in love. The show is wonderful.
I am also in love with Jason Bateman's character. It may be because he's great, or maybe because I'm completely devoid of male contact. |
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[Mar. 27th, 2008|08:43 pm] |
I have to preface this with: I can't believe I'm actually watching this but....
in 'don't forget the lyrics' they're having a 'celebrity' episode. I realize that B rate celebrities have to have their second 15 seconds of fame, and that I may have missed out a lot of their celebrity, but, why the hell do all of these ridiculous shows with celebrities have celebrities that I don't know? The 'celebrity' is the lead singer of REO Speedwagon. I realize that they were a huge band in the 80s, but if you asked me, I couldn't tell you one REO Speedwagon song, and if you played one of those iconic 80s songs, I don't know who sings it.
Also, I'm so disappointed that I apparently have no ability to turn off the tv. |
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| the fates are against me |
[Mar. 11th, 2008|10:43 pm] |
I didn't get the job. No explanation. "The position has been filled. I'll keep your resume." I'm going to try and talk the people at my temp job into paying me enough money to survive.
I didn't get one of my netflix movies, so I requested another one, assuming the other one was 'lost in the mail.' I got the replacement today and just noticed that the disc is cracked. I think something does not want me to see the finale of america's next top model.
I guess I have a job now, all I need is some friends. |
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[Mar. 10th, 2008|11:18 pm] |
I had my interview today. I'm not sure how it went. I thought it was okay right afterward. I was really confident with the questions 'when can you start?' and questions re salary. The more time that passed after the interview, the less confident I am. They had two more interviews that day. I should hear tomorrow. I can't wait. It seems like a cool job. Cool people around, I'd have actual responsibilities, none that include filling the staplers in the office. If I don't get that job then I'll have to settle for the job at the temp job. Which will be fine for a while, but it's kind of discouraging.
I'm just waiting until I can get some furniture. Apparently I also need multiple lamps. I have one desk lamp and then the overhead lights that I can't turn off from bed. I'm trying to read by candle-light because my lamp just burned out. It's like a tease, it flips on then shorts out. I'm so sad. I can't read in bed. I have to buy a new lamp. If I don't get the job that I want then I'll probably be able to go shopping on Wednesday, although then I don't have a job to make the money I need to buy the lamp. Argh. |
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[Mar. 8th, 2008|07:21 pm] |
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I woke up this morning expecting to not leave the house because the weather yesterday said that we were supposed to get 3-7 inches overnight and then it was supposed to continue Saturday morning. I looked out the window and the ground wasn't even covered with snow. I am convinced that either Chicagoans either have a very different measuring system than we do in Michigan, or they have the most horrible time trying to predict the weather. It seems that every time I hear a weather report here calling for a lot of snow, it is so off it's absurd.
I turned my computer on today and my pirated internet connection wasn't working. It hasn't worked all day. The network was still open access, but it seemed that a computer had to be identified to the router. Who knows, I have no idea how this stuff works, but now it's working, no questions asked. I have no idea, but I'm just happy to have internet again. Yay!
Also, I have an interview on Monday. I'm not sure how the temp job is going, if they're going to offer me the job I want (9-5 and at least $15/hour). This interview is for Office Manager at a technology company, the CFO called me saying he had my resume in front of him and I seemed right for the job. He said "when can you come and meet everyone?" I am assuming that's an interview. Hopefully it doesn't take too long because it's at 10 and I have to be at work by 11. I would really like it to work out because I think it will be less shit work than the temp job, and hopefully I'd be able to talk them into paying me more than 30k. I really like the idea of a small company, I'm not sure if it's that small or not, but I'm assuming that if the CFO called an applicant, they don't have an HR department. That's pretty high up to be doing phone calls like that. Here goes nothing.
My parents are coming down tomorrow. I'm no longer going to be sleeping on the floor. I will have a box spring and a frame. Also a dresser. I'm excited to not have to continue using my suitcase and laundry basket as a dresser. Maybe, ideally, I'll find a couch for free on craigslist and we'll be able to move it with the van. That would be my lucky day.
