For those of you who know me... or have spent any time reading my blog... I like to dream. But even more exciting than dreaming, is planning... I like to do that too! :)
Planning is how a dream becomes a reality... that's how I made it out of college debt free... by planning out my scholarship options, and sticking to the plan (i.e. - not losing my scholarships!). I made a plan to come to NYC... and well, here I am!
I've had a lot of dreams... and the one's that haven't come true (yet...) are the one's that I haven't made a plan for (yet...).
So my latest dreaming obsession is money. I know that sounds incredibly materialistic and greedy, but the truth of the matter is that I left out one major step... you dream, you plan, and you fork up the cash! Often the plan involves a way to get the cash... but either way - most dreams require funding.
So again... my latest obsession is money - or more - how to keep my money and have the kind of money I want to fund my dreams (without betting on buying a winning lottery ticket!)
Several months ago a book was recommended to me (ironically by someone that I am not too fond of), and although I haven't even finished it yet, I am already feeling incredibly empowered to take control of my financial future.
The book... "Smart Women Finish Rich" by David Bach. He also wrote "The Automatic Millionaire," "Smart Couples Finish Rich"... and other varieties. All my single young male friends... please don't stop reading... even though it says "Smart Women" its all a marketing tactic... I promise the information applies to both genders!
Ok, so I'm reading this book and learning so much about how it really isn't that hard to become well... a millionaire... if you start really young and save a little money each month in the right kind of accounts and investments. I'm realizing that with a plan - I can have more money than I ever thought was really possible. Once I made that realization - I started having dreams that I never would have dreamt because I never thought I could have had the money to fund them... like retiring early and devoting the later years of my life to charitable work... or taking long trips to other parts of the world... or... well - anything!
Money is a funny thing like that... if you don't think you can get it you dream of ridiculous stuff like... if I had a million dollars I will buy a $1/2 million dollar home, take a fighter jet to work and pay someone to cook me steak dinners every night! But you only think this way because you don't really think you will get the money. If you really could get the money - your dreams might be more realistic, but even more important... they would probably be in line with your real values like "fund a music program, more time with my family, or travel." Those happen to be my dreams... yours are different I'm sure. But if you still say you would pay $1 million to have Justin Timberlake give you a private strip tease... you're going to be the rich person who files bankruptcy... I hope it was a fun 10 mins!
Anyways... now that I have all this independence and financial control and choice over my life, I figure that it's in my best interest to find out what the best choices could be. So however old you are... read the book "Smart Women Finish Rich" by David Bach (or one of his equivalents)... I doubt that you will be able to finish it and say you didn't learn a single thing.
Read it - so when I'm taking exotic trips around the world... you can come too! Because as much as they might bring a smile to your day - I doubt you really want to work through your retirement as a Wal-Mart greeter...
Monday, November 27, 2006
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Snuggling up to cold weather...
Sunday night... and I'm wrapping up another weekend to myself. The weather is getting cold here - something that I have dreaded since "the big move." But strangely, over time my dread has morphed into excitement. In Georgia I remember feeling ridiculous getting all bundled up for the cold weather... like suddenly a coat, scarf and sock cap made me look like that poor kid in "A Christmas Story." And adding to that, it was just so damn unnecessary. I mean seriously - even on the coldest days in the South (the 5 or 6 each year), what was I "bundling up" for? A 30 second dash to the parking lot? A 5 minute walk to class? To add to the frustration - the thermostats would be cranked up so high in any building that the second you walked through the door all you could think of was peeling off your 5 extra layers... to then what, carry it all around with you everywhere? So I eventually gave up... I wore short sleeve shirts year round, had one coat and just complained whenever I had to stand in the cold for excessive periods of time. Naturally, I started to hate cold weather because I was never dressed for it.
In New York, it's a different story. For one - since walking is a primary and often most convenient mode of transportation here - almost daily I find myself out walking around the city for 20 - 30 mins at a time, often several times a day. So you see... I would be one hell of a bitchy person if I used my old tactic - don't wear enough, get cold and complain. After thinking about this - I quickly realized, that I need to start loving winter clothing. Which is not as hard as you might think, even for someone like me who has been totally adverse to the genre of clothing for so many years. For one, New Yorkers dress for the weather. Rain boots, snow boots, scarves, hats, knee length coats, ear warmer, shawls, gloves, sweaters... you name it - they wear it. And... they have fun with it - here it's not just functional, it's fashion. Yet still, despite being surrounded by funky knit caps, colorful scarves and coats longer than I've ever seen anyone wear... I was still a stubborn southerner, wearing my short sleeves and tennis shoes. But then, something happened that really threw me off. As the weather got colder - the buildings got colder... or so it felt anyways. No blasting wave of heat as I walked through the doors... at work I got goosebumps - I started wearing my coat around the office, all day.
So last weekend, I broke down, gave in - and headed out into Manhattan shopping land to try and discover this whole deal with winter wear. I didn't make a lot of progress... I bought one color striped scarf and two hats, but I was satisfied. I tried it out this past week... I wore my scarf almost everyday, wrapping it around my neck and tucking it into my coat... and this time, instead of wincing at cold wind blasting on my neck, I thought to myself, "Hmm, I feel so nice and snuggly!" And so I fell in love with my scarf. By Thursday and Friday I was wearing it around the office (still with my short sleeve tops) just because it felt so warm and nice on my neck, and the added bonus of a nice splash of color in my wardrobe. But I still had a long way to go... by the end of this past week, it started to get cold. Cold enough that if I went outside without a coat, my arms and hands would turn pink and stiff. To add to it, it had been quite rainy lately, and I was totally fed up with walking home in tennis shoes and jeans soaked in icky sidewalk puddle sludge... and looking enviously at all the women skipping around in their cutesy rain boots.
So yesterday and today - I was on a mission... to begin building a real weather-proof winter wardrobe.
Saturday was sweater and coat day. I bundled myself up as best I could in my one scarf and coat and headed out to Union Square. Only about a 20ish minute walk - Union Square is my favorite place to head to on the weekend because it's always filled with some kind of concert, street performers, art sales, and lots of good shopping and restaurants. I can actually take the bus from my apt straight down 14th to get there... but I often opt for the walk, I really enjoy the exercise and fresh air. Anyways... so I head into a store I've never tried before called "Filene's Basement." It's like a high-end TJ Maxx or Ross type of atmosphere - where you can find $300 purses for like $150... some women call that "a steal," I call it a waste of money. But aside from the Calvin Klein and Gucci mark-downs... they also have some lesser known brands at really good prices. I found my jack-pot in the juniors section of all places. There were lots of long funky sweaters (necessary for my long torso), and even though they are designed for the stick-figured teenagers that I was surrounded by, I have found that if I just buy a size or two up, I have pretty good luck. A lot of dressing room trips later, and I had 5 great sweaters all around the $15 range (who said NYC was too expensive??). Then on to the coat section. I started wandering through the racks and was getting really bored with all the $200 wool pea-coats, when I stumbled upon a rack of down coats - all marked at $49.99. Wow... $50 bucks? I had to give them a shot. 20 minutes and several styles and sizes later... I found a coat. It's long (to my knees) and black, down with puffy quilting and toggle buttons down the front, and I LOVE it! Then I picked up another big soft scarf and matching gloves... and headed off to the checkout.
