Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The Jenny Update 2009

Brick Wall: "hmm...what should I put in this year's update?!"

Greetings to all of my family and friends! Hope you enjoy the 2009 edition of “The Jenny Update”!

“My mama always said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’”
A few years ago, who would have thought that the 2009 “Jenny Update” would be coming to you from Chicago?! Oh, what a year this has been! After kicking off the year with a fantastic girl’s weekend in Chicago with my dear friends Leslie and Mel, I returned to Tampa feeling different about things. It was a difficult decision, but in May, I resigned from The Bank of Tampa to pursue a career in the Windy City. With the support and understanding of my family, I knew I had challenges ahead...like finding a job and an affordable place to live in this economy. Before making the final journey to Chicago, I spent a week with my parents in Greenville, SC. I’ve come to view their home there as the ultimate-relaxation-spot. It was just the week I needed before facing the big city. In Illinois, my cousin Keith allowed me to stay with him and his family while I looked for a full-time job. There were many ups and downs in the process (which you can read all about on this blog), but luckily, I reconnected with an old friend from Tampa who had also relocated to Chicago. He got me an interview at his company for a marketing opening, and I’m proud to say that today I am the first-ever Director of Marketing for RKON Technologies!

I am living the life I had always wished for here in Chicago. My roommate is a friend I also knew from Tampa, and he has a wonderful apartment that he graciously welcomed me in to (only 7 blocks from Wrigley Field!). My family roots run deep in Chicago so it’s easy to feel like I’m at home, especially with so many relatives nearby. I sold my car, so I guess that officially makes me a city girl. Also, my boyfriend, Jeff, was a huge help in getting my life started up here (thanks Spartan). Thankfully, I’ve come to know an amazing group of women, and I already feel so close to them that it’s hard to believe that I’ve only been here for a few months. Life is good!

"Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary."
My life in 2009 truly has been extraordinary. I have found a new passion in running, and in the spring I found myself participating in numerous 5Ks and even my first 10K race. I’ve become so passionate that I am officially registered for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon on August 1, 2010! My training begins in the spring...wish me luck!

This past year, I also had an extraordinary Labor Day weekend in Las Vegas with my boyfriend Jeff! This was my first visit to Vegas and I felt like a kid in a candy store. We saw shows, casinos, tourist attractions and impersonators. But sadly, we didn’t return with any more money than we came with. Guess that means I got the “true” Vegas experience!


“Close your eyes and tap your heels together three times, and think to yourself, ‘There's no place like home.’”
Here’s the update on the Weigle family...today, we are all more spread out than we have ever been. While that has been a bit different for me, I also believe that it’s brought us closer together. Amanda and Adam just visited Chicago the first weekend of December, and I was thrilled to be able to show them my new home! Amanda is now a traveling occupational therapist and lives in Raleigh, NC. Her new job allows her to move to a new place every 13 weeks, and hopefully, she’ll be moving to Chicago sometime this summer! Adam is graduating from the University of Florida on Dec. 19 with a bachelor’s degree in sport management. He just finished an internship with the University of South Florida Athletics Department and is ready for the real world! Mom helped start up the chapter of the Upstate South Carolina Gator Club and has enjoyed meeting UF alums and Gator fans in the Greenville area (I’m so proud of her). Dad has converted their basement into his own personal heaven, and it is glorious! He has a bar, ping pong table, gym, music studio and woodworking room...and still somehow manages to fit all of my belongings from Tampa into a separate storage room. Thank you, Daddy!

Life in the Weigle casa has been blessed and happy in 2009!

"Roads? Where we're going we don't need - roads."
This year has been incredible and scary for me at the same time. I took a BIG risk moving to Chicago, but the rewards have paid off immensely. As corny as it sounds, I truly believe now that I could achieve anything I put my mind to. Many thanks to everyone who helped me in this major transition! I would not be as happy as I am today if it weren’t for you. To my friends in Tampa, the worst part about the move was the fact that I could not bring all of you with me. I hope we always keep in touch, and I really mean that. To my family members stretched out over many cities and states, I miss you and hope to see you soon! Consider a trip to Chicago in your planning for 2010! (I recommend sometime during the summer or early fall.)

After a year like this, I can’t help but be optimistic about 2010. I look forward to seeing where the year takes me in work, life and love. And I wish you a happy holiday season filled with many smiles and blessings!

All my love,
Jenny

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Did you guess all the movie quotes?!
“My mama always said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’” – Forrest Gump
"Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary." – Dead Poets Society
“Close your eyes and tap your heels together three times, and think to yourself, ‘There's no place like home.’” – The Wizard of Oz
"Roads? Where we're going we don't need - roads." – Back to the Future

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