I am sitting down in an apartment that is not my own. Both of the lovely tenants have gone home for the holidays. I have been entrusted to maintain this place and its belongings for the next few days. I am not entirely sure how I got myself into this scenario, but I am incredibly thankful that I do, in fact, have a place to stay. Trusting someone comes naturally to some and I can say that I am indeed one of those people. I hope I can keep a good balance of trusting and being trustworthy for as long as I live. Integrity is often something people overlook when they consider desirable qualities in themselves or others. I think it's high time we all change that.
This will be my first Christmas in New York. I can honestly say I thought I would be going home during this time, but circumstance has mandated that I stay. I understand why. I get that being alone is something I was asking for when I moved here. It was predictable really. Nevertheless being here now has left me with an overwhelming wave of sorrow. Self-pity for not being with my family, unhappiness for not being able to give gifts to the people I love, sorrow for other people in my position and those less fortunate who celebrate a family-oriented holiday, by themselves, for years and years and years. It's the saddest thing I can think of at this moment. I'm sure I'll skype my family and make the best of my ill-timed move to this place. I'm sure that years from now, I'll be having an incredible Christmas with those I love and care for, and this year will be but a silly story I tell people when I feel like one-up-ing their "Christmas gone wrong" tales. There is no such hope for others however. For some people, what I consider depressing is just.. normal.
I am not writing this to make anyone feel bad for me. This is not a case of the "poor-me's." Please save such sympathies for those who couldn't afford gifts for their children this year. Save your Yule-Tide Spirit for the spouse who is barely getting through their first Christmas without their husband/wife due to death or sickness or war or any number of other things in this world that separate us from one another.
In all truth I have been very lucky and blessed for the past few weeks. I have no real reason to whining about anything and with that in mind I will be scouring the interwebs for volunteer opportunities. If anyone knows of something like that feel free to let me know as that would be awesome. Thanks and Merry Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanza/Whathaveyou.
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Friday, December 23, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
The Incident
My first full day was quite an experience. I woke up and basically did all of those things you see in a "getting ready for your day" montage you see in films.
Upon my arrival to the general area for my first interview, I decided to stop in a little eatery and grabbed a biscuit and apple juice. Not five minutes later this guy asks if he can sit at the four person table with me. We were both in fancy suits and looked super busy so I guess he assumed I wouldn't talk to him very much. He was wrong. I immediately inquired about the book I saw poking out of his bag. His eyes lit up and he dove into telling me about Samael Aun Weor 's book Divine Science. I must say I was rather intrigued. He told me that ego is responsible for most of the suffering in the world and that if we all weren't so selfish there would be so much less pain. This coming from an insurance salesman in New York city. I was dumbfounded (for the first time that day) and I told him that he was certainly on to something there.
We parted ways and I continued to my interview at a large temp agency. It was a pretty nice process, nothing too much to speak about. I may get some placement in the near future, temporary, of course.
I want to fast forward to around noon when I decided it would be a great idea, since I was in the area, to stop by a grocery store, where I have an interview for tomorrow, and introduce myself to the manager while getting lunch. I asked the two nice ladies at the customer service desk if I could meet him/her and that I had an interview for tomorrow. They both seemed confused at my request and flat out told me that "we don't do that." I was dumbfounded (twice in one day for VERY separate reasons) that someone would deny a customer/potential future employee a simple request to meet a manager. I didn't really know what to do. I said "okay then," and wandered for a minute trying to figure out if I did anything wrong. At that point I was convinced my request was not outlandish, and having lost my appetite I decided to head back to my gracious host's apartment.
Upon my arrival there I received a call from a higher up, who was not present for the encounter, who told me that my interview was cancelled and that I shouldn't reapply for six months. I asked her why and she told me that I was very rude to her employees and that having been denied meeting a manger, I "threw my hands up, sucked my teeth at them and stormed out." Before I go any further, I will simply ask you to go over my day so far recall that it was rather awesome. What possible reason would I have to walk into a place and actively ruin any chance of being hired there by making a scene? I tried to explain this, but the decision was final.
Or was it? Being a man who never, truly, gives up, I called back and spoke with a different guy. I told him what happened and how confusing the whole situation was and he promised to look into it and get back to me. Which he did. This guy is a true professional, he apologized and offered me the interview again. Now here is where things get a bit crazy for me. Old me would be so full of righteous indignation that I would have happily refused such an offer and let the fury of being mistreated reign over this undeserving chap. Old me would have watched this entire scenario go down in flames and enjoy every minute of it.
This is no longer old me. This is New Yorker Jordan. This is new me. This is thick hide, doesn't-take-things-personal, cuts-through-the-crap me. I told him I would love to come back in. I told him, in the chance that I were to be hired, that I would want to immediately meet these ladies and offer my condolences and bury the hatchet as soon as possible. He then told me that it would be foolish to come to a conclusion about me based on a thirty second interaction with someone else entirely. It was then I realized that, if I were to have "let him have it," that I would have made those exact assumptions myself. About him, about the lady on the phone, and about the two employees at the desk. I really don't know if I'll get this job or not. It really isn't the point. The point is that we really do let our egos get in the way of our lives. I could have burnt this bridge down so fast and so hard the Fire Marshal would have concluded an accelerant was used. I chose not to. And tomorrow, if I see the same ladies at the desk, I am going to make it right, even if I don't get the job. I am here to build bridges, not destroy them.
