Peoples is Peoples

Happy Birthday, James!  In honor of your birthday, I will blog about trains.

Life has been pretty busy over the past month and a half - and surprisingly enough, I still like it here.  It's hard to explain to anyone back home, but it really isn't all that different.  As Pete told Kermit, "Peoples is peoples."  If you scooped out all of the "peoples" living in New York right now and replaced them with a bunch of Minnesotans, it would still be the same.  I mean, granted, it wouldn't be quite as diverse... but people would still shove their way through crowds.  People would still listen to their music too loud, and they would still beg for money.  Peoples is peoples... these peoples just happen to be a little grumpier because their feet hurt from all of the walking.

(I have yet to remember to set my pedometer in the morning to give you an accurate picture of exactly what it takes to commute in the morning, but one of these days I'll get to that.)



The subway is an interesting way to study the city.  During one of my visits last year, Andy and I went to a bar / show in Williamsburg, where I was first introduced to the "hipsters" in their natural habitat.  Stepping off of the L at Bedford Avenue is like stepping into a circus.  People play harmonicas on the train.  Three-quarters of the men are wearing fedoras or suspenders (or both) and the women look like they couldn't pick a favorite decade and decided to throw them all together into one outfit.  I once got on the L coming in from Manhattan and I was literally surrounded by clowns.  Red squeaky noses and all.  I have a feeling there may have been some sort of clown training workshop that had just let out, or perhaps it was one of those obscure holidays that people make up so they can act like fools in public, but either way, I was entertained / disturbed.  (A few of them broke out into song at one point... that was just annoying.)

I love exploring this city.  I've found that the more destinations I give myself to go out and find, the easier it is to make connections between everything.  I haven't gotten lost in months... (knock on wood).  On the contrary, I've actually given directions to a number of people.  (Those of you who know me are probably laughing right now.)

Anyhow, I'll have to investigate some more neighborhoods and find some more material.  :)

Malice

Rock + Paper + Scissors

It feels like it's been ages since the last time I wrote.  I was getting a little bit down on myself for not having found a job yet, but as of last Tuesday that can no longer be my excuse!  So, what's the job??  I am working as the receptionist for a high-end showroom in Manhattan.  It's just a temporary position for now, since the previous receptionist is assisting the store manager with some projects... but I'm hoping that it works out so that they'll be able to keep me on full-time after a while.  Fingers crossed!  If anything, it's just good to be working on a consistent schedule again.  That, and after not having any luck with all of the other jobs I've applied or interviewed for, it's a little bit of the confidence boost that I needed to get my butt back into gear to become the overachiever I used to be.

Which leads to my next exciting venture... choir!  Andy works so hard - two jobs, seven days a week - and he still makes time for band practice two nights each week.  It occurred to me this past week that I need to be doing the same.  I haven't sung in a choir since I graduated from college, and I truly regret letting my voice degree go to waste thus far.  So on Thursday, I started researching choirs in the area.  So far, I have five auditions lined up in the next three weeks.  It's like job searching - only way more fun.  :)

Coming Soon!  The New York Commuter's Workout Program

Working hard, or hardly working?

Today is officially Day 30 of living in New York.  It's a little hard to believe it's only been four weeks... with all of the craziness of moving in and getting everything organized, tearing up the kitchen, building and repairing things in the apartment, as well as job searching and interviewing and meeting all kinds of people, I now understand the meaning of a 'New York Minute.'

The job search has been a slow and frustrating process so far, but I'm keeping at it.  Craigslist is worthless, as far as I'm concerned - every response I've gotten has been a scam.  Career Builder hasn't been much better - it seems like the only companies that are using the site are desperate insurance companies looking for goonies to do their outside sales work - definitely not a job for me.  So, about three weeks ago, I sent my resume into a local temp agency.  I've worked with temp agencies in the past, and they usually have one large company that they send their new employees to, and that's it.  However, temp jobs in New York are much easier to come by.  In the last 20 days of being with them, I've had two serious interviews and three temporary jobs.  Both interviews went well, and I was actually offered a position after the second... but I turned it down.  (Maybe I was being too picky, but it was just a gut feeling that I had to go with.)  The temp jobs have also been abundant - in the past two weeks, I've been running around Brooklyn as a secret shopper, I've been a "go-fer" at a small business event (led by a group of professionals with adorable French accents), and for the past three days I've been working at a booth at a huge gourmet food convention held in Manhattan.

