Over the years of my professional, personal life, I have been lucky to come across such talented people.
Today was one of the days that made me think a lot about my past and people I met. Two days ago, I found out that I need to make a very sudden and short trip to NYC on October. I knew that I would need to go to NYC at some point, for one, to renew my green card entry, for another, our apartment in NYC needs some renovations before the new tenants would move in, but we didn't know when that would happen since the current tenants have been looking for their own apartment for a while. Then here I am. I booked a ticket to go to NYC last night, and I would be there for 2 and a half days.
The timing is always tricky. The tenants are moving out at the end of September, and we want to start fixing the place right away. On top of that, we are moving to our new place on September 18th. That gives me less than 2 weeks after we move till I go to NY. And Kev's birthday is October 7th, and he signed up for a whole day of a baking course as his own birthday gift on that Saturday of the weekend that I have to be in NY. Thanks to Zoe, Torin would be taken care of while both parents are away doing their things.
So I am flying out Thursday night, and flying back on Sunday afternoon. It would be a gruelling trip, but can I complain about any trip to NYC? No! It is my home town!
I have been emailing my friends back in NYC and dreaming of what I want to eat and what I can do during the short stay already. And all the memories came back over me. New York city is very special to me. I got my first job there, and my last job for 6 years was at my all time dream place that I had always wanted to work at. So many talented people, I couldn't believe they let me in as one of them. Almost every day, they made me feel humble but challenged and motivated. Stressed? oh yes, but I didn't mind it. I was doing what I always wanted to do. And I met great people, and they became some of my best friends, and I met my talented husband there as well.
Among the few that I contacted right after I bought tickets, this one particular couple gave me their updates and they are doing incredibly well. The guy friend is going to Korea soon for a month to shoot a music video for the biggest K-pop star now (G Dragon, he is huge in all over Asia as well), and his wife's new jewellery line is getting rave reviews, she is going to Paris for the world best accessory show for her collections. Wow, am I proud of them or what. It made me think about me in the past and the present, tho.
Am I really happy with where I am now or am I saying that I am good just to be "correct"?
My honest answer is that I am truly good now and I am content with where I am and so thrilled for my friends doing so well.
I am not sure if I would have ended up having those glamorous lives that my friends are having if I continued my path in NY, but I just can't see myself in those shoes right now. I loved working with my teams, and I was enjoying the process of making the projects as best as we could together, and making my teams happy doing it with me, but there were always politics and some others that I had to answer to. Now I am happy to be own, having freedom to do whatever I want to create casually.
I would hope to have another chance to give my talented friends to be properly mentioned here in the future, that including some amazing peeps here in NZ, too. But for now, I just want to day dream about my short NYC trip, how I could make the best out of it!