Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way… To Get To NYC!

Hey you guys!!

My how I have missed thee!! But when I tell you life has been a whirlwind of crazy, busy fabulousness… with a few shots of “What the heck!” lol… hopefully you forgive my absence!
I’ve got a failed hard drive on my hands which has been nothing short of frustrating and it looks like I’m going to be losing a lot of priceless data so in your spare time… say a prayer for me! lol

Anywho…

I definitely want to talk to you guys about several things including my job search, things I’ve learned about this city since being here for almost 3 months, NYC dating ect. which I will span over two or three separate blog posts.

In the meantime, I wanted to post some dialogue between me and a dear Destination Big Apple friend of mine that took place on the DBA Facebook Page. (To stay updated between posts be sure to LIKE this page on FB! There is even a shortcut on the right side of this page!)

Anywho… her beautiful name is Zandria & the conversation went as such:

ZANDRIA: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read your blog, just to help me build up the courage to do what you did! I’m seriously considering buying my one way ticket and scrimping and saving (if I get this part time job, that is) in order to get me there! I’ve been wanting to move up there for 4 years now and fear has stopped me each and every time…now it’s not so much fear but lack of funds -_-

DESTINATION BIG APPLE: If no one can understand you, I can! I was also crippled by fear & my financial situation has never been ideal lol. But what I can say is that this has been THE BEST decision I have ever made in my life & I couldn’t imagine not stepping out on faith & just coming! It was times when I was terrified, especially the day before leaving AND I even questioned myself a few times about “Am I making the right decision?”. But the wonderful thing is that this city welcomes you with open arms. It is very expensive BUT nothing as bad as people make it seem unless your lifestyle is extremely high maintenance. People come here every day with big dreams and small bank accounts and they make it! So I say go for it! I KNOW you can do it and always remember… where there’s a WILL, there’s a WAY! Buy that ticket!

As I reread that I hope & pray that that conversation… this blog… or even my FB fan page can be a source of motivation & reassurance to ANY ONE who has fell in love and been swept off your feet by the charming New York City. I know exactly how you may be feeling because I’ve been there! And in a lot of cases I’m still there & sorting through those emotions.

Never allow fear to dictate how far you go in life!

Remember… God has not given us the spirit of fear, but the Lord has given us POWER.

You have the power to make all your dreams come true!

I believe in you guys because someone believed in me!

Good luck!

Moving? What About Your Relationship? Oh You’re Single? Well Who Will You Date When You’re There?

Well as you all know I am a new “New Yorker” as of September 6th and I left a lot of things in Texas when I came to New York. My love life included lol. And although I did fall in love with someone I THOUGHT to be worthy, I fell out of it.. or better yet was forced to fall out of it due to.. well.. that’s for another blog. lol

But anywho.. when it was all going well I had to deal with the possibility of a long distance relationship, and now that that part of my life has concluded I am facing the reality of dating in a new city.

Am I the only one who thinks dating in itself is an exhausting, whirlwind of disappointments & migraine headaches? Let alone… dating in a huge city where you know NO ONE?

I mean, when you’re new to a city dating is a challenge because you have no prospects at all to even get a jump start. In addition, you have no fact check resources. So if you do meet a decent man or woman… there is no friend, family member, or even foe of theirs that you can trust enough to get a background check about that person because… you don’t know anyone to ask! At least in your old city it was probably some way to find out something about a new dating prospect. Even Facebook could assist you with gathering mutual friends to get the “scoop” on your new date.

So, how do you go about dating? Do you just try your luck at social events and clubs and pray they aren’t “The Bad Guy” inspirations for the latest Law & Order episode? Do you chance it on a dating site where you can use the security of the internet until you are more comfortable?

I’m not exactly sure what to do… but I can tell you guys that I am so paranoid about the entire idea. lol I mean… I don’t want this to hinder me from meeting some great men, but come on… I could easily be a target as soon as I say I’m not from here.

So what do you guys think? If you were me how would you approach dating in this huge city of many strangers? Am I over-analyzing the situation?

And, for you guys and gals who are taking the challenge of a long distance relationship… what is your motivation and what is your plan to make it work? Will either of you eventually move to the same city as the relationship grows?

Enlighten me… do you guys think long distance relationships can work?

Before the guy I was dating proved himself to be a moral disappointment and sadistic liar… I was honestly willing to take the long distance challenge. Glad I dodged that bullet! =)

But you guys tell me what you think about it!

A New Series I’m Starting Within This Blog: Subway Stories (Reader Discretion is Advised)

Disclaimer: Yes he is naked. smh

I’ve been in the Big Apple for all of 5 days now and I have witnessed some of the funniest, saddest, insane, scariest most hilarious things EVER on the Subway here. lol

Soooooo I decided… why not start a series that chronicles everything I encounter when I commute thru the mean streets of NYC by way of public transit! Beware… the language maybe be very racy and for mature audiences but I have to give it to you guys straight because that’s just how bad it gets on the Subway lol

I’ll probably stick to a posting schedule eventually but for now I will post these “Subway Stories” as I witness them… which will probably be every other day or maybe even every day!

In addition, I’m working on possibly transitioning this blog into a VLOG which will probably help me get posts to you guys even faster!

So stay tuned & in the meantime check out what happened on a few of my Subway rides over the last couple of days…

Daily Incident 1: This dude cursed this man out SO BAD on the subway yesterday for not covering his mouth when he sneezed LOL! I wanted to laugh so loud but didn’t want him to zero in on me! It went something like this but with more profanity ==> “Did u just sneeze & not cover yo mouth u nasty motherFer? That’s why its diseases now! You do that sh*t again & u gon leave here in a body bag!”