Today I headed back to Union Square, on a quest for winter footwear. I usually hate shoe shopping because I have unusually large feet... size 11/12, depending on the shoe. Sizes are hard to find - so I tend to avoid it altogether and stick to flip-flops and tennis shoes. But I pumped myself up and after some patient searching, found three pairs that fit my feet beautifully. One cutesy pair of rain boots (Yay, no more puddle sludge!), some casual brown leather (waterproof) snow boots with warm, fuzzy lining, and a pair of black leather dress boots for work.
So... I've come a LOOONG way in my winter wardrobe and I feel really good about it. I have realized that this winter clothing thing is actually fun. It's like having an excuse to wrap yourself up in a warm blanket before you go outside.
Maybe I'll turn into one of those crazy people who loves cold weather... well... maybe not. But at least I can stand it now with a smile.
In New York, it's a different story. For one - since walking is a primary and often most convenient mode of transportation here - almost daily I find myself out walking around the city for 20 - 30 mins at a time, often several times a day. So you see... I would be one hell of a bitchy person if I used my old tactic - don't wear enough, get cold and complain. After thinking about this - I quickly realized, that I need to start loving winter clothing. Which is not as hard as you might think, even for someone like me who has been totally adverse to the genre of clothing for so many years. For one, New Yorkers dress for the weather. Rain boots, snow boots, scarves, hats, knee length coats, ear warmer, shawls, gloves, sweaters... you name it - they wear it. And... they have fun with it - here it's not just functional, it's fashion. Yet still, despite being surrounded by funky knit caps, colorful scarves and coats longer than I've ever seen anyone wear... I was still a stubborn southerner, wearing my short sleeves and tennis shoes. But then, something happened that really threw me off. As the weather got colder - the buildings got colder... or so it felt anyways. No blasting wave of heat as I walked through the doors... at work I got goosebumps - I started wearing my coat around the office, all day.
So last weekend, I broke down, gave in - and headed out into Manhattan shopping land to try and discover this whole deal with winter wear. I didn't make a lot of progress... I bought one color striped scarf and two hats, but I was satisfied. I tried it out this past week... I wore my scarf almost everyday, wrapping it around my neck and tucking it into my coat... and this time, instead of wincing at cold wind blasting on my neck, I thought to myself, "Hmm, I feel so nice and snuggly!" And so I fell in love with my scarf. By Thursday and Friday I was wearing it around the office (still with my short sleeve tops) just because it felt so warm and nice on my neck, and the added bonus of a nice splash of color in my wardrobe. But I still had a long way to go... by the end of this past week, it started to get cold. Cold enough that if I went outside without a coat, my arms and hands would turn pink and stiff. To add to it, it had been quite rainy lately, and I was totally fed up with walking home in tennis shoes and jeans soaked in icky sidewalk puddle sludge... and looking enviously at all the women skipping around in their cutesy rain boots.
So yesterday and today - I was on a mission... to begin building a real weather-proof winter wardrobe.
Saturday was sweater and coat day. I bundled myself up as best I could in my one scarf and coat and headed out to Union Square. Only about a 20ish minute walk - Union Square is my favorite place to head to on the weekend because it's always filled with some kind of concert, street performers, art sales, and lots of good shopping and restaurants. I can actually take the bus from my apt straight down 14th to get there... but I often opt for the walk, I really enjoy the exercise and fresh air. Anyways... so I head into a store I've never tried before called "Filene's Basement." It's like a high-end TJ Maxx or Ross type of atmosphere - where you can find $300 purses for like $150... some women call that "a steal," I call it a waste of money. But aside from the Calvin Klein and Gucci mark-downs... they also have some lesser known brands at really good prices. I found my jack-pot in the juniors section of all places. There were lots of long funky sweaters (necessary for my long torso), and even though they are designed for the stick-figured teenagers that I was surrounded by, I have found that if I just buy a size or two up, I have pretty good luck. A lot of dressing room trips later, and I had 5 great sweaters all around the $15 range (who said NYC was too expensive??). Then on to the coat section. I started wandering through the racks and was getting really bored with all the $200 wool pea-coats, when I stumbled upon a rack of down coats - all marked at $49.99. Wow... $50 bucks? I had to give them a shot. 20 minutes and several styles and sizes later... I found a coat. It's long (to my knees) and black, down with puffy quilting and toggle buttons down the front, and I LOVE it! Then I picked up another big soft scarf and matching gloves... and headed off to the checkout.
Today I headed back to Union Square, on a quest for winter footwear. I usually hate shoe shopping because I have unusually large feet... size 11/12, depending on the shoe. Sizes are hard to find - so I tend to avoid it altogether and stick to flip-flops and tennis shoes. But I pumped myself up and after some patient searching, found three pairs that fit my feet beautifully. One cutesy pair of rain boots (Yay, no more puddle sludge!), some casual brown leather (waterproof) snow boots with warm, fuzzy lining, and a pair of black leather dress boots for work.
So... I've come a LOOONG way in my winter wardrobe and I feel really good about it. I have realized that this winter clothing thing is actually fun. It's like having an excuse to wrap yourself up in a warm blanket before you go outside.
Maybe I'll turn into one of those crazy people who loves cold weather... well... maybe not. But at least I can stand it now with a smile.
Monday, October 30, 2006
The cab driver on crack was not in the plan...
I spent this past weekend in DC visiting a friend - one of the few people left in my life who I share memories with that date back almost a decade... It was a fun and interesting trip. I took a bus from Penn Station, left at 6:30pm on Friday in the pouring rain and didn't step off in DC until 11:15 pm... almost 5 hrs later... yikes! But other than the rain delays, the trip was decent - clean bus, movies (Dodgeball in particular kept me entertained for a while), a book and my iPod - enough to entertain my mind while I stared out the window at the glossy blur of head and taillights.
