I think the sleep deprivation is starting

Well, its the day after tomorrow now.  And I'm getting ready to sleep, as I don't know when I'll next get a good nights worth.  I'm just waiting for some laundry to dry a bit more so I can hang it up and hopefully not have to find someone who has an iron before class on Monday.  

Work is going to be insane this weekend.  We worked a long night last night, and tomorrow promises to be longer, with a full (probably extended) day on Saturday and Sunday too.  I can't complain, I need the overtime hours.  But, between the driving (about 120 miles roundtrip a day...  I'm filling my gas tank up every three days!  And don't even get me started on Chicago drivers or traffic...  the worst I've seen, and I've drive all over this country!) and the homework and the classes, I am going to be pushing myself to the edges.  

So far school is great.  I really like my two professors.  And my advisor.  My cooking instructor is a French Chef.  Who says sheet so that it sounds like sh*t.  He's always telling us to make sure we laugh and smile.  He's laid back and relaxed and a lot of fun too.  I'm not so good at cutting straight lines - we have been making perfect dices and the such out of potatoes and leeks and carrots for the last two days.  I can't draw a straight line, so I'm not so sure that cutting a perfect square is in my future.  I'm looking forward to getting into the cooking part of the class.  

And I've made a couple of friends in the class too.  There are two girls who I share a station with who are fun to chat with, and who's stories I enjoy.  

Work, well, that is long hours, but I'm learning a lot.  And I'm enjoying it.  Its a bit hard to work so closely with C, but to also not work all that closely with him at the same time.  We can go all day without even seeing each other.  Which is odd, because there is someone I care about deeply in the same building as me, but I haven't seen them.  I do hope we'll get a chance to talk a bit before he leaves town for his tour the start of the week.  Its so hard to read the situation we have...  And I constantly wonder am I to look to actions or words?  One day at a time, and we'll see what happens.  But, on the work side, I've learned how to tear things apart and put them back together.  I get to get very dirty every day (not the best for when your other career is cooking, but...)

There is still no work on when I might get to move to my apartment or if I definitely have to find a new one or not.  I'm hoping maybe the start of next week might bring an answer.  My body is so ready to upgrade back to a real bed and get off this air mattress.  I've been sleeping ok, mostly.  Having some odd dreams -- D was in the one I had last night, asking me to get back together with him.  I laughed at that suggestion.  

Mom is doing well with her chemo.  They had to adjust some dosages due to yeast infections, but other than that, she seems good.  She had her head last week, so that the losing of the hair isn't as noticeable and drastic.  

I really wish I was close to Red Rock Amphitheater in Colorado for this weekend.  I saw photos of their annual Easter sunrise service, and I would love to attend that.  I'm wondering about finding a service if I have Sunday off.  I have no idea what kind of church to look for right now though, in this strange state of religious discovery and relearning that I find myself in.  I'm working on trusting that God does have a plan for me, and that great things are coming.  Yet, I find myself having so much doubt because of how much change and negative things I've had in the last two months.  Its hard to trust when you think you are happy, and then things get turned upside down and switched around on you.  And you don't understand why they had to happen that way.  

But alas, I can't start thinking of that now.  It is time to brush my teeth and fall off to sleep.  I get to get 8.5 hours of the stuff tonight.  And hopefully that will carry me through til who knows when.  I may be napping in my car during lunch...

I hope everyone has a great weekend, full of Easter and Passover celebrations.

With some luck, tomorrow, there will be updates on

* why I should stick to knitting and avoid sewing

* how to chop potatoes and why I have a craving from french fries, hash browns and chinese food (yes, all at the same time)

* the fun of driving over 100 miles a day

* working full time and going to school part time

* sleeping on an air mattress and missing my bed (well, anyone's bed really)

* how to remove motor grease before getting covered in cooking grease

* adjusting to life in a new city

* trying to figure out how to make a friendship work

* trying to learn to trust that there is some great plan in the works despite being analytical and wishing for tangible proof

* and finally, taking suggestions on what newly added stress factor in my life has caused my eye to start twitching and add to the many things that drive me crazy.

For now, I'm alive, sleepy, wishing that work as 50 miles closer, and not as lonely as I feared.  And that my friends, makes time for sleeping.

Sunsets and Potholes

(the final moments of my first drive home from work)

So far, I've seen two amazing sunsets here.  One included a combination of all types of weather and a rainbow.  Luckily for me, they all seem to happen in my rearview mirror.  Its so much nicer than driving into a glaring sun. 

   (the view in my side mirror on Friday night)

There are also an insane number of potholes in this city.  Driving becomes somewhat of a obstacle course as you try to not explode a tire or bust up other parts of your car.  (Mine just reached 100,000 miles, and I don't need to do anything to make her not want to work for me right now).

