Brain Scan...

I had a physical yesterday and all went well. I was telling the doctor all about my family history. Mainly the fact that most in my family drop dead of an cerebral aneurysm. My father and his sister, my grandfather, and a cousin. My mother had one fixed before it could rupture. Now, every time I get a headache I wonder "is this it? Is this the big one?" So my good doctor ordered an MRA. So next Saturday I get to check in at Northwestern Memorial, get hooked up to an IV as they pump dye into my brain then slide me into an MRI machine. Fun stuff. So now I am thinking "what if there is something in there?" When this happened to my mother she was not allowed to leave the hospital. They admitted her immediately. So now I am putting together a list of things for Ron just-in-case. The brain scan only lasts about 30 minutes but I have to be there at 11 to check in and get prepped.

November 2012

So it has been a while since I last wrote anything on here. This past summer has been a busy one...filled with drama, excitement, and worry. So I will break this post down into those three categories: Drama: Work has kept me busy and I have held steady to the fact that I work in a loony bin. Basically work has been a load of crap but things were looking up. I have been working on a promotion and all seemed well until my boss left. Since then I have been the team lead. This has put me in a strange position. I have been given the power but no one cares because I have no title. I hate titles but in this case I cannot be taken seriously without one it seems. Even if I had a title I would probably not be taken seriously but then that would be more their problem then mine. I simple have very little leverage. Not to mention the fact that I work with a huge ass hole who believes that he is right 100% of the time and will argue just for the sake of it. I am somewhat mad at myself because I had a hand in hiring him and I wish now that I had said no. But, shit happens and he is in the process of digging his own grave. He tok the job only to move away from another state...that should have been my first clue that he was not right for the job. My boss in NYC is very demanding but she is also incredibly fair and I love her for it. The woman escaped communist China during the Tiananmen Square debacle and has made a life for herself here. She even went to college in Texas! She frustrates me to no end but I view that frustration as a challenge. My brother is another source of endless drama. The man is crazy. A friend once summed it up perfectly...anti-social personality disorder. He recently left me an incredibly vile message on Facebook. I have formulated a response but I am not sure I am going to send it to him. I am heading home to Dallas in a few days and wanted to see him but that certainly isn't happening now. His loss. Excitement: I am very happy about heading home to Dallas in a few days. I have not been in a year. I would be lying if I said that I was not homesick but I do miss Texas, my family and friends. I would say making friends here in Chicago has been easy. I am sure it is easy but Ron and I have been lazy about this. Despite the drama at work I am curious to see where this goes. My review is coming up in a few weeks. Tiger boss loves me so I feel good that my review will be good but you never know. Worry: I am worried about all of the above. My stress level is through the roof but I am managing better that most. I see a light at the end of the tunnel and I have bosses that are very supportive and fair. Overall there I am worried about everything I am excited about. There is much more but I feel I have hit the major details. As far as the drama goes...it will always be there. I still feel I am very fortunate and that the decisions I have made have been the correct ones. It seems that my patience is phenomenal. I am thankful everyday of that. It also helps to come home after a long days work to the man I love.

Finally...An Update...