HAHAHAHAHAHA!! He said many more HORRIBLE things to this man but surprisingly, based on what would’ve happened had this been in Texas, the guy just basically ignored him. Wow!

Daily Incident 2: A homeless man came on the subway.. Did his speech about not eating for 4 days & can anybody spare change and then this little hispanic boy (about 6 years old) pulls out a dollar & holds it out to give the man. When the man went to reach for it he yelled “SIKE!” and jerked his hand back Lol!!!!!! His mama cursed him out in Spanish and made him put his money away hahaha. That was really messed up by moral standards, but it was HILARIOUS! Disclaimer: I do not condone the teasing of homeless people with money. LOL!

Daily Incident 3: On the way back from Ikea in Brooklyn we encountered a questionable looking guy on the subway. He was sitting directly across from us rocking back & forth with a really sharp stick in his hand. It looked like something he tried to make into a weapon in woodshop class or something. In a very crowded subway car he proceeds to yell “I F’ing hate white people” O_o We continue to ignore him then he looks at my sister and yells “I hate light skin black people too because they look better than me!”. lol *We get nervous at this point* Then a caucasian young lady looks at him (I’m sure accidentally) and he then yells “B*@!h don’t look at me, I’ll punch you in your F’in face!” ….Ummmm this is totally our stop! lol

Where do I go to suggest an armed guard on every Subway car?

“On Today’s Episode of CRIBS: The Spanish Harlem Mansion” lol

Okay so… I was totally being sarcastic!

But all in all.. I LOVE my little, less than perfect apartment!

Sorry in advance guys that it has taken me so long to update the Apartment Walk Through but other than being completely swamped with “settling in”… it was pure torture trying to convert the video to a compatible file I could upload.

But the wait is over & here is a view of the apartment. Be sure to let me know what you guys think! =)

P.s Sorry that the video is sideways but I truly tried you guys lol… I will get better I promise!

Apartment Walk Through

T’was The Night Before Christmas Moving…

Well, it’s actually 1:59am which is technically the day of my move but I’m so exhausted that my days are starting to all run together.

Right now I am filled with many emotions… all positive and my excitement reminds me of Christmas Eve as a child.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring & how the 1st day of the rest of my life will CHANGE my life, but I’m completely optimistic.

This summer has been amazing, maturing, frustrating, fulfilling and eye opening to say the least.

I’ve planned. I’ve failed. I’ve succeeded. I fell in love. I stumbled into opportunities and I learned so much about myself, my desires and my limitless capabilities… all within 1 summer.

Tomorrow marks the dawning of a new era. At 2:30 pm I will land in Newark, New Jersey… from there I will be shuttled to my apartment in East Harlem and from there my journey begins.

To my family.. my friends.. and my readers. Thank You!

You are my support. My motivation. My encouragement. You are my accountability.

With much love..

LaQuinta

The Low Down On What It REALLY Takes to Move To NYC…

I’m sure if you have publicly announced your decision to move to New York then you ran across a naysayer or 2.. or 3.. (I can go on & on..)

BUT I’m a firm believer in ignoring negative dream killers ;-p

When I started to announce my decision to give up my life in Texas and move to New York.. a city where I had NO close family, NO couches to crash on and NO JOB.. people thought I was crazy! (I kinda was but I digress…)

I’ve heard everything from.. “You will never make it, it’s too expensive” to “Why are you doing that, are you following some guy”… and I’ve also had people say “You need to be realistic, New York is too fast for you” O_o

In my best *Clueless voice*… AS IF!!

No one knows YOU or your capabilities more than YOU and God! So honestly, as long as you want to do it and have the drive.. negative comments should be as disregarded as the one’s I’m sure American Idol execs heard when they selected J-I can’t sing worth a bleep-LO as a judge on a singing competition! (Oh.. the irony! lol)

Soooo with that being said, here is a quick list of the people you need to IGNORE:

1.The people who have mentioned that you need to save $30,000+ to move.. which will only last you 2 weeks in NY (lol are they serious!?)… ignore them!

2. The people who said not having a job before you move is not worth going in the 1st place… ignore them!

3. The people who said just because you’re from a small town you wont be able to adjust to city life… ignore them!

4. The people who said that getting an apartment before you move is impossible… ignore them!

Let me break down some realistic figures here…

I DON’T have rich parents or a trust fund. I’m moving to NY in (2) weeks and I DON’T have a job there. AND I don’t have anything near $30,000 dollars saved up.. or $20,000.. or even $10,000.

I remember searching the internet frantically for info on “How to move to NY” and most of the articles didn’t help me at all! You know why? Because all of their journeys.. and situations were nothing like mine.

So here is a glimpse into what it has taken for me to make this dream a reality…

Credit wise my sister & I were less than desirable candidates to get an apt in NY just based off credit alone. In addition, we had no proof of income so we needed a guarantor. We convinced our mom to be ours. We found a broker who took us seriously, even under the circumstances, and in return he found a management company who probably NEEDED to rent out their apartments MORE than they needed us to meet all of their tedious requirements.

Typically, people in NY pay 1st month and last month’s rent plus security and broker’s fee to get the keys to their apt. This is exactly what we were required to do, and our “lasts months rent” would actually be used as our “2nd months rent” so we wouldn’t have to worry about rent again until November!

This gives us 2 months to find a job and get some income coming in.

So in reality, I would say (depending on how much your rent is) you would need about $5,000 to secure an apt.

Now for you lucky one’s who have a couch to crash on or you all who will be renting a room, your upfront costs should be far cheaper than this… so your savings shouldn’t be affected too much.

Another thing is… my sister is moving with me, so most of my costs will be split. So we each had to come up with $2,500 to secure the apt.

