the city of irvine must have manifested from the agitated and irritated mind of someone living in new york: luxuriously wide, perfectly asphalted 4 lane streets,  perfectly kept houses,  edward scissorhands-ian manicured lawns. No trash anywhere, no bums, limited colors of the racial spectrum etc etc... I say this because only until I moved to this city did I appreciate space and uninhibited pedestrian walkways.

i happen to work right in midtown at the corner of Tourist Hell and Workers Inferno. Every morning I take the express train from Union Square and get off at Times Square 42nd street and exasperatedly fight my way past the first set of exit stairs to the further, less congested stairs up to a concrete path which leads to another flight of stairs where I am usually stuck behind someone super slow and forced to stare at someones business-casual arse for a painful 32 steps.  When Im finally exhumed from the subterraneans of manhattan, some hawker is shoving falafel/gyro menus at me or else someone else is asking me if i want to take double decker tour of the city.  i pass by the homeless guy with the infected leg amputation (on my way home I usually pass by him picking at the scabs at the base end of his missing limb) then I pass by the homeless guy whos 60% