Monday, January 28, 2008

My future mother in law reads this blog...

Uh oh!!! I better clean things up!! Just kidding.

Well Katie (the fiance) is officially in Chicago and I am really excited. This is the first time that we will be living in the same city in about 9 months. Just to know that I am a 10 minute train ride away rather than a 3 day drive is comforting.

The job is going well. There is some definite growing pains but I am doing well. I have received some good feedback from the superiors.

This Thursday I am going on a journey out to Denver to go snowboarding with Joe. I have a bunch of friends that live in Denver and I would really like to try and see everyone at least for a little while. I talked to Joe today and he said that the skiing at Vail is very good right now. I am going to try hard to get some pictures that I will post up here for everyone to see.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Newbie

Today, again, I was the new guy.

I started my new job at The Homestead Group (office pictured below). I really enjoy new beginnings but they are also very stressful and the source of some anxiety (especially with me). I am excited though and cannot wait till I am all trained and ready to do things on my own. The biggest thing I am excited about this job is the freedom. You are not confined to 9-5, at a desk, check-in, check-out, etc. There is a large sense of ownership involved.

So, with that being said, does anyone need to or know anyone who needs to rent an apartment in Chicago? Call this guy... 616-540-4300. haha


Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Rite of Passage

Today something happened to me that I consider to be my rite of passage into true Chicago residency. No, contrary to what you are thinking, I didn't get beat up by a Cabrini Green gang. While I was waiting for the Brown Line on my way to City Hall a stranger approached me and asked if he was headed in the right direction. I spit out the answer he was looking for in half a second.

To me, this means two things: First, for some reason, out of all the other people around, I looked like the best person to ask a question. Maybe just because I looked like a non-intimidating character or because I looked like I know the CTA. Second, I realized myself, how much more I know about Chicago (specifically public transportation) since I first moved here.

This was just as much a Rite of Passage as circumcision, the Bar Mitzvah, or the first haircut.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Just a little update

Its been a few days so I thought I'd do a post.

Something new that I have been involved with since I have moved to Chicago is the Chicago Chapter of the Calvin Alumni. I am now part of the leadership group and am heavily involved in planning events for the alum of Chicago. The big thing were working on right now is "The Game." If your not up on Calvin lingo, that refers to the first Calvin v. Hope game of the year. We have rented out the back room of a bar in Lincoln Park and are trying hard to promote it to everyone. I guess there is always a pretty good turnout. So if you are reading this and you live in Chicago you should come.
Being involved with the leadership is some extra work but I enjoy it. I think that involving yourself with alumni can be a huge asset and that is my driving force.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

The something new in 2008......

I took a new job with The Homestead Group as a Leasing Consultant. I will be starting in 2 weeks.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

A NEW YEAR

Well folks I would like to apologize for my laziness with the blog. I received a few comments from people over the holidays reminding me that I still have readers. I don't really know where to start with what has been happening in my life so I'll give it a shot. My initial new years resolution was to not have a resolution but I guess I'll make it to put more effort and importance on my blog.

Right now I'm laying on my couch in Chicago after a loooooooooooong Christmas vacation. My last day was December 19th 2007 and I go back to work tomorrow, January 4th. In this break a lot happened. I went home and was able to spend Christmas with the family, including my katie and steves katy. It was the first time we had them included in the official tigchelaar christmas. given it was on december 21st rather than christmas eve and christmas morning, but hey, "the times they are a changing (like that Jeff)." One of my favorite parts of this time was being able to see and spend some time with Charlotte (my neice). the last time I had seen her was when she wasn't walking or talking. This time she was a chatter box that walked everywhere. for the first few days Steve and I were both unca 'teve, but later she learned that I was unca mak.
After the christmas festivities with the newly revamped tigchelaar family, I went out to California to spend some time with katie and her family. I flew out on Christmas day, so most of my Christmas was spend en route. Once I got to Cali I was able to relax and do a lot of hanging out with the future in laws and of course the fiance. On the saturday before the new year we went on the annual snowboarding/skiing trip to Mammoth Mountain. This was my second time going along and I love it. I learned how to snowboard last year and this year I purchased my own board and was able to keep up a lot more. Mammoth Mountain is known as pretty much the biggest ski mountain in the US. When at the top of the mountain you are able to take in some of the best views I can imagine.

This is what we saw from the top of the mountain.

We took in the new year together in the cabin and headed back to Long Beach on New Years Day (after we watched Michigan beat Florida of course).
I began my trip back to Chicago with a 2.5 hour delay in LA. After delays in LA and a bad experience getting my luggage in Chicago I arrived at my lovely apartment at about 4 AM.
It feels weird to be back in Chicago after a vacation like that. I had so much fun with my family, my future family, and of course my lovely fiance.

2008 is going to bring some big things;

1: Katie and I get married
2: Steve and Katy get married
3: My good friend Mark Asma and his fiance Tina get married
4: A new president gets elected
5: Katie finds out what her future is with grad school
6: Stay tuned for something else new in 2008.........................