the view from uptown

what a week it has been. my emotions have fluctuated more than oprah's weight and, therefore, it's been very difficult to write a complete update of life as a working-though-not-paid woman thus far. i started my internship last week and, after feeling for the first few days like i was completely unnecessary and perhaps wasting my time, i have now started to feel Useful and Important and maybe even Tech Savvy. i'm working on the audio tour - creating it, actually - which is a project that highlights different neighborhoods in chicago and views them through the eyes of the queer artists we're working with on the XYZ Festival of new work. it means that i get to interview the artists, tour the neighborhoods with them, then narrate the tours and edit them down into mp3 files for the audience to download and participate in. in the past week, the tour has gone from a concept to a potential reality, and i'm feeling really proud of what it could become (although perhaps a bit prematurely).

i'm also starting at b&n on wednesday, in a regular bookseller position, so i can keep my health insurance! problem being, for some ungodly reason this store makes their employees come in at seven to begin work, although the store doesn't open until nine. i'm sure that this means that they don't expect us to be polite or helpful to customers when the store actually opens.

mom came to visit this weekend, which was both wonderful and difficult. it certainly didn't help the homesickness at all, or the severe urge to book a plane ticket back east stat, but it was absolutely encouraging to have her here. we toured navy pier and took one of those architecture boat tours on the chicago river (and no, we couldn't see any bodies floating, although i was tempted to push our guide overboard, and would have if he had thanked us for coming on board the sea dog - woooooof! - one more time). she also accompanied me to the filming for AMW, which was scheduled for the south side. we were petrified: mom had nightmares the night before about us being killed en route. the actual location? up the street from the obamas. seriously. where is the street cred in that, i ask you? how can you film deadbeat parents amidst mansions and tree-lined streets? what crack addicted, gang-banging momma lives there (besides michelle)?

i got there and the producers said, "oh! you look... different. it's good, though, no it's all good." this should have been the giveaway. i was one of two white people on the set, which was obviously fine, except for the fact that i was also in a little banana republic sweater and heels, which juxtaposed nicely with the hoop earrings and dark lip liner of the deadbeats. i was completely... unbelievable. literally. no one in their right mind would buy that i was actually interviewing these people. the only redeeming factor was that the shoot was pretty short - i think the producers realized around the same time i did that i was perhaps miscast, and we ended shortly thereafter. ah, fame. how you continue to elude me. mom did make a friend, though - joel, an on-site anchorman, who is also a sports radio host here in chicago. he was absolutely hysterical and was the whole reason the day was bearable for both of us. it didn't hurt that mom charmed the pants off of everyone there. i'm thinking about asking her to be my agent...

all in all, it's been eventful, but very difficult. i miss home and everyone there like crazy. i'm requesting notes and packages and love letters - i'm sick of the pottery barn catalogue being the only bit of mail with my name on it. if you don't have my address, leave a comment or e-mail me, and i will send it to you. i'm also looking to come home for christmas.

finally, per request of my aging father (don't let the rock star demeanor and good southern italian skin fool you, he's getting up there!), this entry is being brought to you with a larger font size.

all my love.