I want to feel comfortable NOW!

Published in the Long Island Advance, May 15th, 2008

The view out the window of the bright yellow lunch room is stunning. With the sun creating tiny pinpoints of light that dance and sparkle across the water, straight ahead in the distance I can see the Statue of Liberty, and out the window to my right, the Brooklyn Bridge and a view of lower Manhattan that can only be described as postcard like. Every outside wall of this office in Brooklyn has stunning views of the city and the surrounding area, and I can’t believe I work here.

Six weeks ago a new job fell into my lap and I’m still adjusting to the idea of it. While sitting in the office of the Associate Executive Director of my previous agency, he let slip that someone we both knew was leaving her job and the agency she worked for was looking to replace her. I think he immediately saw my ears perk up and was sorry he mentioned it. I usually have to debate things with myself prior to making a move, but this was a no-brainer. As soon as I left the office for the day I called her to express my interest, and here I am now, looking out the window at a view you usually only see in pictures.

It’s not just about the view though. From the moment I stepped foot in the door for my first interview, I felt intuitively that I should be there. Normally I am a little nervous when interviewing, but this was the most relaxed and enjoyable interview I have even been on in my life, and my intuition kept saying “This is the job you moved here to have.”

A position such as this would have had to find me, since I’ve never been one to job hop and I’ve only been working in the city for less than a year. I like to stay places for a long time, probably because I’m resistant to change. I have great affection and admiration for the people I just left and had decided to commit myself to being there for at least another year, in spite of the fact that the job I was doing was overwhelming and very stressful. That was until this new opportunity was presented on a silver platter. Initially thinking I would just inquire and go on an interview, once I stepped though the door, all I could think about was, “This is where I’m supposed to be.” This was the kind of job I had envisioned when I was looking to move, and here it was. Who cares that I know nothing about Brooklyn and will probably get horribly lost.

Last Monday I waked into my new office to find the entire back wall decorated with a sign that said “Welcome Susan.” How cool was that? It was nice to have that sort of greeting since this is the first time in a very long time that I have not worked for people I already knew. Their warm welcome took the edge off the anxiety I felt at having to go through yet another transition, even if it is a positive one.

It’s hard to be an “I want to be comfortable NOW!” kind of person, and have major life changes happen every six months. I mean come on, it’s been a week, why don’t I know who everyone is, what they do and where their offices are located? I have great patience when it comes to others, and very little when it comes to me. I’ve been working on it and as you can see, having limited success.

Soon I’m hoping to have an entire year where nothing changes; although that’s doubtful considering now I think I may be moving to Brooklyn in the fall.

(My cell phone picture does not do the view justice!)

I AM A NEW YORKER

We collectively mourn today, in varying degrees of separation. Those families who were directly affected "that morning" five years ago, loosing husbands, wives, sons and daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends and coworkers....first responders, there to save others, and just ordinary people, trying to make a living.... who vanished into thin air...we can't feel the depth of the pain that their families experienced, yet we can understand it.

We can understand the anguish felt by emergency personnel who spent hour upon hour, days upon days, searching in the massive pile of smoking, pulverize rubble......their mission always to save....... and knowing that would not be the case.

We mourn in degrees of separation.....those who can still smell the burning jet fuel, or who walked the area of lower Manhattan, pictures in hand, endlessly searching for their lost loved ones. They mourn the most fiercely.

We mourn in degrees of separation....those of us who watched helplessly on our televisions...further removed, yet mourning nonetheless. No, we could not smell the smoke, nor *feel* the wailing of the sirens....yet we mourned too.

We mourn in degrees of separation.......those of us who live in tri-state area, but especially those of us who are New Yorkers. We mourn in a different way than the rest of the country. Just as those in Washington D. C. and in Pennsylvania, and all those with loved ones on four planes mourn. We collectively mourn together in a way that the rest of the nation cannot. Oh, yes...the rest of the nation mourns....but from further away....Separated by many degrees from the anguish that we, as New Yorkers feel.

The following was posted on My Space as a bulletin. The author is unknown....

I AM A NEW YORKER
-author unknown

I am a New Yorker. I was raised on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Rockefeller Plaza, the Yankees or the Mets, Jones Beach or Smith Point, or one of the beaches on the sound or the bay. I know the "THE END" means Montauk. Because I am a New Yorker.

I am a New Yorker. When I go on vacation, I never look up: skyscrapers are something I take for granted. The Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are part of me. Taxi's and noise and subways and "get outa heah" don't rattle me, because I am a New Yorker.

I am a New Yorker. I was raised on cultural diversity before it was politically correct. I eat Greek food and Italian food, Jewish and Middle Eastern food and Chinese food because they are all American food to me. I don't get mad when people speak other languages in my presence because my relatives got to this country via Ellis Island and chose to stay. They were New Yorkers.

I am a New Yorker. People who have never been to New York have misunderstood me. My friends and family work in the industries, professions and businesses that benefit all Americans. My firefighters and police officers died trying to save New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers. They died trying to save Americans and non-Americans because they were New Yorkers.

I am a New Yorker. I feel the pain of my fellow New Yorkers. I mourn the loss of part of my beautiful city. But then I remember......I am a New Yorker.

And New Yorkers have:
Tenacity, strength and courage way above the norm
Compassion and caring for our fellow citizens
Love and pride in our city, in our state, in our country
Intelligence, experience and education par excellence
Ability, dedication and energy above and beyond
Faith--no matter what religion we practice.

Terrorists hit America in its heart but America's heart still beats strong. Demolish the steel in our buildings, but it doesn't touch the steel in our souls. Hit us in the pocketbook; but we'll parlay what we have left into a fortune. End innocent lives leaving widows and orphans, but we'll talk care of them, because they are New Yorkers.

Wherever we live, whatever we do, whoever we are. There are New Yorkers in every state and every city of this nation. We will not abandon our city. We will not abandon our brothers and sisters. We will not abandon the beauty, creativity and diversity that New York represents. And most importantly, we will never forget.

Becasue we are New Yorkers.

And we are proud to be New Yorkers.