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Thursday, December 20, 2007

New Jersey State of Shock

December 20, 2006

Now, nothing against the state of New Jersey, mind you. It's just that I'm living here now, and I'm in a state of shock.

I have to admit it; there's nothing remarkable about denial. I made a decision to move here and acted on that decision. It's the move itself that has brought about a shock to my state of being and my life. And I like it.

I live by the philosophy that change and challenge are vital to life. Some change is sad, even tragic, some disappointing. I'll warrant that. Finding the way to use disappointment as a path to growth is neither fun nor easy and not always productive. On the other hand, making what appears to be a difficult but positive decision without a great deal of deliberation produces a shock to the whole system. That's where I am now.

A lot of the adjustment of moving to a new place is adapting to processes and procedures. Instead of going to my car and driving 15 minutes to an hour to get somewhere I need to be I put on a lot of wraps (a usually-unnecessary step in the previous climate) and walk about ten minutes to the train or five to the bus (where I might have to wait ten minutes). From there I am conveyed to a place within a short walk of where I want to be, so I walk some more.

Yesterday the weather was better -- it warmed up to the low 40's -- so I decided to go to Manhattan to buy a sofa. I did a little research on the Internet (Googling "New Jersey Furniture Stores") and found that the nearest furniture store to me is two and a half miles away, on W. 23rd St. The ones in New Jersey were at least 15 miles away and would have required a transfer or two by bus. I was on West 23rd in 20 minutes. I found just what I wanted -- a classy showroom, a smooth salesman, and a sofa and chair I liked within my budget. I bought it and made arrangements for delivery December 28.

The whole excursion took a little over an hour. And I was in New York, walking through the crowds, negotiating the lights with the little man striding to tell you it's your turn to walk (as long as you take big steps). (In Hoboken, some of the lights give you a countdown -- flashing 10, 9, 8, 7, and so on as you run to make lift-off without getting lifted off the street by a whizzing car.) City life is exciting.

Little by little, I'm getting stuff accomplished like learning which days to put out the trash. I tried to put a couple of cartons on the street last night (knowing tonight is the official recyclables night) and they were ignored, so I carried them back upstairs to avoid a fine or other police action.

Gradually, like Alice perhaps after a little time down the rabbit hole, I find myself changing. Even my way of writing is changing, as I see, editing this. I'm using more commas, more semicolons, more parentheses. I am still cautious. I must still be in shock. I am certainly in a different state of mind.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a kid's letter from summer camp to me. Now, what was it about the Ho that made you go there? That's what I wanna read about, a heroine's charge to challenges of adventure in the HO.
'Tis the shortest day of the year, today, and certainly the hurry-scurry of life below that third story window should reek of individual's hoilday pursuits. But, then, maybe it's so different from Eastdale Mall life that it seems disguised. Two more days until the big day for many who anticipate the euphoria of a Santa. Following soon after is the "BIG APPLE" drop televised all over the world that starts the new year with throngs of street participants undulating like a
soft surf awaiting the tide of new beginnings. So......happy new year (in advance) do the HO!

Mary Lois said...

Hmmm...sorry this post fell short of your expectations.

The question of what made me move here is entirely too complex to solve in one essay. I expect to keep swinging at that one for years. So far it's just summer camp in the middle of the winter, and my adventures lie in the future.

Off to the Big Apple today to have brunch with an old friend and then a matinee with the grandkids. Then Christmas in upstate New York where there will quite likely be a lot of snow.

Read the post about Sweeney Todd. There won't be anything else here until the end of the week.

Merry Christmas!

Anonymous said...

Back atcha on the Merry!
I'm stirring up a post snippet for Edward Scissorshands. ..that one I enjoyed without any cuts. Can't say much on Sweeny Todd.

Say curling on TV broadcast live from the Apple today, didn't see you in the picture , however...musta been a stones throw away, eh.

Anonymous said...

"Saw" not "sya"..........geeeez if I could only type