Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with illinois

Move to Springfield, IL?

symbollocks — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:16:29 -0800

Why should I move to Springfield, IL? ... and why should I not?

I'm a 20 y/o guy who has a group of friends who live in the area, and I'm about done with a job where I'm located now. Within the next few months I will either continue on where I'm at (Indianapolis, IN btw) or be going elsewhere.

I'm interested in hearing from people who have lived there in the past, or even just visited. What can I expect as far as living expenses, the job market (I'm currently in tech, but I do whatever I need to get by, so a tech job is certainly not required), different areas of town, events, etc. etc.

Illinois Civil Service Exams WTF

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:25:38 -0800

Do you know anything about the Illinois Civil Service exams for library jobs, or about civil service exams in general? I'm taking the civil service exam for a library assistant in Illinois in a few weeks and have never had to take a test where I had no idea what would be asked. They offer no information about the test except that there are 64 multiple choice questions, you get two hours, and I can bring my resume, transcript, course listings, and any certificates (for reference purposes) and a calculator if I want.

I imagine that someone out there in metafilter has taken this test or a similar test before. What kinds of questions do they ask? Are they library-related or not? Is there anything you recommend I study before I go in or is it pointless to study for a civil service exam of any kind? I really want to do well. I know that I can take the test again but I am running out of time and need to do well the first time around if possible.

Any details would be helpful, even basic ones like, "the test is taken on a computer" or "it's a scantron" or "it takes two months to get your results" I am nervous and more information always helps me do better in these situations.

I am posting as anonymous because I don't want people to know I am taking the test. You can e-mail me at civilserviceexamwtf@gmail.com.

Where's the best place to watch the Chicago Air show?

nitsuj — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:08:46 -0800

Where's the best place to watch the Chicago Air show?

I don't want a pickle...

sourwookie — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:00:01 -0800

How to recover a lost title for a scooter I would like to purchase from someone who got it in another state? I'm in Missouri, the title was in Illinois. Simplicity is a priority. I normally wouldn't hassle, but it is mint and the price is better than right. Additionally--I've heard rumor about some mysterious trick involving Arkansas--that just may make everything easier. My barber has a scooter that his father-in-law would like him to sell here in Missouri--AND I WANT IT. The problem is it's 80cc (therefore requires licensing) and has a lost title from Illinois. It is showroom-perfect, like a time machine version of a 1995 Honda.

How do I go about getting a title for it, with minimal involvement from father-in-law (the whole reason he is selling it so cheap--he's a cranky old cuss--is that he wants his involvement with recovery, DMV fees--all hassles really--kept to a minimum)?

Can I buy it and then apply for lost title in Illinois? Can I buy it then get a new title in Missouri? Does he have to get a title, then transfer it over to me? If so, how do I do as much of that as possible for him?

Also I've heard of a way to just get a new title sent to me from Arkansas--a loophole, if you will. Anyone know of any truth to that?

state of illinois traffic ticket

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:51:10 -0800

A few months ago, I was stopped by the IL State Police, and I received a ticket. I need to go to court to obtain my drivers license back [not that I didn't go the DMV office, that day, and get a new one]. Nonetheless, I want to get it cleared up however; I've washed my ticket. Is there a website or helpful phone number to call - to either pay it or find my court date. Moreover, the ticket was issued in the Chicago district. Thanks for help!

Is my former landlord being ridiculous or should I pay?

hworth — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:28:48 -0800

Illinois Renter/Landlord Filter: Is my former landlord being ridiculous or should I pay? Here's the details: I had leased an apartment through the end of June. The was no security deposit included in the lease. When I moved in the carpet was not in great shape. When I moved out it was worse, I realize I probably need to pay something for that, but my landlord is trying to charge me $232. Is that an outrageous amount?
Also, the landlord is trying to charge me $150 for cleaners that came in on June 26 before I had finished cleaning the apartment myself. I can't imagine the landlord has any legal basis for the cleaning charge. Correct?
The landlord is threatening to take me to small claims court. My question: Does she have any legal grounds for either of these claims? Or, is rug and apartment cleaning part of doing business as a landlord?

Marriage therapist (in Illinois)? Marriage counseling weekend?

