The Good Life

I'm lying in bed (well, my sister's bed), watching The Devil Wears Prada and sipping a glass of sauvignon blanc. I've just stepped out of a seriously LUSH bath in my sister's brand new ginormous tub. (I seriously feel like I could drown in it! It's heavenly.) I hear the door crack open, and in walks my sister. She hands me a slice of decadent vegan chocolate cake from Whole Foods. This, my friends, is the good life.

I've spent the last four days in beautiful San Jose, California, soaking up the sun and enjoying the cooler weather. I've cooked vegan dinners for my sister and her husband, hiked in Los Gatos with the dogs, brunched at a darling creperie, hit up mega sales at Macy's, and dined al fresco. it's been a divine trip. Sadly it's ending soon, and I will be returning to Austin sans one very precious thing - Lola. My heart is warmed by the fact that I know Lola will be happy here. She'll be, dare I say, happiER here because she's surrounded by people, has a huge yard and a cousin to play with. I'm happy that she'll be happy.

I have an exhausting yet exhilarating week ahead, and next Tuesday I'll be a New Yorker. Crazy. I'm feeling a little discouraged on the job front (it's going to be tough to completely change careers), but I'm trying to stay positive. Merci for all your kind words and encouragement via Twitter... you guys are the best.

Calling All (Your) NYC Friends!

Bonjour, mes amies! This week is going to be nuts - lots of packing and moving and then Thursday, I leave for California for 4 blissful nights - hooray! After I get back from Cali, I have one week to get my life together and move to NYC so I figured now was as good a time as any to write this post.

Although I'm fortunate to have some very, very dear friends currently residing in NYC, I'm still over the moon ecstatic about meeting many many more fabulous and diverse peeps once I get there! And since you, my dear blog readers, are a fantastic bunch, I thought I'd ask if you could put me in touch with any of your NYC friends. I'll have a lot of free time in June (and probably July) and want to spend it meeting with as many contacts as possible - business AND pleasure. So if you know anyone that you think won't want to shoot me in the face upon meeting moi, please shoot me an email (carolyn.park@gmail.com). My greatest fear is to get to NYC on June 1 and have no idea what to do, who to meet, and how to function, soooo any help is much appreciated. :)

An Answer

As I type this, I'm sitting on my couch facing my former living, now packing station, listening to the rain pour down outside. Lola's curled up beside me, slightly damp as we just got caught in the aforementioned rainstorm, and I'm trying to enjoy every last second I have with her before I leave her in California with her Tante Jennifer, Uncle Chris and Cousin Sofie. May has been a complete whirlwind of activity. Selling, packing, frantically trying to find someone to take over my lease (WHICH, btw, I did! HOORAY!!!), and saying goodbye. And it's only May 14! I can't even remember the last time I was this productive...

I often still have to pinch myself to remember that this isn't a dream. This is not a dream, in fact, it's an answer. An answer to my prayers that God has delivered in one of the best wrapped packages I've ever seen. Everything is falling into place, and I've never felt more sure about anything in my life. I am SO happy.

I officially leave for NYC on June 1. As for the latter half of May, I'll be doing more packing and selling, spending some time in California, and indulging in beaucoup de farewell festivities. My final night in Austin will be spent at this incredible new cinema watching this incredible flick with my bestie. C'est parfait, non?

What We Can't Control

This past week and a half has left me mentally exhausted. While I'm undoubtedly thrilled beyond belief by the prospect of a new life in NYC, I'm also incredibly stressed out by my current life in Austin. I've been selling furniture via Craigslist nonstop since making my decision, and if you've sold on Craigslist before then you know how annoyingly flaky people can be. Luckily my diligence seems to be paying off as most of my big pieces have been sold (bie bie beloved pink bookshelves!). Unfortunately, the thing giving me the most anxiety is my darling petite pink palace.

I've done everything. I've posted on Craigslist, I've forwarded emails to all my friends and friends, I've posted on Facebook, and I've even made up fliers. But still most of the inquiries I've received are half-hearted (and often downright shady), and the one opportunity that i thought would definitely happen did not. I'm at my wit's end and also? I'm tired of being so damn stressed out about it. I've done what I can and I'll continue to do it, but some things just can't be controlled, and this is one of them. My Mom's being incredibly nice and telling me not to worry and that if it doesn't get sublet, then it's not the end of the world. I KNOW that, but still, it bugs me that this one piece of the puzzle won't fit. (And no, I cannot get out of my lease, it's pretty much impossible. Oh and breaking my lease would cost more than just paying it out. I hate TX.) I literally could not fall asleep last night waiting to hear back from this guy who promised to give me an answer last night, but of course didn't let me know until this afternoon and via TEXT. Punk. At this point, I'm offering an arm AND a leg to the person who takes over my lease and still, no takers. WTH people??