Now as far as a job… I’ve already gathered a list of temp agencies to contact as soon as I get there. I’ve also printed out a stack of resumes.. ready to hand out so as soon as I get there I can freshen up, throw on a suit and go Job Hunting! I’ve noticed that a lot of jobs in NY want you to interview quickly after inquiring so I will be ready!

Also, my employment standards are very minimal for my 1st few months in NY. If all else fails I am willing to work as a freaking janitor lady if it sustains my survival in NY and help me avoid having to move back home!

In the meantime, I’ll be living off of the rest of my savings… as frugal as possible. I’m talking noodles (which I hate) and even crackers & water. Meat will be a luxury lol

But my theory is.. value comes with sacrifice. New York is totally worth me denying my nutritional needs for a few weeks months until we get a good amount of cashflow coming in. I’m willing & ready!

Also, like I’ve mentioned in previous posts… setbacks happen. Always be prepared to resort to Plan B. We had to!

Now.. I leave in (2) weeks.. so I’m only at the beginning of my “What I faced during my move” journal keeping… but as I encounter an accomplishment/hurdle I WILL keep you guys updated!

If you ever have any questions or comments.. or suggestions for me please feel free to let me know!!

Love u guys!!!

A Self-Produced Reality Show About My Move To New York?

Should I do one?

Would you guys support me? (in my BEST bully voice…”You BETTER say yes!”) lol

Well… for a while now I have been thinking about introducing vlogs into this site.. regarding my daily experiences and everything related to my move to New York and my adjustment once I get there.

I’ve also considered launching a self produced “reality show” of sorts just so I can visually document everything I am about to go through in the upcoming months.

The plan is for NY to be the main focus… but to also focus on my attempts to make myself relevant in the fashion world and gain the experience/knowledge I need. I guess since I am going out there to start my career I think it would be interesting for others to see exactly what I will go through.

In addition, I’m a southern girl, who is used to dating southern men.. for the most part. BUT I will be moving to New York as a single woman (Hey! Hey! Hey! lol) and I believe it will be SO interesting to see just how different dating will be in a new city.. with an entirely new pool of men, with possibly an entirely different mind frame. (I’ve heard east coast men are a different breed from southern men)

So umm… yeah. What do you guys think? Would you watch video recaps of my life in NY? Would my quest for a career in fashion, quest for a good man =), and quest to not get lost 200 times a day or mugged… be of interest to you to watch?

I seriously want to do this so I hope ya’ll say yes.

Ya’ll BETTER say yes! ;-p

Sweet Home East Harlem! Lord, Im Coming Home To You! But.. Will Safety Be An Issue?

Okay so the skies opened up and sunshine fell on my rainy days of last week. Our broker found us an apartment!

2 bedroom 1 bath for $1,225 a month… now can I get an AMEN! lol

Minus the fact that just to sign the lease and get a key we had to pay $1,225 x 4 (2 months rent plus deposit & broker fee) and an additional $225 as a processing fee and $50 as a key deposit, we are ecstatic! But can you say.. “Savings spent!” lol

Anywho… So our apt (as of September 1st.) is located in the culture rich part of Spanish Harlem that is currently going through gentrification.

gen·tri·fi·ca·tion (n.) The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people.

That definition sounds a bit.. well “mean” to me (lol) so I prefer to say that gentrification is the increase of an areas market/property value due to the structural modification of existing buildings, the introduction of more shopping/restaurant/leisure venues as well as the construction of modern condos and apartment living to attract and cater to the middle class.

Better!

Okay so back to my point… I research heavily when it comes to something that interests me or directly effects me. I was reading on the city data website and other forums related to Harlem and I came across some disturbing dialogue.

Some people were saying how unsafe East Harlem was and how much violence is committed in the area ect. I guess fear crept into my psyche when people started talking about shootings and stabbings that people who live in Spanish Harlem were subjecting themselves to. One person even posted a youtube video of a bunch of trouble makers celebrating their participation in such violence.

Now honestly… I believe that everyone should check out an area.. both at night and in the day time before committing to living there. In all honesty, one persons view of safety can vary greatly from the next person. BUT, what do you do when you’re in Texas and your new apartment is in New York. Not much time or opportunities to “check things out beforehand”. So I guess you can say my sister and I are truly walking into this situation blindly.

The gentrification aspect is settling because once you start improving an area or neighborhood and increasing the access to safe settings… then things can begin to change for the better.

But my question is… should I be afraid in my new neighborhood?

I don’t think I should be scared.. just careful and street smart. But one thing about the internet.. you can come across a video or forum that can be so SCARY it would make the toughest person quiver with fear.

I guess all I can do is pray that we stay safe and be smart!

Any personal stories or views on East Harlem that you would like to share?

The Move. The Setback. The Stress. The 360°

The Move: Yesss!! My sister & I were finally making the big move I had been dreaming about my entire life! Wednesday July 27th = our big day!!

The Setback: Lodging. Through a friend of a friend of a friend we were put in touch with a landlord that had vacancies in her building to accommodate us The arrangement was made to clarify all of the details via phone & fax so that once we arrived in NY we would pay our move in fees, get our keys & be HOME! Obviously circumstance had a very different idea of how this should play out. As time got closer to our move, said landlord began to sporadically avoid our phone calls & act uninterested in solidifying the details of our move in. The NIGHT BEFORE our departure I call her to clarify a few specifics & she tells me not only that the apt may not be ready for us.. But that she “may” be able to meet with us on Friday (2 days after we arrive) and that she also needed extra documentation from my mom’s bank (she’s our guarantor) & a plethora of other things she didn’t initially ask for including my birth certificate! O_o In addition, she added that instead of wanting just the 1st month rent and deposit to move in she would now be needing the last month also. This would be fine if she hadn’t changed her requirements at the last minute. Soooooo who has extra $ on top of 1st month/last month rent & deposit to pay for a hotel until she finally decides to meet with us to finish what we started OR have the apartment ready?? Did I mention that the apartment we were initially supposed to be renting was never mentioned again.. and she was trying to make us rent out an apartment for $400-500 more per month. Smh Can you say.. RUN LIKE HELL. This lady is obviously NOT a landlord I would want to deal with for a year’s lease. Maybe we dodged a bullet on that one…

