What day is this again?

I'm at Mom's going through my mountains of stuff. The paperwork is making it's rounds on the new job, so all I can do is wait. I plan to head to Phoenix sometime around the 15th. That plan is very tentative, though. My start date at the new job is either the 22nd or 29th of April.

I landed at Mom's last Saturday on her birthday. I said 'great birthday present, huh? Your 50-mumble unemployed daughter shows up at your doorstep looking for a place to stay." She takes it all in stride, though. She feeds me and gives up her bed for me to sleep in. I would sleep in the recliner, but the fight to change her isn't worth the energy.

Before I leave I want to swap out one of the 10'x20' storage units for a 10'x10' one. The jeep is no longer in storage so I don't need at much room now. Even when my stuff gets here from Honduras I won't need that large a unit. So, maybe today or tomorrow at the latest I'll go see the manager and see what he can do for me. I'm getting a good deal on that unit as it isn't cosmetically as nice as his others, being one of the older units. Mom used to work for him when he first opened, and he knows I pay up several months at a time, so he really works with me.

Yesterday I went and started the process of sorting the things in the jeep unit as there isn't as much in that unit. Today I'll go and pack back up all that I unpacked yesterday in a way that hopefully makes it easier to find what I want. I am getting rid of some things, but not as much as I need to. It's a process for me. I have at least a week to get more organized, do my taxes, get the jeep serviced, and pack up to leave.

Now for something completely different...

I'm not in Chicago anymore. I just couldn't handle the job, the situation, anything about what was going on. My boss and I parted on good terms, I think. I have never walked off a job with no notice and no job to go to. Then again, I've never been in a similar situation as I found myself in there.

Today I accepted a job in Phoenix. If the background check comes back clean, and it should, I will head to AZ in a few weeks. If nothing else, my life is now not boring.

I Passed

I passed the final of the three classes to be certified in whatever it is I'm doing now. I still am not sure I can handle the full job physically, or what I'll do in the warehouse, but I guess I'll find out starting tomorrow. Everyone is still finding their way in this new company.

Chicago is way too cold. If the weather doesn't break soon I will need to hit the stores somewhere this weekend and find more warm clothes. I have some with me, but I need thicker base layers (long johns to those of us a bit older) and a warmer jacket. I did find my winter hats/beanies and gloves, which should help.

No real time or opportunity to do much that is interesting. When it warms up I want to get out more into downtown. However, the idea of heading to Navy Pier in 20-30 degree weather doesn't do much for me. We did go out last Friday night and get some great Chicago pizza. The guys liked it, but I don't know if anyone is up for it again. I'm getting really tired of fast food and so I hope we move to someplace with kitchen facilities soon. There are some interesting looking ethnic and Asian super markets around here, but with no stove or fridge I don't even want to go in and look yet.

And so the adventure continues.

More of the Same

This past weekend I ran back down the Nashville so that Monday morning I could go into the Codes office and get the last permit. The inspector worked with me and made the permit more wide open to things that might need to be fixed once the other inspections are complete, as well as making sure that the person doing the work for me can get permits in my name if I'm not there. I drove back to Chicago yesterday after taking care of that business, and the weather cooperated so I made good time. I'm still in the hotel with the questionable internet, so I'm not online much. This is driving me nuts, so some solution will have to be found soon. The upshot is that I'm fine, if frustrated, and the house in Nashville will be on the market by the end of the month (hopefully) so that frees my money up a lot. That in turn frees me up a lot. Then I can make some more life decisions.

Ping Pong

That's what it feels like I'm doing, ping ponging around. Right now I'm back at Mom's place for the weekend. I need tools and more winter clothes that are in storage here in MO, and I need to store some of the stuff I had with me. Now that I have a (slightly)smaller target to hit with what things I need I'm here to organize a bit. It is early so Mom is still asleep in the living room, so I'm on the computer catching up. I do miss having my desktop computer. I just thought I might keep my biggest laptop with the 17" screen with me after all. My eyes just don't do well on the smaller screens as my primary computer. The wireless at the hotel where we've been staying has been spotty, so all in all I haven't been spending much time on-line.

I went through rain last night on the way in. I'm hoping it gets rid of all the snow and I don't have to see any more for the foreseeable future. I took my time and stopped a lot on the way and while I was tired when I got here, I am able to be up and about early today. This is good as I need to drive back to Chicago tomorrow for another class on Monday. A couple of the guys in the group just came in from Afghanistan, so I'm in awe of their ability to make the temperature transition. The guys who will be up on the towers and roofs will be working this weekend if the weather cooperates, so I hope it at least warms up for them. I can see that I need to start working out to strengthen my back. The good thing is that as I'm moving around more and lifting (mostly my stuff in and out of the Jeep at this point), the soreness doesn't last as long. Each morning I'm ok again, even though I'm stiff and sore at night.

All in all it is an adventure. Very different than most of what I've done before. It is a new company so there isn't a lot of structure right now. It is a mix of younger guys and a couple of us older ones who have been around this kind of thing before. I'm sure there will be things to work out. For once there is another female, and she will be in class with me next week. She is cool, and has a lot of stories to tell from her time in the military. Neither she nor I are much used to working with other women, so that is something we will work out.

As for why Chicago, that is where I am told they need me. I murmured about going to Seattle, but the main boss said he needs me in Chicago. Turns out I worked with him in Honduras as well, so he knows me. Maybe once this site is up and running I can move around a bit. It is all a work in progress.

Chicago It Is

I am in Chicago, and it would seem I'll be here for awhile. I'm working for the same company I worked for in Honduras, but a different contract. So far I've been in training this week, and I managed to pass the final test for the class. That gets me more training next week.

I need to head to Mom's to change the stuff I have with me as I have way too much in my Jeep, and I don't have some things I need. I need more winter clothes! Chicago got snow all week, which I had managed to avoid up until I got here. I remember why I moved south! I don't need 'interview' clothes as I will be employed at least for awhile now.

So far, so good. The only down side is that my internet access is spotty. I'm working on that so I can update more often.

Meet the new boss...

Same as the old boss. My conracting company has signed me on to get training in Chicago starting Tuesday. I started wrapping things up here in Nashville by getting a permit to tear off the front deck, and starting the process of getting a permit to build a landing back. Next up is packing up and finding room in the Jeep for not only all the stuff I brought out here from Mom's, but also all the stuff I bought to be able to live in the vacant house. I won't be getting back to Mom's in the near future to off-load the things I don't need and pick up some of the stuff that has since arrived from Honduras that I'd like to have with me, but I'll make do. I'll be living out of hotel rooms for as far out as I can see right now.

It has been good to be back in my house for a few days. Even if it is snowing right now. I managed to avoid snow for most of 4 years, but it has caught up with me. Hopefully it will be gone by the time I leave here to head north on Monday morning. So far everything is working out better than I could have thought possible.