Off for my Starbucks fix and then drive to my 11am interview

Chicago White Sox parade

My friend Brent and I are gonna go to the White Sox parade tomorrow starting at noon if anyone wants to join us. It starts at LaSalle & Jackson and then ends at LaSalle and Wacker. I'm not a big sports fan but I watched the games, and just like to people watch and take pictures.

Get up start doing my routines.
Open blinds, hang up bath mat from Brad's shower, make bed, put the things on Brad's dresser back in place, close the closet door, close drawers that might be ajar. Drive to the local downtown area listening to Stereo Total trying my best to imitate her french accent. Go to Einstein's, get a toasted bagel with schmear, say "hi" to Ed the owner on my way out. I can hear the old guys at Starbucks a block away. Booming voices and laughter, they were still on their high from last nights baseball game.
Robert asked me if I stayed up to finish it. I had. They approved, seemed I was the only female they knew of who did. Robert gave me a hug. Went in, got my iced coffee and went back out to the boys. Cold outside, but they had a crowd out there going on. As we were talking outside I noticed I got some powder on Roberts shoulder when I hugged him. I hate that! I am supposed to look flawless and fresh faced..like I don't have a lick on. This is giving me away! Jack comes by wanting to know where I was yesterday morning since I didn't come around. I'm still looking at the smudge on Robert's shoulder. Robert brings out pictures from his latest party and I use it as an opportunity to pat his shoulder and oh so subtly wiping away any evidence.
The boys make a big to do about my wearing camo pants, until a guy with blue hair and piercings walks by and totally distracts them as they wonder what this clear outsider is doing on their territory. I excuse myself to go walk dogs.















I finished Pretty Is As Pretty Does last night, so gonna head out and find a place to start reading Geek Love, and do the local crossword and sudoku before my therapy appt at 3.

My phone interview from yesterday went well, I am going in for an interview on Monday from 11-12. It's a bit of drive, not in the loop. Brad doesn't like the drive but we will see if they even make an offer and deal with it then.

Me-n-Addy

I picked up 3 books today.
Sarah - JT Leroy
Pretty is as Pretty Does - Alison Clement
and Geek Love - Katherine Dunn

Just read Sarah from start to finish in about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Dropped my out of town guest at the airport this morning.
I like being with people like her to just hang out, not just non-stop activities.
Introduced her to my Starbucks retired boyfriends this morning. I like taking people to places I frequent or people I frequent to show them what I mean. I took her to my W Hotel bathroom hideaway. My favorite L stop (Brown line - Belmont) Lou Malnati's pizza, the geese at the local river walk, candy from the local candy store...and of course my local Goodwill store.

I am now becoming a regular at the local Einsteins bagel place as well.

I need a raccoon bone necklace now...

Think I'll go start on one of my other books.

Yesterday I went to the loop for another meeting with a different recruiter.
He seemed like a nice enough guy, he will look for a job for me. He also said I should think about being a recruiter. Maybe...see if anything turns up, then I just may think about it.

Leaving his office on Michigan Ave, I saw the bridge was up letting sail boats through. That only happens twice a year and I was super excited so I ran as fast as I could not wanting to miss anything.



I just think it's so neat.







Then I crossed the bridge heading to Water Tower Place for lunch. On the other side of the bridge were some walking ads for a cellular service but I forget which one. HA! They all had painted blue faces with signs saying "Talk till you are blue in the face". And all pretending to be talking on the phone. Suits, segways, regular looking but all with blue faces. Whatever.

Went to Water Tower, got some Wow Bao for lunch. Teriyaki is my favorite.



From there I caught the Northbound 146 CTA to Richard's place. It was nice just to hang out at his place. Play with his dog Chauncey. We taped some for his Madge Weinstein podcasts. Put out some craigslist ads for him. Then took Chauncey out for a walk in the park. He lives right across from the water, it's really pretty. That's what I should have taken shots of...but I didn't. We were too busy talking. He has such a great view of the downtown shoreline.

Today was so nice I had lunch outside.
Since I was by myself, I was obnoxious and took pictures.








Now off to mow the lawn!

Listening to a bunch of Stereo Total I downloaded.

One of the Starbucks mafiosi invited Brad and I to his radio show/dinner/get together. We aren't going this weekend cause we have a guest in town. Next one is in December. On his info flyer he mentions Teri O'Brien as one of the big name members. So I had to tell him how I felt about her. "Teri O'Brien is a self-righteous pompous c***." He just laughed and stayed indifferent...perfect media host that he is. Brad read up on the guy and looks like he hangs with people like her mostly. I'll still go and check it out...but I really hate that bitch. She can't sit with me. I mean that in the italian way. You know.

Tomorrow I'm going to the loop, another meeting with another recruiter.

I'm gonna mow the lawn today. It's supposed to be warmer.

My main boyfriend Jack of the mafioso and the media guy got to meet Brad on Saturday when we went in to Starbucks to read the paper. I like my mafiosi guys, but they lay it on too thick with the compliments. Ok already!!

Tonight free haircut.

