Sunnyside, you are my neighborhood. I stepped off the 7 train and immediately liked the area. There is a warm, neighborly vibe with local supermarkets, parks, and small restaurants all nearby. The people are ethnically diverse from Hispanic to Asian to Irish. This is easily reflected in the stores, as I can just as easily walk down the street to get a pizza or a South American desayunos.
They say that in New York more than anywhere else, you need to make up
your mind quickly. Apartments drop off the market as quickly as they
come up. This one was posted less than 24 hours earlier. I called and met with the real estate agent (not a broker) early this morning. By the time I sent the email to when we met, it was less than 3 hours.
The place is in an apartment building located on the first floor and only three blocks from the train. It is just far enough so that the train doesn't make any noise and only about a 35 minute commute to work.
As soon as I walked in, I fell in love with the place and knew it was my new home. It was modern and clean, yet small and comfy. It was large enough to fit a queen sized bed and desk, but not so big that I would hate cleaning the place. It would be a tight fit for guests, but thanks to how much is always going on in NYC, I doubt that anyone would be staying inside much.
I'm very happy and can't wait to move in already. This is a place that I could see myself saving up for and eventually buying (and with this cost, I might be able to do that!) I'm still a far way from getting settled in, but I feel like I'm making a lot of progress every day. I'm getting to know the neighborhoods, how to navigate the train like a champ, and trying my best to make friends.
I don't plan on spending much time in the studio, but when I do, I want it to be completely comfortable (a feeling that is difficult to get with roommates). I want to be able to escape from the city and just be at home. It's rare to find someone that I think is chill and a good fit (which isn't to say that I haven't, my previous roommates were awesome).
Yesterday I met a friend of a friend (I knew her through Peace Corps and this was her friend from John Hopkins) and although she fit that description of being really cool, the location (hour and a half one way commute for me) didn't work out so well.
Anyways, I'm glad things are working out so well. I'm still waiting approval on the place; I did fingerprinting yesterday and that should clear me for work tomorrow or Thursday. That in turn should move the process of officially getting the place since then I'll have an income. I should be into the new place by October 26th!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Just because
The last few days have been hectic. My first night I ran around from Flushing to Astoria to Manhattan's Wall Street (where I'll work). The second day I visited Brooklyn (Williamsburg area) and met a couple of cool guys at Barcraft (Starcraft 2 tournament) in Midtown. Yesterday I visited my future work to get finger printed, went to check out Harlem, East Harlem, the Upper East Side, and a friend of a friend in Flushing.
I've been doing this mad tour of NYC so I could find a place to live. Statistics and numbers are great for getting an overall idea of a place, but nothing beats walking around and relying on that gut instinct. I found myself thinking "I could live here and be safe" probably too often so I came up with a new test, "Would my family feel safe if they visited?" That put a whole new perspective on things.
One of the places I saw was in the Upper East Side, a studio/1 bedroom that was for $1600 a month. The location was great and the building was beautiful. I love the brownstone walls and the high ceilings. I did my calculations and I could barely pass the rule that rent should be no more than 1/3 of after-tax income or 1/4 of gross income. I thought about it long (as in I fell asleep for 4 hours and woke up with a decision).
I'm not going to get it. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. It's very tempting, but I don't need to live in a hip neighborhood. I just need a safe place that isn't an hour or longer for a one way commute on the train. I need to be more resourceful, should play it safe for the first year and save up what I can (or at least use it on funner things than a place!)
The previous days I've spent with a destination in mind. Tomorrow, I'm following the locals on the subway. Wherever they go, I'll go. There's gotta be a place that is affordable and safe. I just need to find this local secret!
I've been doing this mad tour of NYC so I could find a place to live. Statistics and numbers are great for getting an overall idea of a place, but nothing beats walking around and relying on that gut instinct. I found myself thinking "I could live here and be safe" probably too often so I came up with a new test, "Would my family feel safe if they visited?" That put a whole new perspective on things.
One of the places I saw was in the Upper East Side, a studio/1 bedroom that was for $1600 a month. The location was great and the building was beautiful. I love the brownstone walls and the high ceilings. I did my calculations and I could barely pass the rule that rent should be no more than 1/3 of after-tax income or 1/4 of gross income. I thought about it long (as in I fell asleep for 4 hours and woke up with a decision).
I'm not going to get it. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. It's very tempting, but I don't need to live in a hip neighborhood. I just need a safe place that isn't an hour or longer for a one way commute on the train. I need to be more resourceful, should play it safe for the first year and save up what I can (or at least use it on funner things than a place!)
