Good Night, Dear Void

“Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So good night, dear void.”

- Kathleen Kelly (my favorite Meg Ryan), You've Got Mail

Well hello, dear blog. We have had an appointment to meet for quite some time. What I mean to say (for those of you who might be reading this), is that I have been meaning to start this blog for forever. The thing is this: I have a tendency toward perfection, and I was afraid that if I started a blog it wouldn't meet up to my own expectations. I have been an avid blog follower for a couple of years now; I'm pretty sure it started with pretty wedding blogs as I was preparing for our big day last year and sort of evolved from there. I love the idea of blogs as a creative outlet and as a community for sharing ideas, insights, inspiration, and life. There is so much beauty in this world to be shared. So here I am.

So let me say this: this blog will not be perfect. And I am ok with that. I think blogs all too often have a tendency to be shiny, “look how wonderful my life is” sort of fluff. While my life is wonderful in oh so many ways (I am so blessed), and I know I will include many wonderful life adventures here, what I really want is for this blog to be an open book of my journey through this little thing we like to call life. I lead a small life – valuable, but small. I am a dreamer, but as I dream I am also trying to do. To make a difference, to leave the world a better place than when I arrived (Side note: “...to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson; one of my favorite quotes of all time which I will have to share the extended version of at a later date) I admire blogs that challenge and inspire, while being honest and insightful. Communication is something that is a challenge to me, so I hope this will serve as an opening into the inner workings of me.

And with that little disclaimer, here is what is going on in the life of me:

Change. Transition. Growth. This is a new season in our lives, and we are watching and anticipating as the leaves change and begin to fall. Who knows, we might even jump in them.

So here is the story: We did it. We moved- all the way to New York City. I don't even really remember when we began talking about it, but ever since I can remember Austin and I have wanted to live in New York someday. We had a lot of help, for which we are incredibly grateful, and a little over a month ago we packed all of our belongings (and new pup, Lillie), hopes, and dreams into a 12 ft trailer and drove the thousand miles to the city on our one year anniversary. One flat tire later, and a little worse for wear, we made it. We are here- to stay. It still doesn't seem real at times (or most of the time), but we are getting settled into our new home and lives.

Apartment 12C. Our small but cozy new home. Approximately two blocks from my new job, approximately four blocks away from beautiful views of the George Washington bridge, and a hop away from the Subway to take us downtown wherever we might want to go. We have already survived our first major earthquake and the wrath of Hurricane Irene within its walls. It is a work in progress, as almost all things are, but we really like it. I mean, it is our place.


And, on our first day here we discovered a farmer's market around the block. Bonus.

So this new job: I am officially a nurse. Courtney Givens, RN, my name badge says. After four years of studying my butt off and too many late nights to count, it still doesn't seem real. But it has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Lives are entrusted to me, which in incredible and frightening and the best thing I could ever imagine. I finished my two weeks of general orientation in the classroom setting and this week began working on my unit, which is a medical oncology floor. Patients come in for chemo and radiation, and are treated for complications associated with their cancer diagnoses. It is challenging and exciting on many levels, and I know will be extremely rewarding. I am on orientation for the next 14 weeks, and look forward to how I will learn and grow in the coming weeks. I may have graduated and got my license, but I am only beginning to learn and go through my journey as a nurse. Did I mention my floor has views of the Hudson River? A great thing to be positive about.

Meanwhile, Austin started his MFA program at CCNY. He is learning about the Harlem Renaissance in Harlem, and is writing poetry daily. He is getting back into the student mode and the groove of homework (reading hefty novels in days), and loving every minute of it. This is such an amazing opportunity for him. I know he is being challenged and is growing into a better writer and person. His professors are amazing. We went to a poetry reading by his professor, Elaine Equi, and Annie Waldman at the Creative Writing house on NYU's campus the other week, and it was incredible. Her poetry is so, so good and I will most likely share something on here at some point so you can share in the goodness. SO good, did I mention that?

Austin's makeshift desk

So what do you do in New York for fun? Well, first of all, we have become quite the connoisseurs of parks. And of long walks in said parks.

-Washington Square Park. To pay homage to Bob. (Picture from the book I am currently reading)

-Union Square Park. Where the getting is good...their farmer's market is incredible.

-Bryant Park. For feeling French...restored carousel and free accordion and piano music on either side of the park during lunch.

The people huddle next to the pigeons and library

The fountain hydrates the sighing accordions

-Central Park. For the true New York park experience...easy to get lost in all day. Shepherd's Pasture with Turkish Tacos and violin players playing the fall movement of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Apparently the pictures got lost too.

-Fort Tryon Park. Central Park without the tourists. Our first subway trip with Lille. Home of the Cloisters where we will return.

-Riverside Park. Beautiful walks...enough said.

-The Hudson River Greenway. Ditto.

-Dog Runs. For Lils (and a great place to read). We attest that 165^th is the best we've seen so far. And so close to our apartment! (And a picture of typical Lilly after the dog park.)

And while we've mostly been eating in and avoiding going out as I wait to get paid (and are actually enjoying cooking quite a bit),here's a little glimpse of the food we've been eating and the fun we've been having (aka cheap food and free entertainment, in no particular order):

-79th Street Boat Basin Although we didn't see the Fox yachts...or Joe (You've Got Mail, for those of you who are slow to catch on to one of my all-time favorites)

-Gray's Papaya Also no Meg or Tom, but the franks live up to the hype. And the papaya juice...don't get me started. Recession special, please.

-Mike's Bagels Down the block. Everything, toasted, with veggie cream cheese.

-Kismat's Delicious Indian for lunch. I can forgive them for randomly putting my spiced indian coffee to go in a tupperware (?) because it was so, so good.

-Indian Road Cafe First day of work celebration.

-FPB Bakery Baguettes, and my first macaron (which I've been dying to try forever-- I picked raspberry, shocker). Two for the price of one because they're awesome. We will be back.

-The Strand 18 miles of books...a slice of heaven in my book.

-Eataly Belated 1 yr anniversary dinner, cheese and wine window shopping (A thousand dollar wine below). Pasta and gelato? YUM.

-Movie on the High Line Montage of train movie scenes. And Austin shook Ethan Hawke's hand. More to come.

And so much more to come. I might still be in the honeymoon stage, but I'm pretty sure we love you, New York.

So if you made it to the end of the longest post in the history of the world, I applaud you. But truthfully, I don't know if anyone will read this. And for now, I'm ok with that. So good night, dear void. Thank you for listening and being an outlet for the documentation of this new and beautiful journey.

P.S. One Hand Waving Free may or may not be a reference to a song by Mr. Dylan...I'll let you draw your own conclusions.