Did you know I run upwards of 3 blogs? Most of them irregularly?
Let’s consolidate… here
Living in an un-walmarted world September 14, 2009
Living in places that had Walmart in town apparently has spoiled me. Eventhough I despire Walmart and their philosophies, when we lived in Myrtle Beach it was all we had available and we were thankful to have one-stop-shopping, especially since it was so hard to get anywhere else.
Now we live in the city that has anything and everything imaginable available for a price. The challenge is trying to figure out where the hell to start looking for it. For example: I did a stupid thing and ruined my stick blender that I need for making soap (well I dont need it, per say, but I don’t want to stir each batch by hand for a hour) and I don’t even know where to begin to go about getting a new one. There’s a Target 2 miles away, which google equates to an hours walk…I guess that’s my best option.
In other news I emailed an “alternative education” school today for a teaching position (didn’t have any listed on the website but I gave it a shot) and was told I was a perfect candidate for their school, but theres no teaching spots open. Alas.
Fall is coming September 11, 2009
I made Steve promise we’d head to Central Park sometime when the leaves turn so I can take some pictures. I can’t wait for fall! I missed it so much living in South Carolina that I’m really looking forward to the changing of the weather.
Life is going steady here. Steve is working regularly now and my job seems a tad more secure, though who’s really to say? I still go into the city once a week to Times Square to go to the bank, which I kinda like doing despite the hour long trip. Oh well.
I guess I can only be a fangirl for NYC for so long. As much as I enjoy the safety and comfort of our neighborhood, Boro Park has a tendency to annoy me with its rigid hours. We live in a city that never sleeps…except for Boro Park. EVERYTHING shuts down in our neighborhood at 10pm. Which is fine, I guess, since it’s mostly a neighborhood of families…but when we want to do something after work or go out to eat late at night it’s impossible to do so here without going into trendier areas of Brooklyn like Williamsburg. Alas….can’t have it all, I guess.
In other news it’s officially 2 months since I applied for my NY Sales Tax license. The website says the application process was completed on the 11th of July and yet…still haven’t gotten my license. I tried to call the number on the website but it’s disconnected. a-ha. Good one, New York State.
Assholes.
Where are you from? August 23, 2009
Almost 2 months living in NYC and there hasnt been “the hit” yet. The moment where it hits me that Im living in the city Ive dreamt of since as long as I can remember. I’ll have little moments, like when I got off the train in Times Square to go to the ATM, it struck me how funny of a notion it was…riding the subway into Manhattan just to go deposit money (there are no Wachovias in Brooklyn). I guess not having “the hit” might be a sign, it feels too organic for it to be a big moment, I guess?
The interactions I have are not necessarily what Im used to, in the sense that there are new interview questions that I never thought existed in order to qualify for friendship with people here. Specifically “What nationality are you?” I’ve been asked this a couple of times and I never quite know what to say, so I sort of stammer “um…just American.”
I admit this post is somewhat of a placeholder to let everyone know that I havent forgotten about the blog, and it would probably be in my best interest to update it more simply for archival purposes…I just haven’t gotten around to it yet…too busy living the dream(?)
back on the streets, now July 5, 2009
Well we successfully made the long move from Myrtle Beach to Brooklyn and I’ve been trying to get back into the swing of things. We’re still waiting on our cooking gas to be turned on, but otherwise everything else is up and running, including the internet (after a long bout of realizing that I am not as tech savvy as Steve imagined). Our neighborhood is lovely and is a real neighborhood, too! We’ve been spending the days wandering around, seeing what we could find. Theres a GORGEOUS old cemetery near us (Washington Cemetery), tons of Asian $ .99 stores, a couple of restaurants, and some pretty cheap grocery stores. Steve and I are so happy to see actual neighborhoods again…in Myrtle Beach there were no “neighborhoods” just “areas.”
Supposedly after a peculiar interview process I’ll begin training at a restaurant 4 blocks away tomorrow. It isn’t ideal, but I’d much rather work there than haul myself an hour and a half over two subway lines just to work for the company I worked for in Myrtle Beach. It’s nice to have a job so close, assuming I actually have the job. “What’s your name and phone number? Okay come in Monday at 1pm for training.” That was my interview process. Strange but hopefully good.
There’s an artist collective Im attempting to be a part of, time allowing. I want to find some sort of community that I didn’t have available to me in the South. My hope is that there are enough weekly shows in NYC that I may be able to make the soap my primary source of income by 2010 but we’ll see. I’m not looking for millions to be made, just enough to support myself. Here’s hoping!
