Why I Like Hyde Park

(My average posts per week seems to be positively correlated with my stress levels, strangely. Also, I'm feeling very lazy about linking these days. You'll have to Google it all yourself. Sorry.)

I know Hyde Park isn't a popular destination for my classmates, but I am very glad that I made my home down here these two years. Aside from the incomparable convenience, it's actually a nice place to live, despite all the scare stories you might hear. True, I am very careful about where I walk after dark, and avoid it if at all possible. And I did have my car broken into in broad daylight. But I am realizing much to my suprise that I'm going to miss the neighborhood! (Err, my husband, however, will not.) For the single, childless types it leaves a lot to be desired, but I highly recommend the place to incoming students with children. There is a great student parent community here which means your kids will get to hang out with the kids of super smart interesting people from all over the world. (If you're into that sort of thing, smart, interesting people, that is ;)

Food options have been slowly getting better. I will absolutely miss Hyde Park Produce and there is a Treasure Island if you're so inclined. Istria Cafe competes head to head with Stumptown. (Would avoid Third World though unfortunately.) Ragun Cajun has oddly decent Indian food. Calypso Cafe is definitely worth a try. (Dixie Kitchen RIP.) Chant is very passable as an enjoyable night out. And I very much like the Alice in Wonderland feel of Park 52. I've rediscovered Noodles Etc and Medici, of course, provides a solid meal and some good Hyde Park history. Giordano's is getting a remodel but that would be my favorite local pizza joint. Not as big a fan of Pizza Capri and Edwardo's Natural Pizza. We have a Home Made Pizza and the reliable Potbellies. I'm a huge fan of the lunch special at Cedars. And you can get some seriously fantastic bagels at Z&H. And don't forget the really great deli sandwiches in the back at University Market.

All the old trees and parks and buildings are lovely. The houses get especially fancy schmancy north of Hyde Park Boulevard around Woodlawn. (Obama's neck of the woods.)

But Elizabeth Fama (yes, of that Fama), who co-authors this Hyde Park Progress blog, can give you an even more expert opinion.

Finally, some good news

So Y has been hunting for a job for about 6 months now. It's something I've mentioned only fleetingly but it's been a HUGE contributor to my stress levels and sense of gloom (and marital tension). And finally the hunt is over.

And while this job pays 2/3 what he was making previously and offers no benefits and requires a two hour daily round-trip commute (via the red line) (just one of the reasons we will not be staying in Chicago), at least we get to stay in the same city together which is worth a lot right now. The idea of raising Baby Y and giving birth to Baby X while finishing an MBA and finding a job, as a "single-mom" was more than I could handle. I could get through it, but I didn't want to. Nor did Y. So I can't even begin to express what an enormous relief this is. I am a changed woman. Now all I have to worry about is finding my own job ... and getting some damn classes.

On some school news, Dean Snyder held a town hall today to discuss the school naming and the ramifications of the economic crisis which I think was greatly appreciated. I don't like change, so have been slow to embrace Booth, but am a bit surprised by the adamant Booth haters. Who cares? Personally, I think Dimensional Funds is a fantastic addition to the investment world and think Booth is a good a representative of the school as anyone. I want Chicago to have the opportunity to show the world what a good business education looks like - and it takes money. So all in all, I think this is a great kick in the pants especially when it feels like the world is falling apart. I'm pleased.

Why I like Hyde Park

Given some of my negative comments, you might wonder why I can stand to live in Hyde Park at all. Despite some of the unfortunate crimes 'round these parts, Hyde Park has a cozy, little town feel. I love it that biking to school. I love that I can walk everywhere. I love all the big, old trees and houses. I love being close to the university with students and faculty from around the world and free museums and lectures by the world's most renowned thinkers. I love all the playgrounds and parks where Baby Y gets to hang out with babies from Hungary and China and Mexico. I love that the south side ladies chastise me when they think Baby Y might not be dressed warmly enough or when they feel I have failed in other parenting measures. I love my little local Hyde Park Produce which lacks such necessities as canned corn but sports a mean selection of hummus and cheese and Italian cookies and one of the more eclectic clienteles ever to be found picking out the best head of lettuce and cashiers who coo over Baby Y and give him cookies. I love eating gelato at Istria and walking along the little beaches on the lake. I love taking free ballet classes at the university or paying for classes at the sweet little local ballet studio with some of the world's friendliest teachers. (Ballet teachers used to come in two flavors - mean and sadistic. I don't miss that.)

