Just be me, you, and the dancefloor

Hey, guys.

Sorry it's been a bit, I've been pretty preoccupied with getting started in a new life. Moving is a bitch. :) So is starting a new job. So is getting around in Chicago, which we have to do a fair amount because we live nowhere near to anything as valuable as a department store or grocery store or combination grocery/department store. But I'm happy to be here.

I have three days of school under my belt, and it's been a lot of work. I've basically been yelling for the past three days, given out several detentions, and frowned quite a bit. I hate/am bad at doing all those things. My students are good kids, but they're rowdy as hell. I'm going to have to put a lot of them in detention before they get it, I think. But I've been encouraged by the staff and many of the kids I've gotten to know a little bit so far, so I still have high hopes for this year!

Our neighborhood is pretty rockin'. I'm living in historic Pullman, a neighborhood in Chicago proper, which dates back to the 1880's when the railroads were still the only way to get things around. We're in one of the rowhouses that some of the workers lived in, and the ruins of the old railcar factory are just across the street from us. There's a lot of community building going on here now. We've already been to a block party, we've been invited to yoga every saturday morning, and on Monday there will be some people doing historical re-enactments of Eugene Debs and other historic local union figures to commemorate Labor Day in the park across the street, complete with picnics, live music, the works. There's a farmer who brings his fruits and vegetables to that same park every Wednesday. It's fun and pretty weird. It pretty much always smells like pot (marijuana) and our sixty-two year old neighbor keeps telling us that because we're young we should be having a lot more sex - that's how he did it and he wouldn't change anything. But I like it a lot, and I think everyone should come visit me.

Also, I bought a snake, her name is Paris, and I think she's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I'll get pictures up when I can.

Love all of you. If you're in Chicago ever, let me know!