Love Life

Come visit me at my new blog!

2014-03-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.

2013-07-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

As my second year living in Chicago comes to a close, it seemed to be a fitting time to write one last blog post. I have decided to discontinue my blog as I have fulfilled my purpose of sharing my positive experiences of moving here and I will be pursuing other avenues for writing. This blog has been a casual snapshot into my life the last 2 years and briefly looking back, I am overwhelmed with memories, experiences, and what a crazy journey it has been. I may not have gone into much depth on a lot of things but this has been my first blogging experience and I am glad I have been able to document these times and share them with you. The future is a blank canvas and there will be many more stories from me to come. I am one to finish what I start though, so here is one last reflection on the last few months.

The first photo is representative of a really happy moment for me a few months ago when I went to Las Vegas for a work conference. Although it was a work trip and there were meetings to be attended, Las Vegas is Las Vegas and no matter what, it is always a good time there. I've briefly touched on career aspirations and ideally, I would like to run my own company someday. While I may not be quite there yet, I have to give myself some credit as I showed up here in Chicago 2 years ago with no job. I've survived some time in positions where I knew I could do more but the highest priority was making enough to scrape by on rent. This moment was so happy because it was a moment of relaxation and enjoyment to be at a place I worked hard to get to. I started at the bottom, worked hard, and have finally reached a place where I am continually presented new challenges and opportunities and can actually say I am happy to go to work.

Next, are photos with Jack. First, we went on his first 5k for the Anti Cruelty Society, called "Bark in the Park." He did great and even made some new friends. The second is of Jack and the skyline in the background during one of our weekly walks on Lake Michigan. While Jack's journey in Chicago has been a roller coaster as well, moving back to California twice, he has been here with me the majority of the time and he definitely makes living here even better. He was especially my support during my first month living here. He was there by my side on my third night when I got kicked out of my first apartment and had to stay in a hotel with the guy I met 2 days prior on Craigslist (still can't believe that actually happened and I got all my money back, so lucky!). And he was there when I lived by myself for a month in an empty apartment; no furniture, just a twin sized air mattress, Jack, and I. I have made many friends here and have had a variety of living situations but he has always been a constant to me. Yes, he may be a dog, but he is one of my best friends and I will always appreciate his unconditional love. I don't know what the future holds, but for the time being, I am looking forward to continuing having him here. I plan on taking advantage of all of the dog friendly activities the summer has to offer- weekends at the beach, dinners on dog patios, and afternoons making friends at dog parks.

Next, are a couple photos from my summer vacation last month. I was gone for 12 days and went all over the place. Started off in Dallas for a short work trip, then to San Diego and all over Southern California for a relaxing vacation, and finished it out in Las Vegas for a wedding and one more Electric Daisy Carnival. Since time with family is so rare now, I treasure the time we have together. Spending the weekend in San Diego with my sister, nieces, and nephews was a perfect time spent poolside, exploring the city, and enjoying a Padres game with a great fireworks show. The ocean view picture was taken in Manhattan Beach, where I got to spend another perfect day bike riding and catching up with my old roommate/best friend Paige. Every day is like paradise there and it is ever so tempting to move back...someday I most likely will. Next is the view from the plane going from San Diego to Las Vegas. This was definitely the most exciting part of the trip and I will never forget the experience. My friends Elena and Todd had a beautiful wedding and I was so happy to be able to share their special day with them. As if that wasn't enough, to top it off, we spent the remainder of the weekend at Electric Daisy Carnival, which was a magical time.

It was pretty difficult to face reality again after such an amazing trip but with that amount of time away, it was nice to return to Chicago to enjoy the remainder of the summer. This summer has continued as all Chicago summertime I have known- full of fun, sunshine, and endless opportunities of occasions and friends to enjoy the experiences with. The summer has been full of trolley rides, parades, 4th of July, Wavefront (an amazing festival on the beach), movies in the park, birthdays, and random nights out, it's been even better than expected.
Now, reflecting on this time 2 years ago, when I started this blog, I see many things that have changed but some things have remained the same. I've had so many experiences, challenges to overcome, and lessons to learn. What remains constant to where I started is the complete confidence and belief in myself that no matter what comes my way, I will overcome it and never give up. Getting kicked out of apartments, surviving unemployment, watching people come and go from my life, whatever it may be I know it will always work out if I want it to. I started the blog with the quote, "don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of never trying," and it still resonates more than ever today. Overcoming challenges helps to appreciate what you can possibly gain as a result. If I would have given up at any time, I would not have met so many amazing people that I am blessed to now call my Chicago family. Thank you to everyone who has shared and helped create this amazing experience and I look forward to the next chapter. The best decision I've ever made was moving to Chicago and I stand true by that and look forward to what is yet to come.

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

2013-04-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well, my second Chicago winter may not have been quite as nice as the first but it wouldn't be Chicago without the terrible weather. It's been spring for almost a month now but I can definitely see that last year was a special year getting spring early. Anyways, summer is so very close and summer days and nights will make winter a distant memory. No matter what the weather, whenever I see the Chicago skyline, I feel an instant sense of appreciation for the beauty and the opportunity that this city holds. I am reassured daily that this is where I am supposed to be and while every day can't be perfect, I still absolutely love living here. Life has been as hectic as usual and I wouldn't rather have it any other way. Things may have slowed down slightly for the winter months but they are right back on track now.

While winter dragged on longer than I expected (since I only had last year's experience to base my expectations on), I kept myself busy as usual with shows and some vacation to break up the monotony. The pictures above are from St. Patrick's Day (obviously with Jack's green mohawk and my glasses). This was my fourth St. Patrick's Day to spend in Chicago and as usual, it was one of the best holidays of the year. For the first time this year, I actually went down to the river and watched the ritual process of dying it green. It was an interesting experience and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it yet. After that, it was a day typical to the other St. Patty's I have had here. St. Patty's had introduced me to the amount of fun that is possible living here as well as the good and nice people in the Midwest and this year was no different.

As for shows, I have been fortunate to enjoy some really fun ones these last couple months, including Swedish House Mafia, Diplo, Fedde Le Grand, Dirty South, and Markus Schulz. Swedish House Mafia was unique in that it was their "One Last Tour". This was nostalgic for me in that I had seen them 3 years ago at EDC in Los Angeles and the influence they have had on the industry the past few years. They definitely put on a good show and I had a great time, from going on a party bus to sneaking down to the floor level of the United Center, I'm glad I was able to experience their last tour. As for vacations, I was very happy to escape the cold for my own version of a Spring Break to Miami during WMC for a weekend. It was kind of a birthday present to myself and I am so glad I went as it was the perfect time, weather and fun. It was even a relaxing vacation and exactly what I needed at the time.

