Welcome to Albany Park

The pup and I arrived (mercifully) without incident.

I spent some of the afternoon settling things in the apartment, getting my wi-fi up and running (priorities...).

Atlas is having a bit more difficulty adjusting than I had expected. He was barking at every little noise. So I decided it was time for our first long walk around the neighborhood. Above are some pics.

In the space of about three square blocks, we passed a university, a local branch of the public library, two community centers, houses of worship of nearly every concievable tongue and cloth, and a whole bevy of shops and street vendors.

Road Warriors

I left St. Louis this morning under a surprising break in the cloud cover. It was bright and cool outside as I loaded Atlas up, checked the oil and tires, and started making our way north to our new home town.

This week has been a little tough. Saying goodbyes has been more difficult than I had imagined, culminating last night in a tear-choked voicemail from my mother that just about broke my heart. There have been blessings, too, in the form of some wonderful shared meals with cherished friends and family, and even a generous IKEA gift card from coworkers.

It seems like the blessings continue, which in turn, continue to inspire me. The return of the sun and respite from the gloom and rain of the past week has done a lot to bouy the spirit.

And here's a fun one: last night I logged into Facebook to update my status to something maudlin like "Andy is ready to be done with goodbyes". However, before I could finish, my battery ran down and the laptop shut down on me. This morning, to my surprise, it read simply "Andy is ready."

For those interested, Atlas is traveling well. He's spent the greater part of the past three hours snoozing (noisly) on my lap.

Moves Happen

So much has gone on, and gone so very well, that I wish I had been more diligent about posting in the interim.

Here's the recap: I found an astounding apartment at the right price my first afternoon of looking. It's about four blocks from an El stop and exactly 1/10 of a mile longer than my current (St. Louis) commute. It's pet friendly, and they're only charging me a cat rate 'cause he's such a little guy.

Moving all my stuff happened exactly on schedule. I even got a free (and ultimately much-needed) upgrade at U-Haul do to equipment malfunction. My dad and I had everything loaded within three hours, and my brother-in-law had everything unloaded in under one. The cable and gas guys came today, and right about the time the cable guy was starting to panic about needing access to a locked area, the property manager showed up to help him out. He then proceeded to fix every single item of concern I had about the place without so much as a grumble or complaint.

My dad and I are on the train right now, heading back for my final week of work. I'm thankful for this last, concentrated time with family (I'll be staying with my sister and her brood), but also must confess that it was hard to leave today. I feel like I have great momentum for this new beginning.

And, with the blessing of all of the details which have worked out JUST RIGHT, I feel peaceful, confident even, about moving forward.

Done Deal

The offer was extended and accepted last Thursday. I am moving to Chicago in a little less than three weeks. A LITTLE LESS THAN THREE WEEKS!

Telling friends, family, and coworkers over the past five days has been tough. The whole idea of this has been nice to dream about, but the relational cost, even just in causing hurt or disappointment in those I love, has been difficult to see. The good news is that I've also received a lot of encouragement and enthusiasm, for which I am thankful.

I travel up this Thursday to find an apartment. I have one appointment with an apartment search firm on that first afternoon. I also continue to troll Craigslist, and have generated a list of about 20 individual listings with which I can follow up. I think Atlas is beginning to resent my time in front of the computer.

As details settle, plans are made, I find myself getting more excited.

Fear and Trembling

No one yet knows of this blog. I'm excited the name was available. Anticipating that I will miss friends and family dearly, I hope this helps to bridge the distance.

The work interview was yesterday, and it went well. It seems all are on board with my company for the transfer. I am thankful for their responsiveness, especially my superiors here in St. Louis. I've not yet received the official offer, although it was made fairly clear in the interview it was forthcoming. Salary and start dates have yet to be locked in also, but my current supervisor is thinking mid-May at the earliest. One month. One month to uproot my life.

I spent some time at Barnes and Noble today, originally looking for a map. I walked out with a book titled "Newcomer's Handbook for Moving To and Living In Chicago". Perfect, right? It has a lot of good information about setting up utilities, parking permits, etc.

I've been trolling craigslist and the Chicago Reader website for apartment listings. I wouldn't mind living alone (with pooch, of course), but also wouldn't mind the built-in connections of roommate, not to mention the more-bang-for-your-rental-dollar you get with a two bedroom (and split utilities!). But who? How do you find a good roommate, who is right now a stranger? The book lists some roommate pairing websites. One costs $20 for a month. May be a good investment.

My head is swimming. I want to get the salary locked in, then I can finalize budgets and move forward from there.

Mostly, I want this planning bit to be over, because once the big stuff is out of the way, I think this really could be a lot of fun.

Thanks for reading.

Prayer

It's always good to start a new venture with a prayer, right?

Oh Lord, bless your name. Before words of my plans or dreams are even formed, let your goodness be known.

I am as scared by the venture as I am excited. Help me to not live in fear.

I do not know whom I will meet, when or how new relationships will come my way. Help me to be wise and to live in love.

There are many obstacles I cannot forsee. Be merciful, and guard me with your justice.

There are a lot of plans to make. Teach me shrewdness and bless my path.

I will miss my family and friends dearly. Unite us in love.

Thank you for your goodness. You alone are good.

Amen.