I got out to explore a bit today and hit up a cute shopping center area with a very fun spice shop (www.penzys.com) .  All they sell is spices, and at such reasonable prices too.  I'm excited because now my food can have flavor!  I also hit up Trader Joe's for a couple of things too.  My friend here introduced me to this fabulous Latin market as well.  I'm going to frequent this place -- who can argue with 25 cent bunches of fresh herbs?  Or limes that only cost 15 cents?  In the big chain groceries you spend almost $2 on a bunch of herbs!  I can eat well on my budget after all!  (I think that is the most exciting part...  I splurged on a printer today to make use of online coupons [and some school printing stuff], but I'm all about figuring out how to keep my life relatively the same and keep to a very tight budget.  So far I'm not succeeding, but thats due to house set up costs and initial purchases.  Next month I really need to focus on that.  But I think I'll be too busy to spend any money, so it might not be an issue.)

And up tomorrow - the return to homework, my attempt to hem pants, and general life updates.  Until then, sleep well.  

A quick update

Another day comes to a close.  The alarm is set for 6 am, for the drive west to work.  Which isn't as bad as I thought it would be.  Its the drive home that sucks and takes almost two hours to make.  

I'm still trying to adjust to the new environment.  Sleep can be illusive with the strange sounds and fear of not hearing the alarm in the morning.  I need to work on relaxing, or I'm going to be a giant mess of exhaustion and a hazard to myself on the road.  

Work is good.  The friendship with C shows promise of being good for both of us.  But only time will tell on that one.  Chef's pants are the most unflattering piece of clothing I have ever owned (my pajamas and lounge wear look better on me than what I have to wear to school).  And my new knives are strangely disappointing.  But school should be fun.  (orientation was today).

And that concludes the brief update on me.  In short, mostly grammatically correct style.  Perhaps a more in depth look at Chicago life come the weekend.  Until then, enjoy your Fridays.  

Safely "home"

Well, not really home.  But to my new city at least.  And in a decent space to stay for the next week until I can figure out what is really going on.  (I wish I could afford this place...  its this fun loft, with parking and laundry...  which prices it way out of my range.  But nice for a few days at least.)

I start work in the morning.  I'm dreading the drive.  And nervous about seeing C - he'll leave on tour in about ten days, but until then, we are working together.  And then Thursday starts school fun.  

I am beat from the last few days, so hopefully I will sleep soundly.  As six am will come really early, I think.  

Day two, complete

Last night, I had the luxury of a Crowne Plaza hotel. Thanks to priceline.com. At the bargain price of $50. Tonight, I am at a Best Western, which cost me $65. I checked in at 10 pm. You think they'd offer me a better price, especially in this economy. I tried to get better prices, including stopping at 4 other hotels in the area before giving up and settling for here.

But enough about hotels, I need to share my pictures and my day. It was quite a day. I spent about two hours this morning exploring the American side of Niagara Falls and Goose Island. The day started with rain, but luckily, it stopped raining shortly after my arrival at the falls. (I honestly think some of my best travel adventure days have been ones where it has been raining or otherwise inclement weather. I had a fabulous day in Tokyo exploring in the pouring rain and another driving through Yellowstone National Park in the snow. And now I can add today to that list.) The only thing I wished was that I had managed to get the thumbs finished on my fingerless mitts, as I could have used them today to keep my hands warm and fingers free to toy with the camera.

There is no way to accurately describe the falls. They are a sight you must see for yourself. I took close to 400 photos. I said wow on several occasions. I was awed by the magnificence ad the grandeur. The sound alone is breathtaking.

And the Canadian side is even better than the American. The horseshoe falls has even more of an impressiveness to it. And the view of the American Falls is much improved from the other side of the river. Unfortunately, due to my lack of cash (I never seem to carry it with me) I was only able to spend about an hour on the Canadian side. It was much colder, so I think I'm ok with that.

And I do have to return when it is the tourist season so I can take the boat ride along the falls, which due to the cold, wasn't open yet. (You can see the massive blocks of ice that are still at the base of the falls in the pictures).

   

   

   

   

   

    

   

   

Day one, complete

I got to Niagara Falls about 9 PM last night. The drive was good... a mostly sunny day all the way through MA and NY. No traffic, and quite a few interesting towns to pass through (Belchertown anyone?).

I took some time to explore the American Falls at night when I got here. I wish I had had a tripod to get better pictures - I was putting my camera on any flat surface I could find in order to get a picture without shakes. I'm glad I got at least a few pictures last night, as today is quite the rainy mess. Not that I'm not going to grab the umbrella, put on the rain boots, and try to keep the camera as dry as possible so I can see the canadian side... One of my best days on my trip to Tokyo years ago was in weather like this. And I didn't even have rain boots then. :)

And without further ado, some shots from day one...

The mist leading as you walk towards the falls

The rapids before the falls

Looking over the falls towards Canada