my one year anniversary...

... with New York, that is.

I moved to Brooklyn this day last year, and I have gone through so many changes, from then until now. When I came to this city I knew noone, and I had no knowledge of how the city worked. I remember asking a subway attendant my first week here for directions and confusing avenues for streets. She said, "You're not from around here, are you?" And I said, "No, why?". She then had to explain to me, that there indeed was a difference.

I think that when I moved here, I was nearly fearless. I was not afraid of any area, or situation, because I never knew what there was, or what to expect. Now, I am pretty subway saavy. Starting tomorrow, I will be moving onto my 4th New York neighborhood.

One thing that I apprechiate the most about New York is that nearly every neighborhood is a mini-city within itself, it is so diverse. It is so amazing to me that so much variety can be in one place, that it feels like you could be on the opposite side of the world. But the city is so small sometimes, like when you run into the same ex on 2 occasions, or a friend on a subway they never take, but other times it can be so huge, like when you don't see any other neighborhoods besides the ones you live and work in for a few days.

On that note, tomorrow I move from Alphabet City to another sublet, this time to Astoria, Queens. It is a neighborhood that I already have emotional attachment to, since it is the one I met Jake in, and spent alot of my summer with him there. It feels a bit like going home, but I don't have any real feeling towards moving, I never really do. I sort-of feel like I just go through the motions of changing places. I don't mind moving around, because I don't know if I really like standing still. Although, it seems with most other things in my life, I am reluctant at the prospect of change. I suppose I am just ready. I am excited to start school next week, and excited to get back into a schedule of producing art, and seeing friends that I haven't seen in awhile.

The one year of school that I completed was so fulfilling, and so much fun, that I am looking forward to fall. I can feel it in the air more and more everyday. New York is gorgeous in fall, well, it is gorgeous everytime the season changes because it's like a new beginning, but I especially favor fall. I feel newness, freshness, and excitement. I will surely be very pleased to have a variety of types of New Yorkers to people watch on my morning and evening commutes, in exchange for all of the tourists that have been crowding the trains with their maps and sneakers.

I am excited to start my 5th season in New York, I hope that it will be a good one. This city has shown, and given me alot. I have the job, the boyfriend, and tomorrow the apartment. Not to mention my education. Things are pretty good and I will try to look at this and remember to take things as they come, and to work hard. I will try to meet more people, and remember to take time for myself, because I often find that I never get to go out and enjoy all that NY has to offer, and I won't be afraid to go it alone when friends can't join my expeditions. I will do all that I can, and be inspired to make more photos. And I hope they will be able to have the correct rhetoric to explain what they are.

Dear New York,

All in all, thank you for the most amazing and entertaining year of my life. Let's make this one even better.

I love you more than ever.
-Naomi