Been A While...

So I noticed it has been quite some time since my last post. So beginning where I left off...
My first week at Neuberger Berman was hell. I seriously thought that I had chosen the wrong company to work for. I really had one hand on the phone to Madison by the end of the week. I told myself I would give NB six months so I am sticking to it. Things have gotten way better since that week. I sat across from an office with a vile woman who's potty mouth was just shameful. Apparently she has a 20 something year old kid with some sort of disability who calls her every ten seconds. She yells and screams at him at all hours of the day. I complained to my boss several times and they decided to move her down the hall and away from others and I got her cover office! So I would say things are better. My coworkers are fine. It amazes me that people have different relationships with bosses. So far my relationship with my boss is great. People have been throwing work at me left and right just because they do not want to do it and I have been throwing right back at them and saying no! My coworkers all seem to complain that work gets pawned off on them yet they do nothing about it. Well, I did something about it. I am still keeping my skepticism about Neuberger and knowing I have Madison Capital to potentially fall back on gives me great peace. I have also started getting my paychecks and I am mighty proud of them. Who knew that moving from Dallas to Chicago would garner me a 20K+ raise. Even though it is more expensive to live here I am actually coming out way ahead than I did in Dallas.

I have also been inflicted with my first minor sinus infection in well over a year. Last weekend the temps plunged and I am certain that is what caused my problems. Luckily it seems to be a minor one.

Job Update...

I am currently on contract with Madison Capital Funding LLC. I had interviewed with them a while back and was told I was the top candidate until a former employee called and wanted to come back. I guess they felt bad or something because they called and asked if I would help them out during quarter end. So I decided to do it. I am glad I did. Despite the nepotism going one with the whole boss/former employee friendship I really like it. It is very laid back and the people are really cool. So after I started at MCF I learned last week that I was offered a full time position at Neuberger Berman! I was offered a pretty sweet deal and knowing that MCF was not going to be able to open a position for me I accepted the offer. I talked to my boss about it and she then spoke to some senior partners. The CFO spoke to me and was hinting that I should stay and not accept the offer until the last minute. She was trying to get approval from New York Life for a position for me in which they would have matched what Neuberger offered. Having worked at JPMorgan for so long I know how long it takes to get anything done. I didn't tell the CFO that I had already accepted the offer but lied and said I would wait until the deadline. Well obviously nothing worked out with MCF/NY LIfe. Of course I would stay if I hadn't had the offer. In the end though I think that Madison had their chances and blew it and I really believe, especially after talking to the CFO, that they knew they blew it as well. They did tell me that if I did not like it over at Neuberger that they would take me back in a heart beat which is nice to know. Meanwhile, Neuberger is ver excited and anxious to get me started. My last day at MCF will be the 15th and I will start at NB on the 19th.

Dallas...

Over the fourth of July weekend we flew to Dallas. I have not been home to see my mother or anyone since I left back in October. We had a great time despite the oppressive heat. We rented a car and had to drive all over town and way the heck out to McKinney to see my mother. We also had a pool party on Saturday and had a blast and got to see everyone in one afternoon. So it was nice to get home, have good mexican food, and see everyone. In the end though I came to the realization that I really didn't miss Dallas as much as I though I did. I missed being able to hop a train and be anywhere in a matter of minutes. Instead we had to drive all over creation. Needless to say I was ready to get back to Chicago! We returned on the evening of the 4th so we decided to walk up to Belmont Harbor and watch the fire works at Navy Pier. When we got there (along with our big gulp cups full of spirits) we totally stopped watching Navy Pier because some private donors, upset that Chicago canceled their own show, decided to put on their own display at the harbor and it was fantastic! It was a great ending to a trip and a great beginning of the week.

Austin Trip...

So I flew to Austin earlier this month and had a great time despite the heat. Ugh, the heat was simply oppressive. It is hotter there a bit earlier than usual. We went out to Steelhouse Hollow Lake for some swimming, kayaking, and RVing. The RV was located in a cove and we had no neighbors the entire time we were there. The wind was awful and the heat was an absolute beat down. I burned really quickly and was just worn out from the heat. I have been enjoying the Chicago temps and am just not used to Texas heat anymore. But the water was really clear and cold so that was a nice relief.

