New York

In early December, I realized that I had a unique opportunity. Half of the team for my current work project is based out of New York, and I work with them regularly enough that it made sense to spend time with them in person rather than on the phone for a few days. With that as my justification, I changed my previously booked Christmas travel plans to return to the States a week early. I ended up working out of my client's midtown office for the last week before Christmas, rather than from here in London.

Whereas I'd originally expected to see at most one or two people and spend all of 12 hours in NYC, Kai ended up being incredibly gracious and letting me crash at her place for a full week. I still worked during the days, but it was a great opportunity to catch up with friends over lunches, dinners, Christmas parties, and the like. We did sushi lunches in midtown, John's Pizza twice, Italian in the city, PF Changs with Kai, Sam, and Susan, a slice from Benny Tudino's after a beer at the Goldhawk, and a few other places as well.

Oh, and what would a week in New York have been without the obligatory Road Runners race? Thank you to Steve for driving me up to Central Park on a snowy, 20 degree morning to do our 15k run... the snow on the trees, the CNN sign showing 23 degrees during the race, the fact that they collected our chips before we even got to the start line... it was great!

After a dinner at a midtown bistro that Saturday night, I got into a rental car and drove down to Mechanicsburg to spend Christmas week with the family.

My most substantial realization during this week happened on an early Sunday morning run, my first weekend in town. As I was running through the quiet streets of Hoboken, I realized for the first time how much that area had started to become my home. In some ways, it felt more like I belonged there, having returned after six months abroad, than it ever had when I actually lived in the area. Much can happen in the next year, and it is by no means certain that I will be returning to New York following this time in London, but I did realize that as much as being in London now is the right choice, I will at some point want to be closer to home -- whether in the NY area or in another east coast city.