Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Hyde What?


Hello all, tonight's going to be a short one but thought I'd let you all know that I am officially a chicagoan, if that's what its called. This a picture of the apartment I'm staying at temporarily until mine's ready next weekend. Right now I'm in Hyde park and I will be moving to Logan square, an awesome neighborhood with a diverse mix of people.

Here's a funny coincidence for you. I'm here early for the semester because I'm helping the ACM office with some clerical and cleaning work, along with one other student Emily Summer's. Crazily there are 2 Emily Summer's doing the Chicago thing this semester and the other one (who's not here yet) is one of my new apartment mates in Logan Sqaure! How awesome is this. And possibly a bit confusing in the near future. Hope you all are fantastical and as always, Peace.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Laundry

So if you don't now or even if you do, there's an expression that comes to my mind today referred to as "cleaning house". Its kind of like cleaning up a messy situation or cleaning up your life. And over the last few weeks, my life has become quite the mess.

As I dumped my basket of clean laundry onto my bed for folding this afternoon, I looked around my room, and realized I could barely see the floor. How could it have gotten so messy in just the few short weeks that I've been staying here. That made me think about how not only was my room a mess, but it was completely representative of my life. In the past few weeks I have dealt with things that I thought I left back in high school, like family drama that involved the police, a fight with an old friend that just might mean the end for us as friends, and most recently this week, my girlfriend and I broke up.

That last one has kind of put me over the edge a bit, however I keep thinking ahead to everything that's in front of me. Through all of this instability, I have taken much salvation in volunteering at a local elementary school. I was with the kindergarteners and first-graders and at that age they have a love for learning and new experiences that could inspire anyone. I could of found numerous other ways to use up my excess winter break time or found other escapes from my life of stress, but I was so glad I chose to do what I did. I wish I could continue with it because I only got to volunteer for about 2 days a week for less than 3 weeks and it went by way to fast!

As per usual time seemed to fly by and my winter break which seemed so dauntingly long at first is all but gone. I am now left with one weekend and a menagerie of tasks to finish up before I move, both physical and emotional, in all parts of my life. Chicago will be an amazing change for me and I will make sure that I am in the best place to take on the city by storm!

Monday, January 2, 2012

Out of Order

Life is strange sometimes, and its very hard to watch a part of someone's life become so completely messed were it feels like there's no return. Everyone always says, "oh my life is such a mess right now" but when are our lives not messy? Even when you have order in your life its never perfect. There's always something going on that's different than the normal or out of routine. For me, order is a godsend and a curse. Routines, schedules, and patterns, as boring as they all sound I know are good for me and help me get through life a bit better. Problem is, they are to hard to keep up with. My life tends to have a general outline but never anything strict or rigid. When things become to routine for me something out of the routine will throw me off and sometimes affect me negatively when it really shouldn't. I like structure but I also like freedom and its a hard balance.

Its winter break right now and its especially hard for me in this time of year because I don't really have a routine. no classes or homework. 2 of my 3 jobs were based at my school so the only thing i have is 1 part time job maybe 3 days a week if I'm lucky. I am no doubt finding ways to fill my time, but the not having to wake up at the same time everyday, although thoroughly enjoyable, affects the way my head works sometimes.

But all this freedom and time has let me handle life's newest curve ball with ease; moving to Chicago. There are simply so many things to think about! Who's coming with me in my drive to Chicago and to help me move in and take my car back? If one person goes its less help, and if two people go less room in my truck. My mom won't drive in the city but wants to come anyways? Do I borrow my friends truck cause it has more room? Do I buy my grocery's before I leave because the taxes and prices in general are higher in cook county than in Lake county or Mchenry county? groceries again means less room in my truck. Will my job transfer at the Gap go through on time? Will keeping my job at a company I love still work out with the rigorousness of the program I'm embarking on? Should I stop worrying about when I'll here back from ACM about every email I send and checking it obsessively? What's it going to be like without my truck, aka my baby and the one thing I have to my name? Do I really have enough money to do this and have I planned well enough?

Well technically I'm still in the process of planning but I like to have things decided sometimes so I know what to expect. Other times I enjoy surprises and the unknown, but generally this doesn't apply with school, because I can tell you for sure that I don't enjoy writing surprise essays.

As for break, my life may seem a bit out of order in my mind, possibly a complete mess, but I'm trying to keep it all together and stay focused on the goal of getting to live in this amazing city for a few months. All the little details will get figured out even if at the last minute, for which I am hoping not. I hope I'm not the only one with all of these things running through my head. I am definitely ready for the new routine that Chicago will bring me. Peace.