Ups & Downs
It's officially been THREE WEEKS! How is that even possible? How is it possible that I feel as though I just got here but also that I've been living here for years? It's been two weeks since my last post and I've been on a roller coaster of highs and lows since then. It's been rough, y'all. Of course, no one said it was going to be easy, but New York has this way of lifting you up and slapping you down within seconds. Adjusting to that, along with making a home at my new apartment and starting a job all at once have definitely made for a wild two weeks.
I began serving up cheesecake realness at Juniors two weeks ago. I can't honestly say that I love it, but a job is a job. I'm a people person so I enjoy talking to the customers (mostly tourists), asking if they plan on seeing shows (followed by my recommendations) and I'm surrounded by cheesecake all day so it's not the worst situation. To be honest, I've had a difficult time adjusting to the job. I don't necessarily have a lot in common with my coworkers so it's been difficult making friends, which is something I've never had a problem with in the past. I've been hoping and praying this position is only temporary but I definitely want to make the most of it and learn whatever lesson I'm supposed to during this transition. I thoroughly believe that everything happens for a reason, so I'm always looking for the purpose of each phase of life. Not only is the job extremely demanding, both physically and mentally, but I've never worked in the food industry so I never knew the huge amount of work that goes into operating a restaurant. Especially a restaurant in the middle of midtown Manhattan. Technically the restaurant is on 49th and Broadway so the actual best part of the job is that I can technically say that I work on Broadway! Hah! Along with trying to adjust to the job, I locked myself out of my apartment and lost my monthly metrocard all within 24 hours so it's definitely not been all sunshine and rainbows. It's been difficult to wake up at 4:00am and work 10 hour shifts but again, I'm lucky to have found a job so quickly! (I'm really trying to work on remaining positive no matter the circumstances if you can't tell!)
I celebrated my 24th Birthday last week! To celebrate, I took myself to see the final preview performance of Prince of Broadway the night before my birthday. (I fully support the idea of spoiling oneself!) The show was fantastic. It was a musical revue of the many theatrical productions directed/produced under Broadway legend Harold Prince.The show included scenes/songs from shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Cabaret, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Company, Follies and many more. It was like taking a trip throughout the last 50 years of musical theatre history which was, of course, right up my alley. Many of you know that musical theatre history is my thing so I was on cloud nine the entire performance. The next day, I spent the majority of my birthday at Coney Island of all places with Allison, who's also a new resident of NYC! It's so crazy to me that we've been talking about living in NYC since seventh grade and now here we are! I have major Coney Island PTSD considering it's been freezing/rainy every time I've been but it was beautiful on my birthday! I rode the world's largest ferris wheel and ate funnel cake so all in all, it was a wonderful day! I still can't believe I'm 24, considering I feel like I just turned 18 but my mom also says the same thing so I don't suppose I'll get used to the years flying by any time soon. Speaking of my Mom, SHE CAME TO VISIT!
The best part of my birthday was a special weekend visit from my Mom and her bestie Leigh Anne! Though it's only been a few weeks it felt like I hadn't seen her in FOREVER! There's just something about a hug from your mom that makes everything better! We packed in lots of sightseeing and shopping throughout the weekend and had an absolute blast! From eating until we couldn't move, to introducing them to IKEA and seeing Waitress on Broadway, it was such a great time! I hate that I couldn't spend more time with them since I still had to work, but for those of you who know my Mom, she knows NYC like the back of her hand so she always has a fun plan up her sleeve. (I'm still trying to convince her to move up here and become a tour guide after she retires!) I was so sad to see them go but couldn't have asked for a better Birthday weekend with them! Can't wait to see my Mom again! (I'm pretty sure she's already bought her plane ticket for her next visit!) Now we have to get my Dad up here and it'll be a real party!
As I've mentioned before, I have been sending applications, resumes, and cover letters to theatre companies throughout the city since late July and almost every day since I've gotten here. Many of you know that I had an interview recently for an Off-Broadway theatre called the Westside Theatre. The interview went very well! They seemed to really like me and I most definitely loved learning more about the theatre along with the ins and outs. I especially love their mission to keep interesting and quirky theatre alive and thriving in the Off-Broadway world! (Fun fact for those who aren't aware, an Off-Broadway theatre size can range anywhere from 99 to 499 seats. Broadway is 500 or more. Doesn't necessarily depend on the location in the theatre district, just seat size!) With that being said, I interviewed on Wednesday, didn't really think about it over the weekend, and received an email on Monday officially inviting me to join the staff of the Westside Theatre as Assistant Box Office Treasurer. That's right... I officially have a JOB. Okay so technically I have a job right now but I compare it to slave labor whereas this is something I'll actually enjoy! A theatre job in NYC! Though it's only a box office position, there's always room to learn and grow and I am absolutely thrilled! I love the Off-Broadway scene and cannot wait to learn as much as possible! I'll begin working at the Westside Theatre in mid-September so expect a lot of updates! I know this is where I'm supposed to be and that this position can open doors to help me get to the next step! I definitely didn't expect to be working in a theatre within my first month in the city, but it truly goes to show what a little faith, trust, and prayer can do! I am so thankful.
Every day is not easy. It's hard to see the city as I used to because it truly did lose some of it's illustrious charm the day I became an official resident. Adjusting to becoming a small fish in one of the largest ponds won't be easy. The city smells, the people aren't always friendly, and I'm constantly exhausted. I don't have many friends here, it's incredibly expensive, and I miss everyone back home so much. But rather than focusing on these factors, it's my mission to find the magic in this life and on this island of Manhattan. It's still there, waiting to be discovered. I'm so lucky to be here and so thankful for the support system I have back home. Without them, especially my Mom (give her a hug if you see her), none of this would be possible. Not trying to get too sappy this evening... I just wanted to share some of my recent reflections and observations. Maybe someone out there can get some inspiration or a laugh or two out of this blog. I'm definitely going to keep updating you all and I hope you'll stay along for the ride! It's bound to be an exciting one!
-Macon