Upon my arrival to the general area for my first interview, I decided to stop in a little eatery and grabbed a biscuit and apple juice. Not five minutes later this guy asks if he can sit at the four person table with me. We were both in fancy suits and looked super busy so I guess he assumed I wouldn't talk to him very much. He was wrong. I immediately inquired about the book I saw poking out of his bag. His eyes lit up and he dove into telling me about Samael Aun Weor 's book Divine Science. I must say I was rather intrigued. He told me that ego is responsible for most of the suffering in the world and that if we all weren't so selfish there would be so much less pain. This coming from an insurance salesman in New York city. I was dumbfounded (for the first time that day) and I told him that he was certainly on to something there.
We parted ways and I continued to my interview at a large temp agency. It was a pretty nice process, nothing too much to speak about. I may get some placement in the near future, temporary, of course.
I want to fast forward to around noon when I decided it would be a great idea, since I was in the area, to stop by a grocery store, where I have an interview for tomorrow, and introduce myself to the manager while getting lunch. I asked the two nice ladies at the customer service desk if I could meet him/her and that I had an interview for tomorrow. They both seemed confused at my request and flat out told me that "we don't do that." I was dumbfounded (twice in one day for VERY separate reasons) that someone would deny a customer/potential future employee a simple request to meet a manager. I didn't really know what to do. I said "okay then," and wandered for a minute trying to figure out if I did anything wrong. At that point I was convinced my request was not outlandish, and having lost my appetite I decided to head back to my gracious host's apartment.
Upon my arrival there I received a call from a higher up, who was not present for the encounter, who told me that my interview was cancelled and that I shouldn't reapply for six months. I asked her why and she told me that I was very rude to her employees and that having been denied meeting a manger, I "threw my hands up, sucked my teeth at them and stormed out." Before I go any further, I will simply ask you to go over my day so far recall that it was rather awesome. What possible reason would I have to walk into a place and actively ruin any chance of being hired there by making a scene? I tried to explain this, but the decision was final.
Or was it? Being a man who never, truly, gives up, I called back and spoke with a different guy. I told him what happened and how confusing the whole situation was and he promised to look into it and get back to me. Which he did. This guy is a true professional, he apologized and offered me the interview again. Now here is where things get a bit crazy for me. Old me would be so full of righteous indignation that I would have happily refused such an offer and let the fury of being mistreated reign over this undeserving chap. Old me would have watched this entire scenario go down in flames and enjoy every minute of it.
This is no longer old me. This is New Yorker Jordan. This is new me. This is thick hide, doesn't-take-things-personal, cuts-through-the-crap me. I told him I would love to come back in. I told him, in the chance that I were to be hired, that I would want to immediately meet these ladies and offer my condolences and bury the hatchet as soon as possible. He then told me that it would be foolish to come to a conclusion about me based on a thirty second interaction with someone else entirely. It was then I realized that, if I were to have "let him have it," that I would have made those exact assumptions myself. About him, about the lady on the phone, and about the two employees at the desk. I really don't know if I'll get this job or not. It really isn't the point. The point is that we really do let our egos get in the way of our lives. I could have burnt this bridge down so fast and so hard the Fire Marshal would have concluded an accelerant was used. I chose not to. And tomorrow, if I see the same ladies at the desk, I am going to make it right, even if I don't get the job. I am here to build bridges, not destroy them.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
The Arrival
My name is Jordan and I have moved to New York City exactly six hours and fifty minutes ago. I do not have my own place, I do not have a job, and the circumstances that prompted me to move here are less than ideal. But I am here.
When I told my friend Roman about the move he immediately suggested that I start this blog and document my process of becoming a New Yorker. With that being said I will make my first post about my friend and how he happens to be incredible. The first time I gave Roman a ride in my car was in 2006. Upon sitting down and closing the door he said, "I feel like doing shooting a gun, picking up a prostitute and doing a line." I drive a 1990 Mercedes S 360 SDL. Sadly, he did not actually do those things, but the fact that sitting in my car made him want to was rewarding in its own way.
Upon my arrival to Astoria, where I am staying with a close college friend, who also happens to know this Roman guy, shared with me a great story of his own experience. He told me, while at a party involving the amazing Union County, that Roman's drink of choice for the evening was the infamous White Russian. Being a fan of the Dude myself I was interested in where this tale was going. The story went on to a terrifyiing obstacle to anyone who has ever decided to commit to a dairy-based adult beverage: running out of milk. As everyone knows, this is an essential ingredient to the White Russian and needless to say, Roman was rather unhappy. So according to to the story, Roman searched the fridge, which was not his own and found some Whipped Cream via spray can. Being a man who enjoys using improvisation to get him out of any proverbial pickle, Roman then filled a glass with said cream, mixed it with water and looking up at the storyteller, he claimed the glass, "milk."
Some of you may be wondering what this story has to do with me moving to New York. The moral is, no matter how creative or uncreative or passionate or apathetic or sober or inebriated or just plain average you may be, you can always improvise an acceptable milk-substitute.
I'm a fan of Almond Milk myself. In a pinch that is.
I cooked dinner for my gracious host, using coconut milk. Another good substitute.
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