i'm always amazed how quickly time seems to go by and 2009 will undoubtedly be one of those years that i look back on and really reflect on everything that i've gone through. starting with getting laid off, to the looney overnight news monitoring i was conducting, my brief stint as a social media pro and now working with a highly recognized retailer. i can't say enough about growing up in a short window of time. it's both rewarding and frightening.
the downside to it all is that i've been so busy working my way through everything--surviving that it leaves little room to actually acknowledge and enjoy the journey. there's really no time to stop and smell the roses, as they say. i've been too busy trying to figure out what is next and that is where i'm struggling to rationalize what it is i'm trying to accomplish with it all.
so much has been put into perspective and there's no question that i am finally seeing the repercussions of living in new york. it's a big city and when you're trying to make sense of it all it can be overwhelming to navigate. i've definitely noticed a change from the kid who should up with one bag in tow nearly 3 years ago. parts of me like the new guy and parts of me really can't decide whether he's someone i'd be proud of hanging out with.
you can age so quickly in this city. between working hard and just surviving the day-to-day rat race-- it's almost like 2 years somehow roll up into 1 and you're left to wonder where it all went. it's always different. you're always changing. there's really no routine, but that's the draw. but sometimes you need a moment to kind of let the world whirl without finding it necessary to make it stop-- you're just in it and it'll go on whether you want it to or not.
the question as of late is whether i can see myself being here for the long term. the truth is i'm realizing that maybe it's a nice place--- for now. i'm keeping living abroad in my sights and i've even begun wondering if maybe the west coast is somewhere i'd like to be -- San Fran, San Diego but never LA.
with my new job, i feel like i've finally found a career. it's the first time i can confident write that statement and not feel like its a chore to wake up every day. i've said that it feels like this is where i should have been right out of school, but needless to say it wouldn't be the same without the experiences that have led up to it. i'm working on creative, exciting and strategic projects for a client and brand that i can believe in, appreciate and genuinely liked even before i was working for them. all the components that i craved for and desired in a PR career are coming to life and it feels good to know that what i am a part of is now about building myself, my reputation and my credibility as a PR guy. no longer is it about how i can pad this for my resume because everything i do is worthwhile and it's something i can be proud of.
when i started this blog, i never intended it to be a live journal. i've said it many times before. now it feels good to open up on it and share with my closest friends what it is that goes on in this constant stream of thoughts i refer to as my head. i'm working through things now. i've seen friends come and go in new york, i've made close ties with those that i'm striving to keep around and building new bonds with those i've deemed worthy of my time, love and respect.
at the end of the day, it's about value. the question is just what and who you value most. once that component is left out of the equation--you wonder what it is you're doing here.
