:)

A lot of my recent posts have been angry, and since I don't consider myself an angry person, this is an attempt to change course.

I live in Chicago. In (or at least near) a very hoppin' neighborhood with lots of well-known, popular, and delicious restaurants and shops, which I can rarely afford, but which are within range enough to provide for special occasions. My house is small, but cute, and I like it. I ride the train past Wrigley Field two days a week, and each time I get excited because it's been in magazines and movies and it's famous and I live by it.

I go to a school that people have actually heard of. I love my UPASS. I procrastinate a lot, but after this weekend I'll only have 2 papers left in the semester. Speaking of this weekend, I'm going to a Halloween party where I will see lots of good friends.

I've just started getting my own caseload at my internship, which is extremely satisfying because I'm learning that I actually do like being a social worker. The other day I called the Department of Human Services for a client and helped him answer some questions about his public assistance. It made me feel like a competent adult (or at least I can trick DHS into thinking I am). It's the same feeling I had those few times as an RA that my residents actually cared to approach me - I did something today, and it was useful, and it was good. I fit in at my agency and really like my coworkers.

 I have a job! A minimum wage job at a pizza place (which I foolishly thought I could avoid in Chicago), but a job nonetheless. And despite former experience in the food service industry with poor management and druggie staff (a la Jimmy John's), I actually really like this job. My coworkers are interesting and funny. My managers are positive and responsible. I get free pizza. And it's really, really good.

And finally, it's fall. On most days, it's beautiful outside. Even when it's not, it's cold enough to wear adorable cold weather accessories and my pleasantly toasty Thinsulate coat. There are pumpkins on every other doorstep. There is pumpkin in as much of my food as possible. Or sweet potato, or apple, etc, etc.

This was not supposed to be an update on my life, rather the point is this: I've always been waiting for the next stage of life to begin (first job, college, long-term relationship, off-campus apartment, out of my parents house, out of the midwest...), thinking that when I reach it my life will change so substantially that I'll finally be the exciting, interesting person I've always wanted to be, and I'll get a feeling of satisfaction that means I don't have to keep looking anymore. Nothing will be in the way of living my life how I'm supposed to and how I want to.

Well, there are still stages in my life that I look forward to, such as moving away from Chicago and having a full-time job, but for now, I can punch in to my job, log notes at my internship, or read a book in my living room and think "this is good".