August 30, 2009
Latest job news: I quit and am looking for something else. It’s hard but that wasn’t unexpected. It’s just annoying. I have an interview tomorrow at a restaurant called Leona’s but when I called to set it up, the manager seemed to have forgotten that he called me Friday. So I’m not banking on this one which kind of sucks because it’s pretty close to my apartment.
I’ve been off this whole week from dance and have been LAZY! I didn’t take class anywhere else – which I probably should have just to experience other places – because I really just wanted to give my body time to recover from the shock of dancing every day. By the end of last week my knees were really hurting and I thought it best to not push it since I have a good 7 months left of my internship (and a whole career ahead of me).
Our schedule is a little weird right now. We had last week off, are back this week Monday-Friday (I’ll be dancing this week in class and rehearsal, that’s right!!), and then we’ll be off again for another week. I decided to take this upcoming opportunity to come home and spend some time with friends and family. If you want to hang out give me a call! State Fair; Girl’s Night; ADT at the Southern; anything else? With school starting up next week I’m hoping that there will be a couple house parties, too.
I guess that’s about it for updates. Things will hopefully get more interesting once dance starts up again and I’m actually in rehearsals/doing work for TDC (Thodos Dance Chicago, for you novices haha). Erinn will be moving in after Labor Day so hopefully that means life will become a bit livelier.
Oh! I made my first meatloaf today and it didn’t suck! I’m so proud of myself!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Chapter four
August 23, 2009
I hate my job. Well, I guess most people do...however I really, really don’t want to go back tomorrow. It is not fulfilling in any way, shape, or form. All I do for 4 hours is call past patrons “hoping” they answer the phone and let me finish my sales pitch. Sure, it’s for a cause I believe in (getting people to attend dance and music) it’s just not stimulating. I do not like sales. If I did I would have gone to business school or something. I want to help make decisions, or write, or assist in something...rather than sit on my ass asking people for money for $8 an hour.
I’m also finding that I just don’t want to work. I now understand the appeal of marrying rich and being a housewife. Don’t misunderstand; I want to make a career for myself. I just…don’t want to do something I find boring…and it just so happens that I find most things in Corporate America boring. Ok, so I’m having post-college, post-move crisis; don’t judge.
With the school season a week or two away I’m feeling very strange. Like I’m missing out on something. I’m not adjusting well. I’m not adjusting to living in a new city or living in a place without many friends. I want to come back home where I don’t feel like a social outcast and where I feel I belonged in all aspects of life. I’m not good at starting over; that has become very clear this month. And I’m very susceptible to self-pitying…and laziness haha.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Chapter three
[Since the weather can’t decide whether it wants to storm or not, I figured now would be the perfect time to finish my blog post.]
August 15, 2009 – Happy birthday sister!
And so ends my second full week in the windy city. It’s slowly starting to feel more comfortable here (except for the incredible heat wave that decided to arrive the same time I did…oh, and my AC isn’t working…splendid).
I met some really cool girls who were taking the TDC intensive this week thanks to Jessica Ehlert. It’s nice to meet other dancers who have been in the city for a while – they went to school at Columbia College which, by the way, has a 5 year BFA track instead of the U of M’s 4…I found that interesting. One of the girls I met has started her very own “pick-up” company that has had a few fundraising shows already. I plan on checking it out and maybe even getting involved in it. It’s funny how grabbing a bite to eat can end in a meeting a potential colleague or (hopefully) friendship.
In other news, I got the job at the Harris Theater and I started working last Wednesday. It’s tougher than I originally thought it would be; selling, that is. Instead of people coming to the box office and buying tickets – which is what we did at the Southern – we are calling patrons who have been to the theater before and selling them our pitch in hopes that they agree to buy tickets through us. I don’t get paid much but we do have a small commission. However, the thing with the commission is we only start making commission once we sell $400 worth of stuff (tickets or donations). With what the other newbies and I are working on, it is hard to make commission. I only made one sale last week for $75 (but that is the equivalent of selling 3 subscriptions of what I’m working on). Normally, a single ticket would cost that much…making it much easier to make commission. The other factor is actually making contact with people on the phone. For every person I talk to I probably called about 20 numbers. Hopefully it will get better and easier with time. Let’s just say I think I will continue my job search just in case.
Tomorrow starts week three with TDC and my third week in Chicago (what’s more, I think I can make it to the weekend without doing laundry…saving money, yeah!). I will be working in the office Monday and Tuesday answering phones and taking messages because the Managing Director will be on vacation…in HI. JEALOUS! Because I will be working in the office right after class, my days Monday and Tuesday will be VERY long – I will leave the house at 8:15 a.m. and get back a little after 10 p.m. and one of those days will be even later because I will be getting together with my uncle Geoff after work since he’s coming in to town for work. I’m not complaining about getting together with him by any means, I just wish I could go home and drop my dance stuff off and take a shower at some point. The list of a busy dancer!
