Wow, I am horrible about updating, aren't I? It's ok because nobody actually reads this blog except for me, though I admit this is probably the second time I've looked at it.

So I suppose a summary of my year since the last post might be in order. But not in chronological order, mind.


I up and moved from Atlanta, GA to Chicago, IL on a whim. It was a long, drawn out whim, but a whim none the less.

I was unemployed for six months, then got a job with a chocolate company. Now I am full time and I talk to people all day about chocolate and travel. It seemed to fit in with my previous jobs in that it is like nothing I've done before. But that's not hard to do when the list of things I have done for a living include farming in an urban area and selling sharp objects to rednecks while dressed as a pirate. In fact, it is oddly normal.

I got an apartment. Then a month later I got an oven and refrigerator. So, at least my habit of living in sketchy places survived the move.

Other than the building management being insane, the place is actually quite nice. I did have to play Russian Phone Tag, which is similar to Russian Roulette in that you never know when actual useful information might suddenly happen. The realtor (I have his number saved in my phone as "Crazy Russian Val") tried to sell me on an apartment that was discounted for not having a closet. This apartment had a fridge where the closet was supposed to be. And what was in the spot the fridge was supposed to be? Nothing. A big empty space. Perhaps I could have made that my closet. Too bad, I passed on that one, I think $25 more a month is worth a closet.


I tried to convince some people that there were Thomas the Tank Engine brass knuckles and that on the streets we called them "Tommy Knuckles" but I don't think I convinced more than two people.

I did manage to convince someone Jurassic Park was a musical. I did the same thing with A Clockwork Orange, but then someone standing nearby called me out on my lie. Alas.

I was able to form a gaming group before I found a job and now I am working every Sunday for the foreseeable future, so I cannot play. I went to all the trouble of making the perfect character, too. He refused to equip clothing.

Someone that looked like me but with a mustache met the author Scott Westerfeld. He follows me on Twitter but it took me months to follow him back. Bad form?

I got to ride a working Model A Ford, which might have made my life that much closer to complete. Now If I can just ride a Penny Farthing bicycle...

I will do a separate post about the various strange people I've met, but I will give you this as a teaser:

Hand written, hard laminated business card. From a peaceful dove guy.

This thrift store painting happened. Now here's the part where your mind gets blown:

Yes, Mike is a tall guy, and I needed him in the picture so that your minds can try to grasp the fact that this was a giant fucking cat painting. Had I not been living in a very small room at the time, this would be in the background of all my pictures and videos.

A lot of snow happened:

I got bored one day and walked 10.6 miles across the city. Later I was told I went through some bad areas. It is hard to tell what is a good or bad area in the winter since there is nobody outside to commit any crimes against me.

Being a city girl, livestock still amuses me. Less so after this cow:

This was taller than me and quite... scream-y.

This is nowhere near all the things that have happened, but going through my Photobucket, this is what came up, so enjoy.