Howdy y'all!

 Greetings from Austin :D

photo cred: Angela Doran Photography

If you're reading this blog, chances are rather high that you fall into one of the following categories (or a few) family, friend, or follow me on some social media platform, so I'm going to just go ahead and assume that you know that I've moved from NYC to Austin, Texas!

If you didn't know, surpriseee!

A lot of people's first question as to why I moved to Austin is "why?" Well really, why not?! I never had it set in my mind that NYC was where I would stay for the rest of my life. I'd always told myself that if that's the way it ended up, that it would be great, but never an expectation. Over time, it became very apparent to me that NYC was not where I was meant to live the rest of my life, so at that point, it was only a matter of when and where would be next.

I've had thoughts of living in Southern California on my mind for many many years, so it was something I seriously considered, and even went out for a visit in February. But nothing was really calling or pulling me there. I felt really indifferent about the idea of moving to California and I figured, one should probably feel pretty strongly about making such a huge move. So I stayed in NYC.

After I'd dismissed the idea of living in Cali, my mind still wasn't fully settled at the idea of living in NYC any longer. Life wasn't really moving anywhere for me, and I felt like the longer I stayed there, the more time I was wasting. I'd been looking for work since January when I was laid off, without any luck. I sent out countless resumes and went on many interviews and never heard back from any of them. If you've never been unemployed before, let me just tell you, this does not do good things for ones self esteem. I've never in my life struggled to find work the way I did these past few months.

It was around April when life had gotten a little rocky, as it does from time to time, that I decided I'd had enough of the bull shit NYC throws at its residents. I had very briefly looked at jobs in Austin and applied for maybe one before I decided to actually reach out to my Austin peeps and find out if moving there with their support would even be a reality. I have one cousin in Austin who outside of Facebook, I hardly knew. I decided to take a leap and reach out to her to ask if I could stay with her while I get adjusted, acclimated, and found a job and a place to live. Because my family is AWESOME, she quickly got back to me with a "yes!" It was only a couple of days later, that I heard back from one of the resumes I'd submitted to a job in Austin and was immediately offered the job over the phone and was asked "how soon can you be here?"
In retrospect, I probably could have been here in a week (thank you unemployment) but I told her I'd need about three weeks to wrap up my life in NYC.

One of my favorite spots to catch the sun setting over NYC

Before I knew it, my life was packed into 3 suitcases, and 20 boxes. What wasn't packed was sold or left on the curb. I had the chance to say my goodbyes to some of my favorite NYC people as well as pack in all the good food I could. After an extremely emotional goodbye to all the ones I loved in NYC, I landed in Austin without any issues.

Some of the greatest people NYC has to offer!

I hit the ground running... I started working for Vega only a few days after landing, I got a car within the first week, I found my apartment in the first 4 days (though I didn't get to move in until mid-June), and I got a full time job at a chiropractors office within two weeks. It was amazing for me to see how quickly everything was falling into place for me in Austin vs. how hard I had to work for everything in NYC.

We work really hard at Vega!

I've got some pretty good helpers at the chiro's office!

I ended up getting a lemon of a car and have since had to buy a new one, but this time, I think I got a great one! Isn't she pretty!?

Now, unfortunately, this means car payments. So my hopes of cutting my 7-day work weeks back is probably far off from ever happening. That being said, I am hoping to grow both my health coaching and my photography business here in Austin. So whether you know me personally and happen to know someone in Austin who could benefit from my services, or you have randomly stumbled upon me and are looking for some senior portraits, maternity photography or need a health coach - please get in touch with me soon!

I'm taking a brief break detox from Facebook at the moment, so I'm kind of hoping I won't be neglecting this blog as much as I have been. I know blogs are a fading art, but I love reading about other people's life happenings and I hope you enjoy reading about mine. I feel writers block often when I sit down to talk about what's happening because I feel like surely, I'm boring you all. So please! If there's anything specific you want to know about me or my life in Austin, please leave me a comment and I'll try to write about it! 

I hope you are having a fabulous summer!

Tough times

I swear some post, way-back-when, I posted about all of the "shit New Yorkers" would say to me as a blunt "welcome to New York"... I looked briefly through old posts, but couldn't find it. Doesn't really matter, I was mainly looking for it as a reference to preface this post.
I haven't posted here in over 6 months.
No one seems to have really noticed, so I stopped caring myself.
I started blogging for Cheer NY, and was focusing more on my photography blog (which I recommend checking out if you haven't already). Anyway, you know the story... Life gets in the way, you get busy, you find other things to do to preoccupy your time. My story is no different.
Wanna know what I've been up to?
I've been learning life lessons the hard way. By making mistakes and learning how to never make them again. I've been living the life of what is said to be a typical New Yorker.