Last, here we are again making summer plans. I have my summer notebook all ready. My mom actually gave it to me when they came to visit a few weeks ago. It was really nice to have them here again and they were able to see where I live and spend some time together. So, I turned the notebook (which accurately is pink and all about glam, perfect for me) into my summer, quote, thought and dream notebook. So far, I have my festivals set and a few dreams that I am working on, which I will share once they are further developed. For festivals, I am trying to cut down a little since my years attending are probably winding down. I've got EDC Las Vegas, Wavefront, Lollapalooza, and North Coast confirmed so far. And today I booked a flight to California prior to EDC so I am very excited for that. Until then, there's a bit more of spring left to enjoy and a few degrees of cold to put up with before things get amazing. If you have been to Chicago in the summertime, you may know what I am referring to. Last summer was amazing and this summer is sure to be even more amazing...life is definitely good.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

2013-02-11T22:35:00.001-08:00

Well it's officially the middle of winter, the best part of living in Chicago, right?! Jack is fully enjoying his time playing in the snow with his leopard coat. Well, in my opinion and I'm pretty sure many others, winter has been dragging along and I am ready for summer. I love the snow, it is a fun change but now in the middle of my second winter here, the novelty has started to wear off. I'm not sure if it is the winter blues, a quarter life crisis, or just being homesick, but for the very first time since moving here, I started to think about moving back to California as a real possibility. I have been doing a lot of comparisons to the lives I have here, the life I had there, and what if there was a potential to start over back there. I am going to focus my efforts on staying in Chicago at this time. But the longer I stay here the more I question the longevity of my future here. While I love everything about living here and may prefer many aspects to California, there is a lot I am missing in California as well, such as my entire family, most importantly.

This photo was taken on the train on the way to work. It was a beautiful morning, like there are many of actually. But this was a cold day, the high was "feels like -11", so you're basically freezing and going to get burned if your face and ears are not covered up. Those days were the worst, too cold to snow. Now, at least most of the time it has been in the 30's, which after experiencing the worst feels warm. The occasional 40 or 50 is a treat to celebrate with spending time outside. The gloomy days though that come a little too often are also the worst. If the sun is not shining all day it can get very depressing. You don't want to leave the office to go outside, you run in the slush to the train, run in more slush and rain to your house, and in my case, slip and fall in the ice on occassion; it gets dangerous out there. I try to spend as much time outside as possible but it's very limited in these conditions.
Now that this is my second winter, I know more of what to expect and how I can cope with it as best as possible. Obviously going to work is priority, getting there in rain, snow, whichever, with whatever you may find to bundle up in, preferably boots you don't slide in. The sign to the right is actually at the building I work at and is a warning for real serious ice that could possibly fall; ice can be very dangerous, definitely my least favorite part. Other than work, I will brave going to the gym, especially since it's time to get ready to go to Miami, I have to force myself there. So again, bundle up, get on the train work out and get back on the train to go home, making the most of the heat areas at the train station. Other than that, on the weekends, if it's really cold, I have no problem with making it a lazy weekend and catching up on TV, eating, and hanging out with friends.
Then there are the nights of going out, which at times when it's snowing, you may want to sit at home and avoid it. But what I was always advised when it came to the winter is that you have to make sure you get out of the house or you will go crazy. So I have been making good worthwhile attempts at this and maintaining trudging out in the snow to keep up some sort of a social life. Besides the normal nights at The Mid and Spy Bar, the picture on the left is from the Signature Lounge at the 96th floor of the Hancock we visited for a birthday before the super bowl. Winter is a time of survival. And the planning has started for spring and summer so there can be things to look forward to when we survive the winter. I am going to Miami next month, Vegas the next month, and Vegas again in June, and these are what are going to keep me motivated to endure this weather because there is an end in sight and then... summer is going to be so good. I especially cannot wait to be at a festival. Music is what helps me survive the winter no matter when the headphones are in, they make it a little better and help maintain something to look forward to.

You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible.

2013-01-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

Once again, fall came and went super fast. I still get asked regularly what in the world am I doing living in Chicago and I let them know I really do like the seasons here. While winter is really hard and really cold, it's over before you know it like any season. It feels like the weather is a more of an impact on your daily life here so it becomes an important topic of discussion, whether it be thankful or complaining... I try to stay positive. This picture was taken during the fall at a park near my office on my lunch break. This is something I miss in the winter- being able to sit outside in general. I now look forward to days where the sun is at least out and appreciate weekends like this in the 50s; it feels like summer is coming. I compare this to California in that I never had to experience this to such extreme; the weather doesn't change nearly as drastically and it's mostly very nice.

I compare the difference between California and Chicago more when I am home visiting in California and everyone asks me if I'm going to stay here for good. I really do love California and maybe I will live there again someday. But for now, I love living in Chicago more than anything. I am also really interested in moving to Brazil. Really, at this point in my life it's the best time to try living new places and I think it could be really great to try to live in a different country. From visiting Brazil and visiting businesses and learning about their economy, there seems to be a lot of opportunity that may not be possible for me here. Who knows what will happen, I just know I have a long road ahead of me paying back student loans and wherever I can be the most profitable is important.
This picture is when I got home to San Diego for Christmas and finally reunited with Jack. Since then I've taken him back to Chicago with me and it is so great to have him back.

These are a couple other pictures from California, which of course had some really beautiful days while I was there. Even though it was raining some, it still turned out to be pretty good and I spent as much time outside as I could enjoying it. This visit was the longest time I have gone home since I moved, I was there a full week. It was the perfect time too, I was able to spend really nice holiday time with my family and some really fun times with friends too. Christmas is always just a great day, I love watching the kids open all of their presents, and it was great to meet my newest niece for the first time. As usual, as much as I enjoyed my time in California, I was definitely ready to go home to Chicago at the end of the trip.

New Year's was a really great night in Chicago, definitely my favorite New Year's yet. I went to the Congress to see Mat Zo and Porter Robinson. Although I, along with everybody, dislike the Congress, it was a really good show and I wouldn't have rather been anywhere else. Porter Robinson is probably the DJ I saw the most in 2012 but I really enjoyed every single time.

With the end of the year comes time for reflection on last year and I actually looked back at the resolutions I made then. First, I wanted to be healthier and I think I actually was. I've been waiting for the New Years crowd to thin out but I've been going to the gym regularly and doing yoga. I've also been taking Bethenny's detox lemonade, "Skinnygirl Daily" and I would definitely recommend it; just helps you feel healthy. My next resolution was to be more financially conscious. I would have to say I did not do very well with this one. Life is expensive, from shopping to traveling and festivals, I want to enjoy experiences and not have to worry about money. But with the looming student loans, I really have got to try to be better this year. I just bought my EDC Las Vegas ticket this week so I am really looking forward to that this summer. I won't be going to festivals like that much longer so I want to make the best of it. I still want to start a business and am talking about new ideas every day; just haven't found the one yet but working on it. The last resolution was to see and do more things in Chicago. I'd like to continue this but I will give myself credit for going lots of places last year. While I may frequent The Mid most regularly and consistently every weekend, I do try new places often. When visitors come, we always go to tourist landmark locations too. So the picture above pretty much describes my resolution for this year: just to be a little smarter about things and keep the positive things going in that direction.

Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.

2012-11-07T21:21:00.000-08:00

Summer was a crazy time. When I realized it had been 4 months since I had written my monthly blog, I knew it was time to get back into it. I had a training at my work this week on blogging and comparing it to jogging. It is something we have to do continuously and repeatedly in order to get the results we are looking for, whether it be for business or for health. Or for the purpose of this blog to share my life with my friends and family that I miss and share the optimistic outlook I try to have on life with everyone else. And since summer is over I'm going to take the time to start jogging and doing healthy things again too. Somehow, the summer was amazing and was almost like living in a dream at times with all of the festivals and amazing memories. Throughout it all, I moved 3 times in the last 3 months, which caused some added stress but it is finally over and I am so happy to have survived that not so fun part of my summer. The top picture is one of the last times I enjoyed my rooftop living on Lake Shore Dr. Can't really beat that view; definitely miss it, especially since it's starting to get cold and summer beach days are a thing of the past. I enjoyed some good times there before I moved out. One of the last weekends there was Lollapalooza, which was a great time, just like last year. I did like last year better overall with the 3 day experience and the lineup. This year was fun too though, lots of new friends and Kaskade and Porter Robinson always make me so happy. It was the perfect way to celebrate my 1 year anniversary of living in Chicago. Hitting that year mark was a big moment for me.

It has been a crazy year here and I had to work really hard to get where I am now but it really feels like home more and more the longer and more settled things get. The first move brought me to Roscoe Village. Although I was sad my roommate Paige moved back to California, I was ready to live with new roommates instead of living alone. It was such a fun little neighborhood, I really liked it. This picture is of some sidewalk chalk in front of the stoop. We loved to hang out on that stoop after festivals and summer nights in general. The stoop kids really bonded and we had some really great memories there, especially for North Coast Music Festival. The new place didn't allow dogs so we smuggled Jack in for my time there and I brought him back to California in September. It worked out well because I was able to plan it to come when my sister was having her baby shower and I could surprise her. She has since had my niece Sophie, who I can't wait to meet at Christmas. The timing also worked out well because that weekend happened to be Nocturnal Wonderland in San Bernardino and I was able to go to one more festival to close out the summer. While it wasn't my whole House of Chi family out there, we had a great group and it was a really amazing time. Mark Knight, Ingrosso, and Pretty Lights were the best. And Insomniac always creates great experiences. Being in California it was nice to see so many old friends from living there and college. California trips are always the best times, catching up with friends and family and they go by way too fast. I've booked my Christmas trip for a week to allow a little more than normal to try to fit in seeing everybody and have that extra time to relax at home with family.

The white board ended up getting filled up starting with the EDC Support Group. We made it to 5 festivals (I made it to 6) and we had the best times of our lives running around in pure happiness. So many great DJs, so many great nights at The Mid (Church), and so many great memories created by the House of Chi. The House of Chi really became like a family to me this summer and I love my new friends I have made. I am proud of the House of Chi as a brand as I have seen it grow from nothing to a respected business in the industry we all love. I love being able to wear House of Chi merchandise because it is a group I am proud to be a part of.

The next move I made was into a new place in Lakeview about a month ago, where I plan on definitely staying for the rest of the year. We had some crazy roommates at the Roscoe Village house and so as much as we didn't want to move, we were forced into it. But it is such a happier and safer living situation now. The apartment is cute and cozy and conveniently located and my favorite part, Jack can come back. Thank goodness because I miss that little guy! He will be coming back with me when I go home for Christmas. This is my new roommate Sarah and my Halloween costumes- Thing 1 & Thing 2, so perfect for us! The holidays are here and I love them already. The 3rd move was finished with the help of my friends (since I sublet my furniture to our sublessee's of the Lake Shore apartment, that had to get moved out last week), which I was so thankful for. It was a stressful time and now it is a time of relief and being happy to have survived those crazy times. And now it's time to focus on the holiday's, keep working hard, putting in long hours and enjoying these changes to the seasons and look ahead to my second winter in Chicago.

The healthiest response to life is joy.

2012-07-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

My first summer living in Chicago has been everything I expected it would be and more (and there's still so much of it left!). The summer started with a lot of travel to California and Las Vegas but the last month in Chicago has been one of the best yet. I think of Memorial Day as the start of summer and I was able to spend Memorial Day weekend in California with my friends and family. My work had scheduled a trip for me to go out there and when our meetings got cancelled at the last minute, I was able to go anyways and get a free vacation out of it. Spending time in California without a car makes me appreciate public transportation in Chicago so much. Even though that called for some long bus and train rides, it was worth it to spend quality time with friends and family. From LA, to Orange County, to San Diego, I got to relax, go to batting cages, and even go to some of my favorite clubs there.

After I got back from California, it was time to get ready for Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas. From the day my ticket arrived in the mail, EDM took over my life for the summer and it has been great. When there hasn't been a festival, there has been Max Vangeli, Thomas Gold, and Tommy Trash at The Mid, so there really hasn't been a dull moment until this weekend. I took this opportunity to catch up on the last month of sleep! EDC was a perfect beginning to the festival season. It was great to be back in Vegas for the first time in a year, no matter what is going on, you know you will have a great time in Vegas. The festival was an amazing experience and that is how it will always be unique. It was great to have so many friends from all over at the same place- so many Chicago, California, even New York friends.

While the second night was cancelled early due to wind, it all worked out as Tommy Trash (who was on when it got shut down) came to Chicago for the 3rd of July a few days ago at The Mid. He is definitely my favorite DJ and always puts on the best show; can't wait to see him again at North Coast Music Festival later on this summer. Besides the pool party at Encore Beach Club, my favorite place in the world, my favorite part of EDC was the third day. While I may not have made it out of Vegas as scheduled, and spent the entire day at the airport waiting for a flight, that was the best night and Porter Robinson was my favorite. This summer is just so great because I am seeing him and Kaskade in 26 more days at Lollapalooza. The next weekend after EDC was Spring Awakening at Soldier Field (picture left).

While many of the DJ's had been at EDC the weekend before, it was a completely different crowd and experience and a lot of fun. It was nice to have all of the Chicago friends all together at our home city and being at Soldier Field was cool too. Especially after working there last year it was great to go and enjoy great music and friends in the middle of the football stadium. The last festival for the month was Wavefront Music Festival, which is pictured on the right. Spring Awakening was really great but I preferred Wavefront after comparing the 2. Wavefront was really great because it was actually on the beach at Montrose Beach. The music was a bit different, than Spring Awakening but it was a nice change and some really great sets from John Dahlback and Eric Prydz especially. I just absolutely loved the crowd and everyone getting a little crazy on the sand, it was fun.

