Good Day New York

As I lie in bed this morning, taking in all of the sunlight that comes in through my windows (thank God for the gift of unobstructed sky in Manhattan!), listening to the sounds of the street below, I thought about how much New York feels like home with each year that passes by. I still have my moments when I think about the cost and other sacrifices I make to live here. The amount that I pay for my tiny apartment could get me a really big house elswhere. And coming from the Pennsylvania suburbs, I know that in many ways life would be much simpler elsewhere. That is what, at times, makes staying here so difficult. Sure, I have my laundry washed and folded (which of course costs $), but that's because there's no laundry in my building and sitting at a laundromat for 3 - 4 hours when you hate doing laundry in the first place is far from appealing. I'd much rather have a washer and dryer in my apartment. Yes, we New Yorkers can take public transportation everywhere, but public transportation can be a major pain. There are many days when I wish I were driving to my destination in the privacy of my own car rather than packed like a sardine in a subway car which is sitting in the tunnel because of "train traffic ahead". Or the simple fact that it takes 35-40 minutes to get to work, when meanwhile work is less than 4 miles away.

Sacrifices are a part of life no matter where you are, and after continuously evaluating those sacrifices since moving here in 2005, I always come to the conclusion that the sacrifices I make here are well worth it. I may not call New York home forever, but i’m happy to call it home for now.

-Bryan

PS: In case you're wondering what the above picture has to do with NYC, it's actually a picture taken in Fort Tyron Park, here in Manhattan.