Optimism

Living in New York City is tough. Most things are inconvenient,

Try getting from one place to another with this kind of navigation!

 

 

crowded,

My daily commute invades my comfort zone beyond imagination

 and expensive.

Absolutely true.

By the end of the day, now that I don't escape to Pleasantville suburbia (the town next to where I was living is really called Pleasantville), it takes more energy, motivation and a positive state of mind to accomplish nearly anything.

However, I now have a daily reason to be optimistic. I bought my monthly subway pass yesterday and this is what I found:

Normally on the back of these cards, there is an ad telling you that the subway can take you to see the Mets play and where to buy tickets or other unnoticeable messages. But not yesterday. Yesterday, when I was really questioning my move for the above reasons and wondering to myself, "Why did I uproot myself once again so I have to adjust to new new areas and new friends?" I got this token of hope. Call it cheesy but it turned my night around.

I found a K-mart to buy very basic apartment necessities. I appreciated that NY doesn't have a Target because I shop much less at K-mart. I hope I don't offend anyone but although there is a picture on their window that says "I <3 K", it's not my place. I won't buy their clothes or shoes and they don't have a ton of stuff I have the severe urge to buy. I stuck to pillows, hair products and allergy meds and it was a piece of cake walking away with nothing else. This is a great thing because it's a 20 minute walk to get there and there's no way I could carry my normal Target shopping trip all the way home. And because my hands were full, I couldn't even be tempted to walk into one of the awesome looking restaurants on the way home for dinner.

Instead I enjoyed cooking some mac & cheese and I got back on the subway to meet M (new name for the bestie...she would hate that I call her that) to walk around central park. Free exercise, great views of the skyline at night and good conversation...pretty awesome for just a casual weeknight walk.

I know there will be times that living here will be tough. Tougher that most cities and I will wish I was anywhere else with my own car, a big ol' Target, and my family close by for a hug and a laugh but thanks to this MetroCard, I will feel a little better.

By the way, if you have a Dunkin Donuts by you, go buy a beverage (iced caramel latte for me!) and you get a free donut!

Also, June is my birthday month. Are there any good birthday promos I should sign up for?! In Minnesota, I used to eat for a week free thanks to all the birthday meals and deals I got that month but NY doesn't have the same places.