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T h e A d v e n t u r e s o f C h i c a g o J o

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2007 and Beyond

2008-01-02� � 12:49 a.m.
Oh 2007. In many ways, you were a good year. In others, you delivered a swift kick to the ass that forced a good amount of indignation, examination, and resignation. And although I thank you for that because it�s made me even more awesome, I still give you a 6.5 out of 10 available stars.

Solid. But isn�t there always room for improvement?

These past couple years I�ve tried to find one major point for improvement. Two years ago it was finding friends who were worthwhile, and this year�s birthday party showed the pay-off from my efforts. All night I had this awestruck pride that so many people cared enough about me to show up to my silly little party. The girls. Work friends. The gays. Friends who had to ride airplanes to get there. There were nearly sixty people in all, brought together by lil ol� me. It was really something.

2007�s points for improvement mostly focused on my lackluster love life. I�ve got an entry brewing in my brain that goes more into that, but let�s keep it simple and say that patterns needed breaking, habits needed reforming, and an all-around hiatus was needed. I�m listening to the things coming out of my mouth and viewing my own actions from this shifted perspective, and I�m already seeing something that should be perceived as out-of-character. But lo and behold, it�s actually part of this new and improved character. I like it. Change is good.

This year�s point of improvement has got to come from my professional side. Talking with me for any amount of time, I make it very clear that I (rather comically) loathe work. I was at this party with a coworker who had a little to drink, and she was talking about our working relationship. In her very formal Indian-British accent, she says, �Joanna does not like to work. But when she does work, it�s all _very_ good.� In the true sense of being a rock star, not only do I perform when I�m supposed to with sparkling brilliance, the rest of the time I�m slacking. Whether it�s because I�m taking whiskey with my Cheerios or because I find the news on TMZ so riveting, the result is the same.

I can�t explain what my friggin� problem is. I get all Office Space on it, wishing I could be zapped out from 9-5. But unlike the very handsome Peter Gibbons, the logical side of my brain tells me that work shouldn�t be that bad. I work with amazingly talented people. The tasks are generally interesting (or at least not completely pointless). I am being given the opportunity to grow while focusing on what I need to implement my planned exit strategy. (They know I�m gone as soon as I can.)

But yet, there I sit. I can�t even tell you what is occupying a good portion of my brain (probably boys and burritos), but add stagnation to the �-nations� mentioned in the first paragraph. It�s time to put my skills to work instead of my experience, increasing my satisfaction from what I do for a living.

Now, before you think I�ve gone soft and that I�m looking for a job that rewards me with giving back to the community that�s given me so much, please take a step back. I don�t work for personal satisfaction; I work for personal gain. After this year�s raise *once again* didn�t even meet the national cost of living adjustment, I�m done. To put it in the most crass (and entertaining) way, I can�t give enough handjobs over there to raise my salary to what I want to be making at this point in my life. So there.

I have three very lucrative opportunities in the works. The points to focus on with these are growing some balls (because let�s face it, I won�t make a shit-ton of money unless I�m a man in a skirt during business hours), taking action (use those balls), and figuring things out as they arise (balls has nothing to do with this, but I thought a third reference was in order -- balls, balls, balls).

Let�s face it: my life and its happiness is my responsibility. (As is keeping me drinking top-shelf liquor and wearing designer jeans...) I refuse to go through life with expectations that someone else will get me there. Now, I�m no so stubborn (ahem, anymore) to not accept or ask for help when needed (I�m not even going to try to make my stereo work or move my office furniture myself), but there�s a difference seeking out a mentor and seeking out a sugar daddy.

When I�m ridiculously rich and wealthy (there�s a difference, and I can explain it to you if you�d like), I swear to never have expectations that my money will make up for any personality downfalls. So in all honesty, it�s quite fitting that after these past two years, I�m now officially embarking on this quest to glory.

I�m the best me that I�ve ever been, and it�s time to get things really goin�.

Merry 2008 to you all. May your year be a wonderful one. �



Miss something?

Moving Day - 2008-02-15
Working from Home is Glorious - 2008-02-13
Speaking in Tongues - 2008-02-07
I Have My Reasons - 2008-01-25
Got an Itch, Fix it, Shine it Up, Sing it Out - 2008-01-23

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