That's work!

My first full week of work is under my belt. It was a snap - great people with great ideas.

The real challenge this week has been the apartment search. It is insane. Beyond. Buying my condo in St Paul was a piece of cake in comparison. Would some smart financial wizard please invent a product that streamlines this process? I have gathered financial records I didn't even know existed before. First month, last month, security deposit, and the always fun broker's fee (10-15% of the annual rent) congeal into a mass of cash required to RENT an apartment that far exceeds the downpayment to OWN my condo. I'm looking at lots of different places that all have different fee and paperwork requirements. A few select gems have no broker's fee. I hope very soon to have identified a place of my own.

This weekend I'm spending a lot of my time in Brooklyn. Lots of people have told me how much they like this place, but so far I am not dazzled. Maybe it's because Manhattan is what comes to mind when I think of New York. I'm sure there are lovely and fun parts of this outer borough, and I'll be delighted to find them.

Getting around

I've been taking the subway everywhere, like others in New York. Before I lived here I had a Saab I loved very much. I do miss the instant mobility of driving but recognize the complete impracticality of it. I actually tried an experiment a few years ago to see if I could go Carless but Metro Transit in the twin cities has a long way to go to catch up to MTA and I couldn't make it work for me. Though I think everyone could do better at making smarter transportation choices. I was on the board of a great nonprofit that helped with that called St Paul Smart Trips. (I would put a link but the blogger app doesn't seem to have an easy way todo that and I'm not banging out any HTML on the iPhone. JFGI)

This picture is of a parking garage (in MN we call them parking ramps) near my office. Note that a monthly parking contract is $600. Also note that an unlimited ride MetroCard is only $104. You do the math.

Today I helped a man get on the right subway line to get to where he needed to go. I did employ the assistance of my trusty iPhone app. How did people get along in this city before smartphones?

I'm going to be spending a lot of time in Brooklyn the next few days as I continue the quest for the right-for-me-right-now apartment. So far what I've seen hasn't dazzled me. We will see how sharp my subway planning skills are as I try to get to unfamiliar and no longer logically numbered places. I might break down and hail my first cab. But I hope not.

Stream of consciousness complete.

A new day!

Today was my first day at my new job. I'm so excited about taking on a new challenge with that will have a national impact. The first day was filled with forms and manuals. And staring out the window at this amazing view from my desk.

Work it!

I've spent most of my emotional processing time on moving to New York, I haven't even talked about my job on this blog. This is the whole reason I'm moving here, after all! I start work on Monday morning and I'm super excited about it. I think I haven't spent a bunch of time dwelling on this because I feel so good about the position and the organization. People have been asking me if I'm nervous. I can honestly say I'm not. Today I got to see the movie about Charles and Ray Eames that is in prerelease. I used to be jealous of New Yorkers (and LAers I suppose) since they get to see movies early. I'm a big fan of mid century modern and own some fabulous fiberglass shell chairs by this dynamic husband and wife team. The movie shows how both fully lived and embraced their occupations, blending personal and professional into their passionate vocation. It was fascinating to see how Ray (Mrs. Eames) was quietly kept in the background - a sad reality for so many talented women of her era. When her husband died she was able to showcase her vision I start work at the Girl Scouts of the USA, an organization dedicated to building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. I have to wonder if Ray was ever a Girl Scout. She sure made the world a better place.

Meer

Oh hi, Harlem Meer in Central Park! Nice to meet you!

That costs how much?

New Yorkers must be terrible contestants on The Price is Right. Milk is nearly twice as expensive as back home, and Oreos will make turn a double stuffed wallet into a sad floppy thing devoid of currency. I'd like to suggest to economists that there exists an "Oreo price index" that can accurately predict the cost of living in any given area. Don't even get me started on peanut butter.

I deliberately was carrying only a basket instead of using a cart. I can't just dump stuff into the car like I used to, so this method helps you not buy more than you can carry. I wish I remember the person who taught me this. I shudder to think what a full cart of groceries costs.

Oh hi Apollo!

Nice to meet ya! Just walking around Harlem on a nice fall day.

Goodbye Minnesota

Last few moments on the Tarmac at sunset. See you in NYC, people.

On saying goodbye

I've said goodbye to a lot of people in the past couple of weeks.  It's a strange thing, to pull back from this comfortable and satisfying life I've built for myself - that is, this life that others have helped me build.  So many people have participated in my pursuit of happiness. This transition period has reminded me of how much we depend on one another: friends both new and old, coworkers pivotal to my career development, family who nurtured me.  There are countless others with whom I have enjoyed a pleasant familiarity: the auburn-headed barista, the AMAZING bartender, the friendly bank teller, and dozens of friendly neighbors.  I will miss all of them.  Of course to most of these people, I'm not really saying goodbye.  This provides me the biggest comfort as I start my new adventure.

