New TWOsday!

As I'm sure you can tell, oh wait, you didn't notice my absence from the blogging world? Shame! I took a bit of a vacay last week to enjoy the start of the new year in New York City! I meant to put up new posts last Tuesday and Friday, but in the "City That Never Sleeps," it was hard to find the time. Plus, last Friday my mother had surgery and my car's battery died in Maryland! It was a hectic week, but now my car's running again and my mother's doing quite well (thanks for the prayers from everyone who knew about my mother's surgery!!) Needless to say, going to New York again made me realize how much I love that city...if there were any conceivable possibility that I could, I would move up there in a heartbeat...literally! And you'd have to be a pretty dull person not to find some kind of inspiration in the Big Apple. Some people aren't "city folks," of course, and some can't relax in a city that's always "on," but there's truly something for everyone in New York. My home state's mascot is "Virginia is for Lovers," but New York has everything...no, I mean EVERYTHING!!! You like history or architecture? NYC's got some amazing historical and modern architecture and the history is everywhere. You want a quiet place to get away and relax? Um...Central Park or libraries galore! Animals? Central Park Zoo, Bronx Zoo, etc... Fame? Broadway! Fine dining, worldly eats, or just a quick and cheap bite? Look no further than every block! New York has the best mix of everything! I really can't even begin to explain how wonderful NYC is in just the written word... *begins jumping up and down with arms flailing wildly about, screaming, "I LOVE NEW YORK!!!!"* ...ahem... *looks around, notices terrified looks from everyone; quietly winces with embarrassment and sits back down.* Now, where was I? Ah yes, inspiration!

1) I snapped the above pictures at the Staten Island Ferry terminal on Staten Island, standing in front of the Empire State Building, and looking at some mugs in a Starbucks on West St. There's definitely one thing that stands out in NYC: the perspective. From the sheer massive height of the buildings to the unique designs in stores, I found myself taking a lot of "perspective shots" in the city. Instead of just taking the standard forward-facing photos, I was inspired by the natural and architectural design of New York, so I tried to capture the movement, lines, and balance of the items I was photographing. 

2) Second bit of inspiration, and maybe more so motivation, came from standing for five and a half hours at 53rd St. and 7th Ave. on New Year's Eve night. While I usually try to make and adhere to the typical New Year's resolutions: lose weight, get in shape, budget, save money, become a better person, etc....something about just being in NYC on New Year's made it seem like anything was possible; so this year, my resolution and goal is to make becoming a New Yorker possible. Now, like I said before, I'd move up there in the blink of an eye if that were at all possible, but once the "vacation high" wears off, reality sets in. I'm still in a lease on a house through August, I've drained my bank account to have an awesome four days in NYC, and while spontaneity is good at times, I'm a planner. I want to make sure I'm fully prepared and ready, especially since I've never lived outside the state of Virginia--let alone central Virginia. I need to do my research, budget accordingly, and make sure I'm completely able and ready to relocate...so, it'll take a while; it may not even be this year that I can become a little worm in a big apple *pause for laughter at my oh-so-witty "punniness"* but it will happen. It will indeed happen! I am motivated! Go 2013!!!