New York, Please...

Two days ago I turned thirty. Apparently that made me completely lose my mind. Monday night I was writing on my blog about turning thirty and what it meant to me. Basically I have a very positive attitude about it. My twenties did not end up being what I wanted them to be (college degree, marriage, babies, all done by thirty) so I am going to turn my thirties into the most amazing decade. If you want to read all my thoughts you can click here and see what I had to say.

One thing I wrote in that post was that I might live in NYC for awhile. When I was an undergrad I really wanted to move to New York. (I'll get to the background of NYC and me later.) At my birthday dinner my friends and I were talking and the subject of moving to New York came up. That night I was talking about moving for a month. I would use the extra money I get when I quit my job (more on that later too) and spend a month long vacation in New York. Completely doable.

The next day I was settled that a month in New York was going to be perfect. I had tons of friends that had already said they wanted to come visit. I came home and watched Sex and the City the movie, which I have a personal connection to (you got it, more later). I tweeted and posted on facebook: no. 1 thing that is bad to watch when you are contemplating moving to NYC: #sexandthecitythemovie

Very soon I got a tweet from a girl that used to be in musicals that I helped with from my home town, who is about to start her freshman year of college that she would be my roommate. I explained that it wouldn't be a permanent move, just a month or two (look, we've added a month already...). My friend Whitney, who moved to NYC when we were sophomores in college tweeted me asking if I was serious. I emailed her my little plan.

On the facebook front I received this comment from my best friend from home:
"You would love living in the city"
then a couple of hours later she said this:
"Not to play devils advocate here but we both know you won't ever be happy if you font give NYC a try... So here is what you do. You put your house on the market and if it sells there is your answer. Pack your bags and go apt hunting :)"
the other high school best friend chimed in with:
"I can so see you in the city! I agree with Crystal. You have always been great at trying new things."

I then chatted with Crystal for awhile and she said six months at least. Somehow this turned into a year.

So we sit here at going for a year. Of course there are several things that have to happen before this can happen. Luckily I am locked into grad school until May, so I have some time to get things sorted out. I have a Masters to finish, some debt to pay off, and a house to sell. I would have to arrange for someone to rent my house (because I am planning to come back), take care of my dog(s), and probably sell my car.

Prior to turning thirty I had a plan: become vested at my job (March), graduate (May), quit my job (September), and start an amazing non profit. I want to be on the Board of Directors for Junior League of Norman, I want to participate in Leadership Norman, I want to do a lot of things here, but I don't have to do any of these things NOW. There is nothing that I can't wait. Besides a few loose ends I really have nothing truly holding me back from this. I am not married and don't have kids, so this is the time to do it, if I want to ever do it, because those things tend to make having amazing adventures a little bit harder.

I have several friends in NYC and several scattered along the east coast, if I was to get homesick. I can transfer my membership to the Junior League of the City of New York if I want to, which would keep me active with JL.

There is no reason I cannot put off changing the world and making other people's dreams come true for a year to make my own dreams come true. It may not be the glamorous world of Sex and the City, but it would be a chance to explore a city that I love and be truly on my own for a little while in my life.

It would only be a year, and you can follow my preparations and journey right here...