Thanks to Naomi’s assistance I have put up most of my photos in my room. It now looks almost homey. Almost. There are still a few things I need to hang on the walls and I may need to get a rack for my DVDs but other than those two things I think my room is pretty much done.
I guess that’s about it. Yay for fresh cookies!
August 15, 2009 – Happy birthday sister!
And so ends my second full week in the windy city. It’s slowly starting to feel more comfortable here (except for the incredible heat wave that decided to arrive the same time I did…oh, and my AC isn’t working…splendid).
I met some really cool girls who were taking the TDC intensive this week thanks to Jessica Ehlert. It’s nice to meet other dancers who have been in the city for a while – they went to school at Columbia College which, by the way, has a 5 year BFA track instead of the U of M’s 4…I found that interesting. One of the girls I met has started her very own “pick-up” company that has had a few fundraising shows already. I plan on checking it out and maybe even getting involved in it. It’s funny how grabbing a bite to eat can end in a meeting a potential colleague or (hopefully) friendship.
In other news, I got the job at the Harris Theater and I started working last Wednesday. It’s tougher than I originally thought it would be; selling, that is. Instead of people coming to the box office and buying tickets – which is what we did at the Southern – we are calling patrons who have been to the theater before and selling them our pitch in hopes that they agree to buy tickets through us. I don’t get paid much but we do have a small commission. However, the thing with the commission is we only start making commission once we sell $400 worth of stuff (tickets or donations). With what the other newbies and I are working on, it is hard to make commission. I only made one sale last week for $75 (but that is the equivalent of selling 3 subscriptions of what I’m working on). Normally, a single ticket would cost that much…making it much easier to make commission. The other factor is actually making contact with people on the phone. For every person I talk to I probably called about 20 numbers. Hopefully it will get better and easier with time. Let’s just say I think I will continue my job search just in case.
Tomorrow starts week three with TDC and my third week in Chicago (what’s more, I think I can make it to the weekend without doing laundry…saving money, yeah!). I will be working in the office Monday and Tuesday answering phones and taking messages because the Managing Director will be on vacation…in HI. JEALOUS! Because I will be working in the office right after class, my days Monday and Tuesday will be VERY long – I will leave the house at 8:15 a.m. and get back a little after 10 p.m. and one of those days will be even later because I will be getting together with my uncle Geoff after work since he’s coming in to town for work. I’m not complaining about getting together with him by any means, I just wish I could go home and drop my dance stuff off and take a shower at some point. The list of a busy dancer!
Thanks to Naomi’s assistance I have put up most of my photos in my room. It now looks almost homey. Almost. There are still a few things I need to hang on the walls and I may need to get a rack for my DVDs but other than those two things I think my room is pretty much done.
I guess that’s about it. Yay for fresh cookies!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Chapter two
Saturday, August 8, 2009
It’s the weekend and I have officially been in Chicago for a week. I still miss Minneapolis and everyone there but I’m feeling more confident here.
The week has been surprisingly uneventful. All I did was attend class and then either went back to my place or went to hang out with Naomi (who also moved here from St. Louis Park). One afternoon after class I went to Evanston and ran into Scott – a very pleasant surprise. There is a sweet thrift shop in downtown Evanston called Crossroads Trading Co. It reminds me of Everyday People only some of the items are new. They buy, sell and trade clothes/shoes/hand bags and if you choose to use a recycled bag the company donates 5 cents to charity. Pretty sweet, huh?
The people at Thodos are pretty cool. I still don’t really know them but I have a feeling this will change quickly. One even lives across the street from me…talk about random! The other interns and I have orientation Wednesday so for now, all I have done is take class with the company.
Today I went to The Dance Colective audition. I made it all the way through but just got an e-mail which said, “Unfortunately, I am writing to let you know that while we did enjoy your dancing that I am not inviting you to our callbacks!” I’m actually happy with this outcome because had I been offered the job I would have had to turn it down. You see, The Dance Colective does not pay their dancers for rehearsals, only for performances (and it does not seem like they perform too often). Since the company rehearses in the evenings and my mornings are devoted to Thodos, my potential job prospects would have been severely cut…and I already have a job prospect at the Harris Theater…I have an interview on Monday.
If hired by the theater I would be selling tickets. It would be similar to what I did at the Southern only on a more regular, weekly basis.
Right now I do not have my own connection to the Internet. I don’t remember if I said it in my last post but I have a very week connection to some unknown wireless source and have been going to the library to check my mail. Tomorrow however an RCN (Chicago’s non-Comcast cable company) technician will hookup my place with working Internet. Happy. I will finally be able to catch up on Weeds and other shows.
Well, I guess that’s about it for now. I have the week of August 24 and Labor Day week off from Thodos so if it works out with whatever job I find, I will try to come back home to MPLS. I miss it so!
