NYC ---> LA <---NYC

I miss New York City at times, alot less than I thought, but  nevertheless I miss it.

New York City was the last place I thought I would end up living. That's the funny thing about life; as Forest Gump would say "it's like a box of chocolates."

I ended up living in New York City not once but twice. 11.5 years total. At the time I didn't realize the impact that powerful city would have on my life. I still wonder how I ended up in New York City when I resisted it so much.

"Why would I move to a city where the apartments are the size of shoe boxes!" ~ Me

Most would agree New York City possesses an energy like no other. People walk faster, talk faster, work faster. The energy seems to pulse through the city like a drug. New York City is addictive. At first the city is overwhelming, too much to take in, but then those very attributes keeps one wanting more and more. The city that never sleeps. New York City snatched my heart and took it, kept it and held on. It's still holding on.

But alas, I have moved on. In a way I feel like an unfaithful lover or a newly divorced woman looking for a fresh start. I moved on to a sunnier, less addictive city. A slower, dreamier, WARMER city.

I committed the cardinal New Yorker sin. I moved to Los Angeles.

{Moment of silence}

Rewind many many years ago, after my time in undergrad at The University of Michigan, I was headed to LA after my stints at summer stock and Second City - Detroit respectively. LA was the place to go to be in the movies. And that's what I wanted. To be in the movies.

After my scouting trip out west I decided to make the move. I returned to Michigan, packed my car and planned to move in 2 weeks time. Then I got a call from United Airlines to attend flight attendant training in Chicago. I decided to take them up on that offer since they have a base in LA. I would have a job right off the bat. But my plan didn't work out as expected. The base in LA wasn't open so the only choices were: Chicago, Boston, or Philadelphia.

I chose Philadelphia. Chicago is way too cold and I didn't particularly like Boston when I visited. The City of Brotherly Love seemed to be a good pick. And that city was my pipeline to the Big Apple. It was a bit more practical than that, being the queen of practical. I was spending so much time in New York City taking acting classes that I thought... heck, let me just move there. So I put in my transfer to New York City and within the month it was final. Got my transfer and moved to New York City.

The rest is history, including my short stint in South Carolina concluding in the return to New York City.

I thought the last time I moved to New York City would be the last move for me ever! Plus I got more and more sucked into the power of New York City. And as a result, vowed never to move to Los Angeles. No matter how much I wanted to be in the movies.

Never say never. LA started whispering in my ear back in the spring of 2012. I tried to ignore it, after all I was exclusive with New York City. How could I betray him?

But those whispers got louder as I endured another job loss and rent increase. Also an unfortunate bout with Seasonal Affective Disorder in the Fall of 2012 really had an impact on the LA voice in my head. Finally, after my survey trip to LA in November, which occurred on the heels of Hurricane Sandy, I made up my mind. For the first time ever I dreaded returning to New York City. Shocking! At that point I knew I needed to break it off. But how?

Step by step I made arrangements and by February 2013 I was LA bound!

Unlike New York City, LA has grown on me at a slower pace. LA is the type of city that is pretty unassuming since the weather speaks for itself. But it also allows me to breath for a moment and take in all that there is. With the exception of the traffic, LA is wooing me quite gently. At every new discovery I fall more in love.

However, every now and then my old lover whispers my name and the tug on my heart begins again.