My hair's still red.

Though some changes have occurred over the past month (and change) without a post, that fact hasn't changed so you can stop wondering, Bob.

Where to begin. I think I'll go about this semi-chronologically, but it won't be exhaustive (I hope). Just some highlights of the past few weeks.

I had two unsuccessful interviews. The first was for a job I really could have seen myself in as the beverage company I would have worked for was quite small and the lab environment was very personal. It was also a pretty easy commute. Alas, no dice. The second was for a job that I couldn't really see myself in as the oil refinery research that I would have been doing involved a lot of complicated lab techniques, a less-than-attractive lab environment, and a complicated commute. Likability of the position notwithstanding, the two week process of applying for a job, landing an interview, and finding out it was unsuccessful is a very stressful, time-consuming, and disheartening process. Having to continue to respond to job postings and send out resumes is a tough thing to do after the wind has been taken out of your sails, but it's what I kept doing. After securing a third interview, I took a weekend break and flew down to Greenville for homecoming. I had told myself I wouldn't go if I hadn't gotten a job yet, but I knew I'd be miserable in Chitown that weekend if I didn't make the trip. I also found super cheap flights, so that sealed the deal.

Before I left, Jacob (my roommate and dear friend) asked me an important question while we were enjoying our delicious Taco Bell $5 boxes: Did I think that going to Greenville and spending the weekend with some of my best friends, my boyfriend, and my parents would make me really sad once I returned to Chicago and missed them all again? Or was it going to help me realize I'd made the right decision by moving and invigorate my job search? At that point I didn't know the answer, but I told him I knew I'd be miserable if I didn't go at all and had to take the risk of the former scenario being the case.

I cannot begin to describe the day I flew to Greenville. I overslept and missed the train that I should have taken to the airport. On my way to the airport on the next train, I had to call the airline to see what my options for another flight were. (The number for the airline wasn't on my ticket or my receipt... what the heck AirTran?) The kind people of AirTran told me I could fly standby on another flight that day for no extra charge. Excellent. Trip saved. After a very pleasant conversation with a man from Atlanta who helped me up after I fell on the train platform ("at least you had something to fall on!" referring to my... um... backside was a great icebreaker), I made it to the airport an hour before the flight. I figured that was plenty of time as I had no bags to check and already had a boarding pass. That was until it took 45 minutes to get through security... I ran to my gate and told them I was flying stand-by right before they closed the flight. They had to check my bag because there was no overhead space left, but I got to my seat to find it was in an exit row. I'll take free leg room thanks. By the time I'd stepped off the plane to be greeted by a Moe's (where I achieved my first meal of the day at one of the restaurants I miss the most from the South), I was almost in tears I was so happy. Poor Lindley (my wonderful transportation to Greenville from Atlanta) had to put up with not only my delayed arrival but also my excited and exhausted babbling. I had such a great time catching up with her and subsequently Laura who we called as we approached her house because she couldn't wait to be with us to talk to us. That night on campus was so overwhelming. The Friday night of homecoming means float-building and carnival on the Furman mall. I think I talked to at least 50 different people. Most of the conversations were about the same, but it was so good to see those people I really wanted to see. I felt bad for poor Bronson who had to listen to the same conversation a horrendous number of times. I liked when I got settled in one place for a while and got to legitimately catch up with a close friend or two, but I wearily welcomed the retreat to Downtown Greenville for a couple drinks with my former roommate, improv troupe member, and close friend Laura-Ann before retiring for the night. The next day brought tailgating with my parents, a crushing 4th quarter comeback against the Paladins, some evening college football with pizza and beers in a North Village apartment, and a couple of popular downtown spots for late night fun times. Saturday wasn't quite as overwhelming, but it certainly still had its fair share of the same status updates and quick run-ins. After Sunday brunch with my folks and some NFL watching with Bronson, I went to my old Furman Theatre stomping grounds to see a rehearsal for the upcoming show This Is How It Goes (by my favorite playwright, Neil LaBute). I only got to see the first act, but it was such an interesting window from the now-outside. The cast is quite small (two students and a new professor's spouse), and it just wasn't the bustling Furman Theatre activity I'd grown accustomed to by the end of my senior year. There were still some really nice moments and directions to be seen, and I was so glad I'd gotten a chance to see some portion of the production process. Monday meant a wonderful breakfast with the wonderful Simon before we participated in an exciting round of theatre darts. I say exciting because the game went to triple overtime... a very rare feat for that bunch. It would seem as though everyone has stepped up his/her dart game even though so many majors are abroad. After a slightly somber trip back to Atlanta and a much less eventful flight back to Chicago (I got to the airport with an hour and a half to spare, got through security in minutes, and my flight was delayed... figures), I felt invigorated as I rode the train back to my apartment. I had discovered the answer to Jacob's question: getting back to my Furman Theatre roots made me want to reach a successful end to my job search so that I could get back to doing what I loved.

