S. B. Friedman & Company

All right. In keeping with my MO, that of "guy who is notoriously bad at writing about his life to other people," I have waited, what I think is, a sufficient amount of time to add anything new, let alone interesting, to my website. At this point, I think most of you have stopped checking this. But I will write on.

The big question on everyone's mind when they hear the name "Brian" is, "Has he found a job yet?" Brian knows this and has decided that he is tired of replying with the same old, embarassing and frustrating answer, "Uh, still looking." The truth of the matter is that I am working and, more importantly, earning rent money. My temp agency finally came through in its own uniquely joyous, yet somewhat disappointing, fashion. As you now know, I am working at S. B. Friedman & Company which is a Property Development Advisor. My reason for being there is that the receptionist has left for three months to have her first child. I say "receptionist," though apparently that is an outdated word. Nowadays, people are saying, "Office support," or something rather. Actually, I've pretty much been helping anyone with anything they feel comfortable throwing at me (filing, making copies, entering data, formatting documents, and, as you might have expected, ocassionally running out to buy lunch for the boss, though in all fairness he has expressed guilt about asking me to do such things).

As I said, working on this assignment has had its good and bad, though much more good. First, the bad. I'm not making as much money per hour as I should be due to a miscommunication between my representative at the agency and Mr. Friedman. Looking over that, there is in fact a great deal of good about this job. 1.) I'm in downtown Chicago. 2.) I'm working in an office, a professional setting. 3.) I'm closer to where my friend, John, works and can have lunch with him from time to time. 4.) There's apparently a gym in the building which I have access to, though in fact have yet to take advantage of. 5.) My co-workers are all good people. 6.) The office manager, Carolyn, and I get along wonderfully. 7.) There's a very nice, well-stocked breakroom , where I can supplement my own breakfast and lunch, thus shaving a bit off of my monthly expenses. 8.) There's a computer at my desk which I am not forbidden to use for my own Internet purposes.

I think that about covers all the good points.

As I'm sure you assume, I am continuing the larger job search. Right now, there are a few possibilities, one of which is an international advisor position at the University of Chicago. I'm feeling pretty good about this one, since my friend Karleigh works there, also in the Office of International Affairs, and she has apparently told the Director that I would be a very good person to have around. As I was taught in the Peace Corps, though, I am doing my best to have no expectations.

In the end, at this point, I'm simply grateful for having a place where I can work 40 hours per week. I can pay my bills, keep a few scraps in the kitchen for meals, and ocassionally entertain the idea that I have a social life.