Okay, I'm done whining. The point is, I can't control it and so I just need to let it go. If it happens, it happens, and if it doesn't, it doesn't. And truth be told, everything else in my life has kind of worked out perfectly regarding this move, so I need to accept that perhaps this won't. But... what a waste of space!!! This gorgeous apartment will go uninhabited for 5 whole months. Le sad.

Anyway, I'm currently laying out on my parents' front lawn with Lola and a big ole blanket. It's gorgeous here in Dallas - sunny and breezy. And because my parents practically live in the country, it's SO quiet minus the chirping birds and rustling leaves. No kidding. I'm going to enjoy it and STOP stressing over my apartment.

(That being said, can y'all please keep your fingers crossed for me???)

Saying Goodbye

The other night, after a whirlwind day of bargaining, selling, and cooking a scrumptious creamy mushroom broccoli bake from Vegan Yum Yum, I was laying on the couch watching Sex and the City (season 4) and decided it was time to hit the hay. Lola was passed out next to me, but as soon as I stood up, turned off the TV and said "bedtime!", she jumped up, pranced to the bedroom and proceeded to snuggle up on the bed. I love that we have this routine (as pathetic as that may sound), and as I stroked her belly, I began to realize that this wouldn't be my norm for much longer. And, naturally, I burst into tears and proceeded to hysterically bawl into my poor pup's face/back/tummy for the next 30 minutes.

Lola is the first in a series of goodbyes that I'll have to say in the next month. I've never really had to say goodbye, at least not since I moved from Louisiana in the 7th grade. Sure friends have come and gone, but I never moved. I was always here and happy to stay (Austin is, after all, the BEST city in Texas). But now I'm the one who's leaving, and it's starting to dawn on me what exactly that means... Saying goodbye. It's kind of sad.

FAQ

Can I just say a big MERCI for all your excitement and support over my decision to move to NYC? I love it! I can't WAIT to get there, and of course, I also can't wait to share the journey with you. And oh, what a journey it will be... Here are my answers to some FAQ's I've been getting:

Are you moving for a job?

Not necessarily... I am moving for a career change (aka I will not be an attorney in NYC), but it wasn't my primary motivation. My primary motivation was to get out of TX, something I've been itching to do for quite awhile. Don't get me wrong - Austin is INCREDIBLE, and I will miss it dearly. But I'm a city gal at heart and have always dreamed of NYC, I just never thought it was a possibility. And now it is! So, I'm moving in June to begin looking for a job, and I have a couple of exciting leads. :)

Where will you be living?

I'll be living with 3 girls (I know... THREE) in a fabulous apartment in Chelsea. I'm SUPER excited about the location b/c 3 of my dearest friends all live in Chelsea, and the proximity will definitely come in handy. Also? Chelsea is central and close to everything! Admittedly, living with 3 people will be difficult, especially since I've been living alone for quite some time. But, I'd rather live with people than live alone (for now, anyway), AND living with 3 people means my rent is outstanding. Plus our apartment has a big kitchen, 2 full bathrooms, and a washer/dryer IN the apartment! AND I'm mere minutes from Whole Foods (huge plus) and plenty of coffee shops (in which I'll be doing my job searching). Oh and my closet is HUGE by NYC standards (though obviously not as huge as my ginormous walk-in here in Austin...). ;)

What do your family and friends think?

They are totally behind me 100%!!! I am SO SO SO grateful for them because I'm not sure that I could do this without their encouragement. And my parents... oh my incredible parents. They are behind me 120%, and it's still hard for me to believe, but I can't begin to tell you how amazing it is. Even if everything blows up in my face, I know that they'll be there for me. That is huge. Oh and of course my sister is totally gung ho about it, too! HOLLAAA!!

Are you taking Lola and Puffin?

No. :( :( :( I've actually found Puffin a new home here in Austin (sad, I know, but I think he'll be happy to be the only child again), and as for Lola, well, she'll probably be spending time with my parents in Dallas for a couple of months and then we'll see. While I would love to bring Lola with me, it's just not fair to. First, I'm living with 3 other girls, and pets are not option. Second, there is no green in NYC except in Central Park, and well, that's nowhere near Chelsea. Third, I can't give Lola the life she deserves, at least not at first. Don't get me wrong, I will miss her... I will die. I started crying hysterically the other day at just the thought of not waking up with her. But it's the best thing for her, and quite honestly, the best thing for me right now. I know we'll be together in the near future, and that's all that matters. In the meantime, I want her to have the luxe and comfortable life she deserves. (Plus? I think my Mom kind of needs Lola right now.)

Are you scared?

Uh... YEAH, I'm scared. I've never considered myself a risk-taker and leaving my cushy job in my cushy city means taking a risk. That being said, I've never been more excited. For the first time, I've trusted my gut instinct in every step of this huge decision-making process, and it has served me well. This is it. This is my life! I'm taking charge!!