It’s the weekend and I have officially been in Chicago for a week. I still miss Minneapolis and everyone there but I’m feeling more confident here.
The week has been surprisingly uneventful. All I did was attend class and then either went back to my place or went to hang out with Naomi (who also moved here from St. Louis Park). One afternoon after class I went to Evanston and ran into Scott – a very pleasant surprise. There is a sweet thrift shop in downtown Evanston called Crossroads Trading Co. It reminds me of Everyday People only some of the items are new. They buy, sell and trade clothes/shoes/hand bags and if you choose to use a recycled bag the company donates 5 cents to charity. Pretty sweet, huh?
The people at Thodos are pretty cool. I still don’t really know them but I have a feeling this will change quickly. One even lives across the street from me…talk about random! The other interns and I have orientation Wednesday so for now, all I have done is take class with the company.
Today I went to The Dance Colective audition. I made it all the way through but just got an e-mail which said, “Unfortunately, I am writing to let you know that while we did enjoy your dancing that I am not inviting you to our callbacks!” I’m actually happy with this outcome because had I been offered the job I would have had to turn it down. You see, The Dance Colective does not pay their dancers for rehearsals, only for performances (and it does not seem like they perform too often). Since the company rehearses in the evenings and my mornings are devoted to Thodos, my potential job prospects would have been severely cut…and I already have a job prospect at the Harris Theater…I have an interview on Monday.
If hired by the theater I would be selling tickets. It would be similar to what I did at the Southern only on a more regular, weekly basis.
Right now I do not have my own connection to the Internet. I don’t remember if I said it in my last post but I have a very week connection to some unknown wireless source and have been going to the library to check my mail. Tomorrow however an RCN (Chicago’s non-Comcast cable company) technician will hookup my place with working Internet. Happy. I will finally be able to catch up on Weeds and other shows.
Well, I guess that’s about it for now. I have the week of August 24 and Labor Day week off from Thodos so if it works out with whatever job I find, I will try to come back home to MPLS. I miss it so!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Chapter one
Friday, July 31, 2009
I’ve never been good at saying good-bye. When I was a little kid I used to cry all the way home after my family reunions; I missed my extended family tremendously and knew it would be another year until I got to see them again. I’ve reacted this way every year since I can remember – and probably before then, too.
As the end of this year’s reunion closes I feel that same, familiar tight feeling in my throat. This year however I do not choke on my emotions because I will miss my cousins, aunts or uncles. I cry because I am about to embark on a new, foreign chapter in my life, far away from the comforts and safety of my parents’ arms.
Yes, I am frightened to leave home, to leave Minneapolis – the only city I’ve ever lived in. Yes, I cried several times during the day as that inevitable good-bye drew closer. Yes, I am tearing up as I type, a mere 5.5 hours after the car carrying my mom, dad and brother drove away from my new apartment. I do not know when I will see them next and the fact that the whole of Wisconsin separates us scares me.
In my mind, my reason for feeling depressed is a little foolish, childish even. I think someone my age would feel most anxious for the new events that are about to unfold, and yet here I am, missing my mommy and wanting “to go home.” But I am home, or at least a quasi-home.
I don’t know how long it will take me to feel “normal” living in Chicago. I keep thinking that maybe I wouldn’t act and think as I do now if I had gone to college away from home. I’ve only ever known Minneapolis and I’ve only ever lived 20 minutes away from my mom’s house. This is what is worrying me most. I am 22 years old and I desperately miss my mom and dad.
I’ve never been good at saying good-bye. When I was a little kid I used to cry all the way home after my family reunions; I missed my extended family tremendously and knew it would be another year until I got to see them again. I’ve reacted this way every year since I can remember – and probably before then, too.
As the end of this year’s reunion closes I feel that same, familiar tight feeling in my throat. This year however I do not choke on my emotions because I will miss my cousins, aunts or uncles. I cry because I am about to embark on a new, foreign chapter in my life, far away from the comforts and safety of my parents’ arms.
Yes, I am frightened to leave home, to leave Minneapolis – the only city I’ve ever lived in. Yes, I cried several times during the day as that inevitable good-bye drew closer. Yes, I am tearing up as I type, a mere 5.5 hours after the car carrying my mom, dad and brother drove away from my new apartment. I do not know when I will see them next and the fact that the whole of Wisconsin separates us scares me.
In my mind, my reason for feeling depressed is a little foolish, childish even. I think someone my age would feel most anxious for the new events that are about to unfold, and yet here I am, missing my mommy and wanting “to go home.” But I am home, or at least a quasi-home.
I don’t know how long it will take me to feel “normal” living in Chicago. I keep thinking that maybe I wouldn’t act and think as I do now if I had gone to college away from home. I’ve only ever known Minneapolis and I’ve only ever lived 20 minutes away from my mom’s house. This is what is worrying me most. I am 22 years old and I desperately miss my mom and dad.
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