Just like the Girl Scouts taught me...

It’s official…I am a full-time nanny! If you had asked me a year ago about this situation, I may not have been as excited. However, with recent economic issues (ah-hem) and the desire to stay in Chicago for a little while longer, this is the perfect solution. Not to mention, I’ve found a great family and the cutest little baby on the planet to hang out with, so it’s not such a bad deal. Also, I’ve made some great connections here who will hopefully lead me to some freelancing opportunities. So, I guess we’ll see!

I’ve been thinking a lot about my new apartment and my new life, and I honestly couldn’t be more excited about everything that’s coming up! Luckily for me, everything seems to be falling into place (knock on wood, of course). However, there are a few more things I want to do while I’m here.

First off, I really had not anticipated how difficult it would be to make friends in a new place. I’m under the assumption that most of you reading this know me, at least a little. If I am correct, then you know as well as anyone that making friends happens to be a forte of mine. But there is a common factor of all my previous friend-meeting grounds…wherever I went, the place was chock-full of people with the same common goal as me. High school: graduate high school. College: graduate college, maybe throw some (or a lot) of partying in along the way. In Chicago, I don’t have that luxury. I have moved to a place where people are established with jobs, friends, routines and hangouts. Breaking in isn’t easy. Not to mention, the other interns at WGN are not too social, and babysitting is not the best job for meeting people.

Luckily for me, I have a great base here. Kait, Erin, Alan, Ryan, Allie and Paul (until they left me) were lifesavers in my first few months here. Also, visits from some of my favorite people spiced things up and kept me excited.

But I have decided to take some steps in building my own little world here. Let me clarify that this decision is not to split from my friends here…but for me to get to know more people and have some things to occupy my time in the evenings after work and when Kait and Erin might not feel like reliving college with me by drinking a bottle of wine on a Tuesday night. Haha

Hot Commodity is a good start. I’ve gotten to know some really cool people, and I get to keep singing. But…I still feel like I could be doing a little more…

So, I’ve decided to join a book club. I like to read, and the time commitment is relatively small. I think I’ll be able to meet a pretty wide array of people, as well. Besides, watching a baby for 10 hours each day is bound to provide some down time.

Also, I’ve registered for details about Meet Ups around the city. There’s a group that meets for different theatrical events once a month. And another that meets at different museums throughout the city. Actually, there are a few thousand Meet Up groups in Chicago, with one fore about every hobby, interest or specialty. Anyway, I imagine these are pretty flexible, and will give me more insight about events and happenings around town. I can pick and choose what I want to attend, and I’ll get to meet a concentrated group of people with similar interests.

Finally…I’ve joined a gym. Every one in my life seems rather surprised by this, and I am, too. Not that I am opposed to fitness, I just really hate gyms. I played sports through middle and high schools, and rollerbladed down trails near my house, so I just never got into the habit of running in place on a treadmill.

Well, I found a place a block from my house that is really nice. I’ll spare you all the details of the layout, although, if you want them, feel free to check out the Fitness Formula Club’s Web site at www.ffc.com.

I’m hoping that this will also be a place for me to meet some new people…not to mention, they have a beach yoga class on Sundays that I am dying to try.

So, here’s to making new friends but keeping the old…and maybe getting in shape along the way.