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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Facebook killed the Ninja...

You all may have noticed that I have not posted anything in months! Oops!! I blame myself and I blame Facebook. I have several Cooking with Karen’s just waiting to be posted and I just haven’t done it! I am going to be better at blogging and such!

We are leaving for Colorado on Friday so I will be posting thoughts, happenings, pictures, etc throughout the trip. I am going to try and slow my Facebook roll for a bit. Those FB people just make it so darn easy. Plus there is a quick and handy little app for iPhone.

Anyway, we are headed to Colorado on Friday and cannot wait the get the hell out of here for a week! We will be driving to Amarillo and spending the night and getting up early Sat and finishing the drive to Denver. Moses is going with us so it should be interesting. I am starting him on Melatonin to calm him down in the car. Hopefully he will just sleep most of the way instead of standing and panting.

In June I am planning a trip to London to see my friend Chad. I feel like a heel cause I have not yet gone to see him since he moved there about 2 years ago. Unfortunately, Ron can’t go….work, school, and not enough vacation time. I have to get my passport renewed pronto!! The damn thing expires 6/6/09, right before I am leaving!

I always hate the week before I take vacation. I am ready to go NOW.

The Rural Juror*...

*if you get the reference then I'll buy you a drink!

I have been a registered voter since I was 18. Not once have I ever been called for jury duty. I got home yesterday to find a “summons for jury service” in the mail. It is weird though, I am “on call” from 2/6-2/20. I have to call in every business day after 3pm starting on 2/6. On 2/6 I am on a plane at 3pm. I called Dallas County and they and told them that I was traveling. Fortunately she said that it was fine. I have to call in sometime after 3 and if I am selected then the message would tell me to report the next business day. What is really annoying is that I have lived 6.5 years downtown, just a few blocks from the courthouse. Not once have I been summoned. I move out of downtown and not a month later I get a letter. This is also in federal court, not district so I am not certain what is going on here. It will be my luck I will be placed on a jury and sequestered for 6 months with no computer or phone. Guess we will see!

The washer and dryer...

Thursday I purchased my very first washer and dryer. Well, they were delivered today...finally. Lowe's called me to tell me they would be here between 11 and 1. After several phone calls they finally showed up at 5! I was really pissed but once they arrived I was happy. They are beautiful machines with lots of lights! Instead of an annoying buzzer at the end of the cycle there is a pleasant little song it does. Not kidding folks...these suckers sing to you! I have done two loads of laundry and am so pleased that I now longer feel apprehensive with the price tag. Yes, they were not cheap but I have no worries about it anymore! Of course Ron will be the person to most enjoy them since he does all the laundry while working from home but oh well!

Annoyed...

Last night Ron and I went to dinner at Cantina Laredo. A waitress spilled a pitcher of water on me. I felt like I had peed in my pants but luckily a lot of the water went into the seat. It really was not a big deal but I normally do not like to eat while I am wet. They were nice and paid for our food so I can't really complain that much. After dinner we decided that we needed some booze so we went to Sigel's. Ron picked up some vodka and I grabbed my Bombay gin. When we got home Ron asked if I had already poured a drink. I was like "no, we have only been home five minutes!" Well, it appeared that the bottle had been opened and about 3/4 of a cup had been removed. I took the bottle back to Sigel's and luckily the manager let me exchange the bottle. So I suppose not all was bad but darn it, I was tired, wet, and not in the mood.

Appliances...

UPDATE 1/15: The machines have been purchased and will be delivered on Sunday!


I love appliances. I get distracted every time I walk through a Best Buy, Lowes, Sears, etc. I have to touch the shiny household appliances and day dream. I have never needed to purchase any until now. This week I will be buying my very first washer and dryer. I could go cheap and get basic models but I like to have the best! I knew I wanted a front loading washer and dryer. I set out to research. I found some very nice machines that cost an absolute fortune. I just cannot fathom spending 3000.00+ dollars to wash my clothes. I really like the idea of the steam cleaning and steam refresh features. I have clothes that need to be dry cleaned and that gets pricey and really isn't that great on your clothes. After reading reviews and looking at machines and doing all the research I could do I have decided that the Samsung front loaders is the way to go. Although still a bit pricey I think that these are a good deal for both the steam washer and steam dryer. I am buying the white ones because they are cheaper. It is amazing to me that people will pay, in many cases, hundreds more for the color of the machine. I would LOVE to have the red or blue ones but the damn things are going into a closet. They are not pieces of furniture. Once they are delivered I will post a picture!