The weekend wasn't too exciting, we never made it out to any bars, concerts, or monuments - we did however spend some time in a few of the Smithsonian museums, which was about all I wanted to do considering that I was battling the onset of a head cold. So a little art, food and movies... lots of Advil cold&sinus - not exactly how I had imagined it, but exactly what I needed. The trip did a lot for me - it really helped define my independence... as if moving to NYC without knowing a soul wasn't enough... I sat on that bus and thought to myself, "wow, it's really just me." It also got me thinking about time - decades, years, months - why after all this time is it all so different and yet still feels like my life? So this is what I came up with...
It's so strange how much our lives change and we just keep going. Day after day, new decisions, opportunities, people, places...
I realized this weekend that for most of us (excluding the people who are born, raised and die in the same house/town)... a lot of things can change, and fast... but only on the surface. What lies deeper in all of us, the emotional attachments to people and dreams... take much longer to change, if they ever do at all. Regardless of how "spontaneous" people claim or desire to be, I believe that at our core we all hold on to thoughts of what our future might be. Whether it's our future with another person, in another place, or working another job... there's a lot that people hold on to regardless of their new environments. I think it's because love and hope are some of the strongest emotional ties we can make.
So it got me thinking about the kind of meaning that you can have in another person's life. You are either someone on the surface - or a part of someone's plan. They either see me as a fun shopping companion this weekend and perhaps a few more in the near future, or they picture me at their wedding. Perhaps this is a little too black and white... but bear with me...
Luckily - plan's change - and thank goodness for that because if they didn't I would be married, probably pregnant, and living on 30 acres somewhere in Tennessee... (ugh, did anyone else just get chills?)
But do our plan's keep us from letting in what's at the surface? Do I not take an opportunity in New York because I always imagined myself living in Colorado? Do I let a great guy go because I think an old flame will rekindle one day? If we trust that our plans will come true, are we overlooking a life we never imagined or are we just being true to ourselves?
Hmm... this is why it helps to have an iPod to entertain my mind - otherwise I could think myself in circles all day...
Regardless of what this all means, and I'm not even sure that I know any more...
I think you can learn more about life if you take some time to dig a little deeper... stop looking at situations through your own little rose-colored life plan glasses and find out what other people's perspectives are. People are much less complicated when you stop trying to make them fit you and start understanding where you fit for them...
Ok - so that was my Psychology 101 attempt for the day... the other point I wanted to make was that since moving to New York, I had forgotten how much I loved the sky... how big and beautiful it is. Here it tends to get lost among the sky scrapers; your eyes always looking down to avoid trip hazards, people, or moving vehicles. But in DC, the sky was enormous and blue and it made me so happy. I have to admit that after taking the "red-eye" bus back to NYC this morning, hopping in a cab at 3:30 am and seriously starting to wonder whether the driver was high on crack... I was beginning to wish I was still in DC with the jeep top down, cool wind on my cheeks and bright blue sky all around... but then I woke up this morning, safe and sound in my warm bed, some orchestral piece on NPR playing in the background, the sparkling Hudson and empire state building both in my line of vision... and I changed my mind.
The weekend wasn't too exciting, we never made it out to any bars, concerts, or monuments - we did however spend some time in a few of the Smithsonian museums, which was about all I wanted to do considering that I was battling the onset of a head cold. So a little art, food and movies... lots of Advil cold&sinus - not exactly how I had imagined it, but exactly what I needed. The trip did a lot for me - it really helped define my independence... as if moving to NYC without knowing a soul wasn't enough... I sat on that bus and thought to myself, "wow, it's really just me." It also got me thinking about time - decades, years, months - why after all this time is it all so different and yet still feels like my life? So this is what I came up with...
It's so strange how much our lives change and we just keep going. Day after day, new decisions, opportunities, people, places...
I realized this weekend that for most of us (excluding the people who are born, raised and die in the same house/town)... a lot of things can change, and fast... but only on the surface. What lies deeper in all of us, the emotional attachments to people and dreams... take much longer to change, if they ever do at all. Regardless of how "spontaneous" people claim or desire to be, I believe that at our core we all hold on to thoughts of what our future might be. Whether it's our future with another person, in another place, or working another job... there's a lot that people hold on to regardless of their new environments. I think it's because love and hope are some of the strongest emotional ties we can make.
So it got me thinking about the kind of meaning that you can have in another person's life. You are either someone on the surface - or a part of someone's plan. They either see me as a fun shopping companion this weekend and perhaps a few more in the near future, or they picture me at their wedding. Perhaps this is a little too black and white... but bear with me...
Luckily - plan's change - and thank goodness for that because if they didn't I would be married, probably pregnant, and living on 30 acres somewhere in Tennessee... (ugh, did anyone else just get chills?)
But do our plan's keep us from letting in what's at the surface? Do I not take an opportunity in New York because I always imagined myself living in Colorado? Do I let a great guy go because I think an old flame will rekindle one day? If we trust that our plans will come true, are we overlooking a life we never imagined or are we just being true to ourselves?
Hmm... this is why it helps to have an iPod to entertain my mind - otherwise I could think myself in circles all day...
Regardless of what this all means, and I'm not even sure that I know any more...
I think you can learn more about life if you take some time to dig a little deeper... stop looking at situations through your own little rose-colored life plan glasses and find out what other people's perspectives are. People are much less complicated when you stop trying to make them fit you and start understanding where you fit for them...
Ok - so that was my Psychology 101 attempt for the day... the other point I wanted to make was that since moving to New York, I had forgotten how much I loved the sky... how big and beautiful it is. Here it tends to get lost among the sky scrapers; your eyes always looking down to avoid trip hazards, people, or moving vehicles. But in DC, the sky was enormous and blue and it made me so happy. I have to admit that after taking the "red-eye" bus back to NYC this morning, hopping in a cab at 3:30 am and seriously starting to wonder whether the driver was high on crack... I was beginning to wish I was still in DC with the jeep top down, cool wind on my cheeks and bright blue sky all around... but then I woke up this morning, safe and sound in my warm bed, some orchestral piece on NPR playing in the background, the sparkling Hudson and empire state building both in my line of vision... and I changed my mind.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Those who fill my heart...
It's late - 11:20pm - well, for me anyways... I can't sleep and my mind is spinning. I had the BEST day at work today, I got to head up a editing session on my own dvd project :) It was so exciting! I really have the best supervisors, they have a lot of faith in my ability and are really encouraging.
I also have been thinking a lot about all these relationships that I've been holding on to since I moved... There is something that changes when you move away. Some people drift away, some pull closer, and I've actually been surprised how some of my relationships have changed or grown in the last 2 months.