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:00:19 -0800

Marriage therapist (in Illinois)? Marriage counseling weekend? My spouse and I have been coasting in our marriage for a few years now, but have a history of a very warm and loving relationship. External stressors (jobs, kids, house) have been doing a number on us individually and I believe that it is affecting our relationship. I'd like to engage in some preemptive counseling in order to get back on track with communication. But I've never done this before and don't know where to go.

We used to be very good about discussing things and working them out, but it takes a lot of time and energy. Lately, we haven't had the time and energy to work things out and it's led to the bottling up of a lot of feelings. I don't want these problems to fester and get worse, I want to get back to the fun and connection that we used to have. And I think having someone else facilitate this would be a good idea. If we could go away for the weekend to some kind of program, it would be awesome. But, if that doesn't exist, a counselor on the far north side of Chicago or close suburbs (we live in a suburb on the border of Chicago's northside) would be great, too.

Miracle fruit in Chicago?

ztdavis — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:00:35 -0800

Where can I find miracle fruit in Chicago?

Dog Friendly Vacation Spot

pieoverdone — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:31:41 -0800

Your recommendations for dog-friendly vacation spots in the midwest! We're looking to take a local, driveable, weekend trip with one of our dogs this summer. She's a mellow Bluetick Hound and loves the outdoors. This would just be a camping/sightseeing/chillout excursion 0-8 hours by car from St. Louis, Missouri. If you know of any camping spots or hotels or just small towns in general that are dog friendly, please tell us.

Discussions about taking dogs on vacation or dogs as family members or dogs in public places are for some other question, not this one. We're looking for places that already specifically accept dogs, not 'maybe I can bring dog here and they're cool with it we hope'.

I Can Haz Pierogies?

mrhaydel — Mon, 19 May 2008 07:46:52 -0800

Is anyone going to the Pierogi Fest this year? Has anyone ever been? The SO and I are considering making the trip up to the Chicago, IL/Whiting, IN area for the Pierogi Fest this year.

Airfare will certainly be our biggest expense, but I'm wondering if anyone is going this year, and has any ideas on how to save on all of the other expenses - that is, transportation, lodging, etc. We're willing to talk about sharing in any of these expenses if there are people wanting to.

We're in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area FWIW.

I'm also curious if anyone has gone to this particular festival before and has any tips - did you find that all 3 days were worth attending? What were the food prices like? Any must-sees/dos?

Thanks HiveMind!

Roadtrip from Chicago to Houston: How and what?

melodykramer — Wed, 07 May 2008 21:51:06 -0800

Chicago to Houston in one week, two lovely gals, one Camry: We're taking a road trip the week before July 4, starting in Chicago and ending in Houston. Any route tips? Things to see? Do? Quirky free attractions to see along the way? I'm in Chicago and she's from Houston but hasn't explored much. We're taking a week to drop her car back off starting in Chicago where we both are...we have 3-4 days to get down to Houston from Chicago and see what there is to see along the way. I'd rather not take big highways...but I've never ever ever been to the South or the Southeast, and would like to soak up as much as possible in the little time we have.

Things we like: hot springs, quirky roadside attractions, photography moments, rivers, THE BIGGEST ____, monuments, not spending a lot of money.

She's come up with 6 distinct itineraries that go in radically different directions, some involving Oklahoma and others involving Kentucky. I'm not sure what the best way is to get between here (Chi) and there and was wondering what kind of suggestions you have in mind.

I want to paddle away from the shores of Chicago and visit distant Midwestern lands.

melodykramer — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:05:31 -0800

Are there any ferries or boats that take day trips across or around Lake Michigan? (leaving from Chicago...) Right now, Lake Michigan looks like a frozen tundra, but I have dreams of escaping for a night or two during the spring thaw. Are there seafaring adventures to Michigan? to Indiana? to Evanston? Or is this some delusional Gilligan-based fantasy?

Adoption by 2011, will I be ready in time?

aetg — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:00:47 -0800

I would like to begin the three year long process to adopt a child internationally. I am located in the state of Illinois. What kind of requirements will I need to fulfill through the homestudy? I know I fulfill requirements such as age, health, marriage length (and presumably agreeableness). My questions center around finances (not paying for the adoption, but as required by the homestudy for raising the child) and home. For clarification I work and my husband is in school, but he should be done at the end of 2008. For home purposes, I currently live in a one bedroom apartment. Not adequate for a child, I know, but I'm obviously going to have time to upgrade by 2011. However, will I have to have all this *ready* before I can process the paperwork?