The Stress: So now what do we do? In a little over 12 hours we are supposed to be boarding a plane to our new destination HOWEVER… now we have no where to live and it seems as though our plans are falling apart. *Breaks down for a moment… then composes myself* Okay so… do we still go and risk burning a hole through our savings in hotel fees? Do we cancel our flight and watch our dream pass us by? Needless to say the night before our move day was very stressful indeed. We had to cancel our flight Luckily we were flying Southwest and they do not charge a fee to cancel or change a flight… in addition we would be able to apply the funds towards the purchase of a new flight!

S/O to Southwest Airlines for being the bees knees when it comes to airlines and customer service!

The 360°: My mom & I decided to aggressively scan the internet for leads to end our lodging nightmare… when we come across a broker’s ad that I have been seeing for months.. (literally). Previously, I wanted to avoid a broker at all costs but come on.. do we really have a choice here?

So anywho.. we call him..after business hours of course, and luckily he answers. We explain our situation without trying to sound desperate and he seems very sympathetic. A 45 minute convo later… we have a broker, leads on a few very good apartments and a quick process that could have us in an apartment as soon as Saturday! (You know in movies when something great happens & the choir descends singing “Hallelujah!”… yeah that totally happened at that point lol)

So our living situation has improved dramatically over the course of 2 days.. our only setback is last minute flights. Our initial flights were only $113 each for a one way ticket to Newark. Now we would be looking at $397 and up EACH to fly out anytime soon. With the extra broker’s fee we will now have to pay.. I really cant afford to spend the upwards of $800 on replacement flights. So we spoke with our broker about leasing an apartment either on the 15th of August or the 1st of September and he said he can definitely help us.

Its sort of depressing because I was supposed to be a “New Yorker” as of 2 days ago… so waiting another 2-4 weeks hurts badly… but they say everything works out for a reason so I wont complain.

All well wishes and prayers are greatly accepted… we will need them!

Sorry for the novel… this situation needed a full explanation! lol

To Bring.. Not To Bring? <—- That Is The Question.

8 days away from my “Big Move” and I haven’t packed not one thing! A procrastinator? Of course I am.. but, as all people with bad habits say.. “I’m working on that!”

Okay so, minus the fact that I hate packing, I just don’t know what I should bring and what I should leave yet!

There’s that thing I fear about getting to New York and reaching in my suitcase only to notice I’m missing something EXTREMELY important like my eye glasses, or birth certificate or even my Love Jones movie! O_o lol (I’m so serious)

But yeah… so today, tomorrow and the next few days I will be packing. Packing things into suitcases that I will take with me AND packing things into boxes that I will have my mom ship to me at a later date.

So what do I plan to take with me initially?

Well.. pajamas, comfy shoes, a few suits and professional attire, a few jeans and tops, a couple of pairs of heels, my winter coats, boots, hair & hygiene products, all the underwear I own lol, important documents, computer and a few pictures for my “I miss them” crying spells. lol

To be honest, I wish I could also bring a couple of packs of Zummo Sausages, a few pints of Blue Bell Icecream and a case or two of crawfish because I’m quite sure I will never see these food items up north. <—- It's a TEXAS thing lol

So anywho.. as far as my list of things to pack.. do you guys think I left out anything? What would/will you bring if you were/are moving? Your list may help me out!!

…And She Has 15 Days Left Before She Moves To New York

15 days!!!

*frantically searches for a calender.. counts the days and then looks like this —-> O_o* lol

You guys I cant believe that in 15 short days I will be moving to the city that I used to write love letters to! lol

Okay so, I wish I could say that I have it ALL together and I’m calm and relaxed just waiting to board that plane… but that would totally be a lie! In all actually I’m a put together, calm “appearing” freaked out mess! ;-p

I guess when Reality Kinks In.. it KICKS IN. Have you ever heard of the phrase: “Don’t talk about it, be about it”? Well.. talking about it was easy.. a breeze! BUT, now that its time to be about it I literally feel like its the 1st day of Kindergarden.

*Scratched record sound* (Is it Kindergarden or Kindergarten? lol Funny how once you look at different spellings long enough none of the options look correct?)

…okay back to our regularly scheduled program…

So, I don’t have the “I cant do this!” fear.. or the “I don’t wanna go through with it anymore!” fear or even the “What the heck was I thinking” fear… I have the “I’m going to be a gazillion miles away from my family and friends, what if I get lost on the subway, beat up by a hobo and attacked by an angry bunch of rats” fear!

So is that normal or is that a subconscious way of being a coward??

I just cant believe that time has passed SO fast and I haven’t even packed yet! And Oh my gosh thats another thing… the Leave or Take packing drama thats about to devour me in the next couple of days!

People… pray for me! lol

Furniture.. Move It or Buy It??

I just wanted to get the opinion of the public on this one…

When do you think an aspiring New Yorker should move their furniture to the big city?

Initially, when they move themselves?

Once they have settled in and measured space?

Or never.. just buy new furniture?

I ask because the idea of moving ANY of my furniture a gazillion miles across the country makes me mentally exhausted! O_o

Besides… I believe that all of my furniture is too big for a NY size apartment lol

Case in point: My enormous king size bed, which I love with the equivalent depth of a mother’s love for her child! lol

So what do you guys think? Or better yet what would you do?