The Last iPad in Chicago...

So yesterday I had a rather busy day. I needed to go to the bank, I had to wait for the Comcast guy, and I had a job interview. After my interview I went to the Apple Store on Michigan Ave. I had originally called the Lincoln Park Apple Store and they said they had no iPads. So Ron called the other store and they had some. So I walked in and told them what I wanted (16GB 3G White iPad) and as luck would have it I got what the employee told me was the last iPad in Chicago! I love it!! So now I have something to play with on the plane ride down to Austin. I also have to do a pee pee test downtown but that is after I finish two loads of laundry and pack and clean the fish bowl. Laundry is already in the machines and so I guess I better get crackin' at the rest of it!

Waiting...

I am sitting here waiting for the cable guy to come and install new cable and internet. I hate being held hostage by them. He is to be here between the hours of 10 - 1. I really hope he is early cause I have to leave here at 1:30 for a job interview downtown.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

A Busy Few Days...

Just finished the move and now I am sitting in a pile of mess. I want to get as much done today as humanly possible. Tomorrow I have a full day as I have to wait from 10-1 for the cable guy (hopefully he is early) then I head to the Loop for a job interview at 2:30 which will last about an hour then I have to go take a drug test for the job that starts on 6/22. I desperately need to do laundry and then pack for my trip on Tuesday. So on Tuesday I need to get up and either do laundry or finish it and leave for the airport around 11. Bleh...lots to do and not much time to do it!

UPDATE...
Ugh. I am glad I called the drug screening place. They only do the testing from 8-10 and from 2-4. So I made an appointment for 10am Tuesday morning and will head to the airport from there.

I have done quite a bit of work in the apartment today but it still looks like I haven't done anything at all. But at least it is all getting there.

Job Update...

I have an interview with a wealth management firm downtown on Monday. I also will be starting at a different firm on 6/22 on a contract basis that will probably lead to a permanent position since they are trying to get an approval for the job itself. So I guess we will see what happens.

It Is Nice To Be Wanted...

About a month ago I had interviewed with a small financial services firm and everything went swell. They wanted me and I ended up being the top candidate until a former employee called that same week and wanted to come back so they brought that individual back on board. So I started back at square one. I met with other recruiters and have been job hunting feverishly. It is tough out there! So I found a position with a different financial services company and emailed off my resume and cover letter. A day later I get an email from their HR person and so I spoke to her this morning and she is setting up an interview for me this week or monday. However, yesterday my recruiter called me while Ron and I were downtown and she said that they wanted to create a position for me at the same company that I had interviewed before last month. Great!! I know that the interview that I have coming up is going to be good cause they are very interested in my skill set and my experience. Maybe I will get two offers??? That would seriously just make me giddy all over!

Tattoo...

My tattoo has healed very nicely and I still love it.

Allergies...

All of my life I have majorly suffered from allergies. 2009 was the worst I think I have ever suffered in my life. I had sinus infections for an entire year. Finally my doctor figured it out...my infections were, of course, from allergies but also partially caused by my acid indigestion. So I started taking an otc allergy pill along with my previcid and the infections stopped! I also started using a neti pot which worked wonders. So after moving to Chicago my allergies stopped. Not so much as a sneeze until this week. Now I am in full blown allergy mode. I took an Alavert earlier and am waiting for that to kick in. I guess I should count my blessing if my allergies started this late since I would be miserable between Feb. and Oct. in Texas.

Snuffers and Shiner...

There are not that many things I really miss about Dallas. I do miss my favorite eateries and my mother and friends but overall I am happier here in Chicago. However, after a long days work and at the end of the week we usually would go over to Snuffer's and have a fabulous burger and cheap, ice cold Shiner Bock! I can taste it now. We have found a few good burger places but nothing that compares to Snuffers. We really like Villains downtown but when the burgers start at 10 bucks...we limit our visits. We tried Flub-a-dub-chubs (yes, you read that right) and it was ok...we haven't been back. Then a Five Guys opened up down the street and we have been there twice and it is good but still...eh. At Snuffers we could get two burger, an order of cheese fries, and two Shiners each and walk out paying only 35.00. I just wish Taco Cabana would open a store here!!