The 4th of July was this past Wednesday and the first time I've ever celebrated the holiday outside of Newport Beach. With a late night for Tommy Trash on the 3rd of July, the 4th of July wasn't too crazy. It was a nice day to spend at pools and wear red and enjoy a few drinks to celebrate our wonderful country. Jack even got to wear a decorative flag to celebrate too. Jack has been going through a lot of health problems for the last couple months, taking him back and forth to the vet. He seems to be doing better now but still has his moments, I get worried about him. And every time he goes in, it adds up, I'm trying not to go broke! But all I really want is for him to get his health back, it makes me so sad when he gets sick. Once he gets well, he will be going back to California again, to be with family. Hopefully I will get to bring him myself so he doesn't have to fly alone. That's what the next half of the summer will be to figure out- enjoy summer, move to a new place in Roscoe Village, and get Jack well and back to California. And Lollapalooza and North Coast of course, so many good times yet to come! My 1 year anniversary living in Chicago will be August 1 and Lollapalooza will be the perfect place to celebrate.

One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching.

2012-05-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

Well, Spring is definitely in the air and tulips have been covering the city. It's really beautiful with all the different colors. It's crazy how fast this year is going by; this weekend is already Cinco de Mayo. I was trying to remember what I did for Cinco de Mayo last year because I always celebrate holidays, but I realized I didn't last year because it was the end of graduate school. That means it's been exactly one year since I graduated and that got me to thinking if I am where I thought I would be after I got this degree. While I am not a CMO yet, I started over moving here and am finally at a place where I'm doing better than a year ago and all I see now are opportunities. I even get to go to California for a business trip in a couple of weeks so I can see my friends and family too. There is a lot of work to be done now and I love being busy. Even though working at home and longer hours can be stressful sometimes, I try to focus on the positive side and working on the weekends is a nice change to be productive instead of all play all weekend, which I do plenty of as is.

Since my last blog, I completed the Chi Town half marathon. The photo is of after the race, we had a fun brunch at Duffy's to celebrate. The signs said things like "The 3 Best Friends," and there were matching cupcakes too- my friends are the best! It was fun training and I will do one again someday but for now, I am taking this time off training to enjoy doing yoga again, which is my favorite.

Other than that, I have been spending a lot of time with my family that has been visiting. My parents came to visit and it was nice to spend time with them and they even helped get our place more settled. They got us a kitchen table, which is so nice to have again, and we got cable. After 9 months without a table and cable, I appreciate them so much more! This past weekend, my sister came and we had such a great time. It was nice to have her here and I was able to do tourist activities with her that I had been wanting to do. We went on an architectural boat tour, visited the top of the Hancock, and had plenty of good food and drinks, it was a nice treat after a hard month of work. Now, it's time to get ready for the trip to California and prepare for the summer of festivals, never a dull moment.

What really matters is what you do with what you have.

2012-03-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

This picture pretty much sums up my life lately. Chicago, sunshine, and happy are probably the 3 most common words in my vocabulary. Spring has arrived and while sometimes it rains, winter is over and summer is almost here. Another festival was added to the Chicago summer music line-up and Spring Awakening will be here in June with some great music. Along with EDC, Lollapalooza and North Coast, I will really be enjoying a summer of music and for 3 festivals I never have to leave the city I live in, I love that. Growing up by the ocean my whole life, I never thought about other bodies of water but Lake Michigan is really beautiful.

The next photo also captures what's been going on in my life quite well. I had been wanting to try a detox for some time, just as something healthy. March has been a crazy month with St. Patrick's Day and my 26th birthday so after that weekend, it was the perfect time to try it. While it was supposed to last 5 days, I followed it for 3 days and felt really good. On day 4, I had to run 10 miles for my half marathon training and after that, I pretty much had to eat, I felt like I was going to pass out! While I didn't quite make it the whole time, I tried my best and I wouldn't change any of it. St. Patrick's Day was a great and fun day, like I knew it would be since it was my third here. It was even more fun actually living here and one of my best friends from California was here AND we went to Calvin Harris that night; it really doesn't get much better than that. As if that wasn't enough for a weekend, it was also my birthday 2 days later. Although I went to Vegas for my birthday the last 2 years, I always celebrated with my family too and this was my first time not being with them. While I missed my family, I felt so fortunate to have so many friends here do so many nice things for me. I really feel like I've got my own Chicago family here and it is home.

This last picture was taken on my walk home from work. While I love doing as many things outside as possible, one of my favorite things is being able to walk home from work and enjoy the neighborhood. It is really like the city comes to life when the weather warms up. Everyone is eating outside on patios, walking their dogs, and just hanging out outside. It's been really helpful for training for the half marathon, which is coming up on Sunday. Running and walking on the lake is great too. It's also really nice when visitors come into town to be able to show them the city at its best. Next week, my parents have already made their journey across the country and will be visiting. I'm excited for some home cooked meals and to show them where I live now. April will be a really fun month, just a couple weeks after that my sister comes to visit and I get to show her around as well. I will make it back to visit California soon but with everyone coming here and this great weather, I really can't complain about missing it too much at all.

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.

2012-02-21T19:51:00.000-08:00

We're getting close to the end of February, which everyone warned me was the worst and we have really lucked out with less than half of normal snow fall. I bring up the weather because it has such a stigma when discussing Chicago with most people. The two reactions I received when I told people in California that I was moving to Chicago were, "What, why, it's SO cold there!," and "You're moving THAT far away from Las Vegas?!"

I am definitely not complaining about how mild the winter has been. When it has snowed though I've tried to enjoy it since I've never experienced it before. Trudging through the snow always seems to turn into a fun adventure. I have yet to make snowmen or anything like that so hopefully that comes next. As for being close to Las Vegas... well Chicago makes up for what I loved about Vegas without ever having to leave the city.

I went to Las Vegas so much because I felt a need to escape Orange County after being there for 20 years and because I love house music and the best DJ's are there every weekend. I have continued seeing all of my favorites here- this month I've seen Alesso again, Adrian Lux, D. Ramirez, Gabriel & Dresden, and Porter Robinson and Sebastian Ingrosso are coming up this weekend. I got the best news I had in awhile when I found out that Calvin Harris will be here on St. Patrick's Day too. St. Patrick's is such a fun time here and Calvin Harris is my absolute favorite DJ. I saw him 3 times last year, including my birthday in Las Vegas. I had the best birthday ever and it may even be possible to have a better one this year. House music started in Chicago and it is great to be able to live in a place where there is such a community to appreciate it. I am really looking forward to the summer time too and all of the festivals. I am especially looking forward to getting back to Las Vegas for Electric Daisy Carnival.