To be honest, I can hear Ikea calling my name… )

My Accent. Will I have to disguise it?

Okay so today I spoke with my older cousin, who thankfully put me in touch with her cousin to give me advice on NY. This advice would be coming from someone who has lived in New York for many years & have learned the “tricks of the trade”.

First off, I must say that while Google is great & blogs are quite dandy (Isn’t mine dandy? lol)… actually talking to someone who has “Been There” definitely rounds out the *Reasearch I’ve obtained about my move to New York*  scale wonderfully.

But anywho… back to my accent…

Im a southerner. A good ol’ Texan where everything is BIGGER & seasons can be nonexistent. Unlike most people assume, the majority of us are NOT cowboys and dont know how to ride a horse.. cow.. sheep or whatever lol. However, one thing most of us are labeled as from non-Texans is “country”, and they are mostly referring to our accent.

People from Cali talk a certain way, so do people on the East Coast, the Midwest and even the great ol’ Louisiana (Where the New Orleans accent is a personal favorite of mine). Within that categorization… us Texans may sound funny to people up north or in other parts of the country.

I never thought I had an accent but when I would travel I would notice that I actually did have one that cannot be denied.

Soooo, back to my point… my cousin’s cousin (which I’ll just call Cousin2) tell’s me “You’re going to have to shake that accent. No offense, but if people assume you’re new here they will try & scam you!”

~~~> O_o

I laughed because that tickled me so much. But is it true?… will I have to disguise my accent? And if so, how do I go about doing that? I may end up sounding completely ridiculous and make myself stick out even more.

So what do you guys think? Was Cousin2′s advice logical?

I typically use slang that’s noted to be derived from different parts of the country. I say “word” & “ya digg”. I say “ya heard me” and “whoadie”. I say “c’mon son” and have even caught myself saying “knarly”. So will I have to brush up more on my East Coast slang and try my best to blend in? Is “getting scammed” the price to pay if I dont?

I LOVE the way New Yorkers sound but I honestly think its gonna take quite a while for me to lose the “southern charm” in my voice.

Knowhaimtaumbout? lol (totally Houston )

*To my big cousin Dawn… your support has been priceless*

Eyegasms of NYC…

Ive decided to spice things up around here a bit… and subsequently curb my appetite for amazing photos of the place I want to be. Soooooo, Ive decided to post pictures of the Big City that I see online and also find to be either breathtaking or just plain ol’ cool

Sometimes our visual needs cry out for an Eyegasm here & there.

So here are a few to get the ball rolling…

 

Taxi!

 

Buildings and Ads

 

The People on 5th Ave.

 

A Central Park Stroll

 

The Real Free Concert

 

Ciao!

..:Pause:.. A Moment of Silence For The Victims of 911…

Okay so Im hanging out, enjoying a wonderful Sunday & I get a text from my friend.

“Turn to CNN, they’ve killed Osama bin Laden!”

What!? and YES!? both at the same time!

I would just like to say that this is a bitter sweet moment for the families of the 911 victims… for the citizens of New York.. and for the Americans who grieved in unison after one of the worst terrorist attacks on this country.

Yes, the fight against terrorism is not over, however this is pivotal moment in history for many people who remember September 11, 2001.

I am glad that this achievement was made during the presidency of Barack Obama.

I also must say that I’m still glued to CNN at 2:34 am & they are announcing that Osama’s body has already been buried at sea???????? WHAT!?

Whats up with the rush? Now explain to me HOW they are going to prove he is really dead AND minimize credibility of conspiracy theorist?

Hmmm. That part does sound kinda fishy to me.

Any who, what a wonderful night for New Yorkers. God Bless America.

This has become my Full Time Job… but at least this one I’m enjoying ;-p

Borough researching.

Apartment ad lurking.

Hostel considerations.

Maps & Subway Routes.  The #1 train, the A-train… the what train?

Googling this… Googling that

Email. after Email. after Email.

It feels like I wake up, get ready for work.. clock in & begin my 9-5 with weekends & overtime. Doing what might you ask?

Preparing myself for city life. Most importantly I have to clarify where I’m going to live. And not just… where will you live for the duration of a lease BUT where will you sleep the night you get off that plane

Never under estimate the power of social networking sites. The same day I post on Twitter “Bought my 1 way ticket to NY”… a follower of mine RT’s (retweets) me the coolest thing ever. lol

“@TwitterNameWithheld If anyone is moving to NY in the summer, I have an apt for rent”

Even better it was within my price range!! Yayy lol $1300 for a 2 bedroom in Brooklyn. Hell, good enough for me

He said he’ll keep me posted on the dates & specifics but regardless… its things like that that make social networks GREAT and create awesome “When I moved to NY I got my 1st apt…” stories ;-p

So anywho…Ive also found a pretty cool hostel that I think I will stay in if I dont find something before my plane lands. Loftstel on Greene Ave. They have awesome monthly rates and they cater to the 20 something person who enjoys good people & a safe college friendly environment. Its in Brooklyn and about 45 minutes away from Manhattan via subway but who cares… its much better than sleeping in the subway haha

One Way Ticket To Where?

As the days pass it becomes more & more realistic to me.

Ive finally purchased my one way ticket to New York. This was suggested to me about a yr ago by an old college buddy (S/O to Temesgen if you ever read this lol)…

…and yet I’ve finally gotten this part of my journey out of the way.

So as of Wednesday July 27, 2011 I will no longer be a Texan physically… I will be a new New Yorker.

What a joy.

Still have to find somewhere to live tho… lol

New York… This Is Why I Love You

A short video of what draws me to this city…

The lights.

The noise.

The people.

The taxis.

The entire scenery is breathtaking to me….

Hence my “Yayyyy” & “It doesnt get any better than this!” lol

This video was taken on my Fashion Study Tour trip to New York in November 2010. #Priceless experience of many!

Where the hell am I going to live?

My biggest hurdle by far. Shelter. Honestly… Where the hell am I going to live?

My sister is supposed to be joining me on my cross country move & maybe that’s where I’m finding the most trouble in seeking lodging.

