So I Moved

by Working Girl One

In college Working Girl Two and I were of the first of our friends to intern and live in the big city. We thought were so cool because, well, we were. OK, we probably weren't.

Spending the summer living and working in Manhattan immediately established us as city girls. We were going to graduate, get awesome jobs at magazines, live in awesome apartments and soak up each other's awesomeness (name that movie).

Instead, we moved to a not-so-awesome apartment in Hoboken and were working as assistants in Manhattan. Not exactly the city and not exactly glamorous jobs. Still, we were honorary city girls.

A year later I moved to the city and thought I was there to stay. Another year later, the boyfriend and I moved in together to a lovely fifth floor walk-up on the Upper East Side. We were on the track to stay in Manhattan forever. And by forever, I mean, until my first kid had to go to preschool. I had no intentions of dealing with the shenanigans of getting a 3-year-old into glorified day care on the Upper East Side.

I thought I'd work my way up in the publishing world, make a decent living and gallivant around like a real New Yorker.

Then, I lost my job and the boyfriend got a new one in Connecticut. After I started working again, we decided the right thing to do was move out of the city and closer to his job. I couldn't believe myself when I said the words: "we should move to Connecticut." My friends couldn't either. "I can't picture you anywhere but New York!" was the reaction I received from most of them when I broke the news.

Cue mini quarter-life identity crisis. Thinking of myself as a "city girl" for a few years, I expected to feel different as a "Bridge and Tunneler," -- like I didn't belong in the city anymore or had lost my New York street cred. But apart from maybe being more tired, I feel the same and am not-so-secretly enjoying my suburban life.

Sure, my commute is longer but I have time to read again and I come home to a spacious apartment with a dishwasher AND a washer/dryer. I no longer have a bodega across the street to pick up milk (and Ben & Jerry's) but I have a huge supermarket and I can pack my groceries in a car. Despite having a longer commute, I feel like I have more of a life, an adult life here. It's hard to explain. Maybe it's the nice apartment or that we made a (relatively) big life decision together, but I really feel like a grown up.

I do missing living in Manhattan but I still get my daily fix of the city Monday through Friday and with occasional weekend trips. And yes, it is sometimes frustrating to leave happy hour early to catch the train but, I must say, I'm happy with our choice and my "Bridge and Tunneler" status.

And Then There Was One

by Lawyer Working Girl

Last week was a good week and a bad week. The good news is that one of my friends/colleagues got a new job making more money and with a better title. The bad news is that she left me and now I'm all alone! *insert tears* Let me back up a bit...

Not too long after I started working here, I became good friends with three women here. Not only did we chat at work, but we also hung out after work and on weekends. Then it happened. One of my friends got a new job. Then it happened again. Another friend transferred to an office in a different city. And last week it happened yet again. The last friend put in her notice and now she's gone. *insert more tears*

It's funny how when one person leaves others start to get the itch to leave. I'm going to be honest. I've got that itch REAL bad. Ok, let me be really honest. I've had the itch for a while, but now I feel a sense of urgency about it. And I'm not the only one.

Why am I ready to leave? Well, one reason is that I'm so ready to do something that makes me happy. I've talked about it before so I will spare you guys a little. I envy those who enjoy going to their jobs everyday. I want that to be me! The second reason is that I miss my old city. I'm ready to move back. Whenever I go for a visit, it's always hard to come back.

So, now I'm on a mission to find the perfect job for me (of course, working for myself would be the BEST, so the perfect job for me that involves working for someone else). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things happen for me pretty quickly.

Working Girls, are any of you job hunting? If so, how's it going?

The 1 Year Itch

by Lawyer Working Girl

I'm starting to get that itch. No, not the 7 year itch, as I am not currently in a relationship. I'm getting the itch to start cleaning out my closets and start throwing stuff away. I'm getting the itch to start saving boxes. I'm getting the itch to move! I shared with you guys in my first post that I'm a chronic mover. I feel that while I'm young, single and childless I should have many different experiences, including living in different cities and different states.

