Medical Clearance

Not in. But it's done and I'm shipping it off tomorrow! Everything looks good, at least in my opinion. I've only checked it about five billion times now to make sure all the I's are dotted and T's are crossed. Something will go wrong though. I don't have much luck in that sense.

In other news I'm the boss, with all the responsibility and without the extra pay. Turns out this is the worst type of boss to be. My boss and my co-worker have decided to abandon me to go on vacation. I had originally vowed to have free coffee Thursdays, but I've got too much on my plate to do that. People are just going to have to settle for an 'atta boy Thursdays.

This is just a small stone in my bad week. First the Hogs lose to 'Bama. A game that was clearly marked for destiny if it wasn't for two major screw ups at the end. While making shrunken heads for Halloween parties I cut my thumb, twice. I bit the hell out of my tongue leading it to be swollen twice it's size. I got hit by a car. My clients are refusing to listen to me. It's only Tuesday.

My sister has been in town interviewing with law firms. She is deciding between New York City and Washington D.C. I think she needs to live in NYC, she is thinking it would be better in D.C. I'm collecting a list of reasons why she should pick NYC.

Oh, and my client did not kidnap a baby.

Parent's just don't understand

I moved out of my parent's house in 1999. Since then about every three years (give or take) another sibling has moved out. With each loss of a family member my parents have made improvements on the house. After each child leaves for college something new arrives, whether it is a new living room set, kitchen, cable, etc. They have enjoyed sprucing up and renovating the house that I once lovingly called "home." The home I knew and loved no longer exists. I go home and there is no fighting about which of the 5 TV stations we should watch. There is no fighting about the lack of good seats. There is no fighting about who gets to sleep in a private room. No, instead there is 100 channels, a new leather couch and no fighting (though the last might be because the lack of us all living together). They have changed, man. They have changed.

Peace Corps News: (and by the way, guess where my stuff is getting shipped to. Take that Mom and Dad) Dr. Teets says my stuff is done. Though I fully expect to get to the doctor's office and have to give another two vials of blood. He is requesting to meet with me personally.

All Filler

I've lived in NYC now for over 4 years. Longer than I had originally planned. Of course I never planned on moving up here jobless, homeless and living in a hostel for 5 months (which is a brief bio of my first 5 months living in NYC). So planning isn't my best attribute, but finding ways to survive might be. I'm like MacGyver meets Bear Grylis meets Sex in the City. Just with better hair, no alligator wrestling and no real desire to own $500 pair of shoes. But I managed to "make it" if by making you mean still breathing. Do not get me wrong there are the perfect days. These days are generally in mid-spring/fall time where the weather is perfect, the people are calm, everyone is chill and everything seems right in the world. You can almost feel it in the air, it feels relaxed, even amid the hustle and bustle. The best example I can think of is dusk in Union Square. You have lots of people sitting around watching the skateboarders, bike riders rollerbladers. You have others playing chess. The vibe is just very laid back. I LOVE New York at this time. I love traipsing around NY after midnight with friends looking for food and fun. I love when it first starts snowing. Picnics in Central Park. Food.

But there have been plenty of times that I just groan and think, why did I move here?!? When rent is due and I realize I pay about 3 times the amount for my one bedroom apartment than I did for my two story, two bedroom townhouse in AR. When it rains (nothing survives getting gross). Car alarms. Dogs chained to things. Car horns. The price of pretty much everything. After it snows. The accents. Not connecting. The subways.

New Yorkers are in a hurry to wait. This is a pretty good description. The drivers rush and speed only to get the the stop light. They rush and speed only to spend 30 minutes looking for parking. Walkers (and I am part of this group) get pissed when anyone walks slow, stops suddenly or is in any way/shape/form not walking like they "should" walk. Even if the walkers have no place to go or no real rush. Just pissed off for the inconvenience.

So what will happen if I am not invited to the Peace Corps? Hopefully this is not a question I will have to answer. And it is a question I am working hard to make sure never receives a negative answer. Will I stay in NYC? I'm leaning towards no, but who knows. I have been thinking about this a lot lately, if I was to move away where would I move to? Truth be told I can not think of a place that I really, really want to move to. I have always wanted to live in Maine, but I see that more as a retirement place for me (my dreams of being a lobsterman might just be a dream). I love Boston, but the cost of living is not much different than NYC. So where should I go?