Yes, I know that I can call and ask the homestudy provider and social worker, but I'd like to have some information before I take that step. Any other requirements that I have not listed here that I should be aware of?

Actual data most helpful, but any personal stories about homestudies or adoption in Illinois ok.

How to file for unemployment benefits for temporary layoff

Joleta — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:31:51 -0800

How can my husband collect unemployment benefits for temporary layoffs, in Illinois? Mister joleta works for Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). Due to Dept. of Energy budget cuts and lack of funds, the lab is requiring all employees to take rolling unpaid furloughs rather than close down the lab entirely. As a salaried exempt worker, my husband will have to take one week of unpaid furlough every two months for an eight-month period (February through September). Things will be tight, but we'll survive. One of the FAQs on the Fermilab site says that furloughed employees can apply for unemployment benefits, but I can't find any information on the IDES web site about intermittent temporary layoffs of one week duration, other than than the following (see pgs 43-44 here):
"A local unemployment insurance office may instruct a claimant that he or she is exempt from registering in person with the employment service office for one of the following reasons (56 III. Adm. Code 2865.100):
. . .
"2. The claimant’s unemployment is due to a temporary layoff that does not exceed four weeks in duration."

This implies that one can receive unemployment compensation for temporary layoffs, but I can't find anywhere that explains how this is done. I know that in Illinois you don't get unemployment compensation for the first week of unemployment (the "waiting week"). But with intermittent layoffs, each furlough week is the "first" week, unless they can be somehow strung together into one period of unemployment. Can someone point me to a link explaining how this would work or give actual experiences. Three weeks of unemployment benefits is better than nothing.

I will not walk 5000 miles

aetg — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 17:47:06 -0800

Backpacking question about the I & M canal corridor near Joliet...can I take the Amtrak in? I would like to backpack along the I & M trail and camp in the backcountry area versus Gebhard State Park or Channahon. I'm trying to find out how far the "Camp D" sites are from the train station in Joliet and how much of the city I would have to backpack through to reach them.

I have all the current links to Illinois Department of Resources, Gorp, Wikipedia, etc. Unfortunately none of them give information about where the sites are along the trail specifically.

Thanks in advance!

What to do in Illinois for a day trip outside of Chi-town?

moooshy — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 06:41:49 -0800

[IllinoisFilter] Just moved to Chicago, have Columbus Day off. I'd like to explore something somewhere else in the state of Illinois (because I haven't been outside of Chi-town yet.) Any suggestions? I want to see the rest of my new state!, but I have to go to work on Tuesday so my first day trip has to be do-able in a day.

Things I like: weird architecture, arts and crafts, papercrafts, ice-skating, good baked goods, off-the-beaten-track historical sites, and orchards. I'm willing to go anywhere within 2-3 hours.

Any suggestions, Illinoisian Mefis?

Good Iowa Rental Cabins?

scottreynen — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:53:22 -0800

Where can I find a rental cabin(s) in east Iowa or west Illinois around New Years for 20-25 people? Some of my friends and I would like to spend a 3-7 days around and including New Years together in a cabin within 3 hours of Iowa City and/or Chicago. We're looking for something relatively secluded, well maintained, one place or two places near each other, at least one large room where everyone can hang out together and then individual bedrooms for sleeping, ideally somewhat distant from what will effectively be the party room(s). We'd like something comfortable, not too fancy, stocked with cookware, linens, etc. A hot tub would be nice. Or a fire pit outside would be good.

We've found a few places searching online, but nothing especially appealing yet. Much of it is either too many places close together (we don't want neighbors), too small (single family), too big (corporate retreat), or something else not quite right. It's also hard to tell what a place is actually like from a few photos. So I'm ideally looking for some personal recommendations. But if you just know of a good way to search for such a place, that would help too.