I walked dogs last Friday.
The first dog is Johnny, and the second one is Brownie.
Johnny has beautiful tiger stripes, and likes to play tug of war with his leash.
Brownie just wants to be held, and keeps at least one of his large pointy bat ears raised so no one sneaks up on him.

Last I walked Nubbie. He is 6 years old and just the best dog. Laid back, but attentive. Just wants to be around people, likes to hear secrets and his belly rubbed.




He is so photogenic I took quite a few....

Riding the Sheri roller coaster!
Yesterday I got all the scowling and sulking out of me and was fine today.

During my whining session yesterday I didn't even mention that I just got back from visiting Brad's family for a long weekend trip. The guys went perch fishing, I went to the zoo with Brad's mom. It was a great time, no crowds and all the animals were really active. The giraffes were mating, the hippos play fighting and the monkeys slapping each other. Also went to a pumpkin patch that had a running farm so I got to dote on the cows, pigs, piglets, and go for a hay ride. Also went to an apple butter festival. So lots of fun. Watched quite a few Bob the Builder videos with my nephew. Bob the Builder. Can we fix it? Bob the Builder. Yes, we can!










Today I had breakfast with the Starbucks Mafiosi. I got introduced to a local broadcaster that invited me and Brad to his show/dinner to network and meet some people to help me find a job. The local police also came by and chatted cause Jack (my retired boyfriend, is the father-in-law to their captain).
Had a therapy appointment. Ran some errands and had a dentist appointment. (Need to floss more....)

Got several more calls today. I am meeting with a recruiter tomorrow morning in the loop before I have lunch with Brent. Got another good call from a company that Addy works for and the woman was really nice and really seemed like she wanted to help me find a job and was forwarding my resume to a guy for a project management position. I also got several other calls "no I don't want to relocate", and some other possible opportunities to still talk over.

See I always do this....
I talk about interviews and job possibilities, I get hopeful, maybe even a little excited. Then I don't get the job and then have people asking me how the job thing went and have to tell them I didn't get it, feel sorry for myself and a bit embarrassed. But then I do it all over again.
Whoo-whoo!!! All aboard the Sheri rollercoaster!!!

Oh yeah, and I lined up a free haircut for myself next Tuesday at Mario Tricoci (ooh la la!) as a hair model. Yay me!

I am pissy today.
I didn't get the job from last week because of one question about trace routing that threw me....I thought he was asking for a unix command and he was talking about trace routing! And yes, that was the reason why, I called the person that would have been my boss and she confirmed it. I told her how that question threw me and didn't fairly represent my skills and she said she would talk to the guy and she took down my number and I told her I was still interested in the position, had several recruiters call me for this position saying how I was a perfect match and how I believed I was a great candidate for the position. I hate groveling.

The other local job passed on me because although I have 10 years of HP experience, they want someone with experience in HP 11, and I have experience in HP 10.
How very fucking Spinal Tap of them!!
There is very little difference from HP 10 to 11, just like Solaris 2.8 to 2.9. If you can do one you hell as sure can do the other.

I put my resume out on another site and have recruiters calling me today.

I am wearing a sweatshirt, ponytail, slippers and a scowl on my face today, even went out in my house slippers today to run errands.

I ate cake batter for lunch.

This is me before my interview this morning. (Look Ma! A suit!!)
Sitting outside the building playing sudoku.
4 hours of being tag-teamed by 3 directors and 3 managers.
I think they liked me.
I think so...

Not many questions asked, and most of the time they were describing my job and the company, like an orientation. So maybe thats a good sign. All of them said they liked their job, in fact offered the info without me even asking. Which is nice, I believe them too. I asked them all nosey questions about themselves. I'd be working right across from the Sears Tower.

I did ok before the interview. I got downtown early. Took the last express. Went to Starbucks just to see some familiar faces, I find comfort in that. A guy from my old team stopped to talk to me and told me a lot of stuff about my old boss and things that were going on. I won't get into anymore in case anyone from my old work group reads this...nosy nellies!!

Yesterday I spent time with Emily. Hadn't seen her in awhile, it was nice to catch up. She is just so fun to be around. We talked about my new therapist and how that has been going, she was happy about it. Went goodwill shopping and then had a ladies lunch at California Pizza Kitchen.

Today Shishie called and I got to tell her all about my interviews, and she caught me up on her latest job info, and all the marathons she has registered for. I'd like to go see her and support her in one of her marathons.

Brad and I just got back from dinner so I could tell him about how today went without getting sidetracked by other stuff. It's how we do stuff now. It works.

Yesterday Brad & I spent most of the day downtown, Chinatown and Damen area.
Here are pics, and his comments of the day
We had a really good time.

Today we did yard work. (mowed, weeded, leaf blower, trimmed shrubs, and weed whacked)

Tuesday I have a huge long interview in the loop. Wish me luck!
I am meeting with 4 managers and 2 directors! EEK!! But I already did a phone interview with my boss-to-be. I am really happy she is a woman...very nice change for me. We seemed to hit it off, she would be training me to take her old job. The interview is from 11am to 2pm. So I will probably be wiped out after that. And there is another more local y possibility for me too, still waiting to get feedback and have an interview set up for that though. If I got the local job though...I just might be able to get a dog since I would be closer to home.