While the pay for the temp jobs has been great, I've come to realize that there is a very good reason these are temporary jobs - they are absolutely mind-numbing.  As much as I've enjoyed the perks (ie: free thumb drives and pens from the French people and two huge cases of chocolate from a neighboring booth at the food convention) I am most definitely looking forward to having a steady job that requires a little more brain power.  That's not asking too much, is it?

Malice

Home, Sweet Home

Apologies are in order once again - I haven't been keeping up with this very much over the past couple of weeks since arriving in NY, both for a lack of time and internet access.  Good news - we'll have internet at the apartment next week!  *applause*

For not having a job yet, I've definitely been keeping myself busy.  Between organizing the apartment and making trips to the wifi "hotspots" in the neighborhood to hit the job search, it makes it hard to believe that we've only been here for 17 days.  I feel like I haven't been this productive in ages.

The apartment was kind of a mess when we moved in, but Andy and B. have really put their manly skills to good use, building an extension of counter space and extra storage in the kitchen, as well as creating a bookshelf in the living room from leftover materials between the two awkward posts in the room (which are very likely supporting the entire building).  H. and I kicked some butt in the backyard this week - I spent Monday afternoon pulling up all of the monstrous weeds, raking up years of decaying leaves, glass, and other debris, and sweeping dirt and berries off of the concrete space.  H. came home that night with a carload of plants and potting soil, as well as some awesome patio lights.  We had almost everything planted and plugged in by midnight.  In the meantime, B. was busy in the kitchen making a fantastic "family dinner," which we got to enjoy in our new green space.

It occurred to me last night as we were enjoying another dinner on the patio that my "life" right now is completely inverse to the way it was in Minnesota.  I used to live to go to work - that was my social life, my entertainment, and I would come home at night to an empty apartment, dinner in front of the TV, and maybe a Skype date with Andy.  Now my evenings are filled with good food, music, and conversation.  It's not that I had it bad in Minnesota, by any means - but I really do love the company that I'm surrounded by.  :)

I've had a few adventures getting lost in the city since the last time I wrote, mostly going on interviews or finding stores that I'm familiar with.  My main problem with finding an address in Manhattan is that in most cases, the address doesn't actually reflect their location.  For example, I was trying to find a building with an address on Park Avenue - after wandering up and down a 3-4 block stretch, I discovered that the entrance to the building was actually on the other side of the block, facing 4th Avenue.  Google Maps is somewhat helpful, but when it comes down to finding the entrance to a building, it's totally worthless.  I have no idea how anyone survived being a newcomer to the city before internet was available.  Did everyone carry a phone book with them?  Or a city map?  I've gotten to the point where I may actually consider getting a phone plan with internet included - I've always thought that was one of those "extras" that people have because they're too lazy to figure anything out for themselves, but I can see where it may be a genuine necessity here.  Until then, I guess I'll just keep calling my mom every time I need someone to look up directions for me.  :)

On that note, I've got more neighborhood to explore today, and plenty of yard work to do.  Any home remedies for getting rid of monster-sized slugs and army-trained mosquitos would be greatly appreciated.

Malice

Week 1 in Brooklyn

I suppose I should spare a few minutes to update this thing.  :)

If you haven't already guessed, we made it to New York!  After about eighteen hours of driving in sporadic downpours, we finally pulled into our new neighborhood at about 5 AM last Tuesday.  We were able to move into the new place by mid-morning, then head back to the old apartment to pick up Andy's things.  Dad flew in that morning to help us with the move - and thank goodness he was there.  Andy and I were both too tired to think straight for the next couple of days, and I know we would've forgotten to eat if Dad hadn't been in town.  It was great that he got to see the apartment and the neighborhood and help out with a few major/minor fixes before he made the trek back to Iowa on Thursday.

It's hard to believe I've been here for almost a week already - it's been a whirlwind.  Here are a couple of my city "first" highlights:

• First Grocery Run:  I now realize there's a reason that a lot of people prefer the vegetarian lifestyle... meat is expensive!  Not only meat, but food in general - $5 for a box of cereal?  I'm looking for new breakfast options...

• First "Wildlife" Sighting:  As we were waiting for the train the other day, I saw my first New York "wildlife" scurry along the tracks...  I suppose it's somewhat like spotting a deer along the highway in the Midwest.  Just a whole lot creepier.