So how do I cure this itch? I guess the only reasonable answer is to move. However, that's not so easy anymore. When I worked as a contractor it was a lot easier, because I could do contract legal work just about anywhere. Now that I have a permanent job, I can't just pick up and move on a whim. So what are my options?

One thing I could do is start looking for a new job in the city of my choice. The only problem with that is that I don't want my next job to be a legal job. The one I'm at now is going to be my last legal job. I'm ready to dive into my passion full-time and I promised myself that I would stay with this employer until I'm ready to do that. While I'm not financially ready to work for myself yet, I would work for someone else doing something I love as long as it pays as well as my legal job. I'm not sure that I have as much experience in that area yet to command such a salary, so that leaves me with option number two.

My other option is to ask to be relocated to one of our offices in a different city. Luckily, my company is growing and opening new offices so transferring is a very real possibility. I know you're probably asking why I want to leave my current city. Well, my move to this city wasn't of my choosing really. As I explained previously, I was offered a good job here so I moved. It's a little slow for my liking, but it isn't bad. I just think that I really want to be in a larger city with a lot happening. I want to be with the movers and shakers (as I consider myself a mover and shaker on the rise). It's something that's weighing heavily on my mind.

Working Girls, have you ever had the desire to pick up and move? If so, how did you handle your job situation?

(Image/Bing)

I <3 New York

This past weekend, I dragged my dad to see Confessions of a Shopaholic with me. And just as the opening credits were rolling, he leaned over and asked, "Is this making you homesick?" 

The film was shot in New York...my old home. And I think what I was so taken aback by in that question was that when he said 'home', I instantly thought of New York. I do think of myself as a New Yorker (or Jersey girl really, but for the purposes of this post let's just say New Yorker). New York is where I did my growing up and a lot of soul finding. It's where I left behind some of my closest friends and greatest memories. It's where I had my first job. So I think New York will always be home to me. 

Which leads me to my answer, which was yes. Yes, I am homesick. I think it's hard not to miss the things that are the most familiar to you. I miss being able to go out to dinner with my NYC friends on a moment's notice. And I can't even tell you how jealous I was that everyone just drove to Mohegan Sun to celebrate our friend's 24th. I miss being comfortable with the subway system, and confident that I'm great at my job. 

Moving to Chicago has not been easy. It's a daily struggle. And I know I've said over and over that I've made the right decision (to about anyone who will listen), and I know it's not just to convince myself. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and I'm proud of myself for coming to a city that I barely knew and reforming those friendships with my high school friends, and healing my relationships with my family and for getting a new job, and trying out new things (like Match.com yikes bikes). 

At the bar this weekend, as I was sipping from my beer tower, I realized that I started over. And it was hard. And some of it was easy because I had my family and old friends. But a lot of it was hard, and it still is. But I started over...how cool is that?

Last night I baby-sat for my cousins (one of whom is my goddaughter) and it was so nice to just be there in that moment. To have them know my name, which wasn't always the case every time I came home for the holidays in the past, and for my goddaughter to fall asleep on my stomach as we watched Hannah Montana - the greatest show ever made. And then when I got back to the city, my dad drove me home and told me goodnight and that he loved me - in person. And I realized that yes, I did make the right decision. Because if I left them, if I left Chicago, I would be homesick. For the first time in a long time I would be homesick for Chicago and all that I had left behind here. 

(I have to apologize for this post because I know it's not about work, and this blog is about...work. But I'm running on about five hours of sleep because this is my hell week at said job and I had a brain fart about what to write about. And then this popped into my head and I just went with it. So enjoy my sincerity and this picture below of New York and Chicago blended together like they love one another). 

By George, I Think She's Got It

I have been at my new job in Chicago for over a month now (almost two months, which is so weird to say because the time literally flew by).

I'm not gonna lie, this whole new job thing was a huge adjustment. Despite the fact that I grew up in Illinois, moving back and adjusting to the new(ish) lifestyle here has been hard. I still don't have a clue where I'm going...ever (north, south, east, west, WHAT?!). The L confuses me to no end, and I make a silent prayer every night that I will wake up and the straight lines of the NYC subway will have replaced those loops and turns. And sometimes, I even miss hearing the incessant police car sirens (I can't believe I just said that).