The previous days I've spent with a destination in mind. Tomorrow, I'm following the locals on the subway. Wherever they go, I'll go. There's gotta be a place that is affordable and safe. I just need to find this local secret!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Bye West Coast!
Currently listening to "No Way" by the Naked and Famous, sitting at an airport terminal in Denver, Colorado. The past couple weeks in CA have been intense, but the last 48 hours have been really emotional.
Thursday October 13th - Finish up work and pick up treats for my family at Whole Foods, meet some friends for dinner. Come back at 11pm and see roommates, grab beers. Fall asleep at home sometime around 1am or 2am.
Friday October 14th - Wake up early at 6am to finish packing. Say goodbye to roommates (they're going to San Francisco) and I head to work. Drink coffees to finish wrapping up work projects. Come back and clean up apartment. Off to a later start than I'd like, drink more coffee and meet up with a cousin at 9pm for dinner in Oceanside. Drive 5 hours straight up to Reedley while consuming yet more coffee.
I get back around 3am. My family and a high school friend are home so we stay up talking and catching up. We unload the rest of my stuff in the truck (mostly books but also random things like a collapsible fishing spear). I say goodbye to my family; my mom makes me tear up because she starts crying first. I get dropped off at the Fresno Airport by 7am. I have two check in bags and one carry on (combined weight of about 100lbs). I catch my flight and so I find myself in Colorado.
I'm going to get some lunch and a beer. Then I'll catch my flight to La Guardia Airport in New York. If I take a nap now, I won't wake up in time. Plus, it's so interesting to people watch at airports.
Will get to NY about 7pm. I'll catch a taxi to the hostel I'm staying in, drop my bags off, then will go out to explore New York City!!! I heard the bars don't close till 4am. I wonder when the coffee shops close...
Thursday October 13th - Finish up work and pick up treats for my family at Whole Foods, meet some friends for dinner. Come back at 11pm and see roommates, grab beers. Fall asleep at home sometime around 1am or 2am.
Friday October 14th - Wake up early at 6am to finish packing. Say goodbye to roommates (they're going to San Francisco) and I head to work. Drink coffees to finish wrapping up work projects. Come back and clean up apartment. Off to a later start than I'd like, drink more coffee and meet up with a cousin at 9pm for dinner in Oceanside. Drive 5 hours straight up to Reedley while consuming yet more coffee.
I get back around 3am. My family and a high school friend are home so we stay up talking and catching up. We unload the rest of my stuff in the truck (mostly books but also random things like a collapsible fishing spear). I say goodbye to my family; my mom makes me tear up because she starts crying first. I get dropped off at the Fresno Airport by 7am. I have two check in bags and one carry on (combined weight of about 100lbs). I catch my flight and so I find myself in Colorado.
I'm going to get some lunch and a beer. Then I'll catch my flight to La Guardia Airport in New York. If I take a nap now, I won't wake up in time. Plus, it's so interesting to people watch at airports.
Will get to NY about 7pm. I'll catch a taxi to the hostel I'm staying in, drop my bags off, then will go out to explore New York City!!! I heard the bars don't close till 4am. I wonder when the coffee shops close...
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Patagonia
Today I got a job offer to be a Data Manager for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a nonprofit agency that is an extension of New York City's Mental Health Agency. I'll help with data analysis and report creation.
I still have a couple interviews lined up next week including a contract position as an Android programmer for webMD and a second interview for a contract Business Analyst (in mobile applications) at Morgan Stanley. I'll go to my interviews, but I think I'll ultimately stick with the nonprofit (despite a Morgan Stanley 6 figure salary).
As a treat for securing a job, I ordered myself some nicer cold weather clothing (Patagonia Men's Tres 3-in-1 Parka). It's a bit pricey, but I've had excellent experiences with the company and their products.
When I was in San Francisco, a friend wanted to pick up a down vest and asked if I knew about Patagonia. Initially I wasn't sure what he was talking about. I then remembered that I was wearing one of their hoodies! My old black hoody was so beaten up that I had forgotten about it's label. It was used relentlessly the last couple years from camping trips to substituting as a last minute "rashguard" in Ecuador.
Anyways, the store saw how beat up my hoody was and said they would repair it for free (no need to show receipt or proof of purchase). Not only that, they would ship it back to San Diego for free! Today I received it back in the mail just in time to make it out to NYC :)
I still have a couple interviews lined up next week including a contract position as an Android programmer for webMD and a second interview for a contract Business Analyst (in mobile applications) at Morgan Stanley. I'll go to my interviews, but I think I'll ultimately stick with the nonprofit (despite a Morgan Stanley 6 figure salary).
As a treat for securing a job, I ordered myself some nicer cold weather clothing (Patagonia Men's Tres 3-in-1 Parka). It's a bit pricey, but I've had excellent experiences with the company and their products.
