Happy Anniversary, New York!

I thought about writing a long account of my last four years in New York, but the last four entries have been quite wordy (blame it on the creative writing degree). Long story short: Four years and five days ago, I called my grandparents on a Monday and asked if I could move in that Saturday, May 12. I bought a one-way ticket and hoped I could find a job in the city. Clearly, that decision has been working out for me.

So, happy four-year anniversary, New York! I know we had a thirteen-year separation, but I am glad to be back.

And to give you guys a break from the words, I've decided to construct a bit of a photo essay to show some of things I've done over the last four years (in no specific order):

I've walked the Brooklyn Bridge at least five times.

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I've seen at least 20 Broadway/Off-Broadway shows (some of them I had already seen while visiting NYC over the years), including: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Avenue Q, A Behanding in Spokane, Damn Yankees, Equus, Everyday Rapture, Hair, Hairspray, In the Heights, Legally Blonde, The Lion King, A Little Night Music, Next to Normal, Race, Rent, Spamalot, Spring Awakening, West Side Story, White Christmas, Xanadu, and Young Frankenstein.

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I've played hostess to some fantastic visitors.

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I've been to a lot of Yankees games (of course!) at both the old and new stadium, and even witnessed the Yankees winning the World Series in a New York City bar with other fans (so nice to be in the majority again). I also got to go into the Yankees boardroom . . . that was pretty awesome!

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I was photographed (unbeknowst to me till a coworker brought it up) by a fashion blogger who I had previously labeled as a creepy old man with a camera. Turns out, he took it because I was reading the paper after Obama's win, and it had nothing to do with my hot-pink tights or funky backward knees.

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I've continued playing a lot of sports: dodgeball, kickball (not pictured), football (though I didn't play this season), and softball (champions last fall!).

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I've gone to three A&M/UT Chili Cookoffs . . . and am counting down the days till my fourth (nine, in case you were wondering). Not to mention the four Musters and countless A&M football and basketball game watches I've attended.

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I've gotten closer with friends from high school (Ginna and Asad) and college (Ginna again, Andrea and Brad) thanks to the fact that we all moved from Texas to NYC.

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I've been to the U.S. Open twice.

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I've gotten to meet (or at least take a photo with) some cool celebs, including Christopher Meloni (of Law & Order: SVU fame) and Cheyenne Jackson (saw him on Broadway in Xanadu when he wasn't as famous, then he started doing work on 30 Rock and Glee). I also went to a press event for Billy Elliot that Sir Elton John showed up to . . . so I got to hear him play the piano and sing in an auditorium of about two hundred people.

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I found a job I like, but what's more important, I've found coworkers who make it even more worthwhile to come in every day.

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I finally got to play the piano at FAO Schwarz. (Every time I went there as a kid, the piano was broken.)

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I've taken MegaBus and/or Bolt Bus many times to get out of the city for a weekend, mainly to visit Sara in D.C. Though I also used to take the bus to Philly (to see Jennie) and Boston (to see Ginna).

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I've been to the Guggenheim, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the MOMA.

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I've seen the seasons change! Yes, I realize this happens in most places . . . but not so much in Houston or College Station.

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And well, I guess the most obvious . . . I met my husband. The top photo was taken about fifteen minutes after we met (don't worry, I didn't ask to have it taken, I'm not that creepy).

So that's four years in a nutshell, I guess. I'm sure there are things I've left out, there's just so much you can do in this city . . . and it has been four years after all. Let's make the next year great, New York!