And adjusting to a new company is difficult. You have to learn the lingo and jargon. You have to memorize names and complicated webs of who manages who. And worst of all, you have to make all new friends.

Friends. Ugh. I forgot how much work is involved in this task. I mean, at my old job, I think it took me a good 6 months to make actual work friends. And while it did take me a while, I did manage to finagle myself a great core group. We ate lunch together almost everyday (except during Biggest Loser at work when I practically starved myself so I could win a spa trip...which I didn't end up winning womp womp). We would whine and complain about work. We would share useless information with each other throughout the day (and inapporiate work humor of course).

I still miss my old work friends every day. Especially since I've been eating alone at my desk everyday since I started this job back in December. But I knew I had to muddle through and make some new friends.

And by George, I think I did it.

Last week, while at the event I put on in Atlanta, I had to spend a considerable amount of time sitting at a registration desk. Mainly the desk was open for anyone who had a question during the event (you know - room issues, food issues, lost alarm clock issues), but the desk was only open during breaks so during the "off" time when I wasn't running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I got to spend some time hanging out with my co-workers who were also working the event. I also got to try out Wii Fit, which told me that I am off balance and that I need to go the gym. Tell me something I don't know Wii Fit! 

I met two people who I really hit it off with - and they share my love for cheesy reality TV (like The Bachelor). That's when you know it's true friendship by the way, when they love the same TV as you. 

And while I still haven't sat down and had lunch with either of the girls I met at the event, I do know that I'm on my way to having real work friends again.

I also learned of a clique within our company. A new friend and I have nicknamed them the High School Musical clique since they are all relatively young and of course they also love to break out into song intermittently throughout the day so the nickname was obvious. They love to eat lunch together in our little cafeteria (if you can call it that) and go to meetings in a foursome pod. 

So far I've gotten along with a majority of the HSMusical clique, but I think for now I'm going to stick with establishing my new friendships with my reality TV bff's. Because if you can't form a solid relationship around your shared love of Rock of Love Bus then what can you form a relationship around? 

*Sidenote: Thanks to everyone who voted for us in the 20sb awards! Working Girl is the new "Best Career/Occupation Blog" of the 20sb! We are thrilled to say we are among the winners, because some of our serious blog crushes are on that list of winners (you know - the kind of blogs you are scared to comment on because they are like the cool, popular senior girl in high school that you worship from afar). So thank you readers!

I'm Outta Here!

As I write this, I am on the couch of my Hampton Inn hotel room in DuBois, PA (obvi with the TV on because the Britney Spears documentary starts in a half hour and I want to hear her excuses for why she a) married K. Fed, b) dated that paparazzi dude, and c) went crazy and chopped off her hair). 

So, today has been a helluva day. I woke up early this morning, walked to Jersey City to pick up my U-Haul, had my movers come to put my shit in said U-Haul, drove (almost) halfway to Chicago in a rainstorm, got stuck in traffic, and have finally stopped off for the night in a pretty nice hotel room (which is most likely the size of my new apartment). 

And I can't help but get this ohmygoshthisisreallyhappening feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I pass a sign that says "50 miles to [insert town name here]". It has finally hit me that the moment is here. I am moving to Chicago and there is no stopping me. 

It's a bittersweet feeling. Because of course I'm excited, but this past week I had to say goodbye to a lot of things that I'm going to miss. I had to say goodbye to my friends - the girls (and guys) who have been there for me for the past six years. WG1 planned a fab going-away partay which included a beautiful dinner at Jane, lots of hardcore drinking, and of course lots of dance-offs. I may or may not have even pushed good looking males off the dance floor so WG1 and our friend K, could do a super rendition of "Womanizer" for the whole bar. Two of my friends even came into NYC from Boston and Hartford for the occasion!  I can't say anything about these girls without getting teary-eyed because they supported me, listened to me, and loved me when I needed it the most. For that I will always be grateful and that weekend meant a lot to me.