Besides snow storms and good music, February is a time for some holidays. Valentine's was last week and Jack's birthday is tomorrow. Valentine's is an interesting time, which I always like if I'm single or in a relationship. It is nice to get the flowers and Valentine's dates but even if you're single, it can be a fun holiday to enjoy everything heart shaped and pink, that's the way I look at it. I noticed so many people with such strong negative connotations towards Valentine's Day and I really think that is a waste of time and emotion to complain about it; appreciate what you have! And as for Jack's birthday, I can't believe he's going to be 4 tomorrow! I will make sure to take him on an extra long birthday walk for a present!

I can't imagine a person becoming a success who doesn't give this game of life everything he's got

2012-02-06T19:33:00.000-08:00

Funny how things always happen to have a way of working out. The last blog I wrote was exactly 2 weeks ago today and I was feeling discouraged about being unemployed (as in that part of the unemployment statistic, which includes those working part time) and focusing on surviving living in the city. I've had a job since I was 15 years old continually, over 10 years now and only had 3 days of unemployment when I arrived in Chicago. The idea of not having work was scary and foreign to me. I tried to maintain a positive attitude about the situation and remained optimistic it would all work out.

Luckily preparation met opportunity the day after I wrote the blog and I went into yet another interview. I had interviewed with a few companies and was starting to get discouraged when I wasn't even getting hired for opportunities that I would have been settling for. The next day I received an email with a job offer for a position I wanted with a real salary, Monday-Friday work week, and health benefits in a nice office close to where I live downtown on Michigan Avenue. Not only was it everything I wanted but ever since I graduated with my MBA I have been looking for a position where I can do Marketing or continue with my Real Estate background and this opportunity allows me to do both.

This experience is reinforcing my belief that "everything will be ok". It's a general philosophy that I try to live by and even have it written on one of our vision boards. When myself or anyone around me is going through a struggle, I always believe what's meant to happen will, and all we can do is focus on the things that we have control of. I feel very fortunate that my situation worked out so well; it wasn't easy but it worked out how it was supposed to. Now, 2 weeks later, I've started the new job and am really enjoying it. Once I got the position, I had some time before I started working so I made sure to make the most of it and relax and explore the city with my last week days off. The weather has been incredibly good too, which made it perfect timing for spending it outdoors.

The top photo is of the lake view from our apartment, which has barely been frozen at all- definitely not what I was warned about/expected of the winter. The rest of the photos are from the days we got to spend exploring the city, the Chicago River, and more time at the Lincoln Park Zoo. I also made sure to see a movie- Beauty and the Beast in 3D, which I absolutely love, and treated myself to a spa day. Now that I'm getting settled back into a routine, I can start getting ready for the half marathon coming up and start making summer plans to look forward to. The great thing about this city too is that so many people come to visit. I am looking forward to visits from my parents and one of my sisters in the next couple months also. I wanted to share this experience because I really believe in the impact of positive thinking mixed with hard work and dedication- you really can make anything happen.

The value of identity is that so often with it comes purpose

2012-01-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

The theme of this blog and the overall attitude around here lately is about survival. The winter has actually arrived and I am still searching for my perfect job. In the mean time, I've been appreciating and making the most of what I do have around me. We were really lucky to have some 50 degree weather in January, which I made the most of and took Jack on a walk all around the beach and Lincoln Park. Even though my employment has dropped down to part time, I'm still able to find work most days but make the most of the days I'm not able to by enjoying the city in free and active ways. I even signed up for a half marathon for April 1.

Another way I've been trying to make the most of this in between time in my life is by making vision boards of what is important in my life, my values, and what things I want to see and am going to focus on making happen in my future. Good thing my best friend/roommate is on board with this and we were able to combine our ideas together in a artistic way and hang up in our apartment so we could see our visions and be inspired by them every day.

The next photo is of Jack and all his winter gear. While he may look silly with a onesie on, it really helps keep him warm and somewhat more dry walking around in the snow. The same goes for the rest of us- as fashionable and "cute" as you may be able to make winter attire, what is most important is the functionality in these months. However many pairs of pants, scarves, gloves, hats, socks, ear muffs, or whatever it may take, it is about survival. I hear people complaining often about the weather and while I may have a moment here or there where it is really painful, I try to have a more optimistic outlook of it. I really do appreciate how pretty the city looks with a layer of snow covering it. It is crazy to drive by soccer fields or what used to be lawns or patios and just see a sea of white. Although I am looking forward to the weather warming up as much as anybody I am just trying to prepare as much as possible every time I get out there and enjoy each moment of it. Some of the most fun times can happen while getting out and enjoying the snow.

Looking for a job and getting out there and interviewing isn't the easiest thing to do in this kind of weather. It makes me wonder if it was the right thing to do to leave a stable good job in California to come here. But then I think about how much I love Chicago and my worst day here is better than my best day in California. I will do what it takes to stay here, even if it's taking temporary assignments not in my field. I read a statistic that in today's job market it is taking an average of 17 interviews to land a job. Although I am not even near there yet, I am appreciating that I am still able to get work to enable me to stay in this city that I love until I find my perfect job.

I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.

2012-01-09T19:13:00.000-08:00

Christmas and New Year's have come and gone so fast, I can't believe it's already a week into 2012. I had a great time in California and it was so wonderful to see my family and friends. The weather was completely perfect while I was there and I spent as much time as possible at the beach. As great as it was, I was actually happy to go back home to Chicago. While I love all of my friends, family, and the weather there, I feel so much more at home in Chicago. I like not having to take a car everywhere and the ability to hop on the train or walk to anything I could need here.

The picture above is from Laguna Beach and the picture to the right is from the train ride from San Juan Capistrano to Oceanside. While it was a beautiful view sitting on the train, the public transportation is not nearly as convenient as it is in Chicago. Not having a car in California is restricting to the people you can see and the places you can go, while in Chicago public transportation provides you with the freedom to pick up and go wherever you want without relying on a car or someone else.

As much as I love Chicago, I wouldn't have rather been anywhere else for Christmas. It was such a great couple days spending Christmas Eve and day with my family. The top 3 things that I missed from California were: flip flops, Mexican food, and In n Out. So, we made sure to eat as much of both as we could and I never took my flip flops off the whole time I was there. Christmas day is always my favorite day to spend with my family and I appreciated it so much more this year being away from them. The day started by waking up to Santa's arrival at my sisters house with my nieces and nephews. Then we went to my parents house for a day filled with eating, eating, and some more eating of my mom's cooking. Besides a Bears and a Bulls game on TV, this year we also got to enjoy some old home video footage. My dad burned all the home videos we hadn't seen in 15-25 years and we got to spend the day laughing. From ridiculous 80's hairstyles to baby Julie dancing on the kitchen floor, to my sister's prom dates, to my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary party with my 19 year old sister yelling into the camera if it's time for champagne yet, there was some great footage on there.