So, despite my complaints, life is not so bad here. It will be a decent place to live for two years and I don't regret it at all. Assuming I make it out safely! ;)

Hyde Park These Days - More Depressing Thoughts

Taking a brief break from obsessing over my job/career/personal woes, I can't stop obsessing about the recent attack on a young woman in the lobby of her apartment building one block down from our apartment. To follow a woman into the lobby of an apartment building with a 24 hour guard and security cameras, drag her past the doors of her neighbors and into some conveniently unlocked and empty garbage room is terrifyingly bold. Even worse is that the guard apparently saw them together but thought nothing of it. (?????) And a neighbor heard a scream but, hearing nothing thereafter, thought nothing of it. And how did this guy know where to drag her? It's bad enough that he was bold enough to attempt this but that he got away with it is even harder to believe.

The whole thing gives me the creeps and I can't stop thinking about it. She was my little sister's age. So many ways that this could have turned out with a better ending. I keep envisioning alternative scenarios where she beats the crap out of this guy. Or pulls out a small handgun and shoots the punk in the head. Or the security guard or neighbor decides to see what's going on (as a reasonable person might have). Nothing depresses me more than the dark reality of male testosterone gone awry and citizens bent on minding their own business. She too easily could have been me.

And just 5 days before that a medical employee was seriously injured in an attempted robbery at 54th and Ellis. Not to mention all the robberies that seem to go on in broad daylight around here. (My mom reads the crime reports diligently and gives me the run down.) And the never ending stream of news headlines about another Chicago Public School student shot or stabbed to death, including the breathtakingly sad and random murder this month of a 17 year old on a bus (at Woodlawn and 71st). And, of course, the tragic killing of Amadou Cisse last year.

I know the attack on the young woman last week is one anecdote that must be put into perspective, but it does seem that Chicago is suffering from some unfortunately high rates of crime. Our crime rate in Hyde Park seems to echo that of Chicago on the whole. And Chicago's hypersegregation doesn't seem to help.* This CBS article says that more people were shot in Chicago last summer than U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq. Murder on the whole appears to be up. This 2003 article says that not since 1967 has Chicago managed to pass a year with less than 600 murders. Rape statistics are much dodgier - according to Wikipedia there were none in Chicago for 2006 - so it's easier to focus on violent crime.

I know that Hyde Park is relatively sheltered and I am for the most part going about my daily life as usual. But the recent events have just added to my feeling of general gloom. Just thought I'd share the good cheer.

*When I listened to the This American Life radio version of the story on Chicago's Wiener Circle I found it startling but when I saw the tv version I found it nauseating. The final scene is some nasty stuff. And the recent antics of McCain supporters simply echoes this uncomfortable truth about race in this country. Living in Hyde Park/Chicago has made me think about race much more than I ever did while living in Portland/Seattle. I'm familiar with white vs. Mexican/Native American tensions. Black vs. white issues seem much darker, sadder and more hopeless.

Last days of summer

I am so so so glad to be back in Chicago. Being in my own home after an absence is always a pleasure but it's just great to be back in a real city again. Baby Y and I have been getting lots o mom-son bonding time which he is loving. Me too. Mothering feels so much easier and more fun than it did last summer. Newborns are awfully sweet and amazing but also erratic, confusing and draining.

We are gearing up for a family trip back west which should be nice. Baby Y is a lover of plants and animals so he's going to enjoy romping around in the countryside.

I am actually contemplating responding to a recruiting email I received from Bain. Consulting??? That is how confused I am feeling on the career front. The (semi-)final word from the internship is that they won't know their hiring needs until December which was not surprising. But I am somewhat surprised at how few regrets I have about not having a finalized full-time opportunity with them. I'm not really all that interested in going back anyway. I wonder if I'll every find an employer/opportunity that excites me long-term ... or if I am destined to continue wandering.

Thoughts on the First Year

My blogging skills are rusty.