Distance acts like a revealing agent - because to hold on to a person that is so far away, you have to feel like they are worth the investment. You have to know that whether it's an email, a phone call or a short-term visit, they will continue to add value to your life. So distance reveals the people that want you in their life, and it makes you realize who you really want in yours.
I've grown an appreciation for my friendships... over my four years at GCSU I developed a small handful of amazing, intelligent, fascinating and genuine friends. And while I may be an optimist, I'm not naive and I realize that some of these people will still eventually slip out of my life. But for now - just knowing that they are still there for me as my friend, minus the Thursday night drunken memories and weekly lunch dates, means so much. It's probably the one last ounce of stability I have to hold on to. Since I've moved, everything has been a new adjustment, but my friends are the same familiar voices, the same cooky personalities, and a reassurement that I'm not in this alone.
I'm a person who embraces change, I find it exhilarating and motivating... but at times it's still nice to know that some things in life stay the same.
For those of you who fill my heart with friendship - I love you and miss you, thank you.
I also have been thinking a lot about all these relationships that I've been holding on to since I moved... There is something that changes when you move away. Some people drift away, some pull closer, and I've actually been surprised how some of my relationships have changed or grown in the last 2 months.
Distance acts like a revealing agent - because to hold on to a person that is so far away, you have to feel like they are worth the investment. You have to know that whether it's an email, a phone call or a short-term visit, they will continue to add value to your life. So distance reveals the people that want you in their life, and it makes you realize who you really want in yours.
I've grown an appreciation for my friendships... over my four years at GCSU I developed a small handful of amazing, intelligent, fascinating and genuine friends. And while I may be an optimist, I'm not naive and I realize that some of these people will still eventually slip out of my life. But for now - just knowing that they are still there for me as my friend, minus the Thursday night drunken memories and weekly lunch dates, means so much. It's probably the one last ounce of stability I have to hold on to. Since I've moved, everything has been a new adjustment, but my friends are the same familiar voices, the same cooky personalities, and a reassurement that I'm not in this alone.
I'm a person who embraces change, I find it exhilarating and motivating... but at times it's still nice to know that some things in life stay the same.
For those of you who fill my heart with friendship - I love you and miss you, thank you.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Smiling at no one...
My best friend tells me "Laura, you don't do low key..." which is so incredibly true. I tend to lack that emotional barrier that keeps the feelings on the inside, the ones that fill your heart and your mind, from being expressed to the outside world. I like to tell people "I'm just pure of heart"... but however you put it, if I'm thinking it, if I'm feeling it, you will know. My emotions bubble uncontrollably to the surface and burst out in expression, sound and words. I happen to love this about myself, it keeps me true to myself and true to others. Lately, I've been happy, truly, ridiculously happy, with my life and my choices and the people I'm surrounded by. I'm the girl that smiles at no one. I sit on the bus, music playing on my ipod, and while staring out the window, at the floor, or perhaps unintentionally at some stranger across the isle, I break into a smile and sometimes a quiet laugh. I'm not quite sure where it comes from, but some deep content part of me that is finally seeing my dreams come to life. I love this city, I love my job, I love the people that I've met and I love that I believed in myself enough to see it all come true. I have always been a dreamer - I've been known to spend entire days lost in my own thoughts. I believe dreams allow us to live beyond the moment, to be filled with possibility and hope. I think dreams are the key to childhood - having the imagination to dream the unthinkable. Somehow as we get older I think most people lose sight of their dreams, because they stop believing that they might actually come true. I still dream, sometimes as if I were still climbing trees and chasing boys around the playground. I think there is some saying like "you shoot for the stars and you'll reach the moon"... that's kinda how I try to live my life. So far I think it's worked.
I believe in dreams, and I believe that people really can achieve them... but the key is believing in the possibility and believing in themselves. Before moving to NYC, I encountered a lot of discouraging people, and the majority of them had two main points to make:
1. It is incredibly expensive and impossible to survive.
2. The people in NY are terribly mean and would make me miserable.
For all of those people (who are too many to count) I have two points to make:
1. I am living more comfortably supporting myself on a meager entry-level salary while living in Manhattan than I ever have in my life. I am not only surviving - I'm thriving.
2. Every person I have met through work or random contacts has been generous, friendly, warm, inviting and kind. The stereotype of mean New Yorkers is simply an ignorant myth.
Luckily, I wasn't ignorant enough to listen and let them bash my dreams and optimism. So my point is - BELIEVE in your dreams, surround yourself with people who will believe with you, let go of fear and shoot for the stars... you might end up so happy that you'll find yourself smiling at no one.
I believe in dreams, and I believe that people really can achieve them... but the key is believing in the possibility and believing in themselves. Before moving to NYC, I encountered a lot of discouraging people, and the majority of them had two main points to make:
1. It is incredibly expensive and impossible to survive.
2. The people in NY are terribly mean and would make me miserable.
For all of those people (who are too many to count) I have two points to make:
1. I am living more comfortably supporting myself on a meager entry-level salary while living in Manhattan than I ever have in my life. I am not only surviving - I'm thriving.
2. Every person I have met through work or random contacts has been generous, friendly, warm, inviting and kind. The stereotype of mean New Yorkers is simply an ignorant myth.
Luckily, I wasn't ignorant enough to listen and let them bash my dreams and optimism. So my point is - BELIEVE in your dreams, surround yourself with people who will believe with you, let go of fear and shoot for the stars... you might end up so happy that you'll find yourself smiling at no one.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Music in Manhattan...
So it's 8pm on a Thursday night and I'm just heading out from work... it was a long day but a great one. My AE was out sick most of the day, so I was on my own to figure things out. Tomorrow morning our client wants to have phone meeting with me to go over the status of all billing... and I'm really excited. It will be my first time just taking control of the wheel and directing the conversation with a client... that's very cool.
But the side of my life that exists outside of work - I'm really excited about finding opportunities to play sax with friends or with a group. A co-worker of mine plays the alto, he picked it back up when he graduated from college after not having played since middle school. He wants a little help with theory and technique and so we're going to start playing together. Plus he is really interested in jazz which is what I want to study more of and so hopefully we'll be able to help each other improve. He actually plays in the Grey band called the Subliminals - who just won 1st place last night in an Ad Band competition. I am so excited for them and I hope that maybe next year I can play in it too.
Ok - well now I have to leave. I'm going to my friends apt in the West Village to watch Grey's Anatomy and eat yummy popcorn. :)
But the side of my life that exists outside of work - I'm really excited about finding opportunities to play sax with friends or with a group. A co-worker of mine plays the alto, he picked it back up when he graduated from college after not having played since middle school. He wants a little help with theory and technique and so we're going to start playing together. Plus he is really interested in jazz which is what I want to study more of and so hopefully we'll be able to help each other improve. He actually plays in the Grey band called the Subliminals - who just won 1st place last night in an Ad Band competition. I am so excited for them and I hope that maybe next year I can play in it too.