Things might be falling into place. |
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[Mar. 6th, 2008|08:10 pm] |
I think someone in my house mistakenly recieved one of my netflix envelopes. Now it's possible that the one disc is just lost, but I'm sad that one of my house-mates is hoarding the America's Next Top Model finale.
I'm sad. I also am not sure about the job that I thought was being offered to me, because one of the people with whom I currently am working might ask for that job. Lame.
I just cancelled identity monitor on my credit card because it charges me $10/month but I pay $17/month for netflix. Haha. |
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| windy city chronicles volume 874 |
[Mar. 5th, 2008|08:12 pm] |
It is now Wednesday 5 March. I've been in my apartment for 17 days, in the 'real world.' I'm working at my very first temp job, acquired the day I went into the temp agency. Pretty lucky, really, because I worked one day, and they liked me so much they asked me to continue coming in, and that has happened again as one of the girls is sick. Also, I've been told they want to give me a full time position. I think if I can work it out that I get paid more than I'm getting now, everything will be okay. If I accept this job, which in two weeks will turn from 11-8 to 9-5, I can keep looking for something else and then leave if I find something.
One bad thing is I left at 5 today, (I'm working the 11-8 shift but there hasn't been anything to do so I've been leaving at 5) and Chicago downtown at the release of work is like a parade. I've never seen so many people all rushing in the same direction. I got on my bus about quarter after five and didn't get home until quarter after six. It's six miles. The bus was full the whole way. It's quite ridiculous to have a commute that's only six miles but take an hour, and 45 minutes without traffic. I can't drive because there's no parking downtown. I could run home in the time it takes the bus. I should, but I'd have to find a sweet backpack that wouldn't bounce around to carry all my crap in. Any suggestions from my runner friends?? (Also, I'm not going to start running 6 miles after running once in the past few months. And it's cold outside, but you know, something will happen.)
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[Feb. 28th, 2008|09:46 am] |
I went to a temp agency yesterday. I had an appointment at 9. My plan was to meet her and then come home, change, and drive out to Naperville to meet with Jeff Denard about my resume at 4. I took the normal software/typing tests that took about an hour and then found out that they had a job they wanted me to go to that day at 11. I accepted, because I'm not really in a position to turn anything down (I haven't talked to my landlord yet about not paying rent until the 17th). It was a position in a print shop at a financial advising firm. When I got there, to the high-rise in downtown Chicago, of course I had to go through security and then up to the 16th floor where the woman at the front desk ignored me after she called the guy I was supposed to see. The elevators don't have up and down buttons, there is one computer screen where you pick what floor you want to go to and it tells you that elevator K will take you to your floor, you can't get on the same elevator as someone, because it only goes to one floor. It seems a little weird to me.
Also, in buildings downtown, even though you have to go through security to actually enter the building, all of the bathrooms are locked. You have to have a key to use the bathroom. Also ridiculous.
I spent the first hour punching holes and binding these quarterly reports. The kind of things you get from some investments that you recycle straight from the mailbox. The way the print shop works, is that the 'projects' have to be emailed to the print shop by 3 in order to be shipped overnight express at 8. So not only is this a huge waste of paper, but it's a waste of money in the shipping. Why not just finish the project two day earlier and you can save $50 every time.
I got a phone call at 9 from the temp agency telling me that they really liked me and they want me to come back. They wanted me today through next Wednesday. Because I'm so lazy and I was not really prepared for this, I told them I had plans today, but I'm working Friday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. It's a horribly mundane job, but it will hopefully lead to something.
I'm going to sit around all day and revel in my sloth before I have to enter the work force. |
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| I'm flailing |
[Feb. 25th, 2008|08:35 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  worried | ] |
I planned on having more time to get a job, but I also planned on it being easier to find a job. I really was counting on not having to worry about rent for two months, because my landlord made me pay two months rent. Unfortunately, he doesn't want to let me 'use' the extra month for six months, to make sure I'm trustworthy, I guess. I feel like either he needs to trust me or not let me sign the lease. I didn't have to tell him I didn't have a job...maybe.
