Isn't Austin a great city?

That's what I am asked when I lament having to move back here. And truth be told, it is. If I had never lived in Chicagoland, I would be 100% content being here. But now, it feels small, has traffic that practically rivals that of Chicago anyway (and public transit isn't much of an option), lacks the cultural attractions that Chicago does, and OH YEAH, the job scene here leaves something to be desired.

Austin is always on the lists of "Best Places to Live", etc. And Texas has not been as hard hit by this recession as many other states have. And Austin is even supposedly a place with great job growth. Well, not in my business. Blah. I feel like I'd be so much better off in Dallas or Houston.

I feel like there are so many people here in meetings and events who have worked with their respective organizations for an eternity, and they are just not used to new blood. Chicago has people coming and going all the time, so it's easy to jump right in and not be so new after a while. I just don't think that's the case here, and since I wasn't involved in the industry when I lived here before, I feel screwed sometimes. Sure, people are plenty nice and all that. That's not an issue. It's just rough.

Anyway, tomorrow starts a new work week and who knows what the next few days will hold. Hopefully progress/good news on the job front. I'm ready for it.