And of course I'm going to miss NYC. Who wouldn't? It's a mecca of all things amazing - nightlife, fashion, Broadway, food! I'm going to miss it all. I'll miss my favorite bars like Swig, Wicker Park, and Joshua Tree. I will of course my favorite lunchtime meals at places like Blue 9 Burger, Barbounia and Mozzarelli's. I'll even miss Hoboken - how most of the people in my neighborhood knew me and would wave and smile each morning on my walk to the PATH (though I will not miss the PDA on my morning commute). 

And since this is a blog about working, how can I not mention my former job? My last day was last week and it was sad to say goodbye. My going away happy hour was the bomb and my company even paid for all the drinks and appetizers! Yay! And though I have complained endlessly on this blog, I am going to miss my job. Maybe I'm not going to miss a lot of the aspects of it but I am going to miss my core work friends, the comfort levels I had with all my co-workers, and the daily camaraderie. 

But while I'm sad to leave things behind, I'm also looking forward to all the new things in my life. New job, newfound relationships with my family and old friends, new city, new restaurants, new bars! So it's bittersweet. I can't wait for the new, but I'm going to miss the old. 

All right, time to lay down my weary and tired head. I have a long day of driving to accomplish tomorrow! Not to mention moving in, setting up cable, and of course a trip to Target! 

P.S. I know some readers were worried that since I was leaving behind the Big Apple that I would stop blogging. Have no fear, I will continue to regale you with my Working Girl stories - they will just have a different setting and new faces. I'm addicted to you guys so it would be pretty impossible to stop blogging now. Unfortunately, you are stuck with me for a little while longer :) 

The Best (Interview) Day of My Life: Part 2

In my last post, I regaled you with my giant dilemma. A dilemma, I admit, that doesn't seem so bad from an outsider's point of view. I had just found out that I had gotten into Northwestern's journalism graduate program after being on the wait list for three months.

In addition, I had just flown from New York to Chicago and had a wonderful interview with a great mid-sized company (not to mention, I met Hanson). And after I had boarded the plane to go back to NYC, they had called to ask for references. 

I was blown away. Things like this don't happen to me. Often times I will get lucky and some things will just fall into place, but never multiple things at once. I get a job, but have no apartment. I get into college, but not my dream college. You know the drill. 

So I had to sit down and make a choice. And it was a really, really hard one to make. Especially when HR called and offered me the job with a pay increase and benefits that didn't make you want to cringe (like mine at my current job), but instead made me weep with joy.

I sat down that weekend after Halloween and thought long and hard about what I wanted, what I needed, and what I could afford. 

Graduate school was what I wanted. I have wanted to be a writer ever since I was a little girl. I used to write short stories about eleven sisters and their parents - the Que family (which I was convinced would make me the next Ann M. Martin). My more grown-up dream was to write for a glossy magazine and Northwestern's pricey $80,000 dollar education could help me achieve that dream.

The flip side of the dream, is the harsh reality. My father always made it clear that if I were to go to grad school that I would do it on my own and with my own money. Money, which I unfortunately do not have. Money which would need to come from loans since I don't have time to apply for scholarships or grants since I would start school in a mere two months. Unfortunately, the problems don't stop at the money. Once I graduate, the hope is to leave with a degree that will make me more money in a higher position. This is of course not guaranteed. And I could potentially wind up broke, in debt, and without a job come January 2010. Not to mention that print journalism isn't faring too well in this economy. 

The job offer on the other hand offers me the opportunity to save money (and with my raise and living in a cheaper city - I might actually be able to save for once!), the opportunity to grow and be successful in a career path that I hadn't considered at first but now have grown to enjoy, and I still have the opportunity to live near my family and Chicago friends. Not to mention I will have kick-ass benefits and get to travel! And more importantly, get paid to do so. 

I think you see where I am going with this. When I got the call last week that I had officially received the job, I told them I would think about it. But ultimately, I have decided that this job got me just as excited as the idea of grad school did. So I called them and accepted the offer and I start my new job as Project Coordinator on December 3rd. 

