In a post last month before an unplanned hiatus from this space (I’m back. That’s all that matters. Let’s not dwell on the past), I wrote about having to find ways to pass time now that I’m in a profession that was once my hobby.
So I thought I’d fill you in on how, exactly, I’ve been spending my time this last month. Because clearly, I was doing things far too exciting to take the time to post about.
- Mainly, I’ve been working. Our hours are odd if only in that it’s not the workday I’m used to – 10am to 6:30pm, except for Summer Fridays, when we can leave as early as 4pm. And sometimes, I even do! But more often than not, I’m there till 7pm or after at night, sometimes sneaking out by 6pm on Fridays. The late hours have shifted my day, as I still (usually) find myself up by 6:45am or so, almost three hours before I have to leave for my train to work. So I take my time getting ready, enjoy coffee, read a bit. In a perfect world, I get in the habit of taking an hour of that to write each morning. Wishful thinking.
- Perhaps suprising to no one but the newest reader, I’ve been seeing a lot of films. The idea of walking a few blocks to one of six screens in the country playing Woody Allen’s newest movie is just too awesome to pass up, no matter that I have to go at 11am on a Sunday because every other show is sold out.
- On a whim one Monday morning, I went looking at the class schedule at the dance studio on 55th and discovered Masala Bhangra. Sold. I’m a few classes in now and, despite the mother of all blisters on my right foot, I’m loving it. An hour of Bollywood dance music and constant movement, learning a new step then building it on to the one before it. If I’m gonna sweat, this is how I want to do it.
- Though I’d hoped by now my NYC experience would look something like an episode of Friends, it’s going to take some time (and random adventures, I’m sure) to find my crew. But in the meantime, I’m not sitting home alone. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been able to see three films by friends I’ve connected with over the last several years in festivals. I’ve connected for cocktails with one-time coworkers based in the city.
- What’s more, I’ve let more than one friend buy me dinner on their company while they’re in town for work. Visitors are already a huge part of my time in Manhattan – it’s such a refreshing change of pace to be somewhere where people want to visit me for a change! Being close to East Coast friends doesn’t hurt, either (hello, 4th of July weekend in Boston!).
- When I can find a seat on the train, I can take advantage of even a few minutes of downtime to read a bit, something I’ve been doing more of this year let alone these last three months. I just finished Down & Dirty Pictures (and hope I never meet Harvey Weinstein in a dark alley), and can’t decide if I want to re-read Ender’s Game next (before the film) or Jonathan Topper’s This Is Where I Leave You (also set to be a film, only with Tina Fey and less outer-spacey-ness).
- And though you can’t tell it from this blog, I’ve been doing a lot of writing. OK, ok. Not writing, but definitely thinking about writing. And thinking about the kinds of things I want to write (screeenplays over prose, particularly). And thinking about investing the $250 in Final Draft. And thinking about getting myself a routine for writing. Honestly, just committing myself to these blog posts has me back in the saddle. And it feels good.
There’s still plenty of downtime exploring the city – lots of walks in Central Park, thrift store shopping, eating from food trucks – and life’s typical chores – laundry and dishes and grocery shopping – still exist in the Big Apple, too. This weekend, I’m going to check out MoMA (my boss is in Spain and she totally gave me her free pass to use!) and see about putting a dent in the stack of magazines I haven’t been reading in months. With few exceptions, I have yet to be bored since the move.