The bottom line here is, I'm not sure if I have to pay rent on the first, because I paid a month's rent on the 17th. My lease says that rent is due on the first, but maybe I can talk him into letting me pay rent on the 17th. Otherwise, he'll 'pro-rate' my rent for March, which I'm not really sure he knows how to do because he mentioned it a few times, but never really seemed to figure it out. My vote is for the 17th, because that gives me more time to get a job, but that's just before my credit card bills are due, so that might be bad. Unfortunately, if I have to pay rent on the first, I won't be eating until I get a job. I don't know what my 'last resort' is. I'm going to school on Wednesday to re-hab my resume and hopefully to take an 'interest evaluation.' Maybe they'll even find me a job. I emailed the head hunter Carrie referred me to, and hopefully that will result in something.
Also, my uncle has this friend he helped out in some way who is about to take the bar here. He's supposed to call me Thursday. Maybe a serving job, but he apparently works in the prosecutor's office. I'm not really sure what that means, but ideally, I could use a serving job and a 9-5....
Someone help me! I need money!!! |
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[Feb. 20th, 2008|01:02 pm] |
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Moving to Chicago might have been the worst idea of my life, I now have to talk to my parents every day about every detail of my life. I didn't talk to my dad every day when I lived with him! |
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[Feb. 20th, 2008|10:40 am] |
Day three in my new apartment.
One of my windows does not have a miniblind, which my landlord has been telling me he'll get in there, which I thought would be in before I moved in, but oh well. I've been home the majority of the time because it's cold outside and I don't have a job. I have seen him everyday. Not that he's a bad guy, but I feel like he's judging me because I'm just hanging out at home not looking for a job. Yesterday I got back from a 'typing test' (which was completely futile) and he was in my apartment because the washing machine ran over and it had leaked into my apartment. No big deal, but he's always here! He finally got the miniblind, he knocked about 7pm and told me he'd install it tomorrow, so I'm just waiting for him to knock and judge me in my pjs. I kind of want to offer to install it myself, it can't be that hard, can it?
I should go out today and peddle my resume at the restaurants around here. There are quite a few and I love the idea of working in walking distance, especially when it's 10 degrees outside. The problem is, I have no desire to leave because it is so cold outside. I never really worried about this is GR because I would walk from the building to my car, from my car to a building, etc., but here, I'm walking everywhere, which I know is better, but it's much warmer in the car. |
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| the beginning |
[Feb. 17th, 2008|08:58 pm] |
I might be an adult now, or at lest on my way. I have my own apartment, in the 'big city.' The only furniture I have is my mattress, which was folded to fit in my brother's car, a tv stand, a bookcase, and a table whose legs screw off which made it perfect for this trip. I don't have that much stuff, here. I still have a lot of stuff at my parents' house that I don't really need but can't stand to throw away/get rid of.
My brother and Lynne were kind enough to drive down with me. My dad and my brother filled up my car and my brother's. It was raining on and off the whole way down, but amazingly enough, it didn't rain while we were unloading the car. Three people really makes moving a breeze.
I'm excited about the place, but I can't wait to get some furniture. The bad thing is that without a job, I don't really want to spend more and more money to buy endless amounts of furniture etc.
More later... |
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[Feb. 13th, 2008|09:25 pm] |
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my future landlord just called and postponed the lease signing...it's not until 11h30, which gives me more time to sleep, but sends me straight into lunch traffic....oh well. At least the 5h30 showing today didn't work out |
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| Things are really moving now! |
[Feb. 13th, 2008|08:47 pm] |
Monday I met with a potential roommate; a 40 year old gay Indian man who owns a restaurant. The deal was great, a free room in exchange for some wifely duties: keeping the apartment clean and cooking every once in a while. He was great, we sat and talked for over an hour, but the room was tiny and the apartment was kind of stuffy. I really just wanted my own place.
Tuesday I saw a few places I found on craigslist (well everything I've found is from craigslist). The first place I saw was great. It was a studio, garden apartment, with an actual kitchen and not just a closet with an oven, a sink, and a refrigerator. The landlord seemed cool. The second place I saw was the gem. It was so great. It was a huge studio with a separate dining area, a huge kitchen, lots of storage, and a little porch thing. Unfortunately it was up three flights of very steep stairs, on a busy street with limited parking, it was $765/month and someone else had put an application in on it. I told the landlord to call me if the other person doesn't work out.