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am. I've started looking at one-bedroom apartments in the Wrigleyville and Lakeview areas. My friends in Chicago and I are planning wine exchange parties and Christmas parties and yoga classes on Saturday morning. My dad and I are planning dinners together and movies on Sundays. I'm excited to be back in my hometown. 

And don't worry, I don't plan on giving up on my dream of writing for a living. Those stories about the Que's were where I started my writing career and I think it's about time I got back to my roots and start writing fiction again. My first order of business (after filling my craving for a Corner Bakery sandwich) when I move back to Chicago is to enroll myself in a creative writing course. I would love to keep writing, but on my own terms. 

So as of last week, I gave my two week's notice at my current job and am going to be sending a letter of deferment to Northwestern (because a grad degree may be in my future - just not the immediate future). 

I am on my way to living my dream and I couldn't be happier. 

The Best (Interview) Day of My Life: Part 1

I have a confession to make. I have been withholding information you guys. Before you start coming at me with pitchforks, let me explain. After I didn't get the last job (or should I say jobs) that I interviewed for back in September, I was convinced I had jinxed myself. So any other leads or opportunities that have fallen in my path I have tried to be vague about. I didn't want to jinx myself again. 

Well, it seems the curse has lifted my friends because for the last two weeks I have felt like I'm in a cheesy rom com where everything seems to fall into place and the main character now has to make a really difficult decision between two really great opportunities. Apparently, I'm playing the lead character. 

Right after I got that sketchy e-mail from my last interview telling me that they were going to keep interviewing for the position, I received an e-mail from a company in Chicago asking if I was still interested in a Project Coordinator position they had open. The HR rep had thought that since I was from New York that I must have applied the wrong position on their website. I immediately called back and explained my situation. From there, I had four phone interviews each with a different person in the company. 

After the fourth call, they offered to fly me out to Chicago for an in-person interview. I couldn't believe my ears. None of the other interviews that I had gone to had offered to pay for my flight and I was convinced that this was the real deal. They seemed really interested in me! 

So I told The Boss that I was taking a personal day to go home to see my dad and on Halloween, I woke up at 3:30 a.m. to catch a 6 a.m. flight out of Newark to Chicago. Bleary eyed and with major butterflies in my stomach, I boarded the plane and walked to my seat. When I got to 29F, it seemed that someone else was in my spot, so I sleepily sputtered, "Excuse me, are you 29F because I think you're in my seat?"

The seat stealer had a hat on, so I didn't realize until he looked up at me that the guy I spent obsessing over for hours and hours on end as a thirteen (and even at sixteen) year old tween was on my plane. I had just told Taylor Hanson that he was in my seat. And asleep behind him was Isaac Hanson (oh how I pined over him). 

"Oh, no, I'm 30F. I think that is your seat," Taylor Hanson said and pointed at the seat in front of him. So with no grace whatsoever, I flung myself into my seat and texted my sister (who is also a true Hanson fan), WG1, and our Fabulous Project Manager that Hanson was on my plane.

I have spotted celebrities before. In fact, my sister would say that I attract them. But I live in New York so while you may be surprised to see Keanu Reeves sitting behind you at a movie theater in Union Square, it's not exactly impossible. I've also recently spotted Penn Badgley on the street and ran into Starr Jones at Victoria's Secret. 

But Hanson on my plane sent me into a tizzy (just an fyi, Zac was no where to be found). I told WG1 on the phone later that I could have died happy and I wasn't lying. Those boys were my childhood in a nutshell. My obsession was ridiculous. I only ate red candy for a while because Taylor Hanson's favorite color was red. Wow, big confession there. 

I took this plane ride as a sign. Chicago was where I was meant to be and this interview was going to go flawlessly. 

The interview did go well. I spent two hours chatting with the Director of Sales, the current Project Coordinator, and then got a tour of the company's two floors. Since it was Halloween everyone was dressed in costume (my favorite was a full-on cracked out Amy Winehouse) and they had had a pumpkin carving contest the day before so all the pumpkins were on display in the front hall. My favorite was the pumpkin carved like a hamburger complete with real lettuce, tomatoes and mustard. 