Ok - well now I have to leave. I'm going to my friends apt in the West Village to watch Grey's Anatomy and eat yummy popcorn. :)
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Gettin in the Groove...
So it's Tuesday the 26th at 5:30... I'm done for the day. It was a really busy day, but a great day. I'm starting to feel like I actually know what's going on at work. I've been making storyboards, billing and creating estimates, attending status meetings and client presentations, compiling competitive research and other miscellaneous stuff... I really like what I do, it's so fun to work on something and see stuff get created before the rest of the world. I'm learning about timelines and strategic development and so much more.
On top of getting situated at work, the rest of my life is falling into place. I LOVE my new apartment and I have great roommates. I moved in a little over a week ago... I had to rough it on an air mattress for a week, but my parents drove up from GA this past Saturday with my bed and stuff. They took me to IKEA and I bought some furniture and curtains. I'm still working on getting it all unpacked and pulled together, but I'm hoping to make a lot of progress tonight.
Building a social life has actually been a lot easier than I anticipated... I work with so many young people - most of who moved to NYC like I did - and they are all very friendly and willing to hang out. I already have a "Grey's Anatomy Thursday" group... nothing like a girls night of yummy food and a juicy TV show. Plus there are always happy hours or birthday parties to go to. Last week several of my co-workers went with me to the West Village to hear Moonshine Still, it was strange seeing people I know in NYC, I'm so used to everyone being a stranger. But we all had fun, and it was good to go hear some music.
I've also started getting up at 6am to go running... there is a trail that goes right along the East River only a few blocks from my apt. It's really nice and safe. I like getting up early to run, I feel like I have more energy at work when I do... so we'll see how long I can keep that up. I also want to start playing sax in some community band. At Grey we have a company band, they are competing this Wednesday night and they did a pre-show in our cafeteria for employees. I was really impressed and I'm hoping to get involved with that whenever they open up for try-outs. I'm also working on my guitar playing skills, building those callouses back and studying cords and scales.
It's starting to feel more and more like home. I miss people from Georgia all the time, but I feel like I definitely made the right choice. I still don't know if I want to stay here forever - but I know I want to stay for a long while, at least through my 20's then probably longer... I guess only time will tell.
Well - I'm going to enjoy my early night off and head home to do laundry and unpack. :)
On top of getting situated at work, the rest of my life is falling into place. I LOVE my new apartment and I have great roommates. I moved in a little over a week ago... I had to rough it on an air mattress for a week, but my parents drove up from GA this past Saturday with my bed and stuff. They took me to IKEA and I bought some furniture and curtains. I'm still working on getting it all unpacked and pulled together, but I'm hoping to make a lot of progress tonight.
Building a social life has actually been a lot easier than I anticipated... I work with so many young people - most of who moved to NYC like I did - and they are all very friendly and willing to hang out. I already have a "Grey's Anatomy Thursday" group... nothing like a girls night of yummy food and a juicy TV show. Plus there are always happy hours or birthday parties to go to. Last week several of my co-workers went with me to the West Village to hear Moonshine Still, it was strange seeing people I know in NYC, I'm so used to everyone being a stranger. But we all had fun, and it was good to go hear some music.
I've also started getting up at 6am to go running... there is a trail that goes right along the East River only a few blocks from my apt. It's really nice and safe. I like getting up early to run, I feel like I have more energy at work when I do... so we'll see how long I can keep that up. I also want to start playing sax in some community band. At Grey we have a company band, they are competing this Wednesday night and they did a pre-show in our cafeteria for employees. I was really impressed and I'm hoping to get involved with that whenever they open up for try-outs. I'm also working on my guitar playing skills, building those callouses back and studying cords and scales.
It's starting to feel more and more like home. I miss people from Georgia all the time, but I feel like I definitely made the right choice. I still don't know if I want to stay here forever - but I know I want to stay for a long while, at least through my 20's then probably longer... I guess only time will tell.
Well - I'm going to enjoy my early night off and head home to do laundry and unpack. :)
Friday, September 15, 2006
TGIF...
Well, today was the end of my first full 5-day week at Grey and while it felt good to be off for the weekend... I really had a great week, even despite the fact that it was miserably rainy the past two days.
Today the AE on my account was off and so it was the first time that I really had to just go it alone and figure things out without running next door to her office for help... and I loved it. I am starting to get a handle on billing and have begun setting up billing spreadsheets and file systems for two of our newest brands. Also, over the past few days I have done some competitive brand/strategy research that I will present to my SVP on Monday. I also submitted some new creative for legal/network review... since I work on prescription brands, there are a lot of legal precautions and approvals to go through before you can proceed with a new creative design or storyboard. Also, I took some old TV creative and converted it to a storyboard/script format... wow. I definitely took a few steps up the learning curve this week, and it feels so great to feel productive and beneficial to my team.
But it also makes it so much easier that I'm not alone... just across the hall another AAE started the same day as me and we are always popping in and out of each other's office to help each other figure out the answers to those "stupid questions" that we are a little too embarrassed to ask anyone else... Plus there are so many people close by who work at all levels that are willing to help and answer questions. Just today I had lunch with a new friend of mine, an AAE who has been there fore several months and interned at Grey before that... everyone I meet is so nice up here and really make me feel welcome.
Tomorrow I "move" into my new apartment in the East Village of Manhattan. I have to take a $100 taxi ride from Bloomfield, NJ to Manhattan, but it's well worth it - there is no way I could haul two suitcases and a duffel bag down the street and on three different trains. I can't wait to actually be living in Manhattan!! Even after 2 weeks, I still step out of work at night and walk down the sidewalk, taking the time to look all around and take it in, and I think "holy shit... I'm in New York City... this is really my life!"
I got my first paycheck today!! And I get another... in two weeks! I feel like I'm rich now, but I'm sure it won't be long until I feel like I could use more. Luckily I got a GREAT deal on an apartment - one that most of my co-workers are jealous about.
My parents are coming next weekend with my furniture and until then I have a co-worker lending me her really nice queen sized aerobed. I will kinda be roughing it for a week - but I think I would sleep on the kitchen floor if it meant I didn't have to commute from New Jersey. This weekend I'm going to spend time painting my new bedroom, shopping and getting to know my neighborhood.