I decided I really wanted the first one. It's in a neighborhood, instead of on a main street. The street parking isn't bad and I'm told it's in a great area. It's near Irving Park and Damen/Lincoln. I met with the landlord today to turn in my application and my $30 for a credit check. He called my dad and Sam, my boss at Fred's. Apparently his credit check guy just went to Mexico, so he said he's going to let me move in without a credit check. He told me he was showing the place at 5h30 tonight after he told me to come and sign an lease at 10 tomorrow. I'm not really sure why he's showing it, but I hope that it's still mine.
Because I don't have a job, he's having me give him a security deposit and two months' rent. I've never written a check that big before. My plan is to meet him at 10, before that get all of my stuff out of Carrie's place and drop it off there. Then I'm going to drive home to party like it's 1999, or Lynne's 25th birthday! Then hopefully I can convince someone with a very large vehicle drive me, and a lot of my stuff, hopefully my bed, back to my new place on Sunday. Depending on what happens, I may be driving down with whoever that is, and then driving back for one more night of drinking, or just staying here.
That's all for now. People in GR: come see me while I'm home. Chicago people: come see my new place, I need furniture! |
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[Feb. 10th, 2008|04:44 pm] |
It's so cold outside I don't want to leave until all the snow melts. Unfortunately I'm meeting with a prospective roommate tomorrow at 4h30. Perhaps after that I'll do something with Naomi. I haven't actually 'done' anything in a while. I had coffee with Naomi on Thursday after looking at very small dorm rooms people were trying to pass off as apartments and rent for $650/month. Yesterday I talked to Laurie, a friend from bdubs, whose wedding I went to the summer of 06. She told me that her husband left that morning. He only loves her as his son's mother. I went out there last night to have a night in with lots of takeout, chick flicks, and alcohol. It was fun until her drunk friends came over three movies in. I like Laurie, but she, and her friends, are among the people who interrupt me when I talk. I've never really understood that. I realize that I don't pay that close of attention to other people, but I've only noticed people doing it to me. I try to avoid people like that. I'm not sure if it's a lack of respect, or if everything I say is just that uninteresting, but it's not just a few people, or a certain group. I've met people everywhere who act as if I'm not there. So, about 1am I was ready to drive back into the city from the suburbs, which I would have done if I could have avoided judgment as well as parking and walking in an unfamiliar neighborhood in the middle of the night.
I toughed it out and they finally left about 3. Laurie had to work at 10h45, so Scott, the husband, was supposed to be there about 10 to stay with their son while she was at work. I set my alarm for 9h30 so I could avoid seeing him, since I'm not really sure how to treat the man who has left his wife, my friend. I'm sleeping in the living room, downstairs, while she's upstairs. At 8am I hear the garage door open and he came in. Being passive aggressive, I laid there, pretending to sleep until Laurie came downstairs to tell me that he was two hours early and she was driving her drunk friend who had spent the night home. I tried to be mature when he walked in and said, 'what did you guys have a little sleep-over?' I held in the comment that when your husband leaves, your friends had better be there to comfort you.
It took me an hour and a half to get out of the city yesterday. On a Saturday. I thought weekends were low traffic, but I guess that's just Sunday, because it took me 26 minutes to go 30 miles. Amazing. I love Sundays. Walking outside was excruciating. The first breath was painful. Thankfully I got a spot about two blocks away and carried my groceries, conveniently bought in the suburbs, so they were regular (Michigan) price.
I'm not leaving until I have to tomorrow and hoping that I don't have to be outside for very long. Also, I'm hoping that spring begins March first. |
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[Feb. 7th, 2008|11:30 pm] |
Also, I've been watching Sex and the City on TBS. Even though I own them, it's easier if they're just on tv.
Because I've seen every episode a million times, I'm very familiar with it. The past couple episodes they have changed some small things. For instance, just now, all four girls are at Carrie's waiting for her to get out of the bathroom and then they're going to go to a movie. Carrie's diaphragm is stuck and she asks the girls to help her get it out. Miranda and Charlotte duck out and Samantha goes in and helps her. On the TBS version, Carrie refuses to have her help. and they discuss it while walking to the movie. I'm wondering if they re-cut it from the original material to make it less vulgar.
Has anyone else noticed this? |
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