I am so done with the “rat race”

Good Morning!  I am happily sitting in my kitchen with a cuppa cawfee and catching up on 10 zillion emails! First…I survived my stint in the big “city”. It was truly an experience. I pretended to be a true New Yorker, jetting here and there, hopping subways and trains, but honestly, I’m a country girl…meaning I’m not all about the rat race. Let me tell you, what a wild ride it was! Those commuting New Yorkers.. well they ummm RACE, everywhere, every moment, no wonder they tend to drink on the train alot, lol! Good ole STRESS….as the saying goes “Ain’t nobody got time for that”. But in retrospect, I sorta started getting used to it. I was amazed, a tiny portion of my fear of ledges, heights, getting sucked into the filthy nitty gritty subway tracks even lifted a tad! I found myself walking “inbetween” the subway platforms (what!) just to get a prime spot for drop off! Who ever thought? I still got lost at least once a week…wrong train or an express that stops nowhere I needed to be, but I rolled with it all, I challenged myself alot. Like…If I walk really fast, I may catch that 5:53 out of Penn?…Surprisingly, I did and then I had to laugh about it, I got sucked into the “rush”….to get home 14 mins earlier! Too funny. I will always love the good parts of NYC…it has its own “culture”. Somehow, there is a heartbeat to each step, a purpose, a destiny daily. The eclectic mix of every nationality, race, religion blending. Everyone is trying to make a living, from the homeless begging for a dollar to the executives that run wall street. It is truly a melting pot for everyone and anyone. I admire their tenacity and drive daily.  They got that true grit thing, it’s inspiring on some level. I must acknowledge the mecca of SHOPPING. Forget it, I’d be penniless in 2 heartbeats, simply…the shopping Never Ends…any block, any time of day or night, its fascinating and addicting. I nibbled on some street food…Man those Churros were da bomb…crispy, sugary sticks of delish! A spanish woman would park a “laundry” cart filled with 1,000’s of them, and she only charged 66 cents each (3 for $2)…what a bargain! I witnessed talent and musical gifts throughout my adventure. One day 2 young guys hopped on my car, they blasted a tune really loud and proceeded to perform a dance on the metal rungs attached to the ceiling of the car! Truly they were amazing and inspiring. The classical musicians on platforms at each subway stop. Even at 8am! The soul singer down in the port authority, his voice still resides in my brain. Dreamers, artists, musicians, performers, everyday, every corner, fascinating and uplifting. The heart of NY, as Alicia Keys sings, a concrete jungle where dreams are made of. I loved those parts, each one of them kept me humble. They far out weigh the negatives I experienced daily…poverty, and such filth from litter and garbage, I am ashamed to admit that most have no pride or respect for our earth or environment. What has baffled me daily is the trash issue. There are NO trash receptacles on any train or subway. Therefore, most choose the floor or the ground to dispose of their foods,drinks, cups wrappers, papers, etc. If I were able to suggest a simple solution (e.g.Trash cans on the trains?)in addition to the cans on platforms! …It may start a trend someday! Most of all, I will remember that at 50, I challenged myself, I had a goal, a personal journey. I am not such a scarredy cat, I can hang tough when I need too. I promised myself to be kind and thoughtful and I did that often. I didn’t allow the negatives to consume me. I’m excited about my new job, and smiling just thinking about my 12 minute Drive to it on Monday! I’ll keep you posted. Until then… Keep it real…..peeps! Image

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