:)
Today the AE on my account was off and so it was the first time that I really had to just go it alone and figure things out without running next door to her office for help... and I loved it. I am starting to get a handle on billing and have begun setting up billing spreadsheets and file systems for two of our newest brands. Also, over the past few days I have done some competitive brand/strategy research that I will present to my SVP on Monday. I also submitted some new creative for legal/network review... since I work on prescription brands, there are a lot of legal precautions and approvals to go through before you can proceed with a new creative design or storyboard. Also, I took some old TV creative and converted it to a storyboard/script format... wow. I definitely took a few steps up the learning curve this week, and it feels so great to feel productive and beneficial to my team.
But it also makes it so much easier that I'm not alone... just across the hall another AAE started the same day as me and we are always popping in and out of each other's office to help each other figure out the answers to those "stupid questions" that we are a little too embarrassed to ask anyone else... Plus there are so many people close by who work at all levels that are willing to help and answer questions. Just today I had lunch with a new friend of mine, an AAE who has been there fore several months and interned at Grey before that... everyone I meet is so nice up here and really make me feel welcome.
Tomorrow I "move" into my new apartment in the East Village of Manhattan. I have to take a $100 taxi ride from Bloomfield, NJ to Manhattan, but it's well worth it - there is no way I could haul two suitcases and a duffel bag down the street and on three different trains. I can't wait to actually be living in Manhattan!! Even after 2 weeks, I still step out of work at night and walk down the sidewalk, taking the time to look all around and take it in, and I think "holy shit... I'm in New York City... this is really my life!"
I got my first paycheck today!! And I get another... in two weeks! I feel like I'm rich now, but I'm sure it won't be long until I feel like I could use more. Luckily I got a GREAT deal on an apartment - one that most of my co-workers are jealous about.
My parents are coming next weekend with my furniture and until then I have a co-worker lending me her really nice queen sized aerobed. I will kinda be roughing it for a week - but I think I would sleep on the kitchen floor if it meant I didn't have to commute from New Jersey. This weekend I'm going to spend time painting my new bedroom, shopping and getting to know my neighborhood.
:)
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
iPod Excitement...
So... I have been waiting, and waiting and WAITING to buy myself and iPod nano... and (drumroll please...) I bought myself a brand new, 8GB, black iPod Nano TODAY!!!
For those of you that aren't in the loop, apple just released their latest version of the iPod nano and it's less expensive, more durable and exactly what I was waiting for. It now comes in cool colors (only for 4GB models, so I had to settle for black) and up to 8GB memory! Plus, I got to buy it with my company discount... which makes me extra excited.
This is probably making me sound like a big technology geek... but I have wanted this for forever, and now that I finally have the money, they release an even better version than the first! I get it in 2 days and am totally amped! (yes, I just used "amped" for those of you who will appreciate the '90s flashback...) Sorry to sound like I'm bragging again... but this is my present to myself for finding a job, moving to New Jersey and getting an apartment in NYC - all while remaining mentally, physically, and emotionally intact. Here's a pat on the back - to myself. :)
For those of you that aren't in the loop, apple just released their latest version of the iPod nano and it's less expensive, more durable and exactly what I was waiting for. It now comes in cool colors (only for 4GB models, so I had to settle for black) and up to 8GB memory! Plus, I got to buy it with my company discount... which makes me extra excited.
This is probably making me sound like a big technology geek... but I have wanted this for forever, and now that I finally have the money, they release an even better version than the first! I get it in 2 days and am totally amped! (yes, I just used "amped" for those of you who will appreciate the '90s flashback...) Sorry to sound like I'm bragging again... but this is my present to myself for finding a job, moving to New Jersey and getting an apartment in NYC - all while remaining mentally, physically, and emotionally intact. Here's a pat on the back - to myself. :)
Monday, September 11, 2006
Exciting News on a Somber Day...
Great News!! I got the apartment I wanted in Manhattan... I'm a true New Yorker!! I move in this Saturday and will have to sleep on an air mattress for a week until my parents can come up on the 22nd with my bed and tv and computer and stuff. That will be an adventure... my dad with his brand new Quad-cab Toyota Tundra, loaded down with a queen size bed and boxes, driving into Manhattan, finding a place to park and moving all my stuff to the 25th floor of a high rise!! Nothin like Monroe meets Manhattan...
Oh, but it feels so great to not have to worry about finding a place anymore! Now I can stop spending 4 hours of my day commuting and start spending my time doing the things I want to do!
Work went great today... I finally got to just jump into it and get some things done. I got a quick run-down of our entire billing system and got to update and send out my first Billing report to the clients and account team. The picture of how everything works together is starting to get a little clearer in my mind. Plus I ordered my business cards, filled out the paperwork for my health insurance and signed up for our company Mentor program. There is another new AAE right across the hall from me, she is really nice and it's good to have her there because we just go back and forth asking if the other has figured out how to do something yet. I really love my job because every day, every week, is different. It keeps things fun and keeps you learning... but at the same time, it makes it take longer to get initially adjusted. I'm sure it won't be too long before I'll have most of it figured out.
Today was also the 5th anniversary of 9/11... it was a little strange being in Manhattan. I kinda expected things to be really different and see people crying on the subway or something, but in most ways it was just like any other day. Except the trains and buses were running a little slower and there were more cops in the subway stations than I have ever seen. I even got to work late today because for some reason the express NJ Transit train that I take from Newark Penn Station to New York Penn Station stopped running and the policeman all started saying to the crowd "the express train to NY is no longer running, you have to take the PATH to NY Penn Station." It threw everybody off and people started cramming into the turnstiles to get onto the PATH train... but eventually it settled down and I made it to work just fine, except for being there 20 mins later than I expected. But otherwise it was a fairly normal day... no crying widows on the subway, no protests, no memorials, just big front page newspaper spreads and the normal blank subway stares that I see everyday.
Oh, but it feels so great to not have to worry about finding a place anymore! Now I can stop spending 4 hours of my day commuting and start spending my time doing the things I want to do!
Work went great today... I finally got to just jump into it and get some things done. I got a quick run-down of our entire billing system and got to update and send out my first Billing report to the clients and account team. The picture of how everything works together is starting to get a little clearer in my mind. Plus I ordered my business cards, filled out the paperwork for my health insurance and signed up for our company Mentor program. There is another new AAE right across the hall from me, she is really nice and it's good to have her there because we just go back and forth asking if the other has figured out how to do something yet. I really love my job because every day, every week, is different. It keeps things fun and keeps you learning... but at the same time, it makes it take longer to get initially adjusted. I'm sure it won't be too long before I'll have most of it figured out.
