Movember in Suburbia

The change of the seasons is upon us, and as October becomes November; many men are left with a couple choices: (1) continue their usual routine of shaving; (2) participate in what many know to be "no shave November," in which facial hair galore pops up and razors go by the wayside; or (3) Grow their facial hair for a purpose, raising funds and awareness by growing a facial hairstyle employed by only the classiest gentlemen.

Yes, Postgrads, I am talking about Movember; a movement aimed at raising money for research of silent killers in men; including Prostate Cancer, Testicular Cancer, and issues in Mental Health.  As a true gentleman and community leader, I have once again entered the "Mo Space," aiming to raise a few dollars to help reduce the effect of cancer and assist in funding research.

Throughout the month of November, I will be growing my moustache and posting updates on my Movember profile page, the Postgrad in Suburbia Facebook page, and my personal Twitter Account.  Donations are always accepted, and you can join the movement by signing up at Movember.com.

If the entire "doing the right thing" aspect, or the "helping others" thing doesn't fit your fancy; learn a few things from Moustache enthusiast Nick Offerman.

Remember, if you are ready to team up with me to change the face of men's health, go to Movember.com and help out a fellow Postgrad.

The real question... Are you Man (or Woman) enough to support the cause?

Adult Kickball?

A growing trend throughout cities and other locales, adult kickball, is a perfect example of an activity that would be perfect for a Postgrad in the Chicagoland area.  A cheaper and easier start-up than other sports; this could become the future of suburban casual gaming.

I say this, because after an experience of joining a softball league full of teams more cohesive than that of an MLB team; I believe that playing kickball in the suburbs would allow people to start with a clean slate.  How many of you have played kickball in the past 5 years? 10 years? Who wouldn't want to join other Postgrads in Suburbia for a bit of friendly competition that ends at a local restaurant or bar?

With at least 5 leagues in Chicago at the moment, all of which sponsored by local bars and played at neighborhood parks; a new kickball league in the suburbs would make a perfect opportunity to meet new people, discover new bars, and even network with other industry professionals.

Look at it this way.  A kickball costs less than $20. A field is free (Or we could organize through a city).  Can you think of options here that would provide interesting experiences on a Saturday afternoon any cheaper than this?

Back to School

Photo is property of its original owner(s)

Welcome to the life of a Postgrad in Suburbia.  The job opportunities are in the most inconvenient locations, the skills for the downtown positions require many years' experience, and nothing has come across the table that you can see yourself enjoying for the next 1-5 years.  Unfortunately, that leaves me in an awkward situation in which I am writing this blog, trying to find new things to do, in a position that was dead-end 3 years ago.

So what does this mean to you? In German terms, this could be referred to as Schadenfreude; which in the words of Avenue Q, is known as "happiness at the misfortune of others."  For me, it means finding a way to delay loans, discover new skills, and become more marketable to companies.  Yes, Postgrads, i am referring to going to a community college for additional classes.  Thanks to a clause in my loan contract, I can continue to defer loans while still in school (with only a 9% interest rate!), but have to take classes that may or may not be enjoyable to myself or others.


This said, my first course at community college happened to be nothing like the NBC hit comedy Community (Although I can relate to Jeff Winger).  Did I expect a life of claymation and musicals, with great hijinks that could pass for entertainment? No.  I expected a demi-college experience that would allow me to meet a few people who knew about this area or about a need for my skill set.

Unfortunately for me, I did not read into the community part of this.  My first class was that of Adobe Photoshop, and as many job descriptions have included this as a vital skill; I thought this would take me in the right direction.  My classmates, as nice as they were, definitely were cut from a different stone; and had this been a creative writing class, a history class, or even philosophy; I could do as I have done throughout college, shown only my finalized copy that would turn heads.  Unfortunately, when working with visual arts, every move that you make can be viewed on a 27 inch monitor; and therefore scrutinized by classmates. 

This is when I noticed the community part.  They weren't scrutinizing my work, they were complimenting my poorly developed photo modification. Why are you so nice to me? Why is everyone so friendly? Why can't you just wait for the final product, and then be blown away?

Maybe my desire to act in a Don Draper fashion isn't able to be fulfilled, but that ends my rant.  Community Colleges are valuable institutions, and I will continue to indulge in these courses until I am hired and can afford to take a vertical move in my educational ventures.

