NYC -- The Kindest City

I have yet again stumbled upon some gold.  I don't know how it happened, but I know I've found it.  Somehow I am surrounded by people who inspire me to be a better person. Somehow, this week I became even more aware of the kindness that surrounds me.

I have already spoken about my incredible living arrangements, but the peace of the apartment and the hospitality of my roommate have made the late nights pleasant.  No matter the time, I know that I will walk in to a friendly face offering me food or tea to make my late nights at work a little more enjoyable.

The truth is that the late nights of work haven't been bad at all.  And that is only due to the incredible people I work with. They really are some of the kindest people I've ever met.   You know the amazing feeling when you look around and the people around you amaze you and make you think... Do I treat people like this? Would I have their patience? Would I be this considerate.  They keep in mind the fact that everyone around them is fighting a battle of their own. Therefore, they make sure that they do not cause any extra stress, grief, or problems.  It's truly amazing, and it became obvious this week.

My week started at the firm.  In the usual conference room with the 11 to 12 other people that sit in there.  I brought in the cookies and everyone was thrilled to have them.  It was a slow morning, but everyone was chatty and as friendly as ever.  From Tuesday to Thursday, I was at the client site with the 5 other guys that work there from the firm.  I had sat there 3 days last week, so they knew me and were incredibly sweet to me.  The kindness started at the entrance to the building. 

Since I do not have a pass to the client's building, I have to stop at the door, present my ID, and one of the 6 men working the front desk has to check the list to see that my name is on it.  I had done this last week, so I was very familiar with the process, and I knew which guy was assigned to my floor. I went straight to him. He recognized me and said, "you're back! I need to start remembering your name!" And then he quickly searched through the list.  Of course... my name was not on it, but he called upstairs and gave me the pass.  While we waited, he asked me about the Super Bowl and whether I thought it was getting warmer out or not. Super nice! And everyday after, he didn't even ask for my name. Such a great way to start a day... a friendly face always ready to chat.

Then I head upstairs to the conference room with 5 guys under the age of 25.  The whole team has the driest most hilarious humor.  I spend my days holding back tears while I work, because I'm laughing so hard... Now just picture that humor in a tiny room and with only 5 guys and me.  It was hilarious.  At the same time, however, they were so considerate and kind.  Everything they thought of that I could need or want to learn, they included me.  They were so encouraging and inclusive... I was shocked beyond words.  Even among themselves, they messed around, but most of all they helped each other, focused, got the work done, and encouraged the team.  No one stressed about the daunting deadlines that occurred this week and they made sure that everyone was happy while working.  If someone needed help, they immediately dropped everything and helped.  If someone needed encouraging words about something they kept messing up, they came with ease. They are not paid to do this, no one told them to do this to impress the lowly intern.  I'm pretty sure if they had been told to do it, they wouldn't know what people were talking about.  They are just 23 and 24, it's clear that they act just like they would if they weren't at work.  It's so absolutely lovely to watch.

On Thursday night, the team celebrated the press release with a group karaoke outing. All 30 + members were there.  Again, kindness shone through. There is one guy who is from India and is here on rotation until April. When some of the girls asked him if he was going, he quickly said no, because he didn't know the words to most songs.  The girls quickly assured him that the words would be on the screens, and convinced him that it would be a blast.  He ended up coming, and just like the rest of us, he had a blast.  We had a room to ourselves, like 8 screens with lyrics, and a whole lot of fun. As we walked out of the building Friday night after work, I asked him if he had fun and he said, "it was amazing, it was one of the funnest nights of my life." Ok... maybe that could have something to do with the fact that after karaoke at like midnight, the guys took him out... but still. Every hour of every day the team checks on him to make sure he's ok.  During his first snow here, they all made sure he had a coat and boots that would keep him warm.  During our lunch hour they took him to get a cell phone, they helped him with the move, and they constantly make sure he's ok.  Now, again, this is not an order from above... this is just them caring.  They ask about his home, about his family, and about his culture with honest interest.  It's inspiring.

Work makes up 90% of my week, but the kindness in people reaches outside my work environment as well.  Working until 11 or midnight cuts into any possibility of meeting people for dinner or anything, but people from home that now live in the city continually keep me posted on things that are going on.  They know that the answer is likely to be no, yet they keep inviting me and including me.  It is just sooooo nice!

Basically, with the repetitive routine that is work... I have found it amazing to be surrounded by such incredible people.  They continually challenge me to question if I would act in such formidable ways if I was in their shoes.  It's definitely not what I thought I would find in a 9-5 job and life in the big city, but I'm thrilled that I did.

So... I'm fully aware this week's post is not as interesting, but aside from work and karaoke, this week involved showering and sleeping. I didn't have time for much more until Saturday. Saturday I finally got to meet up with Marion for brunch and it was great to catch up! After that, I felt like I needed to stay outside of the apartment and enjoy being outside while I could.  Since it was... you know... FREEZING, I knew I had to keep moving. So I walked... and walked.. and walked.  Next thing I knew I was at Washington Square Park (4th)... I started on West 84th.... I definitely got a lovely walk and enjoyed the city, but my legs were worn out! I headed back up on the subway and decided to go into the Barnes and Noble on the corner of my apartment. And I was shocked!!! I found people everywhere sitting on the ground reading! It was great!!!! I picked up a book and when I realized it 2 hours had gone by!!! At around 7:30 I headed back home and enjoyed my amazing bed!