All of the employees went out of their way to be nice to me and I had a great time. Not to mention the job description (event planning! travel!) didn't sound too shabby. I left the interview feeling confident but cautious because we all know my history with the jinx curse. My dad and I met up for lunch at Blackie's where I ate a scrumptious burger and fries. 

Then I jumped in a cab back to O'Hare airport and boarded my plane back to New York. Since it was Halloween (and I had already bought myself a costume), I jetted on over to WG1's apartment where I got drunk on champagne and had a great night out with my friends from college. As usual we ended up at some dive bar on the UES and I spent most of night dancing to Jordin Sparks and Lady Gaga. 

Monday morning I was still on my "I met Hanson" high and couldn't be brought down. I had met the loves of my life and had a stellar interview. And then I received a voicemail. 

Not as scary as it may seem. I mentioned a while back that I had applied to graduate school and had gotten placed on the wait list. The voicemail was from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern asking me to call them back. My first thought was that they must be desperate to get some bodies to commit to their upcoming Open House. 

So I called him back really out of sheer curiosity and was greeted with, "Congratulations! You've been accepted for winter admission!" 

I had just been greeted with the news of my dreams, but after the best interview ever I didn't know anymore if I wanted that dream to be a reality.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Jinx, You Owe Me a Coke

I am highly superstitious. 'Things happen for a reason' is my mantra mainly because whenever I really, really want something to happen it never does. So the mantra helps me to believe that just because I didn't get what I want means I wasn't supposed to. That fate had something else in store.

Point being, I am leaving for Chicago again on Wednesday night for more interviews. I'll arrive around 7 p.m. central time, just in time to take a cab over to my dad's abode and watch ANTM (I am obsessed even though Tyra might have actually lost her mind last episode) and proceed to get a good night's rest. Because Thursday I have an interview. I have an interview with a legit awesome company for a job that on paper sounds like a dream come true...except for the fact that it's in the suburbs. 

But even though this job has 'reverse commute hell' stamped all over it, I can't help but want it. Badly. And I'm worried that by talking about, writing about, thinking about is going to jinx my chances of getting it (I am aware that blogging about it also lies in this realm of jinx). I'm sure I sound crazy. I sound crazy to myself. But I'm worried that if I want this job too badly that I'm going to jinx myself out of getting it. Jinx myself out of being able to move back to Chicago. 

I think my idea of fate is going to give me an early heart attack. 

So Working Girls, I'm hoping you can help ease my troubled mind (jinx is making the act of enjoying Gossip Girl very difficult - yes, it's that bad). Have you ever wanted a job so badly and gotten the job? And if you have, did you do anything special to snag it? I am enlisting your help. 

P.S. I just googled the word 'jinx' for an image to throw in here since this post was pretty bland in comparison to others and have found that the word 'jinx' is a popular name for goth girls and anime characters with pink hair. Which oddly helped calm my nerves. 

Hello Upper East Siders

Spotted: Working Girl One bumping into a coworker in her new stomping ground less than 24 hours after she moved in. Watch out WG1, the Upper East Side is full of people you work with. Good luck avoiding them.

XOXO, 

Gossip Girl

Yes, Working Girls, I've become an Upper East Sider. Ok, so my street number is a little bit higher than the Waldorfs and Van der Woodsens of the world and perhaps also a little more east but it's not like I'm in South Harlem (close, but not in).

I moved in to an apartment where two friends from college were already residing on Saturday morning. Less than 24-hours later, I had my first New York out-of-the-office coworker run in. It was 10am on Sunday and I was with my Working Boy at Starbucks. After deluding my iced coffee with plenty of milk and Splenda, I turned around to see our version of Michael Scott with his 4-year-old ordering coffee. 

To say hello or duck out quickly? If I ducked out he was bound to see me so I sucked it up and said hello. A decision I regretted the moment the words "Hi, Michael Scott" came out of my mouth. We made small talk for a moment, I introduced him to Working Boy and we went on our merry way. It was awkward. He lives exactly three blocks and on avenue away from me.

I have since realized that approximately 7 coworkers live on the UES. One comfort of living across the Hudson was that only a few coworkers were close by and I never once saw them.