If you are in the Aurora area, I invite you to join me at some classes at Waubonsee: specifically Web Design, Adobe Creative Suite/Cloud, and maybe even Sign Language!  Actually, I could just walk into a marketing class and be the overachiever. I assure you won't be the only one somewhat displaced.  First round is on me at Ballydoyle's.

Photo is property of its original owner, I take no ownership for it.

Did I Just Get Called Mister?

I never thought that I'd feel older than I do at this moment. 

This is actually saying a lot; as I am currently underemployed and work with 16 year old's, realize that the N64 will be 18 old next year, and understand that I'm considerably older then MLB All-Star Bryce Harper.

But at this moment, I feel very similar to PGP (Post Grad Problems)'s Veronica; who recently wrote an article called "The Worst thing You Can Call a Girl: It’s Not The C-word, It’s 'Ma’am'."  In this article, she covered the inner dialogue that occurred after being called Ma'am at a local coffee chain.

Insert the same coffee chain, but a different situation.  I was sitting here, writing a Postgrad in Suburbia original review of Green Basil Restaurant in Downtown Naperville, when I looked up from my work to see am individual pointing at the chair across from me.  Removing my headphones, I received the most depressing question I've heard outside of "What are you doing with your life?" asked every day. 

"Excuse me, Mister... Is anyone using that chair?"

Mister? What am I, a 55 year old who sits at Starbucks in the same chair, running a questionably scammy financial planning venture?  Why would I be a mister? What could possibly define me as a 'mister' besides the fact that I was regarded as old?  Who would have such disrespect to call a 23 year old 'mister'?!?!

This question has been running through my mind since the occurrence, and I feel that I probably can't think about this without a depressing answer.  Maybe I am old.  Maybe these lower back problems aren't just in my head.  What have I done with my life? Does this mean I can give life lessons and tell tales of my youth?

Stay tuned Postgrads, we may have to switch to Geriatric in Suburbia... In which I review breakfast in family diners, elderly dating sites, and complain about how no one respects their elders anymore.

Where Are the Cheap Nights?

Let's face it, you may be like me, broke on a Saturday night.  You're a few months out of graduation; rent is due, student loans need to be paid on Tuesday, and your bank account is looking more similar to a start-up tech firm's IPO than you would like.  Such is the lifestyle of being Postgrad in Suburbia.

The real question, what can you do?  It's still a bit too cold for a bonfire, and doing something like that definitely takes you back to your awkward high school days, without the entire sneaking alcohol in backpacks.  Plus, your apartment complex (or parents if you are in the unfortunate situation that many of us live) frowns upon or flat out bans fires, no matter how controlled.

You could go to a bar, and enjoy the dearth of specials, winding up dropping a few dollars more than you would like for a bottle of beer that you need to wait 10 minutes to acquire.  Don't get me wrong, I love the bar scene.  I just cant afford to go out with my unemployed/underemployed friends, because their tabs somehow find their way onto my credit card.

You could follow my advice and go to Pride of the Fox Riverfest.  It's mostly free, it's this weekend, and you at least can get a good start to your night.  That will at least get you out of your house until 10 pm.

So now what? Do you hit up your local Steak and Shake, feel far too old when you see class of '13 shirts, and slowly delve into your plate of fries thinking about how easy kids have it these days? Well, if that's the case, I can meet you on Monday at a cash-only bar at 5:30 pm for a glass of whiskey on the rocks.  We can shake our canes at the skater kids in unison.

Okay, enough complaining.  This is a little bit of saying what you could do this weekend for cheap, and asking any of my readers: What do you do in Suburban Chicago if you don't want to spend a lot of money?

A few of the upcoming posts will hopefully touch base on some decent alternatives to dropping a $50 spot at a bar.  I look to be visiting Sky High Sports in Naperville, a trampoline site with dodgeball available by the hour; a few local hookah bars (North Aurora Hookah Lounge, Exhale Hookah Lounge, Oasis Cafe, and Mr. Shesha); and maybe I'll even check out the Cascade Drive-In over in West Chicago, hopefully with a date.

