85% of the Way There

It's 1:50 in the morning, and I'm still awake because I have to go pick up Law McGraw from the airport in about an hour. As I'm sitting here in my semi-empty room and writing this, I realize that we only have about 65 more hours left in Chicago. The movers confirmed today that they were going to be here on Monday between 11 and 1. After that, it'll be time to fire up the clown car and start on our cross-country trip.

About 85% of my belongings are either in suitcases or boxes. I'm starting to get really sad about the last couple of days I have left here in this fabulous city. But for some reason, it doesn't really seem like I'm moving. In my mind, I feel as though I'm just going on one of those vacations out to Monterey and that I'll be back again in a week. This time, though, I won't be back to Chicago until at least December. I guess it'll be just in time for the frigid temperatures and snow. (Speaking of frigid temperatures, it felt so liberating to not have to pack my long wool coat.)

For the past 8 months, my life has been anything but normal and what I'm used to. Before December, I had been living in the city for the past three years and had been working full time at the same company. But all at once, I moved out of my apartment and back to my parents; house in the suburbs. (That's a whole different story that I don't want to get into right now.) And then, I was laid off from my job. So for a couple of months, I was working on business school applications and interviews, where the hours were mainly set by me. Then, I started working downtown for a boutique investment banking firm, and was in an entirely different element there. I did, however, learn a crapload of acronyms, like EBITDA. And now, I'm getting ready to move all of my stuff halfway across the country to start a whole new career path and to live with Law McGraw. I still haven't quite gotten used to the idea that I was laid off and will probably never be an engineer again. Somewhere in my mind, I feel like I'm just on a sabbatical and that I'll be returning to Lincolnshire and dialysis again.

These past 8 months have been somewhat surreal, but in a very good way. Although the path was rocky in getting to where I am today, I can't wait to see what's in store for the future. But for now, I'll enjoy what I have left of Chicago and all the loved ones I have here.