Less than a week after I returned, I got a job. I went to a recruiter's office the day after I got back to fill out paperwork and get prepped for an interview, and the following day I went to a cattle call-esque interview at a pharmaceutical company. I felt great about the interview and wasn't all that surprised when I got the position (mostly based on the number of people they were taking on). The commute is a bit of a hike, but the pay is excellent. It's a 6-8 month temp position to start out with, but it may lead to something more long term. Even if it doesn't I'll be in better financial and professional shape after the job comes to a close. Needless to say, I am absolutely overjoyed that I have this first big step of being here out of the way. The security of it will help me be much more willing to find more opportunities in the city and the energy that goes into the job search can be put to use elsewhere.

Most of the rest of the last couple weeks have included a lot of movie-going, a bit of theatre-going, and of course more city exploring. I think I'll save some of those details for a separate post as this one has probably lost every one of its readers by now. Except maybe my mom. Hi Mom! I love you!

Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast

It's been a while... but I'm back. I never got around to blogging too much about the planning that went in to the move to Chicago (getting an apartment and applying for jobs without being in the city was not an easy task), but I have arrived! I've been living in Albany Park, a small neighborhood in the northern part of the city, for almost two weeks. Most of that time has been spent unpacking, getting over a cold, acquiring new apartment necessities (electricity, cable, internet, groceries, etc.), applying for jobs, and learning my way around the neighborhood. I now know where many things within walking (or biking) distance are located including:

a place to get $0.99 tacos

a grocery store (with lots of Hispanic products... a sign of the large Hispanic population of this neighborhood, but it's actually a pretty diverse area in general)

a library (ok... I haven't been there yet, but I know where it is)

a Target

a Walgreens

a bar called Pitchfork (where I watched the Bears beat the Cowboys last week)

and a Taco Bell (yes... 2 items in that list involve tacos... I'm ok with that).

That's not all-inclusive by any means, but it hits some highlights. I really like the apartment, my landlord has been nice, helpful, and Swiss (Seriously... she has a sweet accent and is a massage therapist), and the neighbors that I have met are so nice. On one side is a family with an unknown number of children, four cats that have their own house, and a big dog named Roxy, and on the other side there's a nice older couple named Harold and Carol. Talking to Harold has lead to conversations about the Bears, the inefficiency of the road crew that is resurfacing our street, and a wake he recently attended. The weather has either been on the warm side or absolutely perfect. I've arrived in Chicago just in time to enjoy the few weeks of Autumn. There's a huge park a five minute walk away from here that I should absolutely check out before the winter months. I've liked using public transportation so far (The L is so great. Very easy to navigate, fairly clean, timely, and affordable) and will more than likely be seeing a lot more of it when I get a job. I have my first interview Monday for a lab technician job, so many fingers are crossed on that front.

Thursday marked my first foray into big city theatre. Jacob got a job working front of house at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (!!!), and lucky me got to be his guest to see the first show of their season, Romeo and Juliet. I'm going to be honest and say that I was skeptical as R & J is not my favorite of Billy's works, and it's arguably one of the most overdone. But this was a complementary ticket to a very respected theatre, so consider me more than on board. The designs for the show were modern, urban, and violent and these concepts were mirrored in many of the director/actor choices. I wasn't sure how I'd like the Romeo + Juliet-esque set, but it was very well designed with a nice perspective aspect and extremely well utilized (it probably helped that there were no guns around and the set could easily be made appropriately less urban for many scenes). The plastic road construction saw horses that were on stage at the open of the show marked a physical line between the two houses, but they were quickly kicked down and used as weapons for a very effective and exciting opening fight scene in true Shakespearian style. While the violent choices made for some interesting interpretations of some characters and scenes (Mercutio was excellently acted but lost a bit of sympathy with his aggression... Lord Capulet became a very violent character who crumpled at the tragedy in the end... the balcony scene lost a bit of its sweetness in the way it was punctuated), some moments were just brilliant. The first meeting ("Let lips do as hands do") was absolutely breathtaking. The artists succeeded in the creation of the illusion that they really were meeting for the first time and that no one knew this story (complete with a teenaged female squeal from one of the balconies that only added to the wonder). Romeo gave a solid performance throughout (he reminded me of John Tate!), and Juliet really amped up her acting chops in the second act. The final scene was heartbreaking. I can't wait to see more productions at this theatre if they're on par with this one. (There's a Martin McDonagh play coming in March from the Druid Theatre in Ireland...)

I think that's a pretty good start, folks. I'm just kind of taking in the city one day at a time. More to come as it unfolds...