I love Chicago

I absolutely love this town. It never ceases to amaze how many people are around at any given time, and how much diversity there is! I pass every sort of ethnicity and background on my daily walks to and from the Clinton & 18th "L" stations, from the "going to work" sophisticates to the "I need some work" Mexican men sitting outside the bakery. I hope that didn't sound harsh, but that's what the streets are like! I rarely see the Hispanic women sitting out on the steps -- they're either inside or at work somewhere (I have no idea). Near Katie's place, it's lots of taxis, people getting on/off the Metra, and people dressed nice trying to get downtown. It'll be a whole other ball game once I get up to DePaul.

But I do love this city. And so far the job is good as well. I have to try not to pressure myself too much and realize that I am only one person and I can only do so much in one day, one week, one month. I can ask for a little guidance and then I can run with my ideas until I hit the next era of needing guidance. Although Fr. Tim and Adam are not around too much, I am able to do what I need to do. I realize I rely a lot on email versus phone, but I'll follow up some of the emails with phone calls if they don't respond (some people are better at getting back via email because it's always there and they can get to it when they have time). Fr. Tim also took a little bit of pressure off me today due to fundraising & recruitment stuff -- I'll tell ya, not speaking a lick of Spanish may make my job somewhat harder, but it also gets me off the hook somewhat for the part of my job I'm least comfortable with (recruitment). More will happen on that in the Spring, when I know more! :)

Katie's been awesome letting me stay at her place, and I can't believe the Vincentians are letting me stay a month. A-MAZ-ING. :) I can tell that there will be some differences with the other GVVA-C crowd and me though -- Suz is always talking to/hanging out with Christy, Jeremy & Toshio. They're good people, but I really enjoy Audrey, and I don't feel like I always have to hang out with all of them if I want to hang out with one of them. Suz just needs a job to come through -- I know it's way stressing her out, and it's probably part of the reason we can't chat as much right now. It's a good thing we didn't live together -- that would not have gone well I don't think.

Much more to say, but not philosophical enough to say it. Some other time. :)