What a Week It's Been!

I am glad this week is over and that basically, the holidays are over and things will get back to being somewhat normal. I get the car back from the mechanic tomorrow and will be able to drive for Lyft and make some money. I also get to certify my Unemployment claim on Tuesday so I should be getting a small, but helpful check from the state too. I also now have a positive bank account. All good things and although it took awhile, I am now ready to start the year. I am in a better place than I have been all week and it's nice to actually be able to breathe and relax just a bit.

I am sorry that the Bears lost, and I did probably post a "not nice" thing about Cody Parkey on Facebook, but that was in the heat of the moment. I do understand that it's a game and as a lifelong Chicago sports fan, I should be used to the ups and downs of our teams. The Bears had better season than anyone expected and it looks like they'll have a good team for a bit. Also, now I can enjoy the Super Bowl for the ads because I won't have a real interest in whichever two teams are playing in it this year.

I do have a plan for selling some things to help my financial situation as well too. One of the positive things about having as many interests as I do, means I have several different things to sell. Things that should appeal to all different kinds of people. I have some leather Harley-Davidson motorcycle jackets. I have a bridle and a tack trunk and other "horsey" things for equestrian types. I have some antique furniture. I also have a set of original American Girl dolls, and some of their accessories AND all of their Christmas outfits, and even a Christmas Tree (I believe). They've been sitting across the hall for years and I haven't looked at them or used them or worn them, so I'm hoping that they can bring joy to others.

I read a lot last night so I should also be finished with my first book of the year by tomorrow night or Tuesday.

So as it's been said before ONWARD & UPWARD!

What Do I Want to Be When I Grow Up?

They ask this question of kids as soon as they learn the concept of having a job (career). I love horses and all other animals. That love started at a very early age so I used to say I wanted to be a veterinarian. Then I discovered that I couldn't stand to see animals in pain, always made me cry so that was out. In high school and college I followed in my Mom and Dad's footsteps and thought I would like to be a journalist. After the first year at Mizzou, I discovered I didn't want people telling me HOW to write. So I switched to child psychology. I had babysat for many years and spent all of my high school and college summers as a camp counselor. Then I decided I didn't want to stay in school for another 3 years just to get an entry level job. So I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in English. Everyone said "Oh, you're going to be a teacher." No. I used to joke with people that I was going to take horses with emotional problems and read them great works of literature to cure them.

I have had a very interesting job history so far. I taught people how to ride horses for a couple of years after college, while enjoyable, it didn't pay the bills. I worked as a receptionist at a small computer place. Then I moved back to Chicago and worked at an ad agency for a year, when they lost their biggest client, I was "downsized." Then I worked at the American Bar Association. I started out as an administrative assistant and moved all the way up to project coordinator. Then my step-father and mom died in the same year, so I took some time off. I worked at a model train store in a mall and I worked at a motorcycle shop and even did a few months as a receptionist back at my old high school. Then I moved to Florida and worked for a Harley-Davidson dealership as a marketing coordinator. I left Florida and moved back to Chicago and got some temp jobs, including one at ComEd and one at the Museum of Science and Industry at their Harry Potter exhibit. Then I got my long-term temp job with CDW. Would maybe still be there if I hadn't moved to California to help Eric pursue his dreams. In California I worked at as a music research assistant, moving all the way up to supervisor. Then things changed and now I'm back in Chicago. I have excelled at all my jobs, but I'm not sure any of them have been what I wanted to do as a career. People still ask me what I want to do with my life and I don't have an answer. I like to write, I like to read, I learn and pick up new technology quickly, I get along with almost everyone, but I can't say that any of those things are a passion.

So, being unemployed and looking for jobs and interviewing and not having any luck at the moment and losing the car and being basically broke, I truly now have the chance to start over. Eric emailed me after I emailed him about the car and asked if I had ever considered going to culinary school for baking/pastry. As Gru would say...

For those of you who follow me on Instagram or Twitter or on Facebook, you know I LOVE to bake. You've seen my hashtag #bakingismytherapy. I've always felt better when baking and always know I'm going to get sick when I have the uncontrollable urge to bake chocolate chip cookies. I've made cheesecake for friends and loved ones even though I don't eat it myself. My Mom, Dad and Step-Father all passed on their culinary knowledge to me and taught me how to love food and the process of cooking. My Dad and I briefly thought of starting a catering business together, but got sidetracked with other things. I love all the cooking programs on TV and see that most chefs don't do baking or pastry so it would be a good thing to learn.

I've started to look into culinary programs at schools here in Chicago. Le Cordon Bleu is closing all it's schools so that one is out, but there is The French Pastry School of Chicago, Kendall College and the Illinois Institute of Art which all offer several different programs/degrees/certificates in baking/pastry. They've started to call and I'm looking at literature and planning on visiting the campuses or going to open houses. I know I'm older. I know I'll be in school with much younger students, but it's never too late to start doing what you really love, is it? I need to do more research because I am overly cautious, but I am also optimistic.

I think I may have discovered what it is I want to be.