Jack had a great time in California too. He got pampered by his grandparents with new toys. Unfortunately he snuck his way into the pot roast my mom had cooked and got pretty sick for a couple days but thankfully got back to health by the time we went back to Chicago. As soon as we were back in Chicago, it was time for New Year's festivities to commence. One of my very best friends came to town and we dedicated the whole week to celebrating and doing as many 'Chicago' things, sights, etc. possible.

While reflecting on 2011, I came up with a couple goals for 2012. I don't believe in extreme New Year's resolutions because I am realistic about how much I want to change certain things and I am very happy with the status quo but it would be nice to make some goals to look forward to. First of all, I would like to try to be a little healthier. Since moving to Chicago it has been an adjustment as far as getting in a particular work out routine here and eating a certain way. It is getting to be closer to where I would like but this year I would like to dedicate a bit more time to it and complete at least 1 half marathon. Second of all, I would like to be a bit more financially conscious. While this is important at all times, this is especially important right now while I am in between jobs. Also, Paige and I have been discussing starting our own paddle boarding company in Chicago. I have been wanting to start a business for some time again and I would actually like to follow through with this one and give it a shot. Lastly, I would like to make a big effort to see and do different things in Chicago. While I have done so many things in the 5 months that I have been here, this is such a huge city with so many buildings, events, and things to explore that I want to branch out and experience more of them. Overall, life is pretty great right now, and with these few new directions, I see some really exciting things happening in 2012! We started working on a visualization board and I will post pictures of it in the next blog.

Home is not where you live, but where they understand you

2011-12-19T21:36:00.000-08:00

For the first time since I moved to Chicago, this past weekend I started to really feel homesickness for California and all of my friends and family. With Christmas right around the corner, I was reminded of such good memories spending this time of year with loved ones. Moving away from my "home" of family and friends is similar to moving away from a perfect climate- you appreciate time with loved ones more and good weather more with the time spent apart. I think I'm most looking forward to seeing my nieces and nephews and watching them get visited from Santa.

The above picture was taken at Zoo Lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo. The entire zoo was decked out with lights everywhere, hot wine was served and there were even caroling light shows. The next picture is the day when it first snowed and stuck. It's only snowed a couple of times so far and I keep hearing we have been really lucky with the winter this year so far. Although I am not complaining, I did appreciate a little bit of snow to experience what a "White Christmas," feels like for the first time. I'm just waiting for January and February- everybody says those are the absolute worst months for the weather and many don't live here because they are so bad. I'm trying to mentally prepare for the worst and make plans for fun activities to make the winter months go by fast. So far, a trip to Milwaukee for Avicii in January and seeing Porter Robinson and Ingrosso at the Congress are planned. Then, before I know it, it will be March and spring and summer will be back. I've visited Chicago the past 2 March's for St. Patrick's Day weekend and absolutely love spending that holiday here. I'm hoping to get some friends from home to come out and experience what a great time it is here with all of the green beer, the green river, and all of the leprechauns running around the city.

This picture is taken at one of the last home Bears games of the season. They let us go on the field in the middle of the Kansas City game (we lost unfortunately). After the last game, there's no chance of getting in to the playoffs so the Bears are pretty much done for this year as far as my work was concerned. While I am still working there while I look for a new job, I will miss the excitement of game days. What I won't miss is working at 7am on Sunday mornings!

Last, is a picture of me at T-BOX, the Twelve Bars of Christmas. This was by far one of the most fun days I have had so far in Chicago and will be a tradition I definitely look forward to each year. The entire Wrigleyville was overtaken by so many people dressed up in their most festive Christmas garb. Ugly Christmas sweaters, Santa suits, and elf costumes were everywhere. It is really great to be able to live in a place where 10,000 people can join together and wear their craziest Christmas outfits and celebrate just for the fun of it. Definitely got me into the Christmas spirit! Now it's just a couple more days of work and Jack and I will be back in California to celebrate the real deal. I can't wait to see everyone and spend time at the beach. And although it will be sad to leave again, next week is already New Years, which will be a great time in Chicago for sure!

Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you'll be able to see farther

2011-11-30T18:52:00.000-08:00

Well today is the last day in November and the completion of my 4th month living in Chicago. It seems weird that I've already been here for 1/3 of a year but a lot has happened. The latest big decision that I have made has been to quit my job. I'm noticing a pattern following the course of my living situation. I came here in August and didn't know where I was going to live or work and found both fairly quickly but as far as the living situation went, I had to try a few options first before I became settled in my home now that I love. I hope that the pattern repeats itself with my job.

Above is a picture taken at the stadium one morning. It looks so pretty on fall mornings. I really appreciate the opportunity that I was given by getting hired there on my 4th day living here and that I would have had the option to continue working there after the season ended. Unfortunately though, I didn't feel like I was utilizing my degree by working there and it's not worth it to stay for the sake of having a job if it was making me unhappy. I'm hoping the pattern repeats and I am now able to find a job where I love what I do and am excited to go to work again.

Last weekend started on Wednesday for a long weekend of Dancegiving/Thanksgiving. The weekend started on Wednesday seeing Axwell, Thursday for a nice Thanksgiving dinner, Friday for Dubfire, Saturday for Max Vangeli, AN21, and Steve Angello, and Sunday Funday for the Bears game (we lost). There are always so many good DJ's in Chicago! And always so many things to do, it was such a fun weekend. It was a pretty stressful time making the decision to quit my job before I found another one so it was nice to have a long weekend to enjoy the city and everything I am thankful for, there are so many things.

Now that Thanksgiving is over with, Christmas is just around the corner and all the decorations are so pretty. Last weekend, we went to a Christmas parade on Michigan Avenue and it was so pretty with all of the lights and floats and even Mickey and everybody. This weekend coming up we will be going to the Lincoln Park Zoo for Zoo Lights. I love all of the free and outdoor activities there are to do here where you can enjoy the city with friends. It hasn't even got very cold yet, luckily. No matter what happens with this job search, I am thankful for the holidays, since they are always a happy time!

There are things you can control and things you can't

2011-11-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

This has been an extremely crazy and amazing year. Can't believe it's November and the year is almost over but when reflecting on the past 10 months there has never been a dull moment. From 4 Las Vegas trips, to traveling to Brazil, to graduating with my MBA, to visiting Chicago twice, and eventually moving there and quitting my job and starting over... every day in Chicago is my favorite day. I just love everything about this place from the city views to visits to the zoo to the nightlife.

The nightlife in Chicago is comparable to the nightlife in Vegas- I know I went 14 times in my last 16 months in California. In my opinion it is better because there is a difference when you actually live in that place day in and day out. Since I've moved to Chicago, I've been fortunate enough to go to Lollapalooza, Electric Zoo, and seen DJ's out at clubs from Sander van Doorn, to Dirty South, to Chris Lake, to Laidback Luke, to Wolfgang Gartner, to MSTRKRFT, to Morgan Page, to many more, in only 3 months. I'm also very much looking forward to Skrillex this weekend and Alesso and Thomas Gold next weekend, and my friends from New York city are even coming out for a show/weekend. House music is not only my favorite part about the weekend but listening to it all week long brings back good memories. Seeing a different DJ each weekend can be fun too because I listen to them the most the week before and it's just nice to have so many things to look forward to.