Now it's Sunday and I've been washing clothes, making chilli, and getting ready to go grocery shopping.  The excitement is astounding.... so I better go.  I have to get quarters before the banks close or I won't be able to do laundry!!!

Work. My Not So Cheesy NYC Movie.

What a week!!!!! Amy warned me it would be busy. Everyone warned me it was busy season and it would be... you know... busy.  But jeez!!! I didn't see it coming! Not like this!

I talk about how my life reminds me of cheesy movies without the cheesy, but guys... the struggle is real.  All these pretty people look so glamorous going to work in their fancy coats, making a difference, blah, blah, blah.. but y'all... You have to get up every morning and try to make yourself look presentable and then you have to struggle to just meet deadlines.  Real life = not glamorous.  

[WARNING, this could get graphic]  

First struggle daily. The alarm.  When you are at the office working until 11 pm. Seven o'clock feels ridiculously early! When am I supposed to shower? Um... don't think these people want to sit with me in a tiny conference room without me showering... So... when? Ok, fine midnight it is! That will mean my hair will be halfway dry in the morning and the struggles will only involve getting rid of frizz, huge bags under my eyes, and the exhausted look I've perfected over the years.  The later the nights... the more the makeup.  Except for you know... Wednesday, when I forgot to finish my makeup and just walked out the door. Poor people at work.

Second struggle of the day.  Yeah... I love the subway and I love my walk to the subway, but... to go to the client site, there was also a bit of a walk involved. Not too long, BUT, if you add the big bag I use to put my boots once I change into my heels and the huge laptop case and the paper work... yeah it's a long day. So Monday I walked.  I was fresh and ready for the new adventure.  New building in a  tiny conference room, but WITH 5 very funny guys that were very helpful and patient during my time there this week.  Monday, I was so well rested!!!! 

I was a bit concerned about the week because after my first two weeks, I felt the stress coming on the rest of the team.  Now, if there's something I am horrible at doing, it is watching other people stress. I hate it. I don't like not being able to help someone that's struggling!! And believe me, when you are an intern, all you are really good at is being a burden of questions on the actually busy people.  This week though... it was busy for me too!! I spent the week helping one of the 'Staff 2's' with his work.  If you'd asked me to do this 2 weeks ago, I think I would have cried, but this week... I even started to enjoy it! I like understanding what I'm doing!!! Although... I still asked a trillion questions and probably drove everyone crazy.  But they are just the best!!! If I had to describe the team (both at the client site and in our office) in 4 words, I would use: patient, sweet, funny, and helpful!  Oh yeah... maybe young too.  They are the best, and I am the luckiest.

Anyway... my days involved a LOT of work, late night till after 11... and lots of laughing.  But back to the daily struggle bus they skip in all these cheesy movies.  Tuesday felt like a joke.  I stayed up until 1 on Monday finishing some work and I woke up at 5 to finish it. No, no one asked me to do such a crazy thing, but... I really wanted to get that task done so we could keep going and didn't get behind.  So, I did it.  But by the time I was presentable and ready to go... there was no way I was walking with all my stuff. Soooo when that lovely yellow cab drove by... I took the chance and went for it!  Wednesday and Thursday turned out to be pretty similar as well... but what was I to do?  I legit didn't feel ok with my new schedule until Thursday.  When I got home at 11:40pm and realized I wasn't dead, I thought... I guess I could get used to this.  Do I want to? Still not sure.

Twice this week I also had that "Devil Wears Prada" moment when you have to take something from one office to the other and everything that could delay you happens.  Oh you know... the subway closes for construction, option 2 subway stops between two stations, and a taxi is out of the question because all the roads by the office are closed for the Super Bowl crap which has made that area an amusement park full of tourist without a care in the world... AKA they don't care that you have somewhere to be and you need to be there fast so you can get back to your Excel file in the other office. Jeez!  Anyway, as I was stuck in the subway for the second time trying to get back, I started thinking about that part in the movie where Anne Hathaway has to go get an early edition of Harry Potter or something and started laughing to myself, which led to some priceless staring.

Ok... so on Friday we ended up going back to work from the office on Times Square, so it was subway time again! I was actually feeling ok, which was a lot better than every other morning.  Maybe, it was the idea that soon I'd be back in bed... soonish... right? Anyway more work awaited me at the office, I did make it home before 11, and I did pass out on my bed.

Saturday was like recovering from the flu or something. I still can't figure out if I'm getting sick or just exhausted.  Either way...  I slept way too late and lounged.  Went to pick up some dry cleaning, dropped some more off, I shopped for ingredients to bake cookies for the office, and then lounged around watching Sex and the City with my roommate. Funny.  I'm aware. 

Conclusion... if my currently life was portrayed in a movie...Now, who would go watch that movie? No one, and that is why my life is NOT a cheesy movie.  But I do love it anyway! I wouldn't watch it, but I love living it... so I guess it works! A couple of extra sleeping hours wouldn't hurt though... right?