CVS...

Like Starbucks and Chase Bank, there is a CVS on every corner it seems. We have one just down the street that is really handy. However, they are always out of the things we use most. Do Chicagoans consume vast quantities of Diet Coke and Tonic? Almost every time I go in there for those things they are out. Then I have to go next door to 711 and pay more since they always have it. I asked the manager at CVS once about the Diet Coke and he said "we seem to never order enough 2-liters." Seriously? That is poor inventory management. I then told him he should increase the order and he didn't say anything after that. Oh well.

Apartment Transfer...

We have been in our apartment on Briar for almost a year. The apartment is ok. We back up to a different building and our view is the loading/trash area as well as the roof of a different building. Our neighbors directly across the hall have moved out. Actually they barely even moved in. They were never there and were using that apt as a second home for when they were here for work...which seemed like never. That apt is basically spotless. We took a look at it and for the most part it is mostly like ours with a few exceptions. The bathroom is smaller but has more room if that makes any sense. There is a large walk-in closet in the bedroom and a nice sized coat closet in the hallway. There is also a small niche in the living room that I am guessing used to be a closet but it works out perfectly for our liquor area! The kitchen basically is the same but with a nicer fridge and there is a narrow but deep pantry that I got all excited about. The view is also better as we will be over looking the building garden/court yard that is never used. The apt seems to have a nicer flow and lots more sunlight. We are also not backed up to another building as well. So we are going to take it and move in at some point next week. Should not take hardly any time at all to get moved across the hall!

A Mighty Wind...

Chicago is well know as the Windy City. Today is no exception. It is an absolute beautiful day outside. I woke up early this morning and decided to go for a run along the lake front from Belmont Harbor to Diversey Harbor and back. Nice, cool, still morning. Then the winds started whipping around about noon. I have the windows open in the apartment and the wind is so strong that it has blown the cushions off the sofa! But at least it feels mighty nice outside.

Hair Cutting...

So to save money I have been cutting Ron's hair for a while now and I must say I am getting really good at it. Ron cut my hair a while back and he did fine but it was very very short! I am considering cutting Moses's hair. It is getting hot out and his hair is really long. I really don't like him with short hair but he seems miserable. I should take him to the groomers but that costs $$$ so I think I might just throw on a 2 guard and go to town. I will post before and after pics.

Recruiters Suck...

I am getting really pissed off at my recruiters. So I have decided that I am going to call/email twice a day everyday until I get what I want. At this point I really don't care if it is some data entry shit just as long as I make some coin and get out of the apartment!

We Need A Boat...

...or at least friends with boats...which would require making new friends...anyway, today was beautiful. After raining all weekend Memorial Day turned out to be 90 and humid but still beautiful out! We walked up to the lake and watched all the boats and sail boats drift by wishing we were out there on the lake as well. There were even a few kayakers just chilling. Heck, I would even settle for a kayak!

Air Conditioning...

Living in Texas all my life I guess I never learned to fully appreciate the beauty that is central heating and air. Now that I live in Chicago I realized that I took it all for granted. Our little apartment does not have central heat or air. We have steam heat radiators and if we want air then we open a window. Actually I love the radiators. They put out a nice amount of heat and since it is steam heat then it does not dry out my sinuses. Plus the radiators themselves look cool. Now that the frigid temps of winter are gone I am reminded once again the beauty of central air and how much I miss it. For the most part we really do not need A/C much in the spring and fall and I am ok with that. The problem I have is the humidity. I should not have to sweat while I sleep! So last week we drove over to Costco and bought a window a/c unit. I have never used one. Actually I did have one in my little house in college but it only had two temperatures...off and frozen. Seriously it would freeze over and it looked like a block of ice sitting in my window sill. So I never touched it. The one we got at Costco is really nice and cools up to 745 sq. ft which is perfect. So far so good. Luckily we didn't chunk it out the window when installing it.