Another exciting event in recent weeks was the arrival of Jack Daniel back into Chitown. He has really been loving being back in the city. Living in a high rise is a new experience for him but he is getting used to the revolving door, elevator rides, and colder weather. He is just so great to have around and always brightens up the room .

Halloween was a really fun start to the holiday season. I dressed up as a raver one night and a rock star on Halloween night. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and I love seeing everybody all dressed up and picking a fun crazy outfit. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving coming up next and exploring the city with all the Christmas decorations popping up I am starting to look forward to Christmas as well as I booked my first flight back home. I will miss Chicago since it's my home now but I'm excited to spend time with friends and family in Newport Beach for a couple nights and San Diego for the rest. Lastly, I couldn't be happier or more excited that another best friend booked a flight to be here for New Years and am looking forward to ringing in 2012 in my new city and new life with my favorite people.

Free: not determined by anything beyond its own nature or being

2011-10-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

Wow, after reading my last blog post I can't believe how much has changed. My love for Chicago has remained solid but my hair color has returned back to blonde, I have moved out of my old place, been homeless for a week, moved into the best apartment I could have wished for, and am awaiting Jack's return, which is only a few short days away. I had fun my first month in Chicago but having my best friend here now makes everything so much better; I don't know what I would do without her, especially with the roller coaster we've been through.

Paige and I always have a great time whatever we may be doing and always make the best of situations; we are a great team. The past month has consisted of many fun days and nights on the town in Chicago. The great thing about this place is there is always something going on. When we go out we like to be creative. We dressed up as Indians for a day and we dress for whatever holiday may be happening, such as this past weekend, we celebrated the Sweetest Day.

Besides going out and being social, the other great part about having Paige here is that we both love spending as much time as possible outdoors. We walk for hours and get to explore the city and find new places every time. When we were living in Lincoln Park it was perfect for walking in the park every day and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

When our living situation in Lincoln Park fell through, we had to spend some time being homeless. While we were able to find a new place right away, it wasn't ready to move in for a week. Being homeless is definitely a character building experience. I am so thankful to all of my friends that helped out during the week, letting us stay with them and helping us move. When we weren't staying with friends we had to stay at a sketchy motel and we basically lived out of our U-Haul for the week. Thank goodness it was only for a week because walking around with bags of stuff and not knowing when the next time you'll be able to shower is no way to live. I am very grateful to have a roof over my head.

Everything happens for a reason and I truly believe that the situation turned out the way that it did so we could end up where we are now. We were able to find a beautiful new apartment in the Gold Coast with a view of Lake Michigan from our living room and rooftop deck. We are finally at a place where we can feel at home, safe, and free to do whatever we want. There are so many dogs here too, Jack is going to love it when he gets back (hopefully this weekend!).

The view on the way to work always puts a smile on my face. I love to see the big buildings and skyline and appreciate that I am actually living here. Since I don't know how much longer I will be working there with the season already half way through, I am starting to see what other options are out there and hope to find a place where I can utilize my MBA. From everything I have been through so far in Chicago, I am confident that I will figure it out, I wouldn't have survived this far otherwise.

This last photo is from Saturday, which was Sweetest Day. This was one of my favorite days and this picture is one of my favorites. We live in a beautiful city and have so many things going for us that the future is looking very bright. We are survivors and appreciate our freedom. We love Chicago.

Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold

2011-09-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

Time definitely flies by when you're having fun! I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since my last post, so much has happened and I haven't had more than a few seconds to think about it all. It has been full of great fun times and memories. There have been a few sad moments, such as sending Jack back to California, but other than that I have just been fully enjoying Chicago and loving life.

For Jack's last couple of days in Chicago I spent every second I could with him, appreciating what a great dog he is and how much he has added to my life. On one of his last days, I took him to the dog beach and enjoyed the sunshine and good weather of the end of summer. We made a lot of friends and had a great time. I even stayed in on his last night instead of going out with friends because I couldn't bear to leave him.

Taking Jack to the airport was one of the most sad moments I've ever had. I knew it was going to be hard to say goodbye to him but it didn't really sink in until I was sitting on the el with him in his crate. I am usually pretty good about being strong in tough situations but this was different, I had to say goodbye to my best friend. What made matters worse was that the airline had booked the reservation and offered me the wrong airport so we went all the way to Midway and realized we had to go to O'hare. I was so upset already and by the time I made it to the right airport and rushed him in to make his flight, I was in tears. Although it was a traumatic experience for both of us, Jack made it back safely to California and is in good hands with my family. With my work schedule and the cold coming, he really is in better hands right now.

Fortunately, I didn't have much time to dwell on Jack's absence as I moved in to my new place the same day, Paige arrived a few days later, and then I was off to New York city for Labor Day Weekend. I went to New York for the music festival Electric Zoo. I had such an amazing time at Lollapalooza just a few weeks earlier and Electric Zoo turned out to be even more amazing. I was able to see friends, make new friends, and enjoy my favorite music and dance for 3 days solid. I love music festivals and the unity, happiness, and simplicity they stand for.

When Electric Zoo was over it was hard to accept that it was time to come home and that summer was coming to an end. Then I realized home is Chicago now and I had my human best friend to come home to. While the temperature is definitely starting to change, it is nice to have real seasons to enjoy and Paige and I have been having so much fun. Our room is a work in progress but the California girls have made it here and are ready to take the town over. We love going out and have had amazing times meeting new people and going to new places but even when we stay in we get to have fun slumber parties every night.

I've continued to enjoy work and this is a photo of Da Bear on the season opening game on September 11. I can't believe it's been 10 years since the attack but it was the perfect way to remember that day. A football field sized American flag was brought out and a tribute was made to all of those we will never forget who lost their lives that day. It made me feel proud to be an American and how far we've come since then.

Now that the seasons are starting to change, I've been spending as much time as possible outside walking and enjoying the city before it gets too freezing. As much planning as there can be before winter hits, I know it will still be a shock. I know it will be an adjustment but I am ready to take the challenge on, this city has so many great things to offer that more than make up for it.

When you let go of everything you know and just trust, life has a way of working itself out that's better than you could ever imagine.