Its fairly simple to find a room to rent when I’m going to be the only person looking for a room… but it has been very difficult to find an ideal sublet situation for 2 people.

In addition I have an entire cluster of… umm.. shall I say “concerns” that is totally affecting my search.

I’m going to be honest with you guys… my credit sucks lol.
Now I’m not sure exactly what my actual credit score is (I want to check it once I move so that potential roommates/landlords will have an accurate, current FICO score from me)… but judging from what these New York landlords are requiring.. I don’t think I’m desirable at the moment. :-/

Also, this little “I wont have a job waiting for me” thing is pretty discouraging as far as an apt is concerned.

Now ideally I would like to score a private rental. I think I would be a lot more comfortable with just me & my sis occupying an apt with no strangers involved. But as my mom used to say when I was younger…

“You don’t have any wants!” Lol

A private rental requires a JOB with a salary 40 times your expected annual rent & in most cases copies of bank statements with at least a couple thousand in savings, 2 recent check stubs, last 2 years tax return, references from previous landlord & first month, last month rent & deposit which is usually another month’s rent. And did I mention the brokers fee, if u choose to hire one, which is typically another month’s rent?

Whew! Now shoot me.

Okay so if I don’t have all of that, or shall I say have that which will be accepted, my next option is to have a guarantor. Okay, not too bad.

Well, a gaurantor is required to also have all of that documentation & they must make 80 times the anticipated annual rent.

My parents could meet those requirements, however, most landlords require gaurantors to live in the Tri-State area.

Really? You couldn’t make it any harder for me now could you?

Besides… I don’t want to ask my mom the inevitable. I wanted to do this all on my own!

So it looks like a sublet is my best bet!

I found something today in Astoria (Queens) available May 1st… a 2bedroom condo… occupied by a couple that was willing to rent out their 2nd bedroom until their lease is up July 31st. They are asking $800 for 1 person, $1000 for 2 people. With no credit check they wanted the entire $3,000 up front… if we agree to a credit check it would be $1,000.

Hmmmm. Not bad. It looks like we will have to put our dreams of a private rental on hold initially & take advantage of deals like above. 

If we don’t take that sublet then a hostel or extended stay hotel would probably be our next best option. If at least until we find jobs!

New York, you’re complex… especially your living options but I love you anyways.

Flaws & all.

What a Coincidence: My Move Solidified

I was sitting in my apartment, as I always do, bored & disgusted with the direction my life was headed….

You see not even a week ago I celebrated my 26th birthday. 26 years on this earth & though I value life completely, I don’t feel that I have made an honest attempt to conquer my dreams.

Typing away on Twitter… interacting with followers of mine who were content with life… I just couldn’t take it anymore.

So I grab my phone & text my sister:

“See if Dre will still let us crash with him for a couple of weeks… if so let’s leave May 1″

A minute or two later my mom calls me!

I answer & she’s like…

“What do you think about going to New York the 1st of May… I just talked to Dawn (my cousin) & they’re throwing a 50th Birthday party for {another cousin} & I want to go”

Of course I thought she was joking… actually that I had accidentally sent the text message to her instead of my sister. However, when I asked her had she gotten my text she said “No, what text?”

There’s that goofy smile I tend to have sometimes lol

So I tell her about the text to my sister & she says “Oh my God… you see how God works… its meant, you have to go!”

That’s all I needed to hear!

Screw the remainder of my 18 month lease that I signed in November (ugh) but that would be the only thing holding me back.

I have severed ties with everything & everybody that would make me think twice so that means its time for me to GO!

And with that being said… I’m GOING.

Next weekend my family will be coming to Houston to pick up my furniture. I will attempt to work out some sort of deal with my leasing office which will have me with the least amount of financial penalties & a disrupted tenant/landlord relationship.

Hopefully everything thing goes smoothly. Either way I’m feeling fantastic about this decision!!

All It Took Was Another Trip To Los Angeles…

I had become complacent. The discovery of an offered Associates Degree in Fashion Design right here in Houston put an immediate HALT on my plans to move.

Fast forward to today… 2 days after returning from my Feb trip to L.A. for All•Star Weekend & I’m back to REALITY.

It’s funny how getting away from your surroundings helps you remember why you wanted to stay away!

So here I am again… convinced that nothing will alter my plans again! Besides.. I found a Masters Program online for Fashion Merchandising that will give me the ability to have a subsequent degree & relocation to my heart’s destination all rolled into one.

Thank you God!

Life couldn’t be better

To Sell My Car… To Not Sell My Car, That Is The Question

Hmmmmm.

So my vehicle is like my child. I love it and it has been with me for 5 glorious years . I have a red Dodge Durango nicknamed “Big Red”. As wonderful as it sounds… my truck will FINALLY be PAID OFF (yep no more monthly notes) in June 2010.

YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

My last car payment will be this summer… and what do I do? I decide that Im moving to New York! lol

A friend of mine who lives in New York told me to “Sell it!” A coworker of mine who I always get advice from said “Sell it!” My logic says “Sell it!”

But I just cant sell it. At least not yet.

I just cant bear with the idea of selling my car only months after I’ve paid it off and it is officially mine. In my mind thats like storing a billionaires money in my high interest account only to cash it out and give him his money back plus the interest “my” account made for him. That may sound silly but thats just how I’m thinking. lol

I guess I also dont want to sell it because what if I ever need to come back to Texas? What will I do without my car? I would hate to have to begin the car note thing again when I had a car that was paid off.

Part of me says thats subconciously assuming I wont make it in New York. Another part of me is saying its being realistic.

I dont know what to do.