My New Tattoo...

Most people get tattoos in their 20s but I waited until 35. For the past 10 years I have always thought that the Eye of Rambaldi from Alias would make a cool tattoo. In fact, on the show the symbol is actually a tattoo on the hand that signifies followers of Rambaldi. I did not want to get it on my hand but instead opted for the inside of my left wrist. I love it!

Grocery Shopping...

Grocery shopping is one of those necessary evils of the world. I don't hate it but I don't like it either. The grocery stores here in Chicago mainly just suck. The Jewel Osco (Albertson's) down the street is horrible. The store is poorly laid out and not very roomy and it is very expensive. There are no Super Targets here the Super Walmart's are way out in the ghetto! So I guess I am just being picky but but I really really miss Central Market back in Dallas. I know it can be expensive but hell if we are going to spend a fortune on food might as well make the trip worth it right? We are trying to eat better. More fruits, veggies, and whole grains and less crap. It is no wonder people are so damn fat because the crap is cheap and the healthy stuff is expensive. Anyway, once I get a job we are going to start using Peapod which is a grocery delivery service and I can't wait! If we are going to spend a fortune on food anyway then might as well have it delivered right to the door. When I was living in Dallas I used Albertson's delivery and loved it...until they discontinued it.

Law and Order:LA...

...cancelled!! HAHAHAHAHA! That is what they get for canceling the original!

Upcoming Dallas Trip...

We are headed for a brief Dallas visit the weekend of July 1-4. Can't wait to get my MiCocina on!

Chicago Traffic...

Sucks! The Texas registration and inspection are set to expire at the end of this month. So Ron didn't go to work today until 2 so we took the morning and went to the Vehicle Services department. We were in and out in 20 minutes. That would never happen in Texas where the standard wait is typically the rest of your life. We got new plates and a new title very easily. Then I decided that I needed a state id card so we went next door for that. There is a greeter at the door that you have to meet with to make sure you have all the required documentation for the service you need so that way time isn't wasted. Doesn't happen so much in Texas. Anyway, we were in and out in 30 minutes and the ID card was made right there so I don't have to wait several weeks to get it! Then we go for the inspection. Here in IL this process is different than in TX. Inspections are free!!! I thought "wow, that is great but that is a lot of money the state is loosing but oh well." You have to take the car to a designated inspection place and it takes no time at all. Then we needed a parking permit to park on the other side of Broadway. Basically giving us more options. We got that done and so getting home and searching for a spot still took an hour. But it is all done! All we need to do now is get our IL drivers license. We have to take the written test and I have to take the driving portion...ugh. Oh well, needs to be done.

Saturday...

I love visiting Ikea but I am not a fan of the Ikea in Schaumburg just west of Chicago. The building is shaped like an giant octagon and is rather confusing at times. I loved the Ikea in Dallas (well, Frisco) because it was enormous and very easy to get around in. But we needed bedside tables and we wanted to get out of the city for a few hours. Because we hate parking the car in Chicago (we do not rent a parking space...yet) we decided to utilize Zipcar. We splurged and got the BMW 328xi and loved it! Anyway, we drove out there and remarkably enough it was not packed so we took our time walking around. One think I loved about the Dallas Ikea was the model apartments that were set up showing you what it was like decorating a place of anywhere from 250 to 700 sq. ft. But we got what we needed and decided to cruise around in our spiffy Beamer. We then headed back to Chicago and traffic is always a bitch. Pressed for time we decided to take Diveresy instead of going around downtown and back up Lake Shore Drive. Well that took forever but we dropped the car off with two minutes to spare. If we ever decided to get a new car we are definitely adding that BMW 3 series to the list cause it was fun to drive, beautiful, and most importantly I looked pretty damn good driving it. Really we can live without a car here but it is really nice to know that we have the Tanry in waiting if we need it. Once we rent a parking spot then we will use the car more and not rely on Zipcar so much. But finding a parking spot on the street can take a small miracle and can be a very frustrating experience. So we pay Zipcar to ease our minds and frustrations. Next time we may opt for the Audi. Overall, it was nice getting out of town for a few hours and getting my mind off the job situation.

