A friend for Takoma?

During my last trip to New York I caught this Husky playing in a dog park near the Chelsea Pier. It was so cool to see a Husky in the city. Plus, he looked like he could be Takoma's twin. I bring him, or her (why do I assume it's a male?), to you today in hopes of comment boosting.

It's been a busy week.
Cheers.

Crunch Time

The clock is winding down - my time in grad school is coming to a close. It seems like I am crazy busy with school work, but sometimes I think I am just being lazy. Call it "Super - Senioritis" or something, the problem is - I just can't seem to get anything done.

Maybe the problem is I have already mentally checked out. Maybe I am so anxious to take the next step that I have projected myself to New York and no longer really care about everything I need to get done. Either way, I gotta finish everything, keep packing and start preparing for my next visit to the city.

I am thinking of taking a trip in May, hopefully for some more interviews. However, to save money I am also considering putting a hold on the trip and just coming in June when I am ready to begin life in New York. We will see.

Walking in New York

These boots are made for walking ! Actually, I don't really wear boots, I am more of a casual sneaker kind of guy, but the point remains. This post is about WALKING. Something that you have to do a whole lot of when you live in New York City.

New York is a walking city, so to prepare for the move I try to walk as often as possible. I walk the 5 or 6 blocks to and from campus each day, (and sometimes more than once in a day.) I also walk to my part time job downtown, a distance of about 10 - 12 blocks each way. Finally, I try to walk anywhere else that is close enough to be reasonable.

Maybe, if I walk enough now, when it isn't entirely necessary - it won't be such a jolt when I make my move.

Yankees "getting a move on" in New York

BASEBALL IS BACK !! In a few previous posts I have briefly let on that I am indeed a die-hard fan of the New York Yankees. Even though I was raised in the midwest I have always been a fan of the Bronx Bombers. In my opinion, the Yankees should be referred to as "America's Team" not the damn Dallas Cowboys. There have been so many famous players that have donned the pinstripes that perhaps the entire organization should be elected to the Hall of Fame. I just love the history and story behind the team and its players.

The last 2 years I have been lucky enough to attend a Yankees game and it is taken my fandom to an entirely new level. It didn't hurt that both of those games were against the hated Red Sox.

Anyway, I am so glad that baseball is here again. I thought spring training would never come to an end. So far the Yankees are 1 - 0, and after a rain-out last night, Andy Pettitte will make his first start as a Yankee once again. I will try to keep my postings about the Yanks to a minimum to try and stay on topic, however, one of the most exciting parts about moving to New York will be increased access to the Yankees.

Baseball comes to New York

I was going through some stuff the other night, ya know, packing for my move and getting rid of stuff. I was in the middle of combining several boxes of baseball cards when I sorta "spaced off." I loved collecting cards as a kid and even still I find myself buying a pack on occasion. Anyway, I soon found myself flipping through stacks of cards - my memory taking me back to days of trading cards with my younger brothers. I came across some of my favorite players ... Roger Clemens, Ozzie Smith, Andre Dawson ... the list goes on.

For a second I contemplate getting rid of the cards. Perhaps now is the right time. I might make some extra money to take to New York, plus I would have 2 less boxes of stuff.

But no - I can't bring myself to do it. The reasoning doesn't matter - I have to keep these cards. There isn't a kid out there who collected cards that can easily make the decision. These are things that you just hold on to. Who knows if they will ever be worth something, most of them are common cards and half-assembled sets. The thing is, they connect me with the boy I use to be and baseball will always have the ability to transcend the years and take me back.

The only other time that I can remember feeling as excited about an oncoming baseball season was when I attended Opening Day 2005 at Yankee Stadium. Which leads to my next post ...

Husky in New York

I have mentioned in previous posts that I have a dog. His name is Takoma and from here on out I am going to refer to him more often, and always by his name. I mean, why shouldn't I... he is my best friend - and most of the time you don't start off a story about a friend by saying: "My friend, ______(insert name)... did such and such." Besides, Takoma will soon be joining me in the move to New York.

I know it's gonna be quite an adjustment for him and I often think about how I am going to make it work. But again, he is my best friend and I just want him to be there to explore and experience New York with me. I plan on jogging him every morning ( a big commitment for a semi-overweight guy who currently doesn't work out) and visiting dog parks as often as possible.

I found this website today that seems to be a great place to meet and get to know other dog owners, dog walkers, dog lovers in the city. I am hoping to find some resources that will help make the transition a little easier. I will report more later after I explore the site.

For now, I leave you with a glamor shot of Takoma in hopes of some cheap comment boosts.

Keep on networking!

Towards the end of last week I had 2 more opportunities to make NY connections.

1. I was told about a woman, a UNL graduate, who lived in New York and prided herself on helping students move to the city. She visited campus for a couple of meetings and had some extra time to meet. Even though I knew my time with her would be short I did my best to make the most of it. We met and discussed my plans. I made sure she understood why I wanted to go to New York and why I wanted to be a part of the advertising industry. All said, I spent about 30 minutes with her and she is sending me some resources and putting me in touch with contacts.

2. One of the contacts I made a few weeks ago gave me the name and contact information of a friend in the advertising business. After sending off a resume-laden email to the new contact I smiled, thinking to myself, "this is how it's going to happen." My network is growing and it feels really great to know that there are people out there trying to help.