365 days...

As of June 2nd, 2013... I have lived in NYC for a full year.

One of the hardest years of my life? You bet. One of the most emotional years of my life? Yes. One of the most truly independent years of my life? Absolutely.

I am proud of myself. And I'm going to take a little opportunity to brag...

Over the course of 365 days I have...

• Gone from being unemployed to having 5 jobs. 
• Worked my way up from $12.50 an hour to $20 an hour. 
• Acquired insurance. 
• Started "Project Identity" where I replace all my lost identity documents. 
• Become proficient at using both buses and trains... no more panic late night on a Sunday. 
• Become a smart phone user. 
• Touched the ocean - that's going to be happening more this summer. 
• Begun donating a monthly amount to a charity. 
• Purchased permanent items... like a bed, larger furniture, more enjoy-life kind of stuff. 
• Enough in savings to survive a month without employment 
• Paid for a trip to visit Idaho. 
• Learned how to use groupon to afford nice things and fun events. 
• Paid off 2 credit cards 100%, closed the accounts and cut up the cards. 
• Enrolled at a gym that I attend at least 2 times a week... (for over 3 months now, that makes it a habit, right?)
• Got a Pedicure. 
• Visited 5 eastern seaboard states. 
• Ridden 2 boats. (ferrys really). 
• Learned how to dress for all 4 NYC seasons. 
• Become rather smitten with that nice boy I mentioned in the last blog... 
• Established quality friendships with great people like Cat, Laura, Will, Tamara... that whole crew over at Kidville (they are the best co-workers I've EVER had). 
• Taken a month of piano lessons. 
• Begun learning spanish (check out the fun website I'm using HERE).

I have also melted down completely a couple of times. There's been tears, snot and throat infections... poorly assigned medications and a bad match on birth control. There has been tons of paperwork... arguments with bosses, arguments with roommates... ninety tons of laundry done and too much self criticism. 

But that's LIFE! Good times. Bad times... but I'm so happy to be growing and learning still. I'm sure that my next year here will teach me so much more. I'd like to discover my curiosities and learn some new skills. Maybe even buy a piano keyboard and get back to speaking terms with music. 

I'm super blessed to have my friends back home that have kept me together this last year. Trent has listened to tirade after tirade... Sarah has reminded me that I am a rational human being (and an interesting one at that). Julie is always there with a friendly Facebook "Hey girl!"... Taylor has actually picked up his phone a few times! Ha! Just to name a few. I love you all and can't wait to see you guys again. So I don't know if anyone is going to read this, but there needs to be a big ol' THANK YOU! out there for all those folks who have kept me company when I was lonely or entertained when I couldn't afford a real show or shared your lives with me. THANK YOU! 

Year-in-summation-ly Love, 

Nanette

On a Boat! 

My subway stop smells like freshly cut grass in the green seasons. 

Beautiful sunset, worth posting twice. 

Laura drinks coffee and means business. 

Cat is adventurous. 

Toni... well... she worries sometimes. HA! 

Extreme sports at kidville... Climbing without a helmet. 

I went to the zoo!!! They have butterflies there?