March 10, 2009

The Pros and Cons of moving from NYC to ND/MN

I have decided to move out of NYC and go back home to ND temporarily. I was laid off in January and the huge lack of jobs in publishing at the moment is staggering. (At least, I think they’ve stopped laying people off now. Right?) And it will be a few months, if not more, before things start to pick back up (or before they realize that with the amount of books they currently have, the staff can’t possibly keep this up indefinitely … wishful thinking?)

So we were able to break our lease and get out by March 31st. Only, the cost of moving into a new apt ($$), with new roommates (emotionally), and the stress of making ends meet without a steady job/benefits was something I did not want to go through after the last two months. As it turns out, the cost of moving to a new apt what with the truck rental, storage space, deposit, etc it’s about the same cost as my mom hitching up the trailor and driving out here!

Sure, I’ll be ready to temp or subsist on freelancing gigs soon enough - I mean, actors do it ALL the time, right? - but I wasn’t quite ready to give up being a corporate whore. And I mean that in the best possible sense. It isn’t just because it’s easier and more secure. I like working for “the man” because it’s a collaborative effort. When you get a query, or a problem figuring out your html, you need a second read, or just need someone to bounce ideas off of, there is always someone around. Freelancing just doesn’t work like that. At least not as much.

SO, MY DECISION to move home wasn’t easy. But I’LL BE BACK. (Ugh, I just quoted Aaahnold. Boo). I’m going to enjoy the hell out of the lake cabin, (hopefully help my dad flip it, and finally finish the 2/3rds of the cabin that has been in construction for the last 10 years) ride my bike a lot, spend time with my family, friends, and heterolifemate … and work my ass off trying to find another job. Or work up enough of a freelancing profile/platform to be able to subsist when I move back.

MY BIG PROBLEM NOW: The decision to move lifted a giant weight off my shoulders and allowed me to enjoy the time I have left. Only now that I’m leaving — I DON’T WANT TO! I’m finally falling in love with NYC. After over a year of hating on NY (but loving on Del Rey) I get it. I understand why people love this city. So I think the claws will sink in for another month and drag me back sooner rather than later.

In order to combat the looming depression of leaving this place, I made a nowhere near comprehensive list of Pros and Cons. The Pros come out in favor of the move, whether it’s something I miss about ND/MN, or something I dislike about NY. The Cons are the bulleted entries and come out in favor of staying in NYC.

Feel free to debate these … however, keep in mind that I made this list to convince myself that it’ll be better for me to go home for the summer.

FREE RENT-Pro

More opportunities to sing really loud with my music due to all of the driving I’ll be doing. (I really kind of miss making up my own harmonies and failing miserably without anyone being able to hear it.)-Pro

  • (Really good, often cheap) Live Music-Con
  • Greaaaat food from NON-chains-Con
  • Sushi!!-Con

Family-Pro

Water Sports: skiing, kneeboarding, wakeboarding, tubing-Pro

Power Tools-Pro

  • Driving-Con?

Subway Trains-Pro?

Ok, so neither driving nor public transportation are perfect. Driving works for ND much better than public transit would, and subways work much better for NYC than driving does. Well, better than parking, anyway. However, I am both a horrible driver and don’t like doing it - so driving gets a Con, and you’ll see later down the line why Subways are a pro.

Being reunited with Fezzik, my amazing Giant bicycle. (I’ll let you work out why I call it Fezzik for yourself. The hints are in the previous sentence) Oooooh I miss you, Fezzik!-Pro

No Roommates (Well, they’re my parents. It’s different. They play Gin Rummy with me every morning at the kitchen table. You can forgive a roommate a lot of ills if they’ll wake up & play card games with you over eggs & tea.)-Pro

My dad was too full to actually drink that "Spanish Coffee" on TwitPic

Miguel’s Tacos in Detroit Lakes-Pro

Tubing down Otter Tail or Red Lake Falls-Pro

  • A lot more drinking goes on in ND … Con? (Yeah, I’m not so into getting trashed anymore. Kind of over it.)

10,000 Lakes Fest at Soo Pass Ranch (DMB is going to be there.)-Pro

  • Cool new friends both in Publishing, and well, in publishing.-Con
  • Central Park-Con

People watching from the Union Square Whole Foods giant picture windows-Con

Cheap Movies! In the theater! Pro

Avoiding the hot sticky soupy subway cars that require you to commute with a change of clothes in order to be presentable for your destination (hopefully that’s a job). Pro
No easy outlet for heat relief such as an ocean (within an hour of travel) or swimming pool or even air conditioning that doesn’t make your bill $200/mo-Pro

  • My dependence on a train ride/commute to get a good chunk of my reading done. I’ll miss that.-Con

SWIM ALL DAY DAY - Pro

Mexican Dominoes after dinner. (Yes, we play a lot of games. I think I’ll have to introduce “Set” to my family)-Pro

  • MULTICULTURALISM - there’s no ‘melting pot’ like NYC-Con

Fun Islands, floaties, reading in the sun on the dock, Campfires-Pro

This is our dock, not our cabin. on TwitPic

  • Mullets-Con
  • Daily High School Reunion-Con
  • Large annoying (often loud) trucks and the people who drive them - Con (oh wait! Shit that’ll be me. I have to drive a truck this summer. Well, I will understandably hate myself for it. I’ll turn to Fezzik for comfort.)

Knowing 75% of the people anywhere I go … kind of a Pro, actually

The Dragon Army-Pro

The Dragon Army!! on TwitPic

  • Flying in for interviews-Con
Yeah, you might think flying to NYC once a month (yeah, right. I’ll believe one interview a month when I see it) is a pro, but really it’s so much easier to take a quick subway trip into town than to spend a day in the airport. Especially when I’m still uncertain of how many tickets I’ll get this year. Here’s to hopin Delta’s benefits plans = unlimited!)

Business Lunch with colleagues. Gonna miss that and miss you guys.-Con

I think this was my Birthday or something. Erin we miss you too! on TwitPic

LIVING WITH MY HETEROLIFEMATE!!! (Look out St. Paul!)-PRO (seriously, this one should’ve been first.)

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