new year, new place

Wow, 2013 took off like a rocket - no turning back!  I started the year out in a new place, literally!  I moved to a new apartment.  I am still in NYC, but moved from Brooklyn to upper Manhattan.  Although it was just moving to a different part of the city, it felt like moving to another state!  What an adventure.  I have a nice spacious new apartment with hardwood floors, high ceilings, and lots of sunlight!  Sunlight is worth it's weight in gold in NYC!  So many apartments are dark and dingy little caves.  Not this one.  I actually try to block out the sun because there is so much of it early in the morning.  I have a corner bedroom with windows facing east and south.  It's not the most spectacular view in the world from my 3rd floor room, but at least being on the corner, I am not looking right into someone else's window...or at an alley where the trash is collected.  There are much worse views than mine.

In a new neighborhood, it takes a while to figure everything out.  Like which grocery store is the best, which restaurants to go to, where the post office is, etc.  I use different subways than I did before and approach everything from a completely different angle.  The upper west side is my new "hang out" and most everything I need is located there, including my job.  The best part is that my commute has been cut in half from what it was in Brooklyn. Most of the movie "You've Got Mail" took place on the upper west side.  I haven't watched that movie since I moved to New York.  It's fun to watch NY things now that I really know the city, so I should probably watch it soon.  If only Netflix streaming would get with the program.

Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline, 1935

2012 thus far

So far I have had a nice new year back in New York.  I celebrated the arrival of 2012 in Brooklyn with a small group of friends.  It was very nice.  Since then I have been working, practicing, taking advantage of some after-Christmas sales, and trying to relax as much as I can.  Aside from two very frigid days, the weather has been pretty mild and I've been enjoying my break from school.  I'm also in the midst of a room organization project that I'm enjoying.  I am going through my room in sections and trying to get everything organized.  The project has included several trips to The Container Store, Home Depot, and the discount store in my neighborhood.  As I go along I am coming up with new ideas and also looking at websites for inspiration.  It's been pretty amazing how much more space I can find when I get really organized.  I found one extra shelf on my small bookcase and a whole extra shelf (maybe even two) on my larger bookcase!  The goal is for every "thing" to have its own "place".  Then nothing should go on the floor or in piles to never be seen again, right?  We'll see.  I'm excited about what I've done so far and there is still PLENTY to go.  I'm still trying to decide the best methods for my clarinet stuff, music, and school stuff.  These things tend to get out of control, especially during the semester or when I get really busy.  Unfortunately, Better Homes and Garden's website doesn't have a "de-clutter your clarinet stuff" page so I'm on my own with this one.  Maybe I will come up with something creative and put it on my website and become famous with all the clarinetists.  I'll be the Martha Stewart of clarinet.

Well - Project Organization 2012 will have to go on hold tomorrow because I will be going to Florida for the rest of the week!  I'm super excited to take a vacation with my family and get to relax in a warm place.  I look forward to seeing my nephew who I haven't seen in a year, and meeting my new niece for the first time!  With a family so spread out, it's hard to get everyone together at the same time, so this will be great!  Yippee!