Chicago psychiatric institution

Anonymous — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:26:45 -0800

A family member needs help. Any recommendations for Chicago-area psychiatric institutions? The family member's unhealthy mental state seems to be getting worse. We're planning to place him in 24-hour professional care tomorrow. Unfortunately, the local hospital's facilities are not up to par. (Ask Metafilter is one of a few ways we're looking for recommendations. We're also talking to family friends who are mental health officials.)

Advice on getting through the night with someone whose reality has been consumed by vivid nightmares and panic attacks also appreciated.

private responses can be sent to chicago.anon@gmail.com

Dog-Friendly Getaway Spots Near Chicago

macadamiaranch — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:51:41 -0800

Do you know of any dog-friendly places for a weekend getaway within about 3 hours drive of Chicago? We need to get outta town for a long weekend and we'd like to bring our dog. We do not want to camp. We'd like to be near a lake (doesn't have to be a big one) and ideally something on the quiet side (so not the Dells or Indiana Beach). I've looked at some past threads of places to getaway in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, but I didn't find anything specifically about a pet friendly place. Help us relax and unwind with our pooch!

Please Help Me Find Border Points in Michigan

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 08:56:51 -0800

Traveling from Chicago, IL to Toronto, Canada. Wondering about border point routes other than the obvious ones, because the obvious ones are awful. I once traveled from Chicago through Detroit through the Sarnia checkpoint to Toronto, and that was the fastest. But I was carrying a bunch of used books I bought from a library that was closing, and that was enough to cause customs to stop me and thoroughly search everything I owned. Then I got the stink eye from the immigration people who accused me of not wanting to come back to the States because I'm a freelance writer and that's not a "real job".

Needless to say, I'd like to avoid that this time around, and I'm told if you use a different checkpoint your chances at being stopped lessen dramatically. Anyone know some possibly more personable checkpoints on the way from IL to Toronto? Is the Detroit Windsor tunnel better than Sarnia? How do I get to these places? I'd rather not go millions of miles out of my way, if possible.

Please no border advice, I just want to know about the different border crossings available to me.

Honey, look at that moon!

jammer — Wed, 16 May 2007 11:53:47 -0800

The very-soon-to-be misses and I will be driving from Chicagoland to Door County, WI -- Little Harbor, to be exact -- this weekend as a mini-honeymoon. Is there anything we should make a point to see along the way? How about from there to Madison?

Crabs? This is SPARTAAA!"

luftmensch — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 21:39:32 -0800

On a visit to a park lake in mid-southern Illinois today, I encountered many little muddy burrows in the ground, ranging from one to two inches across. I spotted little digging crab claws in one of the more freshly-muddied holes; others looked less recently dug. My search skills fail me as to what these critters could be. The lake was fed by a small stream, and the town (Sparta, IL) is a bit less than 20 miles from the Mississippi.

How can I make the most of my college visit?

theiconoclast31 — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:50:53 -0800

How can I make the most of my college visit? Details: I'm a high school senior, visiting University of Washington at Seattle and University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. I'll have 3-4 hours at the campus to myself, but times are flexible. I've already been accepted to both universities, I'm not considering any other colleges, and I plan to do Computer Science. Both my visits will be on weekdays.

I have the weekend to email counselors and setup stuff, if I need to do that in advance.

Or, imagine, being able to be magically whisked away to...Galena.

asuprenant — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 09:49:04 -0800

What would you do on a three-day visit in Galena, Illinois? I'm hitting the road from Chicago to Galena and will be there from Saturday to Monday. Accommodations are booked, so any recommendations on places there to visit, eat, drink, stroll, or otherwise?

I had a great time at the Mississippi Palisades (thank you, Sufjan) last year, so I'm planning to go there again.

Also, if there are any must-see stops on the way there, I'd love to hear about them.

The wrong bar

whatitis — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:25:51 -0800

Taking the Illinois bar... Is the full BarBri course worth it? Decision time.

I consider the whole bar prep industry a racket...but a necessary one. Therefore I was planning on shelling out the money for the BarBri books and studying on my own but skipping the extra money shelling required for the "live" classes. For the MultiState portion I was going to choose PMBR.

I'm a very diligent studier and feel this is the most effective use of my (limited) funds. Is it?

P.S. - If anyone wants to give me a job or even an interview, that'd be perfect as well... ^_^