Welp, this whole funemployment thing was cut a little short. I started last Monday with Groupon as a City Planning Analyst, which should be a blast and a half. It's a good mix of business strategy, analysis, and working with sales, so it should be very interesting and keep me nice and busy. On top of that, it's a fifteen minute walk to the office downtown. Can't be beat. The energy is pretty enthralling. The open office plan and lack of dress code is quite the change. And you couldn't ask for a more interesting time to be joining the company.
The past month getting to know Chicago has been pretty great. It's a really fun city, and although I know I've only explored about 5% of it, it's starting to feel like home.
Having a good roommate helps that a lot. We watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off a few weeks ago, and it's funny how sights of a skyline that even six weeks ago would have elicited absolutely no feeling or recognition now feels familiar and personal.
Running north along Lakeshore Drive and looping back through Lincoln Park, or south through The Loop, has been a great way to get to see different parts of downtown.
It's nice to have water around. The lake is big enough, and often turbulent enough, to forget that it's not the ocean.
Jay and Jay were here a few weekends ago visiting Ted, which was good times. Be jealous that WhirlyBall exists.
The Lincoln Park Zoo is nice too.
This was the Michigan Ave Apple Store a couple weeks ago. Notice the apples. Yes, they had been bitten once each.
Apple picking in Indiana.
There have been rainy and windy patches, but a few weeks ago it was warm enough to get some time on the beach. Otherwise, even when chilly a clear sky can really warm the place up.
And now it's getting further and further into fall. Hopefully the cold weather holds off a little while longer. I'm still enjoying being outside as much as possible. I haven't been to any museums here, which I really need to do. And opportunities to explore farther from downtown have been limited. I also need to find more music, stat (although on the guitar side, I'm working up some mean fingerpicking).
Recession Sessions stays active with blogging and a short but sweet appearance on Morning Edition (13m weekly listeners making it the most-listened-to public radio show). Stay tuned for news on a small East Coast tour this January.
Looking forward to hosting more guests soon.