One week left June 23, 2009
Its a bizarre notion to think that in one week I will be a New Yorker. I can leave this shithole of a town, finally, and be somewhere that has something, anything, going on every night. The people there are…well Im not going to hold any assumptions on who Im going to meet, but Im pretty sure I will find people who are like-minded. I’ve already contacted an upcoming artist community about joining them, which Im very excited to do. I’ve got a list of at least 5 shows that I can do, 3 of them being every weekend, which would be lovely but Im not going to have the capital right away to do it. But this is just proof that my dream of being a full-time entrepreneur is available to me, I just need the drive to make it happen. I realize right away it will be hard, very hard, but hopefully the starter job I have as a waitress (again) will help get us through.
The cats are aware something is going on. They are now sporting very nice collars, thanks to my Mom, which we felt was time they had, especially since we’re moving to such a busy place. Our apartment is in Borough Park, which seems to be a very safe neighborhood. It’s also the Hasidic capital of the United States, so while I’ll be a shiksa at least I won’t have to worry about anything violence.
This time in the South has been a learning experience, to say the least. But it has not been a positive learning experience. The ignorance, blatant racism, and fear of change has been incredibly hard to deal with. Just yesterday one of my friends at work told me he “doesn’t believe in evolution, [he] believe[s] in God.” I can’t understand this type of thinking…so I thought it best to change the subject. Not believe in evolution? The man is 23 years old so it’s not like he didn’t have the chance to learn about it RECENTLY. Its just the tip of the iceberg on things Steve and I thought were just stereotypes of the South, and couldn’t possibly be true.
They are true. Everything you’ve heard is true.
Though our time here hasn’t been all bad. It was our first place together and we did very well living in abject poverty. Our little family of 4 bonded and hunkered down for the long wait to leave. I met some very nice people who I can call friends, and the beach was gorgeous, so um…there are some positive things about it. It was hard to think of, but there they are.
New York, here we come!
eight days left. June 22, 2009
there was a black/brownish spider in our office the size of a large marble. i cant wait to get out of here
After a long, stressful week June 9, 2009
We have the keys to our apartment in Brooklyn. Picture shortly.
and so it goes May 4, 2009
i have had a killer flu since friday night (officially). Not sure if its “swine flu h1n1″ worthy, but its been kicking my ass and making my bedroom smell like sickness. I mustered up the energy to go to work today since I a)was really bored anyhow and b)can’t make soap when I’m sick (ew). Going to work turned out to not be the best idea…I stood there sweating like a junkie and threatening to lick things until I got sent home (I just have that kind of relationship with my bosses, they laugh at me). Finally I went home around 4 which actually meant walking home since I didn’t have the energy to ride my bike this morning and took a cab instead… I guess morning Megan figured afternoon Megan can take care of herself.
I ended up walking to Kroger to finally buy some Emegen-C. I got turned on to it by my dear friend Colea when I worked at CWA. This stuff is amazing. A tad more expensive than I remember but since 1 packet = 1667% daily Vitamin C requirement I figured I should splurge on something, like being healthy more quickly.
So I’ve been lying here, in my pjs, watching Seinfeld, drinking raspberry emergen-C water. Oh, and the best part? I got Steve sick. Relationships!
the big “m” April 19, 2009
We’re moving in about 10 weeks and the excitement is setting in. But also the pressure. We need to start saving money ASAP. Yes, I know I should have been saving since, oh, January at the latest. But come May I will finally have enough debt paid off that I’ll be able to set money aside. Getting into Renegade will definitely help. We have a condensed game plan for that weekend we’ll be in Brooklyn: find starter jobs, find apartment, sign lease. We’ll be there Thursday (well, Friday, but we’ll be driving up Thursday) through Tuesday, then as long as everything goes according to plan, we’ll drive back down here and begin packing for the great move North.
My level of excitement to live in Brooklyn/NYC is immeasurable. It’s been a dream of mine for years to be able to wander in NYC at will and now I will finally be able to do it. Steve tries to keep me in perspective about how hard of a money crunch we’ll have but I don’t care. I’m living in New York! I got into the Brooklyn Indie Market so I can always count on that for some grocery money if we need it and I can transfer (kinda sorta) from my server job down here to up there. So, hopefully, it will all go smoothly. It never does, but it’s nice to dream.
I’ll have to change the name of this blog, too!