If this were a movie, the past two weeks would be a montage of me laughing and embracing people (and eating! oh the food that has been consumed!), ending with a poignant moment to illuminate a glimmer of sadness. To dwell on the departure is to be stuck in despair, and talking about how sad we are about this change doesn't do us any good, so we usually just enjoy one another's company and talk about good times.  But then the inevitable happens.  Goodbye.  The good-bye embrace is different from a regular hug.  It's a little longer, a little tighter, and there is almost always a heartfelt whisper exchange. During this whisper us emotionally muted Minnesotans let our broken hearts sneak through.  After wiping away our bleary eyes we say goodbye one last time and know that both of us have been enriched by our shared love for one another, and this place that has brought us together.

Go Pack!

This is not a sports related post, though I would like to point out to my cheesehead friends the power of a well placed comma that would mark the difference. I'm finally packing for the big move. I will be at the airport in less than 24 hours. I am taking two large suitcases and a carry-on. It's hard to decide what really needs to make the cut. Work clothes, obviously, but how many casual shoes do I really need (for the record it's two pairs). This is somewhat of an academic exercise because I'll be coming back to MSP for Thanksgiving next week and will get to pack 3 suitcases (bonus points to those who know why).

I am also bringing a somewhat scratchy but small wool throw since I'm not entirely certain the linen situation in the furnished apartment. There are towels so no problems there.

A couple of Books made the cut, most importantly "Thinkertoys" by Michael Michalko. This has been an invaluable professional and personal aid and I can't imagine not having it. The other is "Return to Civility" by John Sweeny of the Brave New Workshop. This was given to me by a favorite grad school professor. I'm hoping because we shared a great conversation about the lack of common courtesy (kids these days! See also: "Whatever happened to class" from the musical Chicago), and not because she thought I could use some additional refinement. It's 365 pages offer a daily suggestion to try to make a dent in the trend of distance we humans seeming to be placing between us. Example: "Assume that others are having a worse day than you, and act accordingly." I realize New York might not be the best place to try to bring Minnesota Nice, but I'm going to try.

Well, back to packing.

The Last Haircut

It's not exactly like the Last Supper (insert clever photoshopped image here!) but I do expect it to be a spiritual moment. I am seeing my stylist tomorrow for likely the last time. I've been going to Nicole at Estetica for over 8 years, sticking with her through every price increase. Even during the leaner times I prioritized my spending so I could have a good haircut.

My close friends know I get strength from my hair. I think I share this quirk with some biblical figure - Sampson? Delilah? I'm no religious scholar. A bad hair day does not bode well for me or those around me. Rationally I understand this is nonsense but emotionally I cling to this superstition because, frankly, I usually have pretty good hair and generally things work out well for me. The right combination of genetics, product, stylist skill, and hard work have made me a grateful person. Remove one part of this delicate equation and I'm as unstable as the country's housing market.

The prospect of finding a new stylist in New York is more overwhelming to me than a place to live (and have you seen the rental rates?). I'd hate to fail new York because of bad hair. So, please, if you know a good Aveda stylist please let me know!

6,455

I'm originally from Menahga, MN, a sleepy hamlet in west central Minnesota boasting over 1,300 residents.  Well, six over.  There you (hopefully) graduate high school with the 47 same kids who were in your kindergarden class - under the same roof. If you are familiar with Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon or Rose Nylund's St. Olaf, you are familiar with Menahga.

Menahga's wikipedia page lists a few "notable" Menagha-ites, including Kaiser Permanente's CEO George Halvorson.  I just learned this today, though I vaguely recall my grandma telling me that one of the Halversons got a fancy new job.  Do you know how big of a deal that is?  They're a $42 billion healthcare organization.  How there isn't some building named after him in town is beyond me.  Can someone please ask him for some money to fund enrichment programs in the high school? Will I ever be deemed a notable once-resident?

Menahga is home to a glorious statue of St. Urho (pictured, below), the patron saint of Finish vineyard workers.  

There will be a whole 'nother blog post about Saint Paul, where I have lived for over 10 years, but for now let's just skip to NYC.

I remember thinking about how big the world must be but getting the sense that I was only seeing such a small part of it.  Much of this came from pouring over my Hammond Atlas copyright MCMXCII - a red sticker proudly proclaiming "With Unified Germany."  I remember looking at New York (whose state bird is the Bluebird and agricultural economy was primarily dairy-based) and knowing that there were a lot of people but not really able to understand just how many and how jam packed they were into that tiny space vaguely shaded "urban area."  Revisiting these well worn pages (NY may have the only torn page in the book) takes me back to that sense of wonder I had, something my pending move has rekindled.  I am excited about life.  I had always wanted to live in America's largest city, and now I'm doing it.

New York is, well, different than Menahga.  It's bigger (8,391,881 residents).  There's a few more Thai restaurants to chose from.  There are actual Thai people living there.  My new city is 6,455 more populous than my hometown.  Is it really possible to discern that magnitude?  Can someone really compare two things and say, "Yep, that's comfortably 6,000 times bigger" with confidence? 

New York also has an important statue that I look forward to seeing in person soon.

New Brad City

After living my entire life in Minnesota, I'm moving to New York City on November 18, 2011.  This is exciting, of course, but does come with other mixed emotions.  I'll be blogging here to share my adventure with the many amazing people in my life.