1. I've lived in 3 of the 5 borough's (Brooklyn, Queens, and now Manhattan)
2. I've "summered" in Southampton
3. I've seen subway rats
4. I've seen cockroaches the size of my thumbs
5. I have had and experience bed bugs
6. I've sublet my room to a foreigner 

And wait... here's the best one yet....

    7. I'm currently being kicked out/evicted of my apartment. 

I always used to say that apartment hunting was so fun. You got to see what your money can get you (and what it can't); you can see the difference between a skeezy broker vs. a broker with a heart and what a difference it makes; seeing all these different apartments and fantasizing about what your life could be like in these homes is all part of the "fun" right? Wrong. Maybe that's right when you're not under pressure to get out of your home as quickly as possible. But dealing with a bi-polar, lying landlord; running all over the city viewing up to 10 different apartments a day; trying to coordinate erratic schedules with roommates; dealing with agents who decide not to tell you until 2 weeks into the process that you've applied for a co-op and may not get an answer for another 4 weeks... let me tell you, I'm not only not having fun; I'm exhausted.

In the fantasy that plays out in my head, some girl let's say, in the mid-west somewhere has stumbled upon my blog and decides to regularly check back to see if I've posted anything recently so she can help better prepare herself for her big move out East where she'll follow her dreams, yadah, yadah, yadah.... So mystery/make believe girl... this one's for you. Here's my advise from one new New Yorker to another...

• You came here for a reason. Don't forget what that reason is, or let NYC scare you into thinking you don't actually belong here. You do. 
• That reason above that you decided to come out here for? People are telling you it's stupid, right? Telling you that you can't do it, that you won't make it, you'll never find a place to live, never find a job that pays you enough to cover the bills? They're liars. In fact, they're probably just jealous of you for having the guts to do something they didn't. You failing will only give them satisfaction. Let this light your fire. Keep your head up. One day, you'll be able to smile at them and say, "I made it".
• If you're lucky enough to have a friend or family who are willing to let you crash with them while you find the perfect job/apartment; don't feel bad for taking them up on this; but don't take advantage of them. Everyone deserves a chance, don't waste yours by being a rude house guest. Remember this, because some number of months or years down the road, the roles will be reversed and someone will be calling upon you for the same favor.
• You hear real estate goes fast here? Eh, it does... but only if you're not prepared to hand over all of your documents, certified checks, and energy the moment you find a place that feels right. Do not drag your feet. THAT is how you loose the apartment of your dreams. 
• You think you're prepared to spend XYZ number of dollars on rent per month? Do yourself a favor, add about $200/month to that. You'll be glad you did. You'll also have now set a standard for yourself of what is an acceptable place of residence. If you find a great pad for cheaper, great, now go buy yourself a pair of shoes. 
• If you find yourself in a living situation that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Do not move into a place without signing a legal lease with the landlord prior to your moving in. 
• Do not move in with a roommate that you've only met via Skype. A roommate interview is not unlike a job interview... anyone can make themselves look good on paper. Ask them serious logistic questions about their living styles and what it's like to actually live with them. You're both on your own here, you don't want to be stuck cleaning up after them, turning off lights everywhere you go, being the only one who takes the trash out, living on opposite sleep schedules. If you're a  morning person, don't waste your time moving in with someone who is a professed night owl and think it won't bother you. 
• Find friends outside of work. Not that your co-workers can't or won't be cool, but it's important to live a balanced life. Get on Meetup.com, join a running group, take a class, something. Anything. 
• Keep new said friends at a distance until you've really gotten to know them and know that you can trust them. NYC is an "every man for himself" kinda place... you'd be surprised at the number of people you thought were friends who are willing to step on you to get ahead. 
• When you do find a solid group of friends (or friend. Singular): hold onto them tight, but know that their time in NYC might come to an end before yours does. Don't let this get you down, now you know someone you can visit in another state! 
• Find work that will make you happy. There are an infinite number of things you can do to make money in this city. There is no sense in sticking with something simply for the fact that it's keeping you employed with your head above water. Even if you came here with the dream of doing job A, don't be surprised if you end up trying jobs B, C and D before landing and loving job E. 
• Things are expensive here. There's not a more simple way of putting it. That $5 cocktail you're getting from your neighborhood dive bar back home, it's going to cost you $15 here. Things also come in smaller packages, but for the same price, if not higher. They know you need it, and they know you'll pay for it, so you might as well get used to it. 