When I was in San Francisco, a friend wanted to pick up a down vest and asked if I knew about Patagonia. Initially I wasn't sure what he was talking about. I then remembered that I was wearing one of their hoodies! My old black hoody was so beaten up that I had forgotten about it's label. It was used relentlessly the last couple years from camping trips to substituting as a last minute "rashguard" in Ecuador.
Anyways, the store saw how beat up my hoody was and said they would repair it for free (no need to show receipt or proof of purchase). Not only that, they would ship it back to San Diego for free! Today I received it back in the mail just in time to make it out to NYC :)
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad, you are addicting. Just a week ago I never saw this show and now I'm finishing up Season 3.
The plot is good, but what really shines is that the characters are all so beautifully flawed. No one is perfect; there are no good guys, only people making excuses for themselves and trying to justify their actions. One thing leads to another and it quickly becomes a twisted story of lies between family, drug cartels, and the DEA.
The show is based on cooking and distributing crystal meth so shit hits the fan pretty often. I don't think you really ever see the qualities of a person until you see how they handle life's unexpected events.
Anyways, I should get back to looking for a place to stay and a job...
The plot is good, but what really shines is that the characters are all so beautifully flawed. No one is perfect; there are no good guys, only people making excuses for themselves and trying to justify their actions. One thing leads to another and it quickly becomes a twisted story of lies between family, drug cartels, and the DEA.
The show is based on cooking and distributing crystal meth so shit hits the fan pretty often. I don't think you really ever see the qualities of a person until you see how they handle life's unexpected events.
Anyways, I should get back to looking for a place to stay and a job...
Friday, September 30, 2011
2 Weeks before NYC!
Friday October 14th is my last day in San Diego. I'll finish up work, do the 6 hour drive up to Reedley, drop my truck off, and then get picked up/dropped off at the Fresno airport for a 5 am Saturday flight to New York. I'll arrive around 7pm EST and figure out life from there. I still don't have a job or a place lined up yet. I don't even have a warm coat. I should probably work on that.
Overall I'm really excited, slightly nervous and even a bit stressed out. All I know for now is that after this move, I'm going to be calling NYC home for quite a few years. In terms of a career, I hate job jumping. I hate the job search and the sheer amount of work it takes to get caught up to speed in order to be a good business/data analyst. (Luckily?) I don't know anyone there so I won't have many distractions (other than the most exciting city ever!).
I think I've found some areas that I like in Astoria (Queens), Prospect Heights (Brooklyn), and Harlem (where I stayed with Jason and Carrie from Peace Corps!). Depending on what I make, I might even try to get my own studio. I know some friends from the West Coast will be visiting and I might even adopt a cat or dog! I've always wanted a Husky. The general rule of thumb is to follow the formula of: Annual Salary = Monthly Rent * 40.
I'm excited for all the things that I'll see in NY, to live in actual weather and to meet new people. The people I've met in San Diego have been amazing and it's sad even thinking about saying goodbyes. I'm staying optimistic and I hope I'm as lucky in NYC as I was in San Diego in meeting genuine people.
Overall I'm really excited, slightly nervous and even a bit stressed out. All I know for now is that after this move, I'm going to be calling NYC home for quite a few years. In terms of a career, I hate job jumping. I hate the job search and the sheer amount of work it takes to get caught up to speed in order to be a good business/data analyst. (Luckily?) I don't know anyone there so I won't have many distractions (other than the most exciting city ever!).
I think I've found some areas that I like in Astoria (Queens), Prospect Heights (Brooklyn), and Harlem (where I stayed with Jason and Carrie from Peace Corps!). Depending on what I make, I might even try to get my own studio. I know some friends from the West Coast will be visiting and I might even adopt a cat or dog! I've always wanted a Husky. The general rule of thumb is to follow the formula of: Annual Salary = Monthly Rent * 40.
I'm excited for all the things that I'll see in NY, to live in actual weather and to meet new people. The people I've met in San Diego have been amazing and it's sad even thinking about saying goodbyes. I'm staying optimistic and I hope I'm as lucky in NYC as I was in San Diego in meeting genuine people.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
I just got back from a nice vacation. I went camping out in Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite, wine tasting in Napa, and eating great food in San Francisco. Tomorrow I'm putting in my notice to quit my job at the hospital. I don't have a job lined up in New York, but I think I'll try it out anyways! Until I get out there, I'll keep programming and working on my side projects.
I started visiting Stackoverflow again and just got my first reputation increase! I went from 1 reputation to 26!
Edit: Added a couple pictures from the trip
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