Today was also the 5th anniversary of 9/11... it was a little strange being in Manhattan. I kinda expected things to be really different and see people crying on the subway or something, but in most ways it was just like any other day. Except the trains and buses were running a little slower and there were more cops in the subway stations than I have ever seen. I even got to work late today because for some reason the express NJ Transit train that I take from Newark Penn Station to New York Penn Station stopped running and the policeman all started saying to the crowd "the express train to NY is no longer running, you have to take the PATH to NY Penn Station." It threw everybody off and people started cramming into the turnstiles to get onto the PATH train... but eventually it settled down and I made it to work just fine, except for being there 20 mins later than I expected. But otherwise it was a fairly normal day... no crying widows on the subway, no protests, no memorials, just big front page newspaper spreads and the normal blank subway stares that I see everyday.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
A night out in Brooklyn...
Today was a much needed relaxing Saturday after a much needed night out in New York... I went out to happy hour with some co-workers yesterday at some old-timey bar that old single (creepy) billionaires apparently tend to frequent. Luckily I didn't have a run-in with one - a co-worker said that a creepy old gross billionaire once offered to pay off her student loans if she would "go back to his club with him.." Ewww, gross.
I have to say that after all the crazy apartment hunting I have gone through and the stress of a new job and the commute I've been putting up with... that beer was probably the best I've tasted in a long time. So happy hour occupied my time until about 7'ish, after which I took a cab out to Brooklyn to meet up with my friend Kristin. She is a 29-year-old lawyer in Manhattan who actually went to Tucker High in Stone Mtn, GA. I met her mother through a catering job this past summer and we got in touch and hit it off as friends. I went and saw her apartment and then Kristin, her boyfriend Chris, and I all headed out to a bar/mexican restaurant just a few blocks down the road. It felt really great to get out have a few drinks and socialize with fun people. After dinner we headed to another bar in Brooklyn (I was in the Park Slope neighborhood - If anyone knows what that means...) and made our way back to their apartment by 2am. Luckily they have a guest bedroom which is odd in New York, so for the first time since I came here, I slept in a big bed without the fear of waking up and banging my head on the ceiling... also for those who don't know, I have been sleeping in a lofted twin (about 2 feet from the ceiling).
Today I spent a little time shopping in Brooklyn with Kristin... people have been teaching me about real winter coats and snow boots... so I went to Burlington Coat factory to try on and price the kind of winter coat I will have to buy in a month or so. Up here they wear thick wool coats to their knees and waterproof snow boots... two items I have never shopped for in my life! A good coat is going to cost me in the $100 range... so maybe I won't be getting that iPod after all.
I went and saw an apartment in Manhattan on the lower east side near the East Village on Thursday night. It was amazing and actually in my price range... I offered to take it on the spot, but the girl (who I work with) wanted to show it to a few more people first. I should get an answer by tomorrow or Monday, so keep your fingers crossed.
I was thinking about how much I have tackled on my own up here, and it made me happy to realize how much I have been able to do all on my own. I've always been extremely independent, but before I came up here I had some doubts that I might not be brave enough to run around the city at night or look at apartments by myself... but I've been doing it for over a week now and I already feel like it's just a normal part of my life. I have acclimated to the city very well... I can always figure out north, south, east and west no matter what subway stop I get out at. Now when people tell me an intersection I actually can envision what area of Manhattan they are talking about. My legs still ache everyday from all the walking and stair climbing and I've dropped at least five pounds already - but I feel healthier from all the exercise and really enjoy that I am living a really active life. Even more surprising is that I don't miss having a car. It actually is very freeing to not be responsible for or reliant on an object that costs thousands of dollars!
The hardest part so far is just missing having really close friends or family around... someone to give me a real hug, curl up on the couch with me and talk for hours or just someone who really knows me. But the exciting part is that all the new people I meet could potentially be some of my best old close friends in the future.
Up here I have a rare opportunity, I get to build my life again... and I'm having more fun with it than I ever imagined.
I have to say that after all the crazy apartment hunting I have gone through and the stress of a new job and the commute I've been putting up with... that beer was probably the best I've tasted in a long time. So happy hour occupied my time until about 7'ish, after which I took a cab out to Brooklyn to meet up with my friend Kristin. She is a 29-year-old lawyer in Manhattan who actually went to Tucker High in Stone Mtn, GA. I met her mother through a catering job this past summer and we got in touch and hit it off as friends. I went and saw her apartment and then Kristin, her boyfriend Chris, and I all headed out to a bar/mexican restaurant just a few blocks down the road. It felt really great to get out have a few drinks and socialize with fun people. After dinner we headed to another bar in Brooklyn (I was in the Park Slope neighborhood - If anyone knows what that means...) and made our way back to their apartment by 2am. Luckily they have a guest bedroom which is odd in New York, so for the first time since I came here, I slept in a big bed without the fear of waking up and banging my head on the ceiling... also for those who don't know, I have been sleeping in a lofted twin (about 2 feet from the ceiling).
Today I spent a little time shopping in Brooklyn with Kristin... people have been teaching me about real winter coats and snow boots... so I went to Burlington Coat factory to try on and price the kind of winter coat I will have to buy in a month or so. Up here they wear thick wool coats to their knees and waterproof snow boots... two items I have never shopped for in my life! A good coat is going to cost me in the $100 range... so maybe I won't be getting that iPod after all.
I went and saw an apartment in Manhattan on the lower east side near the East Village on Thursday night. It was amazing and actually in my price range... I offered to take it on the spot, but the girl (who I work with) wanted to show it to a few more people first. I should get an answer by tomorrow or Monday, so keep your fingers crossed.
I was thinking about how much I have tackled on my own up here, and it made me happy to realize how much I have been able to do all on my own. I've always been extremely independent, but before I came up here I had some doubts that I might not be brave enough to run around the city at night or look at apartments by myself... but I've been doing it for over a week now and I already feel like it's just a normal part of my life. I have acclimated to the city very well... I can always figure out north, south, east and west no matter what subway stop I get out at. Now when people tell me an intersection I actually can envision what area of Manhattan they are talking about. My legs still ache everyday from all the walking and stair climbing and I've dropped at least five pounds already - but I feel healthier from all the exercise and really enjoy that I am living a really active life. Even more surprising is that I don't miss having a car. It actually is very freeing to not be responsible for or reliant on an object that costs thousands of dollars!
The hardest part so far is just missing having really close friends or family around... someone to give me a real hug, curl up on the couch with me and talk for hours or just someone who really knows me. But the exciting part is that all the new people I meet could potentially be some of my best old close friends in the future.
Up here I have a rare opportunity, I get to build my life again... and I'm having more fun with it than I ever imagined.
