I <3 NY

My life in NYC is broken into 3 kinds of days....

The "I love NY" days
The "I hate NY" days
and the "I am destined to be a mess wherever I live so thank god I have people in my life who keep track of me" days

Before I left for Chicago, I was definitely having a I love NY day....
--I left the house at 8am... ok running a little late... the 4 train wasn't running... but it was ok because i just took the 2.
--I run to the office wave at the security guy on my way in... "Hi Sara, have a nice day", he says, while holding the elevator for me.
--I go upstairs, no bosses in site, great, no one knows I'm late...
-- After Patty comes in I run to the dry cleaners two blocks away to drop off my suit...don't have to wait, they know i'm in a hurry... "Sara, your dry cleaning will be ready by 5pm"...
--Run into my building... the guy at Food Merchants has seen me come in, pops my bagel into the toaster and tells Anna to grab my coffee... I barely miss a beat as I give her exact change, pick up my coffee and grab my bagel and catch my elevator up to my office.
--Mid day I take a break to run to get my nails done... I walk in, all of the ladies say "hiii!!!"... they haven't seen me since before my surgery... I tell them I'm leaving for a business trip to Chicago tomorrow morning... I don't even need to say anything else... they already know what color nail polish I wear.... we laugh and talk about my surgery and my trip...
--I walk back to the office, sun shining, all my favorite songs playing on my ipod, while on shuffle...the perfect mix for walking back to the office...I smile. Because I'm smiling the man on the street selling flowers gives me a sunflower... I smile some more.
--I run out of the office at 6pm, run to the dry cleaners, they have everything waiting... I run out, as soon as I get to the platform my train comes into the station, I get on and get a seat.
--I'm in Brooklyn in 20 minutes, I run to my dry cleaners by my apartment and I am greeted by Tessa who says..."I stayed waiting just for you, I know you're leaving early tomorrow and need your dry cleaning. I hemmed everything for you as well."
--I drop everything off at home, meet Karl around the corner at the bookstore and run to go pick up my laundry... washed, dryed, folded and all for under $20.
--Karl and I drop that off and head to our neighborhood pub where the bouncer recognizes us, shakes Karls hand and tells us to enjoy our beers... I smile some more...
-- I LOVE NY!


While flying back from Chicago, still high off of my I <3 New York day, I got to thinking about home.... I think about "home" everytime I go somewhere where people ask me the infamous..."where are you from" question.
They say, "home is where the heart is".... well, my heart is in a lot of places.

As we flew over Michigan, I got a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. The pilot gave us the scores to the Michigan/Michigan State game and I smiled. Michigan up, 17 -0. About 15 minutes later he gave the score for the Tigers/Yankee game.... everyone on the plane groaned... I secretly smiled. I thought of my family in Michigan as we flew over the glove shaped state and all of the games I had gone to there. Maybe that's why I never felt like a truly committed Yankee fan... I spent my life watching the Wolverines, Tigers, Lions and Pistons... we may have lived in the great state of New York, but it was the midwest teams that were discussed at our dinner table.
-Yep, I'm a midwest girl....

We flew over the great lakes and I felt a little more homesick... I thought of all of the Upstate things I love to do and really don't get to any more:
- driving, real driving...where your foot is on the gas more than it's on the break... with the windows down, car slips into 5th gear, WBER on the radio
- walking outside barefoot... I love when the grass feels like satin under my feet
- early morning cups of coffee while sitting on my parents deck, listening to the birds and reading the paper
- hikes where you don't see or hear anyone but the people you're with
- camping...oh, I miss camping...
- boatrides on the lake... looking around and seeing nothing but water...
- Wegmans...
-Yep, I'm an upstate girl....

Lastly we circled around NYC before we came in for our landing.... and the first thing I thought, "home sweet home"....
- My boyfriend's there...
- My friends that are like family to me are there....
- My job is there...
- I love walking into places in my neighborhood and they know me
- I love brunch on the weekends
- I love that I can call up anyone of my friends and walk downstairs from my office and grab a drink because we all work near each other....
- I love that at any given moment, I can walk a few blocks and go to amazing museums, restaurants, bars or parks...
-Yep, I'm a city girl

So I guess, my heart is in a lot of places... and if I'm lucky, I'll have many more to go....