TWENTY TEN IS COMING UP. And I don’t want to miss making the last post of the year!
So I guess I should probably check in with how life is going! Pretty exciting, I should say for the most part.
First and foremost: I got my own apartment! This was back in the beginning of October actually. Such a momentous occasion should have merited a blog post almost immediately, but again, I was just so damn busy with settling in and work. It’s a one-bedroom apartment in a building that was previously a brewery. The layout of the building is a bit awkward because of the conversion, but the place isn’t too shabby. I don’t have much furniture: a mattress and a chair. The living room is a very barren place. -_- I’m still saving up for a trip to IKEA or something. Maybe I should just check craigslist. That’s actually how I found both my job and apartment… so why not?
Also, a couple days ago, I was finally offered a full time position at work! YESSSssss!!!!! 
I’m very happy there, and the new position will be giving me more development experience that I’ve been wanting for a while now. AND I’ll be getting a nicer salary! AND BENEFITS! Oh, how I missed you, health, dental, and vision coverage… So yeah, looks like things are starting to take off!
I’m quite proud of myself for getting this far on my own. Independence is awesome. Also knowing that I accomplished this on my own merits and abilities makes it all the sweeter. But again, a HUGE BIG GIGANTIC thank you to my cousin and her boyfriend for letting me stay at their place while I looked for a job and my own apartment. I seriously wouldn’t have had this awesome opportunity without their generosity and support. I took a risk leaving my last job and coming here to Chicago, but I’m very glad I made it. There were many reasons for wanting to leave, and perhaps I’ll share them here one day, but let’s not dwell on the past, hm?
And just because I got a sweet job and my own apartment doesn’t mean I can slack off! My New Year’s resolution: Go to the gym and get back in shape! Yeah, that’s such a typical resolution, but now I actually do have time and money go, so no more excuses! And I also saw a friend over the holiday break who’s been hitting the gym like crazy—and she is looking GREAT. I’m quite motivated by that actually, so I have a LOT of catching up to do. So come next week, I’ll stop by the gym around my neighborhood and check it out. I got one more resolution, but I’ll post about that later… 
Have a safe and happy new year! Hope you had a great 2009, and that the next year will bring you more happiness than the last!
This Is My Day Today
Books, Personal, Programming, Work September 29th, 2009
I’m going to try and write the most boring post ever.
I woke up a bit late this morning.
I skip the shower.
I brush my teeth and wash my face.
I change and head outside.
It’s cold outside. It feels like winter is upon us.
I go to Potbelly’s for my morning bagel. They are out of bagels. I leave and go upstairs to work.
In my cubicle, I work on completing my project.
I chat with some friends in between. I miss them.
I almost miss lunch again. I get Potbelly’s. I eat my sandwich and read my book. I go back to work.
My project is finished. I work on the next one. It involves Ruby. It was a bit of a brain buster. I figure out a vital function. I leave the rest for tomorrow.
I leave and head out to the bus stop on Dearborn and Jackson.
I take the bus north to the Newberry Library. The author of The Time Traveler’s Wife is doing a reading from her new book, Her Fearful Symmetry.
I get in line with my copy of her new book. The lady in front of me has one copy. She wants to get another copy. She asks me to save her spot. I do. She leaves and gets another copy. She comes back.
She soon changes her mind and wants a third copy. She asks me to save her spot. She leaves and gets another copy. She comes back.
I pay for the book. I find a seat in the room. I’m early, so I read The Time Traveler’s Wife some more.
Audrey Niffenegger soon comes. She reads the first chapter. SPOILER: The main character dies in the first chapter.
She does a Q & A. One question is if she follows a writing regiment like Stephen King. Her answer, “Stephen King is a real writer.” LOL. I want to ask her a question, “Was there anything you cut out or rewrote in Time Traveler’s Wife?” I’m not sure if it’s polite to ask such a question, so I don’t ask it.
Another question is what’s her favorite book. She makes a ‘book club recommendation:’ Was by Geoff Ryman. I like anything Oz related, so I wrote it down to add to my list.
Afterwards, I get my copy of Time Traveler’s Wife and Her Tearful Symmetry signed by Ms. Niffenegger. I’m all giddy cuz I get easily starstruck.