These are just a few of the things that life has taught me recently. I'm sure another curve ball is just around the corner. And you know what? I'm standing here with my bat up ready to swing. I never thought living here was going to be easy. I had no idea just how hard it would be, but every time I get knocked down and get back up again, I grow a little bit stronger. 

Reunions!

I don't know if this is a secret that no one ever told me about.... but apparently spring time means visitors!

Back in 2009 when I had made the decision to move here, I contacted an old Cheer Ltd. friend, Aisha to let her know that I was moving to NYC as she had been living in the area her entire life. She would more or less be the only person I knew in the area when I moved here. Well as time went on and life happened, we never were able to coordinate getting together when I got here. It wasn't until a year and a half after having lived here that we finally got together! Aisha recently became engaged to a really great guy, Matt, and I could not have been more flattered or honored when they asked me to shoot their engagement photos!

I would really love to share a few with you, but I'm in the process of editing them right now and A&M haven't even had a chance to see them yet... so I need to reserve the first view for their eyes :)

Since A&M's engagement session would be not only the first one that I've shot in a while, but the first one I've shot in NYC... so I needed some reenforcement, I needed to find an assistant!
Unfortunately, all of my photo buddies in NYC were busy that weekend. But very luckily another friend from way back when lives only a couple of states away and is just starting to get into photography.

Mallory and I met in Jr. high and have stayed in touch ever since. She just recently started taking a photography class and I've seen her grow a lot as a budding photographer. I was so happy when I contacted her asking if she would come up from D.C. to assist me on this shoot and she said "yes"!
Just days before Mallory came into down, I had breakfast with another high school friend who lives here, Anna. If you are a loyal follower, you might remember me talking about Anna and Marcos from when I first got to NYC. They were nice enough to let Emily and I stay with them for the first week while we found jobs, our apartment, and our way around the city. Anna, Mallory, and I all went to high school together so Anna and I agreed that when Mallory got into town we'd all have to get together again.
It was so fun catching up with them and listening to all the things we have done and gone through the last 10+ years when we were all together last.... marriages, moves, buying homes, and babies on the way!

Isn't Anna the most adorable preggers you've ever seen!? I cannot wait until May when Anna, Marcos and I will be doing a maternity shoot!

In about 2.5 weeks, my good friend Amber will be coming to visit for a few days. Amber and I met while coaching CHS cheerleading in Portland.

We're going to have a blast shooting her trash the dress and hopefully get in some stunting as well :)

In the middle of April, my mom will be coming to visit me in NYC for the very first time ever!

I'll be running my first 1/2 marathon and I'm so excited that she's going to be there cheering me on at the finish line!

At the end of April, my Major BFF, Amber (different Amber) will be coming to stay with me for a whole week!!!! I haven't seen her since 2008!!!!

I can't wait to have her here and do all the silly, girly touristy stuff with her!

As staying in NYC forever was never really my plan, I encourage all of you to come visit me soon... Spring, winter, fall or summer! I don't know exactly how long I'll be here, or have a plan of leaving, I just know it will happen someday. I'd love to see you before that day comes!

2011 in Review

I wanted to do something a little different than last year. I feel like the majority of you are all friends with me on facebook, so I didn't want to bore you with loads of pictures you've already seen (though, please forgive if there is a repeat or two). Instead, I want to give out one last thank you from 2011 for all the great things I've been blessed to have added to my life this past year....

New Roommates

The most amazing cheerleading team, ever.

1 year anniversary of living in NYC

Fabulous new friends for life

Even more fabulous new life long friends.

The strength and will power to maintain a healthier body

A new found love for running

I'm not sure I'm all that fond of the term "resolutions"; because I feel like, if you don't accomplish them, it sounds like a much bigger disappointment or let down.

So instead Im going to share my goals with you for the future that I will start in 2012:

- eat pasta once a week

- eat fish once a week

- exercise (weights) at least 3 times/week and no more than 5 times/week 

- run at least 3 times/week

- stretch 4 times/week 

- eat 3 banana's/week
- write 1 hand written letter/week

I realize that they are all health/food related, but I'm at a point in my life right now where that is my main focus. I have even decided to put my photography on the back burner a little bit. I'm feeling very burnt out with it, and just don't have the same passion I had for it at one time. I'm hoping a break, and some time to gather some funds to buy updated equipment will help give me back that fire I once had for it.

I hope your 2012 is off to a great start so far! Have you made any goals or resolutions?