Ch-ch-changes

Rarely do I post anything highly personal on here, so here's a share for ya'll. Seems I know a lot of people going through some major life shit right now. Must be that 7-year itch or the approach of the big 3-0, but shit is going down (all in a good way)! RFW just switched jobs and is going to art school, hurrah! The Kopelmans are moving to the Midwest (now I get to see them more!). Unsouthern Belle had Lasik! My friend Jason started a new gig, his own business taking a sidecar to the new full-time rotation.

And then there's me. In about 14 hours, I will be a Chicago resident. This past week I've kind of had to pinch myself, and thank my lucky stars about a million times. I know that I made this giant leap on some unknown faith and major self-esteem high back in November that leaving Manhattan would be easy and getting a job in Chicago would be a piece of cake. While February basically licked my ass as far as just being a downright shitty month (housebound for 3 days, snow or rain all 29 days, damn you leap year!, temps in the teens for most of the month), I made it through, and in retrospect, getting a job all worked out much easier than I should have ever expected or hoped for. There's a big person out in the universe looking out for me. I thank you.

So, riding a wave of nostalgia/excitement/nervousness/etc., I ride off into the wild Midwest yonder tomorrow morning. I swear that moving to NYC at age 22, knowing 2 people, and earning a pittance (literally, I worked in publishing, my starting salary was laughable), was a million times easier on a whole different level. I had this insane overconfidence, or delusions or grandeur, or both that made me Teflon to worry - I saw it as a giant adventure. I have no doubt this next phase of my life will be wonderful...but this feels more for keeps. I guess because I moved to NYC knowing I was never going to stay forever made it all the easier to just take things as they came and have the best time possible, knowing it would end at some point.

So to NYC, while I don't necessarily miss your noise, dirt, grime, annoyances, I miss what you gave me. A group of amazing people who have truly shaped who I am today and a life that I lived to the fullest. I was one of the lucky ones who got to build a life there when I was young enough to have no worries and I will always have it. It's a city that will chew you up and spit you out if you're not cut from the right cloth. I'm glad the coat fit me for 7 years.

Here's to a new one....