I take the bus back home.
I make pizza on naan bread. It is yummy.
Then I write a new blog post. It goes like this…
Tags: Audrey Niffenegger, Programming, Ruby, The Time Traveler's Wife
Doing What I Like
Computer, Work September 24th, 2009
I guess I can talk a little bit about my job.
When people ask me, “What do you do?” I usually respond, “I’m a producer for a website.” It’s basically a site for visitors to search for a home or property to buy. As a producer, I help a lot more with the front end stuff, working with HTML and CSS. Lately, I’ve gotten some extra projects that involve javascript and ruby, which has been a blast to work with. I do some basic coding and not any major programming, but I’ve been really happy working there. This is stuff that I usually did in my spare time during college and my last few jobs. I’m kind of psyched that all that work and learning I put in on my own time has finally paid off. And this job offers me new stuff to learn as well as the opportunity to sharpen my skills.
So yeah, I love coming to work. The people here are awesome. The environment is pretty lax; I love wearing jeans to work. Currently, I have a 10 minute walk to and from work, but that’ll change once I move to my own place. Work may be farther from my new place, but I think I’ll love the area that I’m moving to. And I’ve also grown to love working on an actual ‘product.’ This is a site that millions of users utilize, and it feels great to know that I’m putting something into that. It almost feels like something I’m a part of helping to create. If I could, I would work on websites as my career… Google, I’m looking at you! 
It’s a great job. The only downside is that it’s a contract job. They’ve extended it, which was really awesome. But I would really like to be there full time with benefits. However, I’ve been getting more and more projects that are a bit outside of the scope of the original role they intended. So hopefully working on these projects will show them how much value I can add to the team. Keepin’ those fingers crossed. 
Tags: CSS, HTML, Javascript, RoR, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, Web Design, web development, Work
Getting Back Into the Groove
Chicago, Personal, Work September 22nd, 2009
Wow! Another post! I feel good about this! Once I start, I can just keep going, again and again! Like sex!
So, yeah, I’m finding it a bit more difficult to figure out what it to write about. Looking back at old posts about 2 years ago, when my blogging frequency was up to almost 5x a week, I put up little blurbs like youtube videos or pics, etc. But I do that with my tumblr now. And then I used to write a little bit more in-depth posts with more substance. And then I moved to Chicago. And the posts kept coming later and later…
I can probably attribute the lack of posts to my job hunt, then my new job, and then the apartment hunt. I was fully focused on those goals, but still microblogging in between.
And now things are coming along more swimmingly. I got a job. I’m doing pretty well in it, and I’m really happy doing what I’m doing. And I also signed a lease for an apartment! This was about a week ago, so I haven’t exactly moved in yet. I’m really really excited about living in my own place for once. I am pretty sure this will be the first time I’ve ever lived alone by myself. I’ve either lived at home with family or at school with roommates. I felt like a total scrub. >:(
But I’ve gotten a surge of freedom and independence since I came to Chicago, and now I look forward to the next step as I move out of my cousin’s closet (yeah, did I mention that? I live in a CLOSET. LOL) into my own apartment.
Now I just have to figure out how to get the rest of my belongings from Maryland as well as start to furnish the place. My taste style in furniture and home decorating seems to be set in modern/contemporary… which probably equals to spending a lot of $$$. I’ve been collecting ideas on this other tumblr actually.
Cool… now I look forward to writing a new piece tomorrow. And I can’t back out of that now, cuz I am committed to getting back into the blogging scene.
Hey, sorry for the long absence again, guys.
Things have been real busy and chaotic the past month. I thought I’d just post something real quick before the month is up.
Biggest announcement: I got a job! ::does a happy dance:: I start July 1st, and I’ll post more about it then.
In addition to getting back into work this week, I got these things to look forward to:
- Dan and Trav are dropping by Chicago today. Excited to see what shenanigans we’ll be getting into!
- Flying to Maryland for the weekend! It’s July 4th, but also my birthday weekend! I really have no plans this year for it, but I’m really psyched to see friends back home. Still haven’t decided where I want to celebrate, but I’m kind of leaning towards Annapolis right now… we’ll see.
Stay tuned!
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