u/Yazhoudapigu

In the title. Trying to make the jump to vegetarian but I'm concerned that the meals I make won't be filling enough. "Just eat more" yeah fine, I will, but I'm still new to this and don't even know where to start. On top of that, I'm on a budget in terms of actual dollars and kitchen equipment - I have a slow cooker, a cutting board, a can opener and one decent knife.

What're your go-to vegetarian slow cooker recipes? I like spicy stuff.

I'm hoping to move to Chicago later this year. As the post title implies, I'm concerned about whether or not my one and only misdemeanor charge (retail fraud) will impact my ability to obtain housing and/or employment. I do have the option of having the charge expunged, but that would cost money and time that I'd rather put toward my goal of moving.

Related question - how difficult is it to obtain housing without a job lined up first? I understand some landlords/rental agencies require proof of employment before they'll let you sign a lease. My current plan is to save up somewhere around $10k before I move - enough to either live out of a cheap motel for some time until I can nail down a job, or pay a couple months worth of rent on a place, assuming they allow me to sign a lease without immediate employment.

I'm 40, have a degree in journalism, over a decade of experience in the industry. However, I've spent the last three years working dead-end jobs (retail/food/housekeeping) due to a combination of living in rural northern Michigan where there is nothing in my field + dealing with the fallout of having spent 2017-2022 living in China as a full-blown alcoholic. I'm currently in recovery, living in a sober house, I have just over 7 months clean.

Once I've gotten myself somewhat established in Chicago, I'm hoping to make some contacts in the local Piano Technicians Guild and get the necessary training to become a piano tech myself while working at any job that pays enough to support one guy and a cat.