Went back to Chicago for the weekend - we did not sublet our apartment for the summer - decided to eat the expense for the sake of sanity. But I think I don't really like Chicago that much. I'm not sure what it is but just 36 hours in the city left me feeling irritable. I am interning in a small Midwest city that I did not expect to like much but compared to Chicago it feels clean and friendly and traffic free and I was happy to come back.

Anyhow ... this is a post I have been meaning to write since the end of the quarter. What was the first year all about, how do I feel about the experience, where to from here?

Wasn't this supposed to be fun?

As I've mentioned, the first year was far less fun than expected. Granted, my situation (baby under one year) and mentality (take the hardest load possible, skip all the intro classes) made it worse but the idea that an MBA is a slacker degree chock full of R&R is somewhat misplaced. You still fight to find a job. Deal with irritating group members. Are subject to arcane and mysterious grading policies. Are spending a fantastically awful sum on tuition. Sit through brilliantly boring lectures. May be beholden to the whims of egotistical, unethical professors. (Thanks again NGD.) Worry about your career and your future. It's not the magic ticket to happiness.

Which brings me to the big lesson of the year.

It doesn't pay to work hard

If you're a nerd from the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder, you hold most dear the idea that all that stands between you and success is brains and hours of work: attend the hardest schools, take the hardest classes, build up the resume and all will be right with your world.

• Well, I think I landed my current internship primarily because I hit it off with folks.
• Greatest homework hours <> greatest learning this quarter
• More effort on homework <> better grades but = unhappy family, unhappy me

As a couple of second years wisely advised while ferrying my home from the Harper Center at midnight during spring quarter finals - you will never regret not working harder during the MBA.

Which brings me to the bigger lesson of the year

It's all about Reputation and Relationships

Certainly, a reputation for being a hard worker is a desirable thing but that doesn't mean that you have to forsake your happiness and health in the meantime. By simply getting into the GSB you have solidified an important reputational milestone ... and secured an invaluable relationship network. To me, this has become the sole redeeming feature of the MBA. It's not the classes, it's the people. I am currently at a fund with a significant number of employees who are GSB grads which is a big bonding factor. But you can't bond with folks if you are stuck behind your computer screen all day - either as a student or as a worker. Yes, it's important that your class/work mates know you for your integrity and work ethic rather than a habit to show up 45 minutes late for everything and artfully dodge responsibility for your portion of the homework but more important is that they know you. So ... pick a MBA program where you will respect your fellow students and future alumni and then ... enjoy yourself. (Most of you probably don't need such advice, but I could have used the "enjoy yourself" bit a year ago.)

Baby + MBA/career is completely doable

Yeah, it does make it a little harder and make one especially unsympathetic to the complaints of childless classmates about how tough it is to find time to finish homework but, as I've said before, the class work doesn't really matter. What matters is that you get into a great school and that you get the degree and that you come out with a top notch job. And you fellow mamas can do that. There's nothing like a baby to hone the priorities, maximize your efficiency and light the fire in your belly to get the job done and get back home for some cuddle time. The MBA will make your career + baby easier, not harder, and school is a great time to give you more time with the little one.

NEVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU, YOU CAN'T HAVE A GREAT CAREER AND A GREAT FAMILY LIFE BECAUSE THEY ARE FULL OF SH** (not to mention unimaginative and defeatist to boot), more on that later.

But classes aren't totally worthless - they give you the big picture (but get the best profs)

I don't want to leave anyone feeling as though I think nothing of the technical skills and classes in a good MBA program. It's just that, pre-first year, I was overestimating the value of classes and underestimating the less obvious aspects of the program. For folks who have never had any exposure to basic business stuff (accounting, etc.), the basic MBA curriculum is invaluable. For those with more experience in the business world, it's all about taking what interests you and rounding out your skills. If you've played the MBA right you should emerge with a big picture of business which allows you to work faster and smarter - cut to the meat of the matter and have greater confidence in your decisions. And, after just the first year, I am already seeing that quality in my work this summer.

Nevertheless, my second year plan is to have waay more fun and worry less about homework and job stuff.

Ok, it's past my bedtime - just wanted to finally give a belated update.

