The city that never sleeps...so apparently neither do I.

 I'M STARTING. I AM STARTING.


     I moved into the city, to clarify, the city of all cities, on October 13th. It was a Wednesday. It's almost been one whole month since I've been a resident of the Big Apple. Huh. I have a hunch no one says the term "Big Apple," unless you are tourist. Ok- scratch that from vocabulary. Got it.
     I didn't move far. My home is a small town in Suffolk County, Long Island, NY. When I tell people where I'm from, they scoff stating, "That's not far! I thought you came from another state or something." No, not another state, but it almost feels like one. Don't get me wrong. I understand that geographically Long Island is a mere section, or peninsula if you will, of the large state of New York. However, although this is a known fact, Long Island doesn't seem to comprehend this. This is not because we are dumb. Well granted, I can't speak for those individuals who still claim the blow-out to be a, dare I say it, attractive hair style. However, keep in mind Long Island is true to its name and is quite long, taking I'd guess, four hours to get from one end to the other? That's just a guess, but I feel it to be an educated one. Also, when you grow up on Long Island, you are only familiar with the LIE, Sunrise and pretty much the towns in your county. You are NOT familiar with any towns north of NYC (and by the way anything past the city is considered UPstate. Albany-natives, I know you find this offensive, but we still consider you UPstate, even though Buffalo has you beaten by a long shot. You are all clumped together to us.) Now, I'm not just saying this because I am a girl and because of my gender am known to be bad with directions. To be honest, you are lucky to even know the burrows of the city. Now some have broken this curse and have learned the geography of our state through road trips, college locals or relatives. So, you see, after those approximate 10 sentences of explanation, I feel like I'm in a very different land than my hometown on Long Island, almost as if I were in a different state.


Well I wanted to start this blog for several reasons.


1. This is a new time in my life; a new STEP. I wanted to document it as best I could.
2. While taking this new journey, I wanted to keep in mind that not everything has to happen at once. I wanted to remember that all I have to do is start and then take "baby steps" from there. I DON'T have to feel overwhelmed, but instead focus on one matter at a time to get things accomplished.
3. I had a blog on my college's website, where I shared the a plethora of activities to do via text, photos and videos! I miss it so... My Blog in College!
4. I just graduated with a BA in May (that rhymes) and so this is the first time I am in all essence of the phrase, "on my own." I pay the bills and make the money. Mommy and daddy no longer pay tuition or board (although they did and I'm quite grateful.)
5. I'm pursuing my dreams of singing,acting; the works. Bring on the heartache, bring on the desires, bring on the pain and the beauty of it all. I need it to know what living feels like.
6. I wanted to remember the people and the experiences that touched my life and helped form the person I am today.
7. It's just life. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Laugh and move on.


It's 5 in the morning, an ungodly hour for sure. I have to wake what will feel like minutes, to shower and babysit my cousins in Brooklyn. Their energy might eat me alive if I don't get SOME sleep.


Anyway, to wrap this up, I hope to understand the ways of the blog world as I take these steps of mine. It would be cool to have some feedback, since I suppose that's what these blogs are for; for followers, readers and such. I must tell you though, this is more for me than for you. That isn't to be selfish. It's just that writing can be quite cathartic, and since I'm a visual learner, I can get a better grip through a linear black-and-while structure than the abstract multi-layered patterns of my cluttered mind. It can be like a vortex in there! By typing out my experiences I can better understand the "why" of my situation, learn from it, and grow.


As you may notice, my background is of leaves. In truth autumn is my favorite season and I've been trying to live it up full-heartedly. My extreme liking can be due to a lot of reasons: the eye-captivating colors, the crisp smell, the cool weather, the crunch leaves make when you stomp on them. Yes, I stomp on leaves. 
However, I wonder now if it is my favorite season because each leaf that falls is not the same. Each leaf is different in size, shape and color. They may have similarities, but no leaf is exactly the same. Of course this has more commonly been to referred to when discussing snowflakes. Nonetheless, once it is time to move on, the leaf departs from its tree and rests on the ground with all the other scattered leaves. And after some time, the leaves decompose into the soil, which then rejuvenate the wildlife around it, helping everything prosper. Perhaps that is comparable to a memory; each memory takes form of a different size, shape and color. A memory may fall from the immediate branches of my mind, into the hundreds of leaf piles below, but those memories, those experiences, help fuel who I am today and they continue to shape how I handle the people and situations around me. 
Perhaps in my exhausted state I am reaching for a metaphor that isn't there. Regardless, I want to grow as a person. I will leave you with this:


"Opinions that are well rooted should grow and change like a healthy tree." - Irving Batcheller


Until next time...
x0x0
Kristen