So even though I just spent the last hour up to my nose in my student loans (something I do not enjoy) and made the perhaps silly decision to NOT pay the full $697 payment I currently owe, I would like to shed the worry and consternation for a moment and mention the glory of the downtown Chicago skyline and the delightfully modern and sleek-ass building I am currently temping in.
With a name that belies it's granduer, let me introduce you to 311 South Wacker. Also known as "Gavin's Favorite Building" this 65-story skyscraper is one of the most notable of its cronies, and on a clear Chicago evening, it's castle-like twinkling turret rivals the starlight and begs observation from many adoring eye. Ok shut up, Leslie. Done and done.
Seriously though, check out the website, the photos don't quite do it justice, but you get an idea. I am personally tickled by the fact that the building, like many downtown, contains several banks of elevators, none of which go to the same floors. Bank one has six elevators that go to floors 1-17. Bank two has six elevators that go to floors 18-35. (I have yet to check if this building has an spooky floor 13 or not) Bank three has six elevators, all of which take you to the 46th floor, otherwise known as the "Sky Lobby." From there you must get off the elevator, walk through the lobby, which looks out over Lake Michigan-it's beautiful, of course, and go to one of two more sets of elevators. The first set of elevators takes you to floors 47-65. The other set takes you to floors 36-45. I work on floor 42.
Think about it. No matter where I am going, to work or from work, I have to go up to go down. Up to go down. I also have to wave a fancy electronic card at significant places in the building to get around. Security personnel is ever so numerous, and unobtrusively friendly, I might add. But the clencher, the raison d'etre, the thing that makes my job that only pays half as much as I used to make pleasant to be at, is the FREE POP MACHINE. The company I am currently working for occupies some 3 to 4 floors in the 311 Wacker building. It also has offices in New York, London, Tokoyo, Los Angeles...you get the idea. And companies like that don't make it's employees feel guilty for consuming 'company' food too quickly. In fact, they do things like install a pop machine with both Pepsi AND Coke products and then they don't make you pay for it. It's unreal. Positively.
In other news, my interview did not get scheduled yet and after trying to pay some bills tonight I am feeling a bit weepy. Hire me already. I'm awesome.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
ouch
My head is stuffed to the brim with thoughts and impressions and it seems that I keep finding myself in this position.....with minutes left to go at the public library before it closes and no actual concrete job searching having happened, just checked emails and thoughts swirling and whirling......
Maybe I can number them:
1. I need a nice job that pays me enough money to pay my bills and my loans and afford internet at home so I no longer have to lug this bug around with me all day...consequently, if I had a job with that kind of money, I would not need to the internet so desperately anyway. Catch 22 that is what that is......
2. It is semiironic that I felt it necessary to use the term 'my brain hurts' because of all the things in it, because my brothers fiance's brain DOES hurt. I just found out about two hours ago that she was hospitalized for blackouts and nausea three days ago and they do not know what is wrong with her. Hopefully nothing so drastic as tumor or cancer but we still do not know, and her insurance lasped and there is the new baby to worry about.....shed exactly two tears so far but like I said, hopefully NOTHING is wrong....
3. Just got an email from a new acquaintance tearing up my resume. Why is it that people who are seemingly knowledgeable and qualified all say COMPLETELY different things about how to do a resume? I am at a loss as to who I should listen too....
4. I have had a few phone interviews with some interesting companies so I pray that I will have 'the job' before long. I have a face-to-face interview on Monday and am wondering if my business suit still fits and if my hair is going to continue to be unruly in the face of my determination to look professional. Down, hair, down! I half think I should borrow money and head to the salon for a wash and blow dry...straight hair just stays down easier..
5. My dreams remain ever so vivid and two (maybe three) nights in a row I have dreamt about the same person. So much so that in these waking moments it is so hard to believe that this person is not in my life AT ALL and I have been feeling a bit like I was dumped. Damn. I even wrote a nice poem about it. I am a 29 year old lovesick teenager all over again. Guys, you know, I could do without all that drama!
6. Children's classes have been such a HUGE blessing this time of year with the job problems and all, I can't tell you how nice it is to go and spend a few hours with such freely loving individuals. That being said, I am still not quite ready to have a couple of my own yet, which is good, cuz....you know, I'm single....and essentially jobless.....and stuff.