I told my mom that I would leave it with her for my brother to drive when he got his license… ya know just to keep it in the family. But come on… my brother is 12. lol For now all he will be driving is my mom crazy! haha

So, I dont know. What do you guys think I should do? Better yet, what would you do?

Rats!?… Cockroaches!?

 Lord have mercy…. I am deathly terrified of those things! lol And shockingly enough… I think I’m more afraid of cockroaches than I am of rats! lol 

 

Go figures.

 

I can remember occasions where I literally injured myself…running.. from.. a.. cockroach! Yep one measly, small, mynute, HUGE, UGLY, FLYING, DISGUSTING cockroach.

I promise you, I would probably run into oncoming traffic trying to get away from a flying cockroach. Not from a bear or a lion.. but a freaking insect. I dont know why I’m so afraid of them, but I am. Maybe it was that time when one of them flew into my shirt. Or maybe it was that other time when I was climbing a tree and accidently stuck my hand into a cockroach nest. Needless to say I had tree bark inflicted wounds covering the entire front portion of my body when I slid down the tree after my hand was covered with COCKROACHES.

Whew… reliving that just now was kinda hard. lol

Anywho, Ive had my fair share of rat(mice) horror stories as well, and to be frank about it… I dont want to see or live with these things AT ALL. So what the heck am I gonna do in New York? I read many forums where people discussed that seeing rats and roaches was a given living in the big city. So I guess that means Im on a quest for the most roach and rat free apt…within my budget that I can find.

Let the searching begin! lol

A Good Support System….

Okay so when we’re doing something great in life… (or mediocre… or goofingly small lol) sometimes we need a good support system. A co-signer as I call it, which is someone or some people who cheer you on in your decisions and give you motivation even when your goal may seem cloudy.

Soooo…. I’m moving to New York! Do I have a good support system?

Lucky for me… I do! I have a handful of TRUE friends who have supported my decision (you guys know who you are) and I also have my family who have also given their stamp of approval for my move.
Now I must say that a couple of people in my family have said “I’m behind you 100%”  but they dont think I’m gonna follow through with my plan no more than my biggest hater hopes I will… BUT at least when I do they will be there all smiles! 

However, what do you do if you dont have a good support system?

Dont fret! Your biggest and most faithful supporter is YOU! Well… actually its God if moving is in His will also…but right below Him is YOU! As long as you have the drive…the get up and go and remain persistent in your planning and diligent in turning your plans to reality…you will make it. Sometimes we have to also use other people’s negativity as motivation to prove them wrong.

In addition, I have learned that the GREATEST REVENGE… is SUCCESS. Yep, success. So if you have an ex-girlfriend who cheated on you… or an employer who wrongfully “let you go”… or an ex-friend who betrayed you… or even a group of people who said you would never amount to anything…. then make them swallow their words (and actions) by following your dream successfully.

I promise you…once you update your Facebook status to “I finally did it” and word gets around… that will be all the revenge you need!

Remember…. support starts with you and at the end of the day, thats all that matters! So go ahead… support yourself! =)

Is “Sex & The City” to blame for the MASSIVE increase in New York’s popularity? (Among women of course lol)

Lets see…. Okay so as stated before, moving to New York has been a dream of mine since childhood…and wayyyy before the Sex & The City epidemic!

 BUT I can honestly say that the show’s success in capturing New York’s personality put the icing on the cake! I began watching Sex & The City when I was much too young to be exposed to such graphic language and images. When HBO was on channel 13 (In the Bmt, Tx area) and we had those black cable boxes with the red numbers that turned channels really slow. lol

I was a fan from the beginning…. before many of the “Carrie-driven” ladies of today caught Sex & The City fever. My older cousin turned me on to the show and I quickly became HOOKED!

So with that being said I can understand everyone watching those awesome… attractive… successful women and thinking “I want to be just like them!” Live where they live, work where they work, date how they date and enjoy life just as much. That show can definitely be classified as motivation!

So, my question is… if Sex & The City prompted such high interests in New York City… then are most of the new people there out of touch with reality and chasing something that they saw on t.v?

The Famous Quote —> Women come to New York for the two L’s: Labels and Love.

So is that true? Do we go to New York for labels, love and of course the lives of 4 scripted actresses?

I guess most of us do…. but for me and a lot of other women, its larger than that. I seek out New York for its diversity and the ability to feed and nurture my creative juices. To be in a place where I’m not creatively limited and where my desire to artistically etch myself into history will be understood and justified.

Thats my reason for moving to New York.

Ciao!

Awesome Way To Find A Place 2 Live….

Okay so I might be seriously late but I just came across this pretty neat website called www.sublet.com!

The cool thing about this site is that alot of the posters include photos of the rental property or room that they are advertising. ALSO…. another big plus is that most of these people dont require a credit check for those of you who may have had a hard time creditwise. Alot of them just require proof of income… 1st and last months rent and info on a little about yourself! Pretty cool right!

You can “advance search” and specify things such as desired area and price range up to things like whether or not you would like a doorman or if you just have to have high speed internet.

Im quite sure that there are tons more websites available that may provide the same things but this is one I came across and found interesting! Hope it helps!!!!

Is It Just Me Or Is Rooming w/a Total Stranger A Bit Scary?

Okay so…. Im from Texas. I’m sure everyone knows that by now. And down here I dont know many people who look in the classifieds for a new roommate. Maybe for a new couch… or a puppy, but not a person to live with. And thats cool… but when youre seriously planning your move to New York, this little thing becomes a HUGE THING. When I first moved to Houston from Beaumont to go to TSU, I was placed in a 4 bedroom apt with 3 strangers. That wasnt weird to me… I guess because all of our agenda’s were the same: School. And maybe because I felt like a college campus was this fake sense of security so “Of course I wouldnt get a crazy deranged roommate who would kill me!”