So yeah, been a while huh! So much has happened. I think I haven't blogged in so long mainly because I would talk about the mental institution that I work in. I live it everyday so why rehash it right? But I will get to that in a bit. Things in my family are a bit dramatic so why rehash that as well. Oh, I will talk about that as well. It has only been a few nights in the new apartment that I feel like a totally different person now that the move is finally complete. We each have our own office in the new place and that is a wonderful thing. We are no longer living on top of each other and after a week it seems to have made my chi a bit better. What I really need to happen next is for some freaking warmth in this city. It is almost the beginning of May and it is rainy and cold. Warm up is on its way they say but I will believe it when I see it. We are even about to get rid our our car. We love the car but we live in Chicago where we just do not need one. The only time the car gets driven is to the only Super Target in the area which is in Hillside. I think the only reason we go out there, other than Super Target rocks, is to drive the car. So I guess it has become our Target car which is no reason to hang onto it. The car is paid for which is fantastic but it still cost us almost 300.00 per month in car insurance and parking to keep it. We have been using/splurging with ZipCar. We love ZipCar. We just used one today to finish the move. We needed an SUV to move the rest of the stuff and there is a Ford Escape just down the street. When we want to roll in high style we get either the BMW 325 or the Audi A3. So we are actually using ZipCar when we still own a car...where is the logic in that? So in the next few weeks the car will be sold. We will miss her but it is time to let her spread her wings and fly the coup! I have lived in Chicago a year and a half. I have loved every minute of it. I am so happy we decided to move here. Being off for ten months really did me a world of good and now that I have been at Neuberger for almost a year in July...well...I still wish I was off sometimes! Anyway, Chicago is a fantastic city and it suits our needs and desires very well. I feel like I should have moved here years ago. Now that we have our nice big apartment with a kick ass view...it is even better. We are still a bit slow on the making of friends but we are getting there. We prefer quality over quantity anyway! Work is a nightmare. In the course of two months we have had ten people quit and half of them have been in my department. So we have been having to scramble a bit at times and it seems we are treading water but we are making it work with what we have. It has become apparent in these trying times who are team players and those who are worthless. My direct supervisor quit two weeks ago because she could no longer "work for crazy." She left without having anything lined up which is a testament to her misery at Neuberger. I am sure, now, she has plenty of practice time with her taser. I am looking, although not that hard, for a new job but I feel like I am obligated to be there at least a year for some reason. I am not a job hopper and have only worked for three companies in 12 years but I cannot keep doing the Neuberger thing for much longer. To much drama and ridiculousness will/is taking a toll. So my year will be up there in mid-July so I will plan on going on a shopping spree for a new job. So Ron and I recently celebrated our fifth anniversary! We didn't go all out and have a big celebration. We did, however, make a little trip to Tiffany & Co. and got rings. Not sure what to call them...commitment rings, wedding rings, domesticated partner rings, etc? I just call them bling. We are committed to each other, we cannot get married, and a domestic partnership doesn't seem worth the paper it is written on (in Illinois we can get a civil union but still seems worthless since we cannot get hitched but I digress) so we got our rings cause we love and care for each other. I am a very lucky man. Ron just recently started back to college at DePaul University here in Chicago. He was looking at community colleges and the such but I told him to just go to a real school and get this done so he settled on DePaul...which really isn't settling since it is such a good school! I am so very proud that he got in(which really was no surprise) and he seems to be liking it and is doing well in his first two classes. Eventually he will need to go full time to finish up so we will cross that bridge when we get there. He is also planning to do a course overseas which will be fabulous! We recently adopted a black cat and named him Archer (after the secret agent Sterling Archer from the animated show on FX). So far he has been a great kitty. I bit friendlier than Miss Kitty but still no match to her. He is slowly finding his place in our home and in our hearts. I am happy we have him and he has been a good mate for whiney little bitch...aka...Moses. I am sure he can't help it since he is a little out of kilter because of the move but he has started the ass raping sound again. Probably need to go get another D.A.P. refill and hopefully that will do the trick. I also cannot believe that my fish Marty is still alive. I got him while I was still at Markit so he is pushing two to two and a half years old, which I think is about the last time I cleaned out his bowl. Anyway, all animals are alive an well. Which cannot be said about my family. My brother has completely lost his mind and just needs to go away. He keeps getting in trouble with the authorities and has been arrested several times within the past several weeks. I am not going to go to much into it but his actions are causing a ripple effect in my family and with his children and he should be, although he is incapable of being, ashamed. He is simply a disgrace. I need to call my sister-in-law to discuss flying my oldest niece up. She recently turned 13 and so I believe it is time for her first flight. So the plan is to fly down to Dallas and have her meet me at the airport then we will fly back to Chicago together. I want to be there to experience her first airplane ride. I remember mine like it was yesterday so I know that this is something she will never forget. I also feel as if she needs a break from all the drama going on and I think this would be a great vacation for her. So hopefully we can narrow down a time frame this summer. What I would really like to get back into is Cooking With Karen. Hopefully soon I can put together a little something to share. Not sure if it will take me months to write a new blog but when I feel inspired to write it all down then I will.

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!