wouldn't mind being 30 again. or 40 for that matter. altho if you follow normal pattern, the really good times are in the 40-50 range. that's the only decade where if i'd had to do it all over, i'd have done it exactly the same, hour for hour.
sounds like you have your plate full, with 180 pages of technical prose to write. i had to do mine on a manual typewriter (no, this isn't an old-timer stry: they didn't have p-c's or decent printers, and i didn't want to use an electric typewriter because the humming motor created the illusion of progress, whereas with a manual, if you weren't banging keys, the machine just sat there in accusing silence.)
chicago? lemme ask around. i got a couple of buddies at the trib, i can have them check in with the business desk and see who's hot.
rgds...
jlewis