More on the first year of motherhood and an internship update later ...

Edited 7/28/08: Note, don't let my 'it doesn't pay to work hard' spiel convince you that I'm advocating becoming a beer swilling, powerpoint pushing baboon. I'm all for working hard but I don't know that the MBA is the best place to kill all of one's free time. I'll leave that for when I'm getting a pay check ... upon reflection today I decided I wanted to clarify that.

Oh yeah, and my last piece of advice - don't assume that just because a class costs a lot of points that it's going to be any good ... unfortunately.

Hyde Park Update II

• Giordano's turns out to make a pretty great stuffed pizza.
• Treasure Island Foods finally opened in the old Co-Op - meanwhile I have realized I hate grocery shopping and plan to just Peapod it from here on out. TIF seems pretty expensive but it is an improvement.
• Chant on 53rd - which didn't really impress the first time - turned out to be not half bad on the second try. Either I was in a better mood or they've improved themselves.
• Not in Hyde Park but really fantastic is Russian Tea Time on Michigan across from the Art Institute. Wow. Great for lovers of tea and beets and dark rye.

Hyde Park's Dark Side

So my sister came out for the weekend to attend our cousin's wedding. Today she flew back west. She puts her suit case in the trunk of our car this afternoon, (parked on the street outside our aparment) walks up to the apartment to get us and by the time we get down there the passenger window is busted out and the suitcase is gone from the trunk! It's 2:00 in the afternoon. The post man is making his rounds. People are walking their dogs. What the hell? It was mind boggling. Someone had to have seen her put it in the car. Ridiculous. It was a crappy end to her visit, to say the least.

When my mom visited us in Seattle - her car was broken into - and we lived in a very nice neighborhood. And I had my car stolen out my drive way in Portland. But both of those things happened over night. I don't feel more unsafe in Hyde Park then other places I've lived but the amount of crime that happens in the middle of the day is unsettling. Granted, one should never leave anything of value in a car, but we didn't expect the crime to happen so quickly.

I feel so bad for my sister.

So future Hyde Park residents - be very careful. Apparently there is no safe hour in this neighborhood.

(p.s. waiting for the car window fix it man, a neighbor woman said the same thing happened recently to another neighbor. She left her car for 5 minutes to run into her apartment and by the time she got back the car had been broken into. And just the other week someone was robbed in front of my mom's apartment. And a few months ago someone was beaten up in front of our apartment. Mmmm. I still think it's worth it to live close to school but the crime around here does really stink.)

Baby Talk

I am feeling so relaxed - not because I have an offer (still waiting to hear) but because I have no interviews scheduled for next week. I am looking forward to doing an off campus search on my own terms.

I hate the everpresent feeling of competition in the MBA process - for GMAT scores, for admittance, for scholarships, for class slots, for grades, for interviews, for leadership positions. I am much more comfortable creating my own path than trying to outdo my fine peers. Life at the GSB is very cordial and second and first years are very supportive of one another. The competition is not overt by any means but it does lurk beneath the surface, making itself especially obvious in the recruiting season as firms pick and choose between us.

Y and I actually went out last night. Saw St. Vincent at Schubas. Discovered the amazing beer menu, great food and friendly service at Cooper's Neighborhood Eatery. I think I'll try to return to ballet classes again.

I just wanted to mention, especially for any future MBA mamas out there, that while doing this process with a little one adds some extra challenges, it also puts the entire process in perspective. I am glad that I didn't put off Baby Y until after the MBA and, frankly, I'd take Baby Y before the MBA any day. There's nothing like the sheer delight in his eyes when I open the door, him crawling towards me as fast has his little hands can move, to wipe away the bitter taste of a bad interview or a boring accounting class. No human being has loved me with such intensity or is so deliciously beautiful :)

That said, the GSB still has work to do in terms of easing the path for student moms. As I am still trying to make some progress here, I hate to be too critical but here are some of my frustrations:

• Unlike Columbia, which stepped up and created a Mothers in Business group under its Women in Business student group, we have gotten no where with trying to do the same at the GSB (and why won't CWiB update its website already?)
• Working through the Office of Diversity Affairs to create more resources and support for student mothers has been much slower than hoped for, unfortunately.
• The lactation room, while technically sufficient, is not yet up to par - (but, yes, we do have that at least for those who need it). Now if only we could get onsite daycare. Oh, but to dream.
• The admissions office has yet to take current student moms up on their offer to chat with prospectives on the ins and outs of parenting at the GSB - I believe student dads would benefit from this too. If you are an admit or prospective who wants to talk to a student parent - let the school know. We are ready and willing to give you our thoughts but I think you'll have to ask for it directly.

