Intro - How I got here.

Central Park - The Winter Wonderland

I just wanted to write a quick explanation as to how/why this thing got started.

On Feb 1st, I stepped onto a plane in Los Angeles, CA on a one-way flight to New York City. After a 2 hour delay, a 5 1/2 hour flight, and a cab ride (which I'm pretty sure was 25min longer than it needed to be), I was standing in front of my new apartment in Brooklyn, NY.

Prior to that day, I'd never even set foot in New York City.

I've never been very close at all in fact, except for a 5 day trip to Madison, WI. It may not be a "choice" destination, but let me tell you one thing: If you like beer (Shout out to the New Glarus Brewing Company, Spotted Cow is delicious) and you like cheese (Squeeky cheese curds are among life's greatest treasures), do yourself a favor and take a trip to Madison sometime. Even if it's just for a long weekend.

Anyway, for the last 30 years of my life I have been solely contained within' a tri-state area containing very small portions of California, Arizona, and Nevada. So it should come as no surprise that 'Far-flung flights of fantasy' are just not my cup o' tea.

BUT...

7 Months ago I met a person that would forever change how I look at the world (or at the very least, relationships).  5 Months ago we started seeing each other. 3 months ago I made my decision to go with her to NY. 8 days ago we picked up everything and moved across the country together. Some would find this crazy, but I'm more sure of this decision than 95% of the choices I've made in my life. When you know, you know. This girl is amazing, and you can't just throw that away.

Most people lose sight of their dreams pretty early in life, but there is something to be said about chasing your dreams. It takes moxie. Especially when your dreams take you 3k miles from everything you've ever known. I know one other person out here, and she knows a few. Aside from that, there is no support system here. You either make it or you don't, and I have faith that we'll make it.

So here I am, sitting in a sublet in Brooklyn, NY.

There's snow on the ground right now. There's this stuff falling from the sky that they call "Freezing Rain", which is just a nice way of saying "small hail". I'm sitting comfortably, but I'm wearing 3 layers of clothing including thermals, wool socks, and a wool sweater...

I'm decidedly out of my element here.

But that's part of what makes it so exciting. Everything here is new to me. I've never experienced anything like this before, so I should live this opportunity to its fullest, right? That's where this thing (the blog. or portfolio. or ... whatever this is?) comes in. I can document everything that I experience, while cataloging all of the pictures, sketches, etc that develop from my adventures here. Maybe I'll do something with it in the future? Or maybe it'll just sit around so I can look back at how 'bright-eyed and bushy tailed' I was when I first got here.

So if you feel so inclined, feel free to tag along. Offer suggestions, make comments, and see NYC through the eyes of a total n00b. Maybe someone will find it entertaining, maybe someone can use the knowledge themselves.

Welcome to New York.

Josh