• First Taxi Ride:  terrifying, as always.  I could never drive in this city.  There's really no way to describe it... maybe I'll take a video someday and post it here.  :)

Well, I need to head back to the apartment before everyone gets home from work - hopefully I'll be able to write about my "First Job Interview" next time...  

Til then,

Malice

"Today I Feel..."

Amanda requested a blog on my emotions.  Open the floodgates!

No, but really, it's hard to decide how I should feel right now.  I'm sad because I'm leaving my first real job - and a good job, one that I actually enjoy.  I have an amazing team of coworkers that I will sorely miss - we all have a similar work ethic and a "no drama" attitude - and I know that's hard to come by.  They've become my family over the past year, and it's so hard to just walk away as if they meant nothing to me.

I'm also sad to be leaving what I've called "home" for my entire life.  It's been such a blessing to be so close to my parents - close enough to call ahead a few hours in advance and be home on time for dinner, or to come home often enough to do all of my laundry and play the Wii with Mom instead of sitting alone at the laundromat all night.  I'll miss the weekends at my parents' house on the Mississippi - there's nothing more relaxing than sitting out on the patio overlooking the river with a cold beer and some good music.  These are the things that I know I won't come close to in New York.

On the other hand, I have so much to look forward to - I'm moving to another "world" - I can't wait to finally be living in the same zip code as Andy, and to take in the culture of the city life.  I'm not a fool - I know it will be hard, both financially and emotionally, but I've reached a point in my life where I truly believe I'm up to the challenge.  Maybe it's the stress of moving and figuring out everything that needs to be finished in the next week and a half, but for some reason, I'm not scared.  Any normal human being put in this position should be - I guess I'm just an odd duck.  Ask me again in a week - I may have changed my mind on that subject by then.  :)

Back to packing - tomorrow is my last night "on the town" with the girls from work, and then it's good-bye to Minnesota.  Thanks for the memories!

Malice

"Crunch" Time

Well, this week came with a little surprise added to my "to do" list.


So, my parents were in the Cities this past weekend and I sent them home with my Monte Carlo and kept the Suburban so I could start loading, because - HOLY CRAP! - I'm moving in two weeks!


Here's the timeline:

So I got up for work on Wednesday morning and found a note on my windshield and a huge dent in the side of my truck.  As it turns out, my neighbor in the parking garage had misjudged the amount of space she had to park the night before and didn't realize she had hit the Suburban until it was much too late.  Unfortunately, this means that I will be adding a trip to the body shop into my busy week, and most likely not having the truck for 2-3 days.  However - it still runs, her insurance is paying for the repair, and I got a new parking space out of the deal.  

               

I guess I should say the luckiest part is that she contacted me at all... and that I didn't have anything like my piano loaded in the back already.

Now, on to more exciting news... we signed a lease!!!  Andy and the other couple we're living with found an apartment in a brownstone in Bed-Stuy - we'll be on street level, close to the train station, AND we'll have our own private backyard!  I'm so excited.  I wish I could find a way to show the street view from Google Maps on here without giving my address away to the entire web world... I guess you'll just have to wait a few more weeks until I can take a picture myself.  

Back to a fun-filled weekend of packing... it's crunch time!

Malice

The "How" - Part I

So, how does a person go about moving across the country?

For one, I'm not a billionaire - I've only been out of college for two years, and I wasn't exactly raking in the big bucks during that time.  I have a little saved up, but I'm still trying to cut as many corners as possible.


#1:  Moving My Crap
The first thing I checked into were moving vans.  U-Haul was out of the question.  The smallest vehicle you can rent for a one-way move is a 10' "Mini-Mover" - which was $800 for up to five days of use, not including fuel at about 12 mpg.  Scratch that off the list.

When Andy moved to NY a year ago, he rented a mini-van from the airport - I forget the company the rental was from, but his brother managed to talk them down to something like $400 a day for the rental, with gas at maybe 20 mpg.  I considered enlisting Andy's brother's help again, but I wanted to check a few more places first.

I looked at a few different options - minimoves.com quoted my move at a little over $1,000 - plus, they would move everything for me.  Unfortunately for them, a couple of the reviews other people wrote on them scared me, so I scratched them off the list.  I would rather pack and drive my own stuff across the country than worry about someone I don't know losing everything I own.