If you are a potentital GSBer, come help me change these things! Or help change these things at your own MBA program and set a better example than we seem to be setting here!! I'm still working on it, but I could use some help.

*Edited 2/26/08

Hyde Park Update

Wanted to update my comments on the goods/bads of Hyde Park posted last fall.

• Hyde Park Co-Op, 70 year old grocer which was struggling, finally closed and will be replaced by Treasure Island. Feel sorry to see such an old institution go but am really excited for new and improved shopping.
• The small but loveable Hyde Park Produce reopened (finally) down the street in Kimbark Plaza with way more space. Still don't have everything but it's a nice improvement.
• Discovered: Calypso Cafe, Dixie Kitchen, Bonjour Bakery and Cedars Mediterranean.
• Think the University is working on expanding public transport around the neighborhood.

On Hyde Park

Just enjoyed my first real free day (free of newborn caretaking, cross-country moving angst, homework or recruiting) since Baby Y was born and thought I'd post my thoughts on living in Hyde Park which I've been meaning to write about. It's been so great to have a family day and spend time with Baby Y without worrying about what I wasn't accomplishing.

Many students prefer to live up north, even more so in the second year, but I have absolutely no regrets about choosing Hyde Park and would encourage any students with families to think about doing the same.

The Good

• My commute = 5 minutes on bike (preferred mode), 20-30 walking. Beat that!
• My commute = 2-4 miles exercise a day. Good for me, good for the environment ...
• Or you can take a free university shuttle
• Metra will get you to Millennium Station (downtown) in 15 minutes for $2.15.
• Or you can take one of the express buses which will get you downtown in 20-30 minutes.
• And on good days, the Lake Shore bike path will get you to Indiana (going south) or downtown by bike or foot
• Speaking of exercise, students can use the very excellent Ratner Gym, spouses can join for $105/year.
• You can take ballet at Hyde Park School of Ballet at student prices - $85 for 8
• But even better, ballet classes are FREE at Ida Noyes with UBallet
• Great old buildings and trees and neighborhood feel
• $5 movies at Doc Films
• For the cost of a closet sized one bedroom downtown we rent a 2 bed, 2.5 bath, 1000 sq ft, two story, hardwood floor, skylighted, in unit W/D, DW, stainless steel appliance equipped apartment on a quiet, leafy street down here. Works for me.
• For food: Hyde Park Produce, Hyde Park Wines, Pizza Capri, Medici (prefer the restaurant to the bakery), University Market, Salonica, Istria Cafe, still discovering ...
• On campus: Rockefeller Chapel, Robie House (tour is over priced but they need the money!), Smart Museum, Oriental Museum, university libraries, interesting speakers such as Pinker or Dawkins
• Diverse, well-educated and interesting population

The Bad

• While I have always felt safe in the neighborhood, the recent shootings don't really help disprove the idea that it's not a safe area. I've never had a problem and the university police are very visible, but one does need to be careful.
• Lack of commerce. I can live without hip bars or entertainment but I do really miss having a good upscale grocery around. We do some shopping at the poor beleaguered Co-Op, buy whatever we can at Hyde Park Produce which is expanding soon, make twice monthly trips up north to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods and augment all that with Peapod.com.

We found our apartment on Craig's List. There are a few high rises down here (Regent's Park is a favorite, especially for internationals since they make leasing from afar pretty easy) but we're not high rise sort of people and happily found a retro, low-rise to call home. We tried using an agent with Colfax Realties (MBA Properties) but she was a disaster. I don't recommend them at all. There is university grad housing which some MBA students use, especially internationals, but we weren't sure that the quality would be to our liking and you don't really get to pick your unit. Our apartment is actually located right next to many of the grad housing buildings. We park on the street which isn't ideal but I hate paying for parking.

