I owed you, and here it is.

Yes, I am alive, and well.

Let's start from the beginning.

The number one question I've got these last couple of months is this: Why did/are you move/ing to New York?

I've wanted to live in New York since I was a teenager. My reasons were really shallow, but oddly, it hasn't really changed. I saw shows like 'Friends', 'Will and Grace', 'Sex and the City', and all that other crap, and was mesmerized by the romanticized New York on TV. I decided that I wanted to go to college there. I had to run this by my parents (mainly because they were going to pay for my education), and I was met with an, "Absolutely not," from my mother. She told me that there was no way in hell I was going to survive New York City, especially with the ridiculously glossed over image I had of city life. To prove my point, my mom took me to New York City during spring break, when I was 16. It was April, and it was supposed to be spring time, but we were met with snow. On top of the weather, my mom reFUSED to take taxis, and dragged me on foot and subway every where we went. My suburban ass could not take it. (Just a side note: My mom grew up in Tokyo. She is a seasoned city girl. I was no match.) I succumbed to my mother's wisdom, and did not apply to any out of state schools.

However, the thought and desire of wanting to live in New York City never left me. During college, I visited several times with P, and after college, I kept visiting my college roommate Carmen over and over again. In between there, I also lived in Madrid, and tasted the life of living in a walking city. I loved it. I really really loved it. Once I got back to Los Angeles, I couldn't wait to go back to another urban city. (We all know how I shouldn't be driving, based on my records.) However, I fell in love with my job and my organization, and decided to stay a bit longer in LA.

Earlier last year, I had the crazy idea of becoming a lawyer, and dove into the deep end of LSAT classes and applications. I applied to every possible school I knew about in New York, but, guess what? I got rejected by ALL 20+ schools I applied to, and not just NY schools. ALL. I was crushed. Being the analytical person that I am, I dissected all the reasons why I was so sad about the rejections ( besides the pure fact that no one wanted me). In the end, I realized that one of the main reasons why I was disappointed about not going to law school was the fact that I might have to stay in Los Angeles for another extended period of time. I loved my job in LA, but it wasn't enough for me to enjoy living in Southern California any more.

So. I moved.

I realized my dream that I've had for 10 years. I didn't have a plan (still don't), and it was pretty reckless of me to move here. But, so far, I've loved it. Whatever romanticized image I had of New York has been replaced with a harsher reality, but it's far more exciting than I ever thought. For the most part, I am glad to be here.

Are y'all updated now on why I came here? Good! Because here's an update on what I've been up to.

I've settled into a little part of Queens and been loving it. I was at first hesitant about living outside of Manhattan, but now I prefer it. If you've seen "Julie and Julia", I live pretty close to the area where Julie Powell lives. The train she takes home, going up and down those stairs, is the train I take every day. Manhattan is great, but it takes a lot out of you. There are literally models and CEOs walking down the street with you, and it can get tiring. Coming home from Manhattan to Queens has been comforting, and I feel really grateful.

On the job front, I've got nothin', but I'm being optimistic. I've had the chance to explore Queens and Manhattan, run in Central Park (although never the same route, because it's so confusing), and ate at various spots, including the famous Shake Shack. I've also had the time to be completely obsessed with 'The Wire', which is a show that requires time and care. (I can't start with this show without dedicating an entire post on it. It is the greatest thing to ever be shown on television.)

I've been alright. :)

So, that's that. I'm thinking about starting a little project, so if you've been patient with me and read this post, you might wanna come back on Sunday.

I miss all of you!

xoxo