My good friend from college just asked me, "Is living in the city really worth 2 jobs??" Wow. This was the first time any one actually asked me that question. I just started another cocktailing job, making this waitressing job number 4 since moving to The Big Apple a little over a year ago. After my last serving job that I worked at the same time as my corporate job, I swore I would never go back. I was done with the Jersey Shore cast look-a-likes ordering Jager Bombs, and the bitchy customers demanding their food, and 'why is it taking so long?', and 'this drink isn't strong enough', and 'this is cold', and 'where is my side of blah blah blah???' Shut up. Stop talking to me like I'm an unintelligent 5 year old or that I am a piece of meat. I am a college graduate in a horrible economy, you piece of shit. Well, I'm back. Back in the service industry AGAIN after I swore I would never be back. But, what am I supposed to do when my rent devours 2/3 of my paycheck. So I can either eat away at savings, not eat, not go out, not have any fun, or I can temporarily get a second job. Goodbye weekends, you were fun while you lasted. We had some good times together...drinks, some greasy food, a few laughs, sometimes some tears; but overall, we were good friends, and I cherished our time together. I shall miss you on our hiatus, but I'm sure you understand. Back to working til 4am, and seeing other people enjoy your boisterous personality.
But this still doesn't answer my friend's question: is this city really worth it? New York, are you worth it? Are you worth ridiculous rent (considering I am too stubborn to live outside of lower Manhattan), and $12 sandwiches, and $15 cocktails, and $700 shoes (one day) and overpriced everything? I feel like I've won the lottery when I can get a glass of wine for less than $10 and eagerly await Wednesdays so I can get free office lunch. I won't go to the movies because they cost at least $14, and I'd rather have that overpriced sandwich. My gym membership is costing me a kidney, and I don't even have internet or cable, let alone a TV, because the bills would be too expensive. Oh yeah, did we forget that I am working every Friday and Saturday night til 4 or 5 in the morning after working all week??
But you know what I do have in this city? Cabs on every corner. 4 subway lines at one end of my street, and 5 on the other, which all connect to a million more lines. The ability to get anywhere in the city without having to worry about parking, or gas, or who is going to drive, or how am I going to get home. Hungry? Because I can get any type of food delivered to my door in 30 minutes: sushi, pad thai, burritos, a fresh salad, Moroccan...you name it, it's there. Groceries, oh weird you mentioned that, because yes, that can be brought to my front door as well. Yes, even alcohol is carried straight up to your open (paying) arms. My gym isn't a drive or bike ride away, it's about 200 steps, as is Starbucks, and that necessary market, and Pinkberry, and that really cute clothing shop that I just keep spending money at by mistake. I'm a train ride away from Central Park, amazing museums, and I can see the Statue of Liberty when I run along the Hudson River. My friends and family that are here are so close it is unbelievable, and I can always find something to do any night of the week.
Thus my dear friend, as tax time gets closer and closer, and I have to fill out four W-2 forms from all these jobs, I ask myself once again, is New York worth it? And the answer is yes, yes it definitely is. So now my question for you is: when are you moving out here?