Seriously...

Still no word. I have called and left my recruiter 2 messages and 2 emails today and it is now 5:15 on a Friday so I am fairly certain that I am screwed and have to wait the whole weekend. I don't understand why recruiters do this cause this has happened to me before in Dallas. On the bright side...Ron and I got out lat night and visited Cocktail and Roscoe's. Cocktail is nice but my gin and tonic tasted fruity. They use the measurement machines like you see in airport bars. I don't like that. After that then we visited Roscoe's for the first time and it was ok. It seemed somewhat like JR's back in Dallas. It was a really nice evening. Then Ron is working a later shift this evening so I am sitting here not doing much of anything. We walked around the Andersonville area and it is rather quaint.

Still No Word...

This is really beating me down. It seems my recruiter and the company I am hoping to go to work for are playing phone tag. She told me yesterday that she is getting frustrated with them. I have a bad feeling about this. I am perfect for that job but if they want to rehire someone that once left then that will be their mistake. I am just getting very impatient and annoyed. So much so that I think I am unintentionally being mean to Ron* and meaner than usual to everyone else. Sorry about all that :)

Job Search...

So the job search is still going on and I am getting really frustrated with the entire process. At the moment I am being considered for a Loan Operations/Underwriter position at a Chicago based Investment Management firm. I was contacted by three different recruiters for the same job because of my experience in the syndicated loan industry. There were four other candidates that interviewed and they narrowed down the group to just me! Great right? Well, it was great until my recruiter told me that there was a former employee that was wanting to come back the the firm. Mrs. Recruiter seemed really pissed at this and I was none-to-happy either. Why did this person leave in the first place and why are they wanting to come back? We both thought that the individual left for greener pastures and realized they made a mistake. I would always be reluctant to rehire someone that left like that even if they were eligible for rehire. One of the guys is on the same page as myself and Mrs. Recruiter so he trying to get the hiring manager on board with me as well. So now I just have to be patient and wait for the answer.

Done with Face Book...

So yesterday I decided once and for all to deactivate my Face Book account. I have been thinking about it for a long time now. I am just so fed up with the privacy issues and people ranting and raving about shit that doesn't mean anything to anybody. I had already deleted 75% of my friends and was down to about 40. If I want to talk to my friends then I will pick up the phone or write an email. I am going to give my FBing a rest for 30 days to see if I can break the habit. I can always reactivate the account if I want but I deleted the links from my computer and the app from my iPhone. I will keep twitter only because I follow 6 people and only 6 people follow me. I think I have made one tweet this entire year.

So far so good...

I guess I should blog since i haven't in a really long time. I would love to do a CWK but my kitchen is really to small. Anyway, it has been 5 months since I left Dallas for Chicago. My time off has really done me some good. Ron and I are really loving it here although I would really like it if spring came a little early.

The move went off pretty easy. Had a little issue getting the truck but we got it. Loading in the rain is never fun as well. t rained the entire day! From the time we woke up to the time we arrived at our hotel in St. Louis...it rained. The next day was nice and the trip into Chicago was effortless. We unloaded and dropped the truck off the next day. After moving from 1500 square feet into a space about 700 or less was a bit of a shock. But luckily we have a storage unit. The apt looks good. I like the apartment. I am used to more luxury but it is a century old building. It is a good place to start.

I have started looking for work and it kinda sucks. Really I would love to have a part time job somewhere and look for a corporate job at the same time. So that is what I am working toward. I cannot get recruiters to call me back or return emails which is kind of discerning to think about. I have good experience with JPMorgan and Markit. I don't know. I would like to give something else a try. I have been enjoying playing the housewife roll. Moses certainly loves it cause I am home for him all day.

So far so good...