And reality sets in...

The novelty of being in a new place is wearing off. I’m not a tourist anymore, but I still haven’t found my niche yet. It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks, and I need to make some changes.

The transition to Chicago was shockingly easy. I think it was a combination of excitement and anticipation. But after being here for three months, the frustration of starting life in a new place is sinking in.

I’m lucky that I have a few good friends from home here, but making new friends is harder than I thought it would be. It doesn’t help that my job is hanging out with a baby, not working with people my age. I think work makes meeting people easy…and I don’t have that luxury right now.

The nannying is still going well, but the baby is teething, so she’s not happy most of the time. I feel badly for her because I know she’s in pain, I just miss the days when she would nap and I could get things done! It’s selfish to say it, I know, but at this point it’s just adding to my frustration.

The most frustrating part is my inability to job search. Her parents told me to feel free to look for something permanent, which is really generous, but I can’t do at the expense of Emily. So when she’s awake, I’m not looking. Which means I’m hardly looking right now. I’m totally hustling on the job front, trying to sift through the thousands of bullshit postings on Web sites and find legitimate offers. I’m looking at almost all entry-level positions…but it turns out, entry level really means with 5 years of experience. Hm…interesting. And annoying.

I keep signing myself up for events and workshops, but this weekend will be the first time I can make one. It’s a weekend-long workshop on political campaigning. It looks like they have some sessions on social media and political marketing/communications, so I think it will be really interesting. At least, I hope it will be!

I also joined a new choir at St. Clement Church. It’s finally getting me back to sacred/Latin/classical music, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Rehearsals are on Wednesday nights, then we perform at the late Sunday morning mass. I’m really looking forward to this and think it will be a good outlet for me.

So, that’s it. Maybe my work schedule will level out a bit so I can make some of the other things I’ve signed up for. I guess we’ll have to see. Either way, I’ll keep you posted!

Tossing 'Hail Marys'

I never thought I would join the workforce ranks as a nanny, but it is the situation I currently find myself in.

Luckily for me, the family I work for is incredible. Both parents are really great, and the baby, 6-month-old Emily, is adorable. She’s so cute I can hardly stand it, and I’ve become mildly obsessed with her.

Don’t worry, this is not a permanent job by any means. For now, though, it’s allowing me to stay in Chicago while I job search, as well as maintain a social life and even save some money.

What’s been interesting about this job are the people I have met. It seems like most affluent families in Chicago have full-time nannies, and believe it or not, I am in the minority of that group. I’m white, I’ve gone to college and I’m an American citizen. Weird, right?

I’ve met nannies from all over the world…Mexico, Barbados, Ireland and Poland. Actually, I have met at least a dozen nannies from Poland. Most are older than my parents and have been in the United States for about 20 years.

I got to chatting with one the other day about how we both ended up nannying in the city. It was an interesting conversation, and we covered a lot of ground. I mentioned that I used to sing classical music. The Polish nanny put her hand to her chest and asked if I knew Schubert’s Ave Maria. Of course, I do. Then she asked if I knew the legend of what inspired the Austrian composer to write one of the most beautiful and enduring pieces of religious music.

I must have sung the Ave Maria a million times, but I didn’t know the story, so she told me.

Franz Schubert was traveling through the Austrian Alps during a very cold winter. On a very dark and frigid night, he wandered from the path and got lost on the mountain, disoriented and freezing, his energy was depleting and he desperately sought cover from the harsh conditions. Unable to find shelter, death seemed imminent, so Schubert started praying for relief. Suddenly, an angel appeared. She reached down and enveloped him in her warmth before carrying him to shelter. As he drifted with the angel, she sung to him a sweet melody…which he later transcribed into the Ave Maria.

I don’t know if the legend the old Polish lady told me is true or not, but I like the story.

There’s more to this job than I realized, and some of those unexpected aspects are very pleasant surprises.

This story won't surprise anyone who knows me.

Some people have talents or aptitudes that make them better than others at certain things. I have a couple of those, but more honed, is my knack of attracting weird and sketchy men.

I don’t know what it is about me that says: home wrecker, voyeur, counselor, etc., but it must be a vibe I emit. I just can’t come up with any other logical explanation as to why I attract the real winners.

I thought perhaps spending the last five years going to college on an Indian reservation in the middle of nowhere had something to do with my luck, and that once I made my big move to the big city, the tides would turn.

I’ve been proved wrong a few times already, but an instance on the Addison bus not too long ago really solidifies that I need a new vibe.

As I stood under the Red Line waiting for my bus, I watched people stream out of the train stop as I sipped an espresso and paged through my Red Eye. I wear massive, black sunglasses, ideal for people watching without getting caught. What I did catch, though, was a very good looking man emerging from the station and waiting not far from where I stood.

No matter where I am, I always check ring fingers. It’s the second thing I notice about a man, after his ass…ets. Well, this handsome man was wearing more than a crisp, blue shirt to show off his tan, a platinum ring glistened in the sun, projecting the word “UNAVAILABLE.”

I did an about face and turned toward the street to wait for the bus, when out of nowhere, I felt someone standing a little too close to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see it’s married man. Luckily the bus pulled up and the line to get on formed. Married guy waited coolly, letting people go in front of him, including myself, before cutting off the rest of the line to stand behind me.

I board quickly and swipe my card. The bus is mostly empty, so I find a spot toward the middle and put my bag on the seat between me and the aisle. Married man settles onto the aisle seat directly across from me.

He has positioned himself awkwardly, sitting sideways in the seat with his legs in the aisle and his left hand dangling over the seat in front of him. He clears his throat in that “I want your attention” kind of way, so I turn and look at him and notice something odd.

There is no ring on his finger.

I raise an eyebrow…which is imperceptible under my shades, and then an interesting conversation takes place:

"Hi, I'm (insert generic, cheater-guy name here)."

"Hi, I'm Candi," I reply, of course, tossing out the fake name I keep on hand.

"Cool. Well, it's turning out to be a pretty nice day,"

"Yeah, finally nice weather."

"Do you have any plans this weekend?" Ah...here it is!

"Uh, not really," Now, as annoying as this guy has become, it's quickly apparent that he is leaving himself open to be called out. "Do you?"

"Ha, no. I was kind of hoping that maybe you and I could do something, though," he looked at me with a smile.

I removed my sunglasses and smiled back. "Oh yeah? Do you think the woman whose ring you were wearing would appreciate us hanging out?"

SILENCE. Then..."Uhh...huh?"

"Am I mistaken or did I not see you get off the L with a ring on your finger?"

I got a cough in response before he tugged the cord signaling it was his stop. As soon as the bus had slowed he was at the door, pushing them open and scurrying the opposite way down Addison.

Oh...my life.