Hope that helps any of you future GSBers.

To a GSB free weekend

So things are on the up here since my emotional Tuesday.

• Met with two career advisors (second years who have some expertise finding internship/employment in a particular industry), one from PE and one from IM.
• Attended my first VC/PE student group function.
• Discovered I can take free ballet classes on campus :) (free is an excellent price).
• Had a completely GSB-event free weekend which (no offense to the GSB) was much needed. Spent the entire day with the family trying not to ponder the 'what do I want to be when I grow up' question. Baby Y slept through our visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo - I'm excited for when he's old enough to appreciate kid activities. The zoo was a baby extravaganza with herds of strollers.
• Still tempted by the "ease" of recruiting for straight buy-side equity analysis position but thinking I'll still try to do VC this year. Will be a learning experience ... (and the prospect of never reading 10K footnotes for my living is awfully appealing.)
• Laptop now expected to arrive in early November (!), yikes. Bah.
• Still battling Rain Fitness (Seattle gym) to stop billing my credit card. They are corrupt assholes - future/current Seattlites, do not give them your money! Time to get out the big guns - $42.47 per month adds up! (#$&^%#$#!)
• It's too bloody hot here for my mild Pacific Northwesterner taste. The air conditioning in our apartment barely works. Where is autumn?
• And why is there no Trader Joe's in Hyde Park? Students = TJ's. Seems simple to me.
  

Boy

Am I tired. I feel like I'm in a fog. I managed to get some breakfast and now Baby Y is sleeping so I am free to tackle ye olde To Do List but I just want to sleep. Unfortunately, the To Do List cannot be ignored. Sigh. I vaccilate on whether to talk much about day to day life (would involve lots of whining methinks) or just stick to the big picture. I managed to glance at the news yesterday. I am so out of it (I didn't even know about the bridge collapse until Y just happened to mention it in passing, assuming I had heard) that I worry a bit about looking like a fool this fall, having totally missed what was happening on the rest of the world for the past 5 months. (My Baby Bjorn bouncy seat just arrived. Yay! I'm hoping this will entertain Baby Y in some of his waking moments - giving me more To Do List time. I regret our lack of baby prep since shopping with a baby is impossible. But that's the joy o' internet shopping. Thank you, Amazon! Bought a Moby Wrap but it's really hard on my body to wear him all day. Hopefully it'll be easier once I heal fully.) Anyhow, perhaps I just need some coffee - am meeting an old friend for high school this afternoon, will drink lots of coffee and hope for the best.

But we seem to finally have a moving plan. My mom, Baby Y and I will fly to Chicago the week before Core starts and poor Y will drive a Penske truck to Chicago, dragging our car behind him. We looked at the UPack folks and the full service movers and not only were neither option particularly cheap (especially since our belongings are split between Portland and Seattle) but we would be without our possessions for an awfully long time and couldn't count on when they would arrive exactly. The self-move plan is actually simpler though not so fun for Y.

I can't believe I'm back to school in less than a month. Goodness, I hope this works. I feel hopeful and confident but also a bit dubious. But we are really excited to be moving to a bigger apartment (2 bedroom compared to our current studio) and Y is actually really excited to move since it means he gets to work from home. And I am excited to not be on sole baby duty 20 hours a day. I'm all for sharing the burden.

It's all about prioritizing right now - never was that more important. I just have to let go of anything that isn't vitally important to the move or the school plan.

Onward! :)

Home is Where the Heart Is?

(Husband) Y and I just arrived back in Seattle. I am so relieved to be here. I am so relieved to no longer own a home or be a landlord. Seven years of headache and worry. Gone. I never imagined I would ever be so glad to hand over a home I loved so much to strangers. But with the responsibility of taking care of Baby Y and the unknown of Chicago looming, bursting pipes or cranky renters would just send me over the edge at this point. (And have actually sent me over the edge, many times already.) It's a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. It's going to be a very long time before I feel like owning property again. That house was like a full-time job and the prospect of turning all that time and energy (and money!) towards the other parts of my life is really exciting. We (mom, sister, husband helping) had until midnight yesterday to empty and clean the house and we were out at half past midnight. It was a mad horrible race against the clock. I learned my lesson there!

