Where I live

I try to not post a lot of identifying information here since well, I say some things that I probably shouldn't be associated with, but since this has pretty blatantly evolved from a commentary on the news and goings on of the world to my own little rantification place I figured a personal post won't bring me down. Now I'm still not outing who I am (or where you can specifically find me) so don't be expecting any addresses or anything.

When I moved to this wild and exciting city I lived in a sublet downtown. Not fun downtown either, like loop, right next to the El tracks downtown. I took the place, and spent every dime earned for getting me an edumacation, so that I could figure out if I wanted to live here on a trial basis. When the trial was up I had to decide where to migrate to. At that point in time I could count 4 people I knew well enough to hang out with after 5 p.m. Two lived west and two lived north, so being the insanely logical person I am, I flipped and coin and headed North.

After a year in a studio I decided it was time for a big girl apartment and started the dreaded apartment search once again. I find I love the idea of apartment hunting - the browsing of Craigslist and wandering the neighborhoods looking for signs - but the actual appointment setting and viewing always brings me down. After not too much searching I found myself a bonified one bedroom, with a full dining room to boot, and dragged all my belongings to my new place a few blocks north and west of my studio.

Let me take a brief break to say thank you to anyone who participated in that move. I apologize for it's insanity and multiple unprepared trips in I-Go vehicles and I promise I will be hiring professional movers next time this comes up.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

I loved my new apartment. And I loved my neighborhood. Close to the train, directly behind a grocery store and relatively easy to give directions to for my friends if they ever decided to come from out of town. But after a few weeks I started to notice something about my new found home as I walked the streets. My first realization? There were a ton of dogs! Yay. Second realization? Almost everyone was pushing a baby stroller. Fuck.

I had dropped myself in the "Newly married, late 20's, early 30's up and coming family" section of Chicago. Awesome. Nothing could be further from fun for a single, non-child wanting female. But I hung on and ended up finding quite a great group of folks that didn't fit the first impression bill. I also found a great bar/restaurant which upped the value of the area for me considerably. And yes, I'm calling it a restaurant for those that know the place I speak of because since I eat there way to much I have earned that right.

So at this point in the story, let's be kind here and call it story and not just rambling if that's okay, you as the reader might be wondering what in the world the point of any of this is. Well, there's not really a point. Sorry. That's one of those annoying powers the Internet has given anyone with the ability to hit a power button. I can at least tell you how the trip down memory lane started.

Today getting off the train from work there was a woman holding a newbornish (somewhere still small enough to hold, not even close to walking, but not fresh out of hospital or anything, whatever that age is) baby waiting for husband to greet them. Dad runs up, hugs them both and they head off to their presumably idyllic home/condo. I smiled at the scene because while I may not really like/want kids of my own, I'm not a total heartless bastard, and started to think of my own life and projections of future accomplishments. Now, don't fear. This isn't going to turn into a "Oh No! I have to get married in the next 11 months or I'll just die!" kind of post. But it did get me thinking there are some things I'd like to start to accomplish. School at some point. A reduction in debt. A job I can love.

So with these thoughts in mind I'm going to try my best this weekend, between the furniture moving and football watching, to clear some time and invite some old friends to dinner. Me, my resume, and my credit cards need to have a serious heart-to-heart (or as some like to say it's time for a come to Jesus meeting!).