More NYC Closure
02/11/2009 11:44 a.m. | Personal
It all started with a phonecall in December of 2007. The woman on the other end had a identifiable Manhattan accent. She offered me a chance of a lifetime (or at least my lifetime thus far). Come to New York City and be a consultant. So, in June I moved up to the big apple and my life changed.
The first couple weeks I had before work were spent fixing up my apartment and exploring the neighborhood. I got the perfect chaise from Ikea, a window A/C unit because it was hot as hell, and I spent very little time at home. The Euro Soccer tournament was going on then, and the games were being played at 2:30 down the street from me at Baker's St. So, I spent the afternoon eating cheeseburgers and watching soccer.
Work started and my first three weeks were spent in New Jersey. I was getting up before 5 so I could get on the subway to make a 6:10 train to get to the 7:30 shuttle to make it to the office by 8am. That sucked. But, in the process of training I made some friends in my start group. The two weeks after that were at a training facility in Chicago. We drank every night, and it was a blast. Most of the other trainees were european, so I made friends from Spain, France, Italy, and Germany. Good times were had by all. And, in the classroom, I shined, which was important to me.
After returning to NYC, work slowed down a bit. Me and my friend Christine were on the bench awaiting a project assignment. We soon figured out how the office worked, and made some new friends from a different start group. In September we were assigned a project, but it was slowed down after only four weeks due to CNBC (or at least it seemed that way).
Back on the bench in October, things slowed even more. The next few months were spent trying to find a project. They were a bit frustrating but I was able to keep myself somewhat busy. Going home for the holidays made me really miss the people I care about, who all happen to be in Texas now. So, I took an opportunity to move back to TX. It meant leaving the big city, but as you will see, that was alright. Because I got to do so many different things while here.
I had many guests. Meg was here three times, Jason twice, and Trent and Mikhail once a piece. I would have liked to see a few other people eventually, but we can vacation there in the future together. I got to go to all of the museums, see Starry Night multiple times, and really experience some world-class artwork.
The weather was warm for a long time, and I spent many weekend afternoons walking and laying in Central Park while reading or listening to music. It was the equivalent of a grass beach. As the weather cooled, I restocked my cold-weather gear and I got to experience snow again, and even threw a few snowballs at Meg.
I ate at some great restaurants, and even with my picky tastes (pizza, burgers, pasta, or fruit) I was able to find some great spots. Perhaps my favorite slice was from a place less than a block away, and I ate there many nights. I cooked some with supplies from a local organic market also very near to my apartment. It is a good feeling to become a regular somewhere.
I got to see quite a bit of bars as well. The nightlife was fun all around the city, and while I never went to a "Bottles and Models" club, I enjoyed most of the places we went to. Although I had few heart-to-heart drinking talks that I like so much, I have probably never had as many laughs as before. (I also had never spent so much on drinks til NYC).
When I wasn't working or watching TV shows and movies I was getting involved in the community. I attended many NYC Changemaker Blogger meetups and met some great contacts who are now friends. I spent some weekends working on developing a new business with some students I met there and we had a blast. This reminded me so much of CARPOOL, and it gave me a great deal of confidence and satisfaction.
Probably the best influence the city had on me was the diversity. That word has all new meaning to me now. Its more than skin color and religion. It's culture and taste. There is more uniqueness here than anywhere I have ever lived. Part of it I think is from different backgrounds, but I think part is the city lifestyle. Walking everywhere really opens your eyes up to the world around you. I will certainly miss that.
There are a few other things I will miss, but I am very satisfied at how things turned out. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I am sure I would do a hundred things differently. But, after I did that and looked back, I'm even more sure I would do another hundred things differently. That is the best thing about New York. There really is no wrong way to do things. The only bad decision you can make is not taking the opportunity to come here. I made the right call there and have really enjoyed it.
There were some hard times. Work got frustrating. I got a bit lonely. And I broke my wrist which didn't help anything. But what is important is that I wouldn't trade any of my experiences. They have shaped and molded who I am now and who I will be back in Texas and on after. I am sure there will be hard times again, but I am not worried about it. I was able to make a decision to come back which I am very thankful for.
As I close this chapter of life, I anticipate some "filler" time while I get re-adjusted to driving and the heat, and then another big adventure. That really is the best word to describe my time here in NYC: Adventure. Thank you to everyone who supported me and who helped make my time here as great as it was. I won't forget a thing anytime soon...