Well, before I get to all that, I have to apologize for not posting for an extremely long time. To say I have been busy would be a drastic understatement. The last 6 months have been a whirlwind of experiences, from transitioning to a new job, to planning a move on 2 weeks notice, to moving to a new city where I don't really know anyone, all by myself. Oh and let's not forget moving out to Chicago only to stay in a hotel for a week while I find a place to live :) And I cannot even begin to mention how many things you use on a daily basis that you take for granted. Cisco set me up with fully furnished place in Raleigh, everything down to sheets on the bed and towels in the bathroom, even trial size soap :) So when I got out here and realized I had nothing, it was like being hit by a brick wall. Needless to say, I went on a shopping spree and have most definitely been doing my part to stimulate the economy :)
Here are a few pics of my new condo:
If you can't see the slideshow, try this link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/tolani.vijay/MyNewPad?authkey=56hOVyl8W98
Chicago is great!! I haven't really had a chance to enjoy it yet since my life has been so hectic, but I think I am really going to like it here :) I think my very first cabbie described it best. He said, "Chicago has everything New York has, but the city is clean, organized, and the people are nice!" I can't echo that enough!! I cannot get over how nice everyone is. Imagine being lost in Times Square. It's nothing like that here. If you look lost, someone will probably stop to ask you if you need directions and talk to you for a few minutes. That and there's the fact that you can actually afford to live here, which is a nice plus. I never thought I'd be able to live in a place as nice as I do now, but living in Chicago with my new job, I actually can, which is incredible.
My life here is a far cry from Raleigh, NC. In Raleigh, there is no Public Transportation worth mentioning. Here, I don't even own a car. There is a Dry Cleaner and Grocery Store in my condo building. I can't even begin to describe how convenient that is. There is also an underground walkway connected to the building, so I can walk to the heart of downtown or the train station without walking above ground. That will come in real handy when it is 20 degrees and snowing outside :) In Raleigh, everyone drove wherever they went; you didn't really have a choice. Here, I walk everywhere!! And pretty much everything I need is within a mile of my condo. Hell, I can walk to my furthest customer in 20 minutes!! And when I am not visiting customers, I work from home. If I need to go into the office, I just hop on the train and it drops me off right outside the office. In Raleigh, there were Drive-Thrus for everything, and I'm not just talking about Fast Food, everything from ATMs, to Dry Cleaners, to the Trash Dumpster for my apartment. Here, my legs were actually sore from all the walking I was doing for the first few weeks . Believe me, the exercise is needed with all the great food there is in the city!! That, and a hot tub :)
Alright, I better get back to work but I'll try to post more often. Wait, I almost forgot the most important part. I want you all to visit, especially if you have never been to Chicago. Just let me know when you want to come and I'll clear my calendar. I'll also be out in Cali Aug 30 - Sep 7. I'll be in SF for a meeting Wednesday and Thursday, but I want to see you all, so let me know what you are up to. See you soon.
- Vijay