7. Speaking of jobless, I have been temping-right now I work in a building just across the street from the Sears Tower and I have been feeling a bit like a fish out of water. Which has only served to emphasize HOW BAD it was at my old job. I keep looking over my shoulder waiting for 'the boss' to sneak up and make sure I am not surfing myspace, or perking my ears for the excessive and bitter backbiting but IT IS NOT HAPPENING.....people just do their jobs here. and they trust me and they say hello and that's it. It is SOOOOOO nice. I am quite paranoid, you see, I got used to the suspicion and disrespect and tiptoe walking of my last job, thought it was quite normal...I guess. I am so glad I am temping to get me out of that old shell before I step into any new career role.
8. I am very hungry.
9. the library closes in 10 minutes.
10. I just figured there should be a number ten. I have more things to ponder of course, like how I need to worko on not becoming complacent in the job search. how to passionately and aggressively pursue the life that I want for myself. How to budget and save. all that good stuff. Things don't just happen but I keep hoping they will.....I want to say I cant believe I am 29 but I want to say that because I am already feeling like where did the time go? no regrets like I forgot I wanted to save the world....but I think it's important to always have purpose and perspective......and I lost a few years of that...oh see I am waxing all philisophical and the library police are ready for me to get my ass on out the the door......ok BYE
Maybe I can number them:
1. I need a nice job that pays me enough money to pay my bills and my loans and afford internet at home so I no longer have to lug this bug around with me all day...consequently, if I had a job with that kind of money, I would not need to the internet so desperately anyway. Catch 22 that is what that is......
2. It is semiironic that I felt it necessary to use the term 'my brain hurts' because of all the things in it, because my brothers fiance's brain DOES hurt. I just found out about two hours ago that she was hospitalized for blackouts and nausea three days ago and they do not know what is wrong with her. Hopefully nothing so drastic as tumor or cancer but we still do not know, and her insurance lasped and there is the new baby to worry about.....shed exactly two tears so far but like I said, hopefully NOTHING is wrong....
3. Just got an email from a new acquaintance tearing up my resume. Why is it that people who are seemingly knowledgeable and qualified all say COMPLETELY different things about how to do a resume? I am at a loss as to who I should listen too....
4. I have had a few phone interviews with some interesting companies so I pray that I will have 'the job' before long. I have a face-to-face interview on Monday and am wondering if my business suit still fits and if my hair is going to continue to be unruly in the face of my determination to look professional. Down, hair, down! I half think I should borrow money and head to the salon for a wash and blow dry...straight hair just stays down easier..
5. My dreams remain ever so vivid and two (maybe three) nights in a row I have dreamt about the same person. So much so that in these waking moments it is so hard to believe that this person is not in my life AT ALL and I have been feeling a bit like I was dumped. Damn. I even wrote a nice poem about it. I am a 29 year old lovesick teenager all over again. Guys, you know, I could do without all that drama!
6. Children's classes have been such a HUGE blessing this time of year with the job problems and all, I can't tell you how nice it is to go and spend a few hours with such freely loving individuals. That being said, I am still not quite ready to have a couple of my own yet, which is good, cuz....you know, I'm single....and essentially jobless.....and stuff.
7. Speaking of jobless, I have been temping-right now I work in a building just across the street from the Sears Tower and I have been feeling a bit like a fish out of water. Which has only served to emphasize HOW BAD it was at my old job. I keep looking over my shoulder waiting for 'the boss' to sneak up and make sure I am not surfing myspace, or perking my ears for the excessive and bitter backbiting but IT IS NOT HAPPENING.....people just do their jobs here. and they trust me and they say hello and that's it. It is SOOOOOO nice. I am quite paranoid, you see, I got used to the suspicion and disrespect and tiptoe walking of my last job, thought it was quite normal...I guess. I am so glad I am temping to get me out of that old shell before I step into any new career role.
8. I am very hungry.
9. the library closes in 10 minutes.
10. I just figured there should be a number ten. I have more things to ponder of course, like how I need to worko on not becoming complacent in the job search. how to passionately and aggressively pursue the life that I want for myself. How to budget and save. all that good stuff. Things don't just happen but I keep hoping they will.....I want to say I cant believe I am 29 but I want to say that because I am already feeling like where did the time go? no regrets like I forgot I wanted to save the world....but I think it's important to always have purpose and perspective......and I lost a few years of that...oh see I am waxing all philisophical and the library police are ready for me to get my ass on out the the door......ok BYE
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