Last week, after 24 years living in the same small, college town in Maine, I leaped and moved to New York City. It wasn’t as all-of-a-sudden as it sounds. I had been considering, planning, and wanting to leap for a while to leverage my 15-years of experience in the children’s book world at a job at a larger publishing house.
So when both son 1 and son 2 packed for college this year, I packed too. We loaded UHauls, dropped the sons off at their institutions of higher learning and stored my things in New Jersey. I found a pet-sitting gig until September 21 and have been exploring this city.
It’s been a high anxiety week masquerading as an adventure. The reality of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs—that one must meet physiological and safety needs first (food, water, warmth, rest, safety and security) before self actualization—is shockingly apparent.
Here’s my first week by the numbers:
Miles walked: 23
Subway extremes:
- A: Inwood/207 & Utica
- Q: Ave J
- N/W: Astoria Blvd.
- 6: 125th St.
Cabs/Ubers/Lyfts: 4
Apartments viewed: 11
Apartment applications: 4
Apartment declines: 1 (still waiting on 3)
Job applications: 4
Networking phone calls: 2
Freelance job offer: 1
Creative writing on any of my works in progress: 0
Dog walks: 11
Synagogue services: 1…at which the Rabbi said, “Think back a year. You are not the same person you were then. You face the new year as a new you.” For me, that couldn’t be truer.
Creative Chaos 