Friday, September 08, 2006
I'm so cool...
:) So I slightly exaggerated when I said a "limo" was picking me up from work yesterday... I mean, they called a "limousine service" so I guess it was only fair for me to assume that it was a real limo. But I was definitely wrong. All car services are called Limo Services up here, and so when they called the limo service for 5 people, we got picked up in a black 15-passenger van. I guess with a little imagination, I can still pretend it was a real limo... But either way it was pretty cool... even cooler though was spending all day at the video shoot! It was amazing; I walked around the set, gave feedback on the video footage, sat next to the director behind the cameras, spent time with the clients, and relaxed in a BEAUTIFUL huge loft space in Long Island City. The location is a private apartment and of course I got to spend my time chilling on the garden terrace with a skyline view of Manhattan, while sitting in a directors chair. I'm sure I sound like I'm bragging, but it was the coolest day of work I have ever had, in fact, I didn't even feel like I was working.
Today I am back at the office for a slow Friday. I am still getting settled in around here, I still kinda feel like I don't know my ass from my elbow... but it gets better everyday. I think I found a great apartment in Manhattan last night, but it's being shown to two other people this weekend, so I won't know until Sunday... keep your fingers crossed for me!!
The commute to and from NJ still sucks, but I am making the best of it, I just start talking to strangers to entertain myself... it's not really the New York way, they tend to sit in silence and stare, but every now and then I find an excuse to strike up a conversations. Just last night I met a guy from Russia who was in New Jersey on an exchange program!
Well, my lunch break is pretty much over so I better get back to work and go meet with my AE. I'm staying crazy busy between work and apartment hunting. I didn't get back home to NJ until 12:30 am last night, and then had to wake up at 6am! Ugh... it was a rough ride on the subway... Tonight I am having drinks and dinner with a new friend in Brooklyn, she's taking me out for cuban sandwiches! Yumm :)
Today I am back at the office for a slow Friday. I am still getting settled in around here, I still kinda feel like I don't know my ass from my elbow... but it gets better everyday. I think I found a great apartment in Manhattan last night, but it's being shown to two other people this weekend, so I won't know until Sunday... keep your fingers crossed for me!!
The commute to and from NJ still sucks, but I am making the best of it, I just start talking to strangers to entertain myself... it's not really the New York way, they tend to sit in silence and stare, but every now and then I find an excuse to strike up a conversations. Just last night I met a guy from Russia who was in New Jersey on an exchange program!
Well, my lunch break is pretty much over so I better get back to work and go meet with my AE. I'm staying crazy busy between work and apartment hunting. I didn't get back home to NJ until 12:30 am last night, and then had to wake up at 6am! Ugh... it was a rough ride on the subway... Tonight I am having drinks and dinner with a new friend in Brooklyn, she's taking me out for cuban sandwiches! Yumm :)
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Just a baby...
So, it's Wednesday and the week is FLYING by! I got to sit in on some really exciting production and creative meetings today - during which I realized - I am sooooo young! I feel totally insignificant and ignorant sitting in a room filled with people older than my parents who are speaking from over 20 years of advertising experience... and there I am, feeling like I might as well be sucking on a pacifier. It was definitely a wake up call, but in a good way. In one way it's intimidating, but in another sense, it is really comforting to know that I am surrounded by so many experienced people who can be a resource for me as I learn more about the industry. Plus it just feels great to be included in everything...
Life in the Big Apple...
Well... just an update on my life. Today (Tues) was my second day at Grey in New York. I LOVE working there, the people are amazing and I am going to be doing really cool stuff. Like this Thurs and Friday, I will spend most of the day on-site at a production shoot in Manhattan!! Sooo cool...
Today was my official orientation, so I sat through four hours of how to use email, access the intranets, and what benefits I can choose from. I'm still in information overload mode... I'm hoping that within a week or two I will really start to get adjusted and be able to just show up and do my job without feeling completely clueless.
I am still living in New Jersey with some relatives of a family friend... its a great place and I love the people, but the commute is god awful... it took me 1 hour and 50 mins to get into work this morning... and over 2 hours to get back... my daily commute consists of walking 10 mins to the City Subway station, taking that train to Newark, NJ Penn Station, taking the PATH train in to New York, and then transferring to a third train to take to work, then walking about 4 blocks to get to the office. It's pretty insane and it's giving me the needed justification to break down and buy an ipod... I need something to keep me sane for the trip.
I'm on the hunt for an apartment on the east side of Manhattan, either in the city or in Brooklyn or Queens, rents are pretty high up here, but not unbearable, you just have to be patient and some great deals will come your way. I have a few good leads and will probably pick a place within the next few days.
I miss everyone in Georgia, but I stay too busy to get lonely or sad. Things should quiet down after I find a place and can actually spend my free time doing things I enjoy and not just commuting or apartment hunting.
I've met several great people up here and I think I won't have any problems making friends.
But for now, it's 11 pm and my bedtime considering that I have to get up at 6am to make it to work by 9:30 :(
Thanks for everyone who has tried to keep in contact, my internet access is pretty sporadic, so if I don't get back with you right away, I promise I haven't forgotten!!
Today was my official orientation, so I sat through four hours of how to use email, access the intranets, and what benefits I can choose from. I'm still in information overload mode... I'm hoping that within a week or two I will really start to get adjusted and be able to just show up and do my job without feeling completely clueless.
I am still living in New Jersey with some relatives of a family friend... its a great place and I love the people, but the commute is god awful... it took me 1 hour and 50 mins to get into work this morning... and over 2 hours to get back... my daily commute consists of walking 10 mins to the City Subway station, taking that train to Newark, NJ Penn Station, taking the PATH train in to New York, and then transferring to a third train to take to work, then walking about 4 blocks to get to the office. It's pretty insane and it's giving me the needed justification to break down and buy an ipod... I need something to keep me sane for the trip.
I'm on the hunt for an apartment on the east side of Manhattan, either in the city or in Brooklyn or Queens, rents are pretty high up here, but not unbearable, you just have to be patient and some great deals will come your way. I have a few good leads and will probably pick a place within the next few days.
I miss everyone in Georgia, but I stay too busy to get lonely or sad. Things should quiet down after I find a place and can actually spend my free time doing things I enjoy and not just commuting or apartment hunting.
I've met several great people up here and I think I won't have any problems making friends.
But for now, it's 11 pm and my bedtime considering that I have to get up at 6am to make it to work by 9:30 :(
Thanks for everyone who has tried to keep in contact, my internet access is pretty sporadic, so if I don't get back with you right away, I promise I haven't forgotten!!
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