Lol. Lucky me I didnt, but who’s to say it couldnt have happened even though I was on a college campus. I was in 3rd ward Houston, Tx ya know and I did watch a young girl transition from life to death (yeah DIE) from a gunshot wound to the head right in front of me in the parking lot of my college apt. Sooooo why was I more afraid of New York?

Maybe because of Law & Order SVU… or maybe even old episodes of New York Undercover. They dont exactly paint the big apple in a good light. Then there is my southern… paranoid mother who thinks visiting NY is fine but moving to the Den of Sin is not cool.

I think my biggest fear of moving over the years has been not only WHERE am I going to live…but with WHO?

The idea of leaving everything behind and moving out there with a few savings, a computer a duffle bag full of clothes and a guitar (lol had to throw that in there) is sooooooo awesome to me. To exit LaGaurdia Airport and go meet my new roommate whom Ive only had the pleasure of Facebooking a few times and exchanging apt pics and specifications through email with… its like a dream come true!!!!!

So why am I so afraid?

The Transplant & The Recipient: Do Veteran New Yorkers Despise Newbies?

Hello World!

One day I was skimming (is that a word? lol) through news articles online and I came across one that sparked my interest…

“Why People Still Want To Move To New York In Tough Times…”

Interesting title right? Well I began reading… with that big goofy smile I tend to have and lo and behold… the readers’ comments became more interesting than the article itself.

People were going back and forth about how great New York was and how every young person with a dream wanted to move there and then came the Veteran New Yorker. The frustrated type who has finally had enough with everyone in the free world wanting to move to HIS CITY. His anger was presented as such…

“I hope these idiots realize that the New York that they so long for in their movies no longer exists entirely because of their presence; the irony of it all is that their incessant documentation of their New York experience, whether it be on their facebook status messages about some little unique “New York” experience, or in their pictures on Flickr which replicate scenes that have been photographed by other transplants or tourists hundreds of thousands of times, has rendered New York an almost parody of itself. It is now a city of millions of boring transplants walking around documenting each other under the guise of it being the greatest city in the world. It is far from it. Half our buildings have been torn down to house these narcissistic wonderbread types. Half our stores have been wiped out, replaced by banks for these young zombies to frequent on their night out on the town, linking arms with their girls, replicating a scene from any number of banal, superficial TV shows now on TV. The neurotic, genuine, creative, selfless native New Yorker simply doesn’t exist. If he does, he probably doesn’t leave his house for fear of being described on some soulless transplant moron’s blog should he venture outside of his apartment.

New York is now nothing more than glass buildings, empty pits, chain stores, empty people, and empty experiences.”                    Read more: Why People Still Want to Move to New York in Tough Times — New York Magazine http://nymag.com/news/features/56013/comments.html#ixzz0cJq5PySX

Now the question is… does this guy have a problem with “NY Transplants” or just with people and life in general… OR does he have a point?

Honestly, I cant say. Maybe he has a point and maybe he doesnt. I guess if I was a native New Yorker and I felt that the authenticity of my great city had been jeopardized by empty vessels who fail to contribute to keeping the city great… I guess I would be frustrated too. But thats just me….what do you think?

My Purpose – New York Citizenship

Its Friday January 8, 2010. Im sitting at work with the biggest, goofiest smile on my face and I cant stop thinking about the 2-hour long convo I had yesterday with a friend of mine.  He lives in New York and he’s surviving. He’s alive, not homeless and not crying to return back to Texas where I am… so I HAD to seek him out and get some advice. You see when I see someone make the move Ive been dreaming of my entire life… and they do it successfully I have to speak with them! I mean HAVE TO! We went to college together (Texas Southern University) and post graduation he’s living it up in New York and Im working at a boring property tax firm in this monotonous city of Houston (at least its monotonous to me)!

Sooooo to make a long story short, by request he gives me all the tips and tricks of the trade that he’s aware of in order for me to successfully follow in his path.

1. Pick a date and buy a one way ticket…that way you have a time frame on your goal that isnt easily altered.

2. Be willing to do what you love for free at first and be willing to do something you hate to survive.

3. If you have any habits either kick them or stay in Tx ( especially if you dont have the funds to support them).

4.  Be able to be alone and understand that your friends in New York or your collegues just may not have time for you.

5. And most importantly, be willing to sacrifice things like friendships, relationships, furniture, cars, and even that shopping desire you have cause some (most) of these things cant come to New York with you.

Wow.

But you know what, Im willing to adhere to IT ALL… because New York is my destination and failure is not an option.

About {Me}….

You would like to know wouldn’t you….

Okay I must begin by saying I’m a follower of Christ. Through Him all things are possible.

Im a 24 year old Pisces, mother of none, College graduate with a B.A. in Public Relations & Advertising.

Exceptional, Intellectual, Controversial and Classy.

My biggest goal to date… one that intrigues even myself and challenges me to strive and conquer, is to Move To New York. This goal breathes life into my existence and will be the icing on my cake of accomplishments.

I consider myself open~minded. I consider myself a realist. I consider my own thoughts to be thought provoking but most importantly I desire to mingle and associate myself with other critical thinkers. I have alot of theories and ideas tangled up in what I call my mind……. and my purpose is to see if there are others who think like me and those who may not but can challenge me. So I guess I should say…… Welcome.