Option 4 came as a bit of a surprise - my parents offered to let me borrow their Suburban, and then my dad would fly out to New York and drive it back.  It gets about 17 mpg, and there wouldn't be any charge for a rental or insurance involved.  One thing this move has brought to my attention is that there are a lot of people that care so much for me - I know my dad wants to make sure I'm okay and see where I'll be living and everything, but I still get choked up when I think that he would make a 19-hour drive by himself for me.  My mom wanted to come too, but they own their own business, and somebody has to stay home and keep the shop open.

#2:  Getting Rid of Crap
I have a lot of stuff.  Yes, I live in an 445 square foot apartment right now, but I have made use of every possible space for storage.  I've been accumulating "stuff" from Goodwill for the past two years, since I rented my first apartment alone.  The past three years' birthday and Christmas wish lists have been filled with practical things - kitchen utensils, pots, pans, cookbooks, glassware - all of which are still "brand new" to me, and not worth giving away or donating, simply because I'd just have to go and buy them again.  My little brother is moving into his first apartment by himself, so he's taking most of my unwanted furniture - bookshelves, chairs, etc.  I swear I'm not a packrat.  It's just so hard to get rid of things that are still functional.  Still, I will be making a lot of trips to the Salvation Army across the road from my apartment in the next two weeks.  Fingers crossed that whatever I have left fits into the Suburban...

#3:  Packing, packing, packing
It's not as simple as it seems.  I've made three checklists that need to be completed before I move out of the apartment in two weeks - one is a list of each room in my apartment, and what needs to be done to each of those rooms.  For example, the bathroom:

-  Clean out medicine cabinet
-  Clean out cabinet above toilet
-  Clean out cabinet / drawers beneath sink
-  Move jewelry to "travel" storage
-  Wipe down empty cabinets
-  Take apart jewelry armoire
-  Take everything off walls, fill nail holes
-  Clean shower
-  Clean toilet
-  Wipe down sink / mirrors
-  Mop floor

See those three I've crossed off the list?  That took me an entire day.  Mostly because I was sorting out what was good to keep, what was good to donate, what I had to throw away, what I could pawn off on my friends...


The second list I have is a list of goals for each week.  So, for example, this week I was scheduled to:

• Apply for 3 jobs per day (minimum)
• Follow up on last week's applications
• Make a run to Goodwill
• Finish Living Room, Bedroom, and Closet checklist
• Take pictures of furniture for Freecycle

Umm... yeah.  It's the end of the week, and that's what my list currently looks like.  Granted, I might make a run to donate some stuff today, and I might finish my closet, but the rest of my goals will most likely not be finished today.  Oops.

And the third list:  my "paperwork" list.  A list of bills that need to be paid, accounts that need to be transferred, canceling cable and utilities, address changes, job apps, apartment walk-throughs... this list stresses me out.  

On that note... we will continue this discussion in a later post.  And hopefully, by the next time I write, I will be in much better shape for moving.  Eek!

Malice

The Beginning

Welcome to my blog!


I've tried starting one of these a few times before, but I've never come across a good, interesting subject to write about without turning it into a journal about myself - which is really not that interesting.  However, it just so happens that in four weeks, there will be a huge, interesting change in my life that's actually worth writing about - I will be packing up all of my belongings (after giving away about 3/4 of what I own) and moving to Brooklyn, NY.  


The first question you'll ask is - "why?"  Right now, I've got a perfectly decent job, fantastic coworkers, and a cute little apartment in the Twin Cities.  I can jump in the car and drive to Iowa to visit my parents or old college friends in a matter of a few hours.  I'm happy with my life as it is, but sometimes that's not enough.  I don't want to be boring - I want my life to be an adventure.


It also helps that my boyfriend - now fiance (as of two weeks ago!) - has already started his "adventure" out East.  We met a year and a half ago when he was going to school for band instrument repair in Minnesota.  When graduation came last May, we made the difficult decision that it would be best to break up - or "separate," as we put it at the time - since he was planning on moving across the country so he could join his old band out in NYC.  Fortunately for us, that "breakup" just wouldn't stick - so we decided to give it a year and see where things went.


So, here we are today.  My cute little apartment is a mess of moving boxes, my outbox is filled with job applications, and my brain is filled with a million things "to do."  I guess that brings us to your next question: "how??"  That question will just have to wait for another day - if I don't get off my butt and get back to work, I won't have anything to write about! :)


Wish me luck!


Malice

So I took what I wanted and put it out of my reach,

I wanted to pay for my successes with all my defeats,

And if Heaven was all that was promised to me,

Why wouldn't I pray for death?

-Dawes, "When My Time Comes"