Comments on outside looking in: advice in this situtation?

hey Speedy--
I'm so sorry to read about this ha...

2008-10-22T15:12:00.000-05:00

hey Speedy--
I'm so sorry to read about this hard time. As a buckeye, I can definitely related to not being near the family and Ohio friends, and feeling overwhelmed and wondering what do I want here, am I getting it, am I happy how can I find happiness.

It's really tough--I too am out of work starting tomorrow and no real job prospects.

I just hope you know that I think

Chicago is a very frustrating place. It's like a b...

2008-10-22T12:29:00.000-05:00

Chicago is a very frustrating place. It's like a best friend with a tourette's tick where they punch themselves violently in the genitals once every 90 minutes. You love everything about Chicago, the food, the culture, the dreams, the potential, but then something so asinine you thought it only possible in the worst parts of the country happens. We have the most openly hostile, corrupt,

hey auntie speedy -

i'll just come right ou...

2008-10-22T08:44:00.000-05:00

hey auntie speedy -

i'll just come right out and say it: please don't leave. we need you, and we love you. everything is going to be o.k.

please stay.

-DG

Only you can know what will truly make you happy! ...

2008-10-21T15:08:00.000-05:00

Only you can know what will truly make you happy! Follow your heart. :)

Oh Speedy,
Life is so messed up, isn't it? Wond...

2008-10-21T12:20:00.000-05:00

Oh Speedy,
Life is so messed up, isn't it? Wonderful, beautiful and messed up. I am sorry you are having such a hard time. Something that always helps me to think of is that the only thing that "moving" means is that you go somewhere else and stay there. It is easy to get all wrapped up in the huge and heavy idea of moving to a new place, but when it comes down to it, you are still you and

Well, I feel I could be a great resource for you. ...

2008-10-21T11:26:00.000-05:00

Well, I feel I could be a great resource for you. I work for the state, and it's our agency's mission to support educators. I have lots of colleagues connected to schools, districts, etc. across the state.

Should you end up out this way, I would be very excited and let me know how I can help.

Some peripherally related observations...

T...

2008-10-21T11:22:00.000-05:00

Some peripherally related observations...

There are theaters in this city with incredibly supportive casts and companies that are so invested in all aspects of the theater. In the few theaters I've been able to observe, The Playground is by far the most neglected by its own performance base... so it's no surprise that you, in your role at the theater, go mostly unappreciated.

It does sound like you have some very valid reason...

2008-10-21T01:10:00.000-05:00

It does sound like you have some very valid reasons for moving back to Ohio, and I hope that you are happy with whatever decision you make. There are a heap of positives that come with living close to family.

It blows unbelievable chunks that you (and Bryan) are so talented and motivated to pursue the selfless career or teaching and that it has been so hard for you.

And if you

steph -

have you talked to your cousin jas...

2008-10-20T16:41:00.000-05:00

steph -

have you talked to your cousin jason about the teaching market around here? is he still friends with evan marsh? evan teaches somewhere around cincinnati from what i understand through running into him when i worked at the record store.

maybe you could get some local insight on jason's end and i am sure a couple of "people you may know" on facebook who we went to

Speedy!

Sometimes it takes strength to do w...

2008-10-20T16:02:00.000-05:00

Speedy!

Sometimes it takes strength to do what seems like the "easier" choice. I think with everything that's going on the world, moving to a more stabalizing environment is not a bad decision.

But we would miss you, there would definitely be a hole in Chicago without you!

It seems like you've thought this out and have rea...

2008-10-20T15:22:00.000-05:00

It seems like you've thought this out and have really valid reasons for considering relocating. Sounds like a lot of pros to moving back home near family. I can say that living near my family is a big reason I moved to Seattle and I'm glad my Mom moved up here too.

So, I say, go for it!

I don't know you, but as someone who moved far awa...

2008-10-20T14:14:00.000-05:00

I don't know you, but as someone who moved far away from home for college/grad school then moved back, home is great for the soul. My dad almost died while I was done, and I regretted every minute I was away from my family.

But first, check out the jobs in Dayton. You'd hate to move from a bad situation to an equally bad one. Also, plenty of cities have great public transport, so I

Thanks everyone for the comments. It helps to get ...

2008-10-20T14:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks everyone for the comments. It helps to get some additional insights.

If I were to leave Chicago, at this point it would ONLY be for the Dayton area, for personal and financial reasons. In only a small handful of places could I live without a car, and there is no way I could buy one at the moment. In Dayton, I could borrow one from my parents until I got on my feet. And like I

Yeah, CPS. It's broken. I'll e-mail you with a l...

2008-10-20T13:28:00.000-05:00

Yeah, CPS. It's broken. I'll e-mail you with a lead to a suburban contact we both know who works the job you wish you had and is totally accessible by public transportation. But, for now, do one of those sheets of paper divided in half: reasons to leave in one column, reasons to stay in the other. I'm in the same place you are more or less. Moving in with my parents is not an option for me.

you know, i feel and have felt like that often eno...

2008-10-20T13:11:00.000-05:00

you know, i feel and have felt like that often enough. and i even moved from ny to chicago to try to rectify the problem and while that did, you stilla re you and you still get sad about certain things. i know i totes dont know the entire sitch but maybe instead of moving completely out of the city, you just need something that's a change of pace. i know a new job is hard, but you could always

First things first. Finish the degree, if you hav...

2008-10-20T12:55:00.000-05:00

First things first. Finish the degree, if you haven't already.

Your landlord will NOT look favorably at leaving in the middle of a Chicago winter. You WILL pay an early departure fee.

If the theater company is draining you more than it's energizing you, for God's sake, leave it. There are 300 in the city; find one that will value what you give.

Don't limit yourself

I know lots of folks here in Chicago would miss yo...

2008-10-20T12:40:00.000-05:00

I know lots of folks here in Chicago would miss you. And things WILL get better, regardless of where you live.

I hope you'll stay.

Big city living is hard enough even on the good da...

2008-10-20T12:23:00.000-05:00

Big city living is hard enough even on the good days, and I don't think there's anything wrong with realizing you're at a crossroads and that moving back to Ohio may be better for you both financially and emotionally (which are often tied together, as I've learned over the years!).

2-3 years ago I thought about moving back to Ohio,...

2008-10-20T11:29:00.000-05:00

2-3 years ago I thought about moving back to Ohio, as you know. I'd just come off a really bad job, and everyone I knew was in a serious relationship while I was single with a string of mistakes in my rearview mirror. Look at the landscape now--totally different.
Just something to consider. I understand and support your reasons for moving, even though I'd be personally sad of course! I

Eebs, you're one of the people that I consider one...

2008-10-20T11:15:00.000-05:00

Eebs, you're one of the people that I consider one of my "Ohio" friends - I think if we lived within 50 miles of each other, we'd get on like gangbusters. I was always kinda sad that I graduated before we got to hang out. If I go back to Ohio, it'd be to the south suburbs of Dayton, at least to start.

It does sound like I've made a decision, but I do get these periods of depression where

I'd certainly love to have you around! (Where in ...

2008-10-20T10:56:00.000-05:00

I'd certainly love to have you around! (Where in Ohio do you call home?)

It sounds like you have made your decision, just from the way you talk about it.