Swedish Days and Geneva's Downtown

Throughout my experiences growing up in the suburbs, one of the biggest events each summer has been the mid-June tradition in Geneva, Swedish Days. From the carnival themed area and daily music events to the local vendors and businesses showcasing the latest installments, Swedish Days has grown through the years and has really helped to put Geneva, Illinois on the map.

At a minimum, the musical offerings on the Main Stage on Third Street downtown provide entertainment for many individuals; with acts such as American Idol's Nick Lynch, the Swedish American Children's Choir, and various cover acts providing entertainment to the vast expanse of visitors passing through the main Swedish Days area.  For those looking for a bit more intimate musical experience, the Concerts on Lawn area offers various acoustic acts throughout the festival.

If food is your thing, Swedish Days has anything you need. From standard fare offered by local restaurants to authentic Swedish Cuisine, if you look around, you will find some enjoyable dishes throughout the festival.  Many of the offerings come from local non-profits, so you can get good food while helping a worthy cause.

And now the best part of the week-long event, and something I have missed due to age-related issues the prior years: The Swedish Days Beer Gardens.  Although many local restaurants are offering normal bar service, venues such as the American Legion Post 75 and Gratto Italian Tapas will be serving beers in fenced-off areas on Third Street.  If you are looking for a more bar friendly area, just walk north of Main Street, and you can find bars that will hopefully be offering late night and post-festival drinks.  A personal favorite, Geneva Ale House, offers rotating taps and knowledgeable servers for the beer connoisseur.

Finally, many local businesses from the Kane County Cougars to Charlestowne Cinema 18 will be offering samples, sweepstakes, and giveaways.  I actually may or may not be legitimately excited for my free chair massage and wellness score provided by The Chiropractic People

For more information, check out the Swedish Days Brochure, provided by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.

Biggby Coffee, and Why its Entrance into Suburban Chicago is a Big Deal

During the first few months after graduation, many suburban postgrads spend a good time looking for jobs.  If you are anything like me, sitting at home is one of the least productive things that can be done.  With so many distractions in the home, 4 hours of job applications can turn into 8 hours of organizing your room, sitting on Twitter (unless you're following me), and preparing the perfect lunch dish found on StumbleUpon or Pinterest.  This being said, 5 applications later; it somehow becomes 11:30 at night and you feel more unproductive than syllabus week.

Enter the beauty of the unbiased location used to accomplish work.  Everyone has one, be it a library, bar with WiFi (more on this beautiful idea later), or my personal favorite; the coffeeshop.  Over the past 4 months, I have developed a map of different locations so as not to become a regular at one specific coffeeshop.

Enter Biggby Coffee, a coffee chain founded in Michigan in the mid-90s; and has been expanding across the Midwest ever since.  During my college years, I was always a fan of Biggby for their interesting color schemes and change of pace environment.  If I ever needed to get something done, Biggby was the prime location, and I can attribute my successes in Calc II and Business Law to its existence.

Biggby already has a location in Arlington Heights, just opened a location in St. Charles, and I expect an uptick in openings after the recent Caribou Coffee closings.  A friendly environment and the ability to earn free drinks with the Biggby Card, along with good areas to work or socialize; there is no better place for a recent graduate in suburban Chicago to get necessary things accomplished.

In conclusion, there are many options in Suburban Chicago for coffee, but if you need a change of pace and are in the North or West Suburbs, I recommend heading over to Biggby and enjoying a cup and a sense of accomplishment.

Postgrad In Suburbia

What does it mean to be postgrad in Suburban Chicago?  Well, it could mean a lot of things.  You could have been here the entire time or just returned from a college halfway across the US. You could have your own house or apartment, or be stranded in your parents basement while you wait for that big-boy or big-girl job to get you out.  Hell, you could be new here because you wanted to live for a lower cost than the city, and have no clue what happens here.

Needless to say, you're stranded in one of the most seemingly boring places in the Midwest, if not the United States.

So now what? Do you sit home and think up interesting money-making schemes like blogging on Friday nights? Do you go out to the same bar you've been frequenting since your 21st birthday? Or do you actually go out and try to do something out of the ordinary?

There are apparently many benefits of living in the suburbs, or else our ancestors never would have moved here in the first place.  This blog will cover some of the random happenings in suburban Chicago: Including bars, restaurants, pool halls, concert venues, and coffee shops.