Two months in

Today marks exactly two months since I have been in NYC.

Changes I have noticed:

• I am back to my college ways of walking long ways and not thinking it is a big deal.  I remember just a few weeks before I left St. Louis when I didn't want to walk a couple blocks to get a smoothie, now I walk several blocks to get to the train each day and walk a lot to get places.  It now feels strange when I get into a car.
• Even though I am walking a lot, I feel as though I have put on weight because of the lack of cooking home meals the first month+ that I was here as well as the yummy food I can get in the city.  I have started to cook more at home, but even with that, I feel more hungry throughout the day than I used to and end up eating more than I used to.
• I am able to tell tourists pretty easily - before they even pull out their maps.
• I have become a regular at the wine shop by my school.  So much so that when I walk in the clerk doesn't have to ask my name anymore.  He just reaches into the notecard file (think Dewey Decimal System) to find my name while I pull out the money to pay.
• I have neighbors who recognize me and say hi when I walk by.
• I don't think leaving the house before 6 is a big deal when going to work.  I like when I get there by 6:30 so I can be the first to use the ancient, slow copy machine before it gets crowded with the morning rush of teachers.
• I was a good packer before - even became the go-to person for my boo when he traveled so that I could get everything to fit and fit well in his bag.  I now pack my bag with another bag when I go grocery or other shopping, pull out the bag from the pack and stuff both of them expertly for the trip home.
• I take power naps on the subway to and from work.
• I know the times when the subway will be most crowded on the way home and I know where best to enter the train to avoid the masses.
• I feel like I have become better at my sly-style people watching so I, hopefully, don't look like it is all still amazing to me.

I thought I was really at home, but just two days ago, I got off the subway and thought to myself, "I actually live here?" I guess, it is still unbelievable in some ways.

The circumstances for moving came so quick and were so unexpected, that it sometimes feels as though I am just on vacation or something.

That is, until I have to pay the exorbitant rent at the start of the month.