Quick update...

Guess I should say that I have been busy and such as the reason for my lack of posting but honestly I have just been lazy. Work has been a bit stressful, the air is getting cooler, and with the time change...the light ends just as quick as it started. So I have just been coming home and watching TV. Oh well.

The Holidays are approaching rather quickly. The Christmas tree has been put up at Interurban and the Galleria is working on theirs. Neiman Marcus has been working on theirs for a month already. Their window unvieling is this weekend. I am already dissappointed in NM because they are using those stupid butterflies AGAIN. We have been debating putting up a tree. I know Ron really wants to so I guess we will, doesnt really matter to me. Although next year I want us to get a bigger pre-lit tree! We also have a move coming up sooner than we think. The lease is up in January but we are hoping to perhaps get out of the Titanic/Interurban at the end of December. We will soon see.

Officially I am now a Markit employee and unfortunately I have no access to my JPMorgan financial stuff. I cannot access my 401k or my retirement plan. So I need to figure out what the heck to do there.

Moses is feeling much better. His medication makes him spontaneously pee everywhere but he is getting better.

Basic economics...

I have largely steered clear of discussing the economy because the economy is what it is. So why beat a dead horse? I keep hearing from people that this just might be the next great depression. Someone asked me this morning why on Earth I would spend the money on a new iPhone when the economy is in the crapper? What I spend my own money on is my own damn business. Anyway, I keep hearing all this talking about how the economy is going and analysis from so-called economy experts. The media, of course, is making things worse on a daily basis by reporting/twisting all this. They get people's hopes up only to crush them. I am looking at the bigger picture here. The basic economic fact is that the economy runs in cycles. Recessions happen and they will continue to happen. The government may be able to slowdown the onset but you cannot prevent it no matter how hard the efforts. In my opinion, the harder a recession is prevented the worse the actual recession will be. As far as another great depression...it happened once and it will happen again. I doubt this will cause a depression but I suppose we will soon see what happens. I think this bail out of the banks is going to royally mess things up in the long run but that is a different blog. Overall, life has it ups and downs and so does the economy. Just deal with it the best you can.

My new phone

Every two years I get a new mobile phone whether I need one or not. I have had my Blackberry for a little over two years now so I decided that it was time to get something else. I love Apple products because they are high quality, simple to use, and very attractive. So last night I purchased an Apple iPhone 3G. OMG! I love this phone and I have had it less than 24 hours! All I did was plug it into my MacBook and everything updated instantly. All of my contacts, my email settings, my internet bookmarks, everything! The only thing I had to update manually was my music but that took all of 10 seconds. I was worried at first that I would not like the keyboard but I have gotten used to it very quickly. One of the coolest things I love is the fact that I do not have to call my voice mail to listen to the message. The iPhone creates a list of your voice mails and lets you select which ones you want to listen all by touching the voice mail contact on the screen. They call it reading your voice mail. What I really love about it is that it is a phone and an iPod all-in-one. There was nothing wrong with my iPod. It is two and half years old and works as well as the day I bought it. However, I was becoming annoyed with carrying both a phone and iPod. Sometime the Blackberry's signal would interfere with the iPod and the volume would go crazy. Now I no longer have those problems. There is just so much this phone can do that it is almost unbelievable! I can't wait to learn it all!

Busy...

It is quarter end here at work and that means I will be putting in some major hours! My posting will probably slow dow this week and next but I will try to sneak something in here when I can.

A coup d’état…

Yesterday I sensed a great disturbance. I emailed Brittny and she said not to email at her office address anymore. I could tell that something was up. So finally I found out that the powers that be that own the building have fired Capstone Management hence ending the tenure of fabulous management that we have come to rely upon and love….effective immediately. I have already drawn up our notice to vacate. This change will ruin the building and that is really sad. People are really pissed and I know that we will not be the only ones to move out.