No fellowship for me. No surprise there.

Anyhow, on the upside, being done with the house and the Portland part of my life and being in the final stages of securing housing in Chicago has finally made room for me to be excited about the upcoming move. I felt like a spoil sport when people would ask me if I was excited and I just felt overwhelmed and exhausted by the logistics of everything I need to accomplish in order to get to Chicago and couldn't express any enthusiasm for it all. Y and I are just really excited to leave the Northwest and do something new. Leave the good and the bad of our lives here and have some fresh scenery. Anyhow, it's just a relief to feel excitement finally. I was beginning to think that something was wrong with me! What a summer ...

Also, if you are a fellow GSBer you will know who I am soon enough. I doubt there are many other student mothers from the Pacific Northwest attending ;) I don't expect to hang onto my anonymity forever but trying to is comforting for me since I am still not yet comfortable with this whole blog thing.

Joy o Packing

• In Portland all this week to pack up the house and turn it over to the new owners. I am really looking forward to Saturday when this will all be behind me. I hate packing, especially when I'm trying to sort through 7 years worth of stuff - don't want to move it to Chicago but don't want to get rid of it either ... what to do, what to do! Been a rough week but the end is in sight.
• Trying to figure out how to move our family to Chicago. We were going to rent a Penske truck but have come to the conclusion that that may be insane given that Baby Y will be about 10 weeks old at that point.
• But Baby Y and I are getting the hang of the newborn thing and I am no longer in excrutiating pain. Thank goodness!
• We may have found an apartment in Chicago too which will be a huge relief.
• Had an interview for a fellowship today which I (of course) desparately want and I've been worrying all day (afterwards) about how I probably screwed up my chances by my brain deadness. I think they want someone who wants to definitely be in Chicago afterwards and I just can't make such a claim at this point. Oh well ... I could definitely have made a better impression though I think. I can be so amazingly inarticulate. Luckily it was today and not yesterday when I was operating on 2 1/2 hours of sleep. Ugh.
• I'm also worried about the 3 day retreat we have to do upon arriving at the GSB in September. I can't really be away from Baby Y that long yet given that he's not a formula baby but they don't want me to bring him even if my mom was there taking care of him all day. Pumping a 3 day supply of milk (that's a lot this early in the game!) especially just before moving cross-country (how to keep it refrigerated?) will be no easy matter. And it may seem inflexible but I'm not about to feed him formula. His well-being comes before everything else. I just hate asking for special circumstances or standing out in any way. Babies definitely make life much more complicated but I'll have to get used to it! :) We'll figure it out though I'm sure.

Looking forward to Saturday!!

Home Sweet Home, Where Art Thou?

I'm moving into obsessive mode about housing in Chicago. I'm trying to reassure myself that I have plenty of time but trying to do this housing search long distance and knowing that my abilitities will be greatly impacted by the soon-to-arrive babe are turning me into a mad woman. I'm addicted to Craig's List ... although it doesn't seem to be quite as popular in Chicago as it is here in Portland/Seattle. (Portland is a Craig's List mecca ... )

I also have the urge now and then to pull this blog all together. The shy, reclusive me can't figure out why I would post the details of my life in public.

Anyhow, figuring out where to live in Chicago is driving us crazy. Hyde Park = convenient = boring? South Loop/River West/etc = urban = more fun? Not that we're up for fun, or will be up for fun in the fall as we adjust to infant-land. Do we go super frugal now that we're a one income household with a new addition and a mom-in-tow to support? Or do we just live as comfortably as seems reasonable and not worry about the extra pennies? I think I spend too much time trying to economize but then the frugality pays off so it's hard to let go of. Right now, for example, we are living in a studio apartment and the savings have been fabulous. Living well below my means makes me a happy woman. But I sure would love a nice kitchen ... I miss being able to cook big dinners without running into myself. Or having friends over without running into them ...

So here it is 1:05 a.m. and I'm trolling Google for some hidden housing wisdom. I should go to bed though I'm starting to have more trouble sleeping these days anyway. The old belly is a bit burdensome and the weather has been really warm.

Ack! Off to bed with me.