The Settled Life in New York City

Posted: 01/17/2013

It’s been almost a month since I signed my lease and picked up the keys. I’ve bought a bed. I’ve unpacked my bag, hung up my clothes, and filled my fridge with food. I’m settled. I have roots. I have a neighborhood.

I’m no longer fully nomadic.

Am I at least semi-nomadic? I don’t even know.

People keep asking me when my next trip is. “I don’t know,” I tell them.

I’m currently on my book tour until April and then will be in Europe in May.

But since these are work related, I don’t view them as real “for pleasure” travel.

It’s a weird feeling not having anything planned. For the first time in years, I have no idea where or when I’m going next.

All these trip ideas keep popping in and out of my head.

Then I look at my schedule and think When will I have time to go to these places? When did I become such a grown-up with an actual schedule?

Maybe it’s good, though. I can slowly adjust to not being constantly on the road.

It hasn’t been as hard as I thought. I haven’t had the desire to sprint to JFK and board the next flight. I haven’t become antsy.

The hardest part has been developing a routine, in part because I’m here, then there, and then here again. I’m eating better (though the pizza place next door makes that difficult), but I haven’t joined a gym. I still haven’t managed to develop a good work schedule. I find myself working long days because I’m not doing anything else. I’m used to having to race around to fit in sightseeing and work at the same time. Now I sit on Facebook, watch my roommate’s TV, and then wonder, “Where did the day go?” because I have nothing to force me to be productive.

That’s something I need to work on. New York City has so much to do that I need to better manage my time, so I don’t let the days fly by.

If slowing down has taught me one thing, it’s that I don’t like slowing down.

I need to be busy.

I need action.

I need to better manage my time.

Because I should never waste a day in the city that never sleeps.