Today is June 16th, 2025. I've been back in NYC for over 6 weeks now, and I just love NYC so much. The last few days have been a bit rough because I have been sick with a really bad cold or some sort of flu. I am on the tail end of it now, though, so things are looking very positive. Work has been going well, at the beginning I was feeling really out of place at work, not so much because of the staff as they were always very welcoming and immediately embraced me as one of their own, but more so because I was feeling misaligned with the work as it felt like a distraction from my more aspirational hospitality goals. Lately, I have been feeling much better about going to work, and I have hopes that it isn't just a short-term feeling of contentment. Business is supposed to slow down in July/August, so I will more than likely see a significant decrease in wages and hours, but maybe that isn't such a bad thing either, as it will give me a bit more time to explore the city. Lastly, Something I want to work on is using my free time a little better, some days I am at work from 11am - 11pm so there isn't much I can do on those days, but it's the days when I don't go into work until 4pm that I am not taking advantage of the mornings. I plan to Join crunch fitness in the near future when I can lock down a good monthly rate but also I want to get out and about much earlier in the day. In summary, really loving NYC right now, excited to keep growing here.
Current Balance $3,000
Today is May 31st, 2025. Recently, I have been feeling conflicted about my work. I needed an emergency job when arriving to New York, and I got one as a server, but I quickly realized that serving doesn't align with my goals of owning hospitality businesses, and that has been rough going to work every day, feeling like I am working against myself in a way. The conflicting feeling I am experiencing is mainly the fact that the Serving job is paying quite nicely, also given that I was nearly homeless before arriving to NYC and even after arriving to NYC homelessness still being a real possibility, I have to admit it feels pretty darn good to be making money even if the job doesn't quite align to my aspirations. So, where do we go from here? My Two options are I could pivot to something that aligns more closely to what I eventually want to do such as Hotel operations which would give me a nice bridge into hotel ownership down the line, or I can keep this job that is physically hard on my body, takes my nights, works me all the time and is providing nicely for me. You may be surprised, but for now, I think I am going to stay put in the job with plans to pivot down the line.
Current Balance $2,100
Today is May 19th, 2025. What a week! Earlier this week, I found out that I wouldn't get my first paycheck for three weeks!! (See last week's: Current Balance $358.) I was able to get an advance from HR to keep me afloat while I wait, but I didn't calculate a 3-week waiting period into my moving plan after finding a job, which goes to show how optimistic I was in my move back to NYC. My landlord also told me he no longer had a person in mind for a lease takeover, so I will be able to stay longer than six weeks. Work has been crazy, but it's going well. I am adjusting to it slowly, making great money, but just coming off of working 3 doubles back to back has been a real shock to my body, and my feet are destroyed. As negative as this entry is sounding, there are some real big wins here. 1. I got an advance at work to stay afloat. 2. I don't have to move in a couple of weeks. 3. I am adjusting to my job and making good money. Overall, my spirits are high being back in NYC, and I feel like I am starting to stabilize. The future is positive.
Current Balance $526
Today is May 12th, 2025. It's been a crazy few days... My job seems to be going well; I have a lot to improve on still, but it's a process. All of my days seem kind of jumbled up together but, I concluded training with a Saturday brunch shift which also went well, I originally was only supposed to work brunch that day until they asked me to stay to work a double, still getting used to being on my feet for that long in a day as well as all the running around I was completely exhausted but I finally made some tip money. Mother's Day was the next, and getting home at midnight just to wake up and get ready for work at 8 am on what was being hyped up as one of our busiest days of the year, which I was scheduled for another double, meant I was not just still tired but very nervous. Mother's Day went great, though I learned we don't give refills on anything except coffee, and that a lot of people don't show up for their reservations even though we staff for it. We also had a Chef quit in the middle of brunch service. I still have a long way to go, but I am starting to feel comfortable in my role. The rest of the staff have also been very welcoming. Saturday the 10th marked 1 week of being back in NYC, and I can honestly say that I made the right choice in coming back. I have 5 weeks to find a permanent room now lol.
Current Balance $358
Today is May 8th, 2025. I got a JOB!! I'm a server! Yesterday, after going to the interview, I was invited to stay to shadow. Today I also did some training, mostly looking at dishes as they came out of the kitchen to distinguish what was what. Having been in the restaurant industry off and on, I am both very excited and nervous. I am rusty and relearning everything again after a 2.5-year break is a bit daunting, but I do have to give credit to the place that I am at, which has been nice so far. It has been made clear to me, however, that I will need to be ready for chaos come Sunday (Mother's Day). I can be ready for that with a few more shifts, but I am just a bit anxious about it. Anyway, this is more of a short update, but I am proud of myself for getting a job after 3 days of actually looking and going hard and 4 days of being in NYC, not just with applying but reaching out to my contacts. I can only hope the money will be great.
Current Balance $640
Today is May 6th, 2025. Today marks 3 days in NYC. The city has been under a constant rainstorm since I returned, and while the urgency of finding a job has been at the forefront of my agenda, I am reminded that New York doesn't wait for anyone. This is a city of show up, and I love it for that. Yesterday, I hit the ground running after a quick trip to Staples for 25 copies of my resume, intending to battle against the rain and walk into Bars and restaurants demanding a face-to-face with the hiring manager to offer my amazing services, as you would guess, it didn't end up happening like that. My efforts were met with mostly denial from a host of some sort at the front, letting me know that the manager was too busy, and I could leave a resume with them, even though they are not hiring. I turned to Craigslist and continued to apply for jobs. I ended up having 2 interviews, the 1st was a walk-in interview, and I was told that I was not what they were looking for, as it was a morning serving job intended for single mothers, or caregivers. In my second interview, I was invited to a Zoom interview. I sat there for 1 hour in the Zoom waiting room until I was eventually disconnected and never interviewed. While I still don't know why I was never interviewed yesterday, the time wasn't a complete waste. I received an email for an Interview invite today, as well as a text message from an old HR manager with an interview invite for Wednesday. I went to the interview today, and it seemed to be going okay until suddenly the interview wrapped up quickly out of the blue. I opted not to go door to door in the crazy rain today, with the hope of the interview tomorrow working out, but if it shouldn't, I will be right back out there tomorrow.
Currently Balance $735
Today is May 4th, 2025. I have officially been back in NYC for 24 hours, and I am feeling back in my element, but with some caveats. I don't think NYC is for everyone anymore, but it is for me. I love everything about NYC, the energy, the opportunity, the pace, and the grit. But those things are not for everyone, especially the level of grit that may ask you for change when you struggle to pay for the subway ride you're on yourself. Then there is the pace, I love the fast pace of the city. I can't say that everyone would be accustomed to keeping up, though, you end up walking 15,000 steps without meaning to and along the way you start to notice that it might have only been 10,000 if those who are walking so slow could pick up their pace then you wouldn't have to take the extra steps to navigate around them. The energy of NYC is intoxicating, a vibe and a pulse of the city reminding you every second that you are alive and you're present. Opportunity is where I find myself now, in search of it as I resettle into NYC, which I feel has been calling me back immediately after leaving 2 and a half years ago. I am lucky to be back in my old room, the landlord allowing me to stay for $250 a week, though for only 6 weeks as I reestablish myself. The goal for this week is to have a Serving or Bartending job by Friday, really any job that has tips for immediate cash on hand, and that is where I am at so far.
Currently have $800.