Trudging ahead
Things are moving along steadily. I know that in a year or a few years from now, things may slow down but right now they are moving at a good quick pace that I am actually really ok with. I may change my mind next month when I'm back in school. I'm only going to go part time now instead of full time +. I made it to Sophomore status on the Dean's list the whole way- so I feel pretty good about that. I feel like I am actually doing it- and I want to do it right this time- and that means slowing it down a little bit.
That raise I mentioned is actually in the works. I guess the store manager asked my direct supervisor what she thought about it and she told him that I was definitely worth it. He let me know that he asked the regional manager (who is only allowed 3 merit increases per quarter). The RM likes me, so things look good. We are both big gaywads- my SM told me that it looks like I will be getting at least another dollar. By the time all of this is over in a month- my yearly pay will have increased more than $10K from when I started at the company 14 months ago (and I get $5K per year in tuition reimbursement). I don't know about you- but I'm pretty impressed with myself.
My first year in Chicago was a great party and it allowed me to actually look at who I was and who I wanted to be. I can't say enough that it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. The down side is that it makes me want to pull people out of Alabama. People I love. People who I think could have "more" and deserve "more". There is a tiny voice inside me that tells me that my version of "more and others versions are very different monsters.
Today is the first day of my 10 day vacation this year. We leave Sunday night for MSP. We will party there for a few days with old T.C. Avenger friends. Then we head north (I think) to check out the big boat that Rovenko's dad just bought. I will be spending the remaining portion of the week/ weekend on a boat fishing and drinking unfiltered imported beer. I am really excited. It will be my first time to "go on vacation" with the Rovenkos.
I have been warned that my 2 favorite things to talk about are pretty much off limits though. Bathroom humor and money. Rovenkos like to talk about hollywood and gossip- so I have been reading lots of People, Enquirer, and Star. I did the same thing before Thanksgiving and it worked out really well. Her mom thinks I am great- or at least a great influence on her daughter. She describes me as "driven" and "focused". (Although I partied through almost 10 years of adulthood to get "driven" and "focused"- I guess I'm here now and that's all that matters.)
So the new place we bought. It's totally awesome. Sure the neighborhood is a little sketchy- but name a neighborhood in Chicago that isn't?! We are the first to ever live in it so there are little issues that we have to deal with that the next owners won't. Such as: where to find a tension bar (to hang a shower curtain from) that is more than 77", how to make a tankless water heater keep a consistent temp throughout the length of a long morning shower, how to make snap-down hardwood floors not buckle in the Summer.
The square footage is roughly equal to that of our former apartment but this condo is laid out very different. We wanted to keep some elements of the apt. We wanted a hallway that had rooms off of it- like you would find in a house. Most condos up here seem to be 1 large room with all other rooms off of that one- like an octopus or a twig.
Everything in the unit is almost as modern as it gets right now. We have a garbage disposal, a refrigerator that makes ice and filtered water, the before-mentioned tankless water heater, black granite counter top and back splash, whirlpool jacuzzi tub, a private patio, central a/c and heat, etc. Well- it's a hell of a lot more updated than anywhere I have ever lived. I feel like I'm living in luxury every time I come home. The best part (to me) is that we are paying not too much more than what we paid for our apartment (mostly due to being able to put 20% down).
On another note- I have begun to feel remorseful for taking Economics in Summer school while in hs. I thought it seemed dreadful and boring- but look at me now. The most interesting thing I have found is money. Money is alive like a little potted plant. You can kill it and bring it back to life. Some people are great at making it grow with little effort and others want it to grow desperately but just can't do it. Some have plants handed down to them from others who worked hard and now they hire people to care for the big plants to keep them growing, and some people hate plants etc. I didn't like cactuses until I made this connection. Now they are my favorite.
That raise I mentioned is actually in the works. I guess the store manager asked my direct supervisor what she thought about it and she told him that I was definitely worth it. He let me know that he asked the regional manager (who is only allowed 3 merit increases per quarter). The RM likes me, so things look good. We are both big gaywads- my SM told me that it looks like I will be getting at least another dollar. By the time all of this is over in a month- my yearly pay will have increased more than $10K from when I started at the company 14 months ago (and I get $5K per year in tuition reimbursement). I don't know about you- but I'm pretty impressed with myself.
My first year in Chicago was a great party and it allowed me to actually look at who I was and who I wanted to be. I can't say enough that it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. The down side is that it makes me want to pull people out of Alabama. People I love. People who I think could have "more" and deserve "more". There is a tiny voice inside me that tells me that my version of "more and others versions are very different monsters.
Today is the first day of my 10 day vacation this year. We leave Sunday night for MSP. We will party there for a few days with old T.C. Avenger friends. Then we head north (I think) to check out the big boat that Rovenko's dad just bought. I will be spending the remaining portion of the week/ weekend on a boat fishing and drinking unfiltered imported beer. I am really excited. It will be my first time to "go on vacation" with the Rovenkos.
I have been warned that my 2 favorite things to talk about are pretty much off limits though. Bathroom humor and money. Rovenkos like to talk about hollywood and gossip- so I have been reading lots of People, Enquirer, and Star. I did the same thing before Thanksgiving and it worked out really well. Her mom thinks I am great- or at least a great influence on her daughter. She describes me as "driven" and "focused". (Although I partied through almost 10 years of adulthood to get "driven" and "focused"- I guess I'm here now and that's all that matters.)
So the new place we bought. It's totally awesome. Sure the neighborhood is a little sketchy- but name a neighborhood in Chicago that isn't?! We are the first to ever live in it so there are little issues that we have to deal with that the next owners won't. Such as: where to find a tension bar (to hang a shower curtain from) that is more than 77", how to make a tankless water heater keep a consistent temp throughout the length of a long morning shower, how to make snap-down hardwood floors not buckle in the Summer.
The square footage is roughly equal to that of our former apartment but this condo is laid out very different. We wanted to keep some elements of the apt. We wanted a hallway that had rooms off of it- like you would find in a house. Most condos up here seem to be 1 large room with all other rooms off of that one- like an octopus or a twig.
Everything in the unit is almost as modern as it gets right now. We have a garbage disposal, a refrigerator that makes ice and filtered water, the before-mentioned tankless water heater, black granite counter top and back splash, whirlpool jacuzzi tub, a private patio, central a/c and heat, etc. Well- it's a hell of a lot more updated than anywhere I have ever lived. I feel like I'm living in luxury every time I come home. The best part (to me) is that we are paying not too much more than what we paid for our apartment (mostly due to being able to put 20% down).
On another note- I have begun to feel remorseful for taking Economics in Summer school while in hs. I thought it seemed dreadful and boring- but look at me now. The most interesting thing I have found is money. Money is alive like a little potted plant. You can kill it and bring it back to life. Some people are great at making it grow with little effort and others want it to grow desperately but just can't do it. Some have plants handed down to them from others who worked hard and now they hire people to care for the big plants to keep them growing, and some people hate plants etc. I didn't like cactuses until I made this connection. Now they are my favorite.