A New Chapter

The past few months have led up to the official start of a brand new chapter in my life. After returning to my hometown for a brief reprieve, I have accepted a new position in the Marketing department of the international law firm for which I work--Orrick. This was no small change, for I have gone from the small and insular Wheeling, WV, to New York, NY. Just a hop, skip and a jump, right?!

After much debate, I opted for suburban living in Belford, NJ. So, I commute into the city each day of the week to our Midtown office. It's been a whole lot of change in very little time, so as a brief summary, I've come up with the following list of things that never entered my mind but are now a part of the very fabric of my life:

1. Shore Season. Living in a land-locked region rather than a coastal area is a drastic difference in setting for several obvious reasons. However, the Jersey shore season pretty much dictates any major traffic and/or driving decisions. Now that I live within 10-15 minutes from the beach, I have to remain constantly aware of the looming possibility that shore traffic could present major delays--mostly on Thursday and Sunday evenings.

2. Public Transportation. My days of hopping in my garage-kept car, only to drive about 5 minutes in a traffic-free setting to get to work are gone. In their place lies trains, buses and subways. Due to a slight delay in moving into my new apartment, my public transportation adventures have pretty much run the gamet. Overall, it's spelled out very early mornings, patient waits, and the occasional very late nights. Also, I will never need to invest in a gym membership again. No matter how early or on time I am, New Yorkers and my other fellow commuters have taught me that it never means you're off the hook for a panicked run through the subway station, Port Authority or Penn Station. Who cares if you're on time...you could make the earlier subway, train or bus if you haul it!

3. Philadelphia. That's right, the city of brotherly love that was once where I called home has now reentered my daily conscience. Since it's now just a couple hours off, I have made two trips down, enjoying time with those who made me miss the city most.

4. Jughandles and Roundabouts. The only other time in life when I thought of these was when I was studying abroad in Ireland. Little did I know that they would become second nature for me. Apparently, New Jersey shares the great love of left turn avoidance that Ireland also acknowledges. They're kind of fun...keep you on your toes and switches it up a bit. I hear they're supposed to make for safer roads, but then I am puzzled as to why car insurance in New Jersey is known for being astronomically expensive and complicated.