2011-08-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

My third full week in Chicago has really been about enjoying the nightlife and having a good time. Since it was a slow week at work with no events, I got to take Friday off and enjoy a 3 day weekend. I started off the weekend Thursday night and carried it on through Sunday. You know it's been a long weekend when you check into bars on Foursquare and it starts telling you how many days you've been at bars in a row (it started calling me an animal at day 3!). When I wasn't enjoying the nightlife, I tried to spend as much time as possible with Jack since he's leaving this upcoming weekend. We had some nice long walks, afternoons laying at the park, a picnic at the park with a Carne Asada burrito, and Taco Tuesday at Bad Dog Tavern. I was happily surprised that there can be good Mexican food here in Chicago, I thought it wouldn't even compare to California.

Friday night, I went on my first trolley crawl and had a great time. There were about 30 people and everyone I talked to was just so nice, just like everyone I meet here. We stopped at 3 different bars and it was really nice to just ride through the city at night and see and appreciate all of the different areas- from River North, to Wicker Park, back to River North, to Lincoln Park, back to River North, I was all over the city.

Saturday, Jack came out to play and we went out in Wrigleyville. We ate and drank at Bernie's Tavern on the outdoor patio and Jack made lots of new friends. Then, when the Cubs game was over, I smuggled Jack into a bar with us. The photo is of Jack getting some air after being cooped up in the bar. I think he had a great time though, he was shaking all around his bag and he was thoroughly exhausted when he came home.

To finish the weekend, the last picture is of dancing at The Mid, my favorite club so far in Chicago. While it's kind of a funny picture, I am ok being the first to laugh at myself. I have learned that life is way too short to have any lack of a sense of humor. I love to dance and any night or day where I get to dance is a good one. I just really love house music, it always makes me happy and I prefer to be happy as much as possible and love when other people around me are happy too. I'm sure there will be many more weekends full of great nightlife to come and I will keep on sharing the highlights. The next weekend will be busy, happy and sad. I will be sending off Jack but I will be moving into my new home and couldn't be more excited to start this next chapter in my Chicago adventure.

If you believe you can, you can.

2011-08-17T19:47:00.000-07:00

From the hectic last couple weeks that I have had, this past week has been relatively uneventful. And by uneventful I mean fairly routine (I don't think uneventful ever exists in my life). This week I am going to share what a "normal" week has become for me in Chicago. I have only been living at my apartment in Lincoln Square for about a week and will only be here for about 10 more days so things will be changing up again soon. My daily routine has consisted of working, going to yoga, visiting Starbucks for the Internet and trying new restaurants. It's been nice living by myself and all but no furniture, TV, Internet, or anyone to talk to besides Jack can get a bit lonely. I've been trying to explore the neighborhood and taking turns at each restaurant taking Jack with me to have dinner on the patio since the weather has been pretty good. The food here in Chicago is great, from free lunch at work every day to every restaurant I've been to, I am definitely a fan.

Work has been going well, I have figured out how to transport myself to and from- 2 bus rides and an el ride each way... definitely a journey. Lincoln Square is very far north and I will be glad to be moving a little closer, down to Lincoln Park soon. We had our first preseason game against the Bills on Saturday (we won, yay!) and even though it was a very long day of work, I can't complain. During the game we got to "secret shop" concession stands and watch the game a bit. I've had enough stadium food to last until the next game that's for sure!

One of my favorite things about Chicago is the skyline. Whether it's day or night, it can be really beautiful. This is a view from high up at Soldier Field during the game.

Jack is my little "obedience school drop out," but he has actually been a very good dog (except for a little incident today). He has been such a trooper through all of these transitions and the best moral support I could ever ask for. Unfortunately my new living situation doesn't work for him to be here so I am sending him back to California next weekend. It breaks my heart to do so but it is a temporary situation and I know that it will be good for him as well. He will get to enjoy time being pampered by his grandparents and before I know it, I'll have him back with me. Good news is, one of my best friends from California is moving here, so I'm only replacing one best friend with another.

Here's a picture of one of the streets by my apartment, it's a really cute neighborhood but more like a place I would want to live when I raise a family.

My little apartment building...til next time!

Cherish your vision; Cherish your ideals; Cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts. If you remain true to them, your world will at last be built.

2011-08-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't even believe it's only been 10 days since I got to Chicago. I arrived last Monday and since then, I have gotten kicked out of an apartment, hired for a job, found another apartment, and had some of the best moments of my life at Lollapalooza this weekend. Although the whole ordeal was pretty traumatic, I survived even stronger than before and I am more confident that I am exactly where I need and want to be.

The view from my apartment on the first day I arrived in Chicago... little did I know, 2 days later a man would come banging on the door demanding we needed to move out immediately because my roommate who had subleased it had bounced his check for rent. Surprisingly, and thankfully, he paid me all of the money I had given him for the next 2 months of rent.

While I was unemployed for a much shorter time than I thought I would be, I was still able to enjoy some time exploring the city with Jack. We walked around Lincoln Park and enjoyed the ducks. I started my new job on Monday and am excited to be working at Soldier Field- Saturday is the first preseason game for the Bears, so it will only get better and more fun.

My first weekend in Chicago was one of the best I've ever had. 3 days at Lollapalooza was amazing. I basically lived at Perry's, the house music stage for the 3 days straight and made great new friends and shared great music and memories. The experience of Deadmau5 on the last day with the rain pouring down and the entire crowd not caring and enjoying the moment was one of the best... that was pure bliss.

Now, Jack and I have found a place where we can spend the next couple weeks and find something more permanent. Until then, we're going to continue enjoying the city, working hard, playing hard, and loving life. <3

Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of never trying

2011-07-24T21:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! Since this is my first posting, I'm going to briefly explain what my purpose for this blog is and why I decided to start it. My personal mission is to share joy and knowledge and this is a way to share my positive experiences and outlook with others. Also, since I'm moving to Chicago next week, I can share my new experiences with everybody I love and will miss so much here in California. And at the moment, starting a blog seemed like a much more fun activity to do as opposed to packing up my life.

Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of never trying basically sums up my feelings towards my move to Chicago. While yes, there is the option that I may fail and not find a job, that is a risk I'm willing to take. If I never tried, I would not have the amazing experiences that I know I am going to have. A lot of people are very surprised when they hear my story and consider what I'm doing to be "bold" and "ballsy:. It makes me inspired to do more things like it, since I have so much confidence in my decision to move, I just know it's going to turn out well. I love the city and always have so much fun there, Jack and I are going to be great.

The other application I have for this quote comes from my decision to dye my hair brown. Since this last week, I spent the last 10 years of my life with colored blonde hair. It was part of my identity. I was all about the Blondetourage. Since I'm moving to a new city and I'm looking for a job I thought it could only help my chances having a more serious demeanor. It's sad but definitely true that people take you more seriously without blonde hair, I know, I've seen the drastic change. Surprisingly, I have gotten so much positive feedback and attention. Good thing I wasn't afraid of parting with my identity, if I hadn't tried, I would've never known life can be even better brunette!

Spending one of my last days in California in Laguna Beach... will definitely miss these beaches!

And it's time to go! No more furniture left for Jack here, we're off to Chicago!