The Irony is NOT lost on me

I now know why people my age need therapy. Here is my story:

I have super silent for a few weeks. Not by choice. It has been almost three weeks since my last entry, for a very good reason. On August 2, my house was burglarize and my most prized possession (not counting the dogs) was taken- my iMac. Originally, I wanted to cry. Then I wanted to punch someone. Yeah- I still want to punch someone... hard.

Two things were stolen from my house (iMac and second cell phone) and my dogs were safe (this time)... and the house was ransacked again. Windows and screens were broken and the neurotic dogs were pushed to the limit of crazy town (again). Sincerely, I have been pushed to my limits too. I look outside and often shake my head in shame that my neighborhood has declined so drastically in the four years that I have owned my house. I look around and see children who are going no where because parents don't care enough to push them in the right direction; a city- a beautiful city- falling prey to hoodlums and hoes, criminals and dummies, corrupt dealings and economically depressed citizens. I see hopelessness. But there is no time for me to have tear stained cheeks because I am moving. Those bastards have broken into my house and stolen my piece of mind for the last time. I am done. I still want to stay in Chicago (don't you judge me!!) I just don't ever want to live in my neighborhood again- and barring some sort of divine intervention- I will not. House is on the market (yep, even in this shitty economy) and come October 1st I will, at the very least, be a resident of another neighborhood.


You know, the worst part isn't that someone was in my house, or that those jackasses felt the need to take something that didn't belong to them. It wasn't even that I am unemployed and really don't have the luxury of being without a computer; nor do I have the time (or inclination) to schlep to the library or to offices of friends in order to send out resumes. You want to know what the worst part is? When someone was breaking into my house, touching my shit, stealing my computer and ransacking MY house... I was at the courthouse on 26th and California- Criminal Courts for all you non-Chicagoans- serving JURY DUTY. Yeah- the irony is NOT lost on me.

Taking the law into your own hands

On Saturday the Chicago Tribune ran a story about a Wauconda (far northern suburbs of Chicago) couple who shot and wounded two masked men that pushed their way into their suburban home. As I laid in bed, reading the story on my BlackBerry, I secretly cheered for the couple that stood up for their rights as homeowners. You see, on Wednesday, December 23, while I was at work, some scumbag broke into my house. When I returned home, my back window was broken, the back door was open and my house had been ransacked. Among my missing items were two of my dogs (which, if you know me, you know those were the FIRST possessions I had to get back), two kennels, the dog food, cell phones- one activated, one not, orange juice from the fridge (rude!!!), groceries (SUPER rude!!), a laundry basket (I am assuming this was taken to assist with lugging all my crap outside) and my peace of mind. They threw clothes around, paper all over the floor, let the remaining dogs roam the house- which was the beginning of an all too different kind of mess for me to clean up. I was...devestated.

Let's stop for a minute and disregard the fact that someone ruined my holiday season- I did not go to see my family and did not celebrate Christmas this year because I was afraid that I would be burglarized again. Let's disregard the fact that only the lowest of the low actually STEAL from others... how low are you that you would steal someone's DOGS???? I mean really. Wow.

Here is the other part of this unbelievable tale- somehow some "good samaritans" found my dogs. The quotes are there because I am not sure if they are actually good or perpetrators of the crime. They "found" my computer too. Actually, they supposedly paid $300 for my computer and now want a reimbursement- which is not going to happen. I can't shoot the jerks that broke into my place, because Mayor Daley- in all his glory- has put into place a law prohibiting law abiding citizens, like myself (mostly) from having hand guns. Usually I complain about that law- even though I doubt that if allowed I would actually own a handgun. I am complaining a lot now. I bet that NO ONE is going to break into that Wauconda home again. Hell, they may not have a break in in the neighborhood anytime soon. Why can't I have security like that in the city of Chicago?? Hmmm- I will figure out a way to make those punks pay (insert evil laugh here), and I will have to do it within the confines of Chicago law... is public flogging allowable? How about ripping toenails out one by one? This may take a while...