I fly back to California tomorrow. I guess it's been a while. Yesterday I had an awesome few moments where I could not for the life of me remember what kind of car I have back home.
I guess this is the place where I'm going to sum up all that I've learned from my time in NYC and Florida. The first, most important thing, is that I really do love New York. It's an amazing place to live, even in the crazy hot summer. I think living in New York is most easily carried out solo, and certainly without kids. Watching families with strollers and/or multiple children try to get on and off of the buses and taxis was a nightmare- it really doesn't work well at all. Maybe if someone had enough money to have an apartment with lots of space and a personal car service, it could work to have small children there. The thing about that place, though, is that it is SO easy to be alone. You can do everything alone, and it makes me think that relationships are harder to maintain because people are much more "disposable" in the city; I bet when people hit a rough patch, they opt out of the relationship because there really isn't a pressing need to make it work. I noticed that people in NYC stay single a lot longer as well.
Auditioning in NYC is great for musicals and plays and horrible for film and television. (See previous entries). Casting directors prefer for you to have a theater/musical theater degree, and especially prefer an MFA.
Finding a place to practice singing is very difficult, even if you have a keyboard in your apartment, due to neighbors and noise issues. Practice rooms are $15 an hour and pretty much a necessity of life.
Groceries are more expensive, but there is still Trader Joe's. What you save in car payments you make up for in rent, utilities, and groceries.
I still haven't figured out the late-night subway system, but always made it home by guessing.
The best people in New York are not New Yorkers.
New York is not easily navigated by use of the internet, because of its density. People seem to use word-of-mouth a lot more than the web to learn about stuff.
I always wished that my necklines were about 3" higher and my hems at least 5" lower. What works- clothing wise- at the beach does not necessarily work in NYC. People are much more conservative on the east coast in the way that they dress.
After New York, I went to visit my family for a couple of days in Ft. Myers, FL, which was awesome. The beaches are really soft white sand, and the water is as still as a lake. After Ft. Myers, I drove to Orlando for 5 days. It's very nice to have a car in Orlando- it's the kind of place where you do not want to be stuck in resort-land. The shopping and such is a lot like the OC here (you know, chain restaurants galore and high end department stores) and the homes are a lot like the Inland Empire. I don't think I'd like to live here, it seems boring. BUT the people all look about twenty years younger than they actually are due to the high humidity. I have met at least three women who I'd guess were around 25 but actually were old enough to have GRANDchildren. The air is AMAZING for the skin. I went and bought a really good moisturizer last night. Going to get a humidifier for my room at night when I get back.
I'm sad this trip is over. I've met a lot of really cool people. New friends who happen to live in DC, NYC, and Orlando. I've been lucky to never have felt lonely or bored. I've lost 6 pounds. I've gained a year. I've started a business. I've shot a short film. I've seen a few Broadway shows. I've met agents and casting directors who were very encouraging. I've stayed out dancing and stayed in writing. I've somehow spent less money than I would have at home.
Now I'm going back home. But I have no home there. When I get home I will have to find a home. Maybe Burbank. Or back to the beach. Definitely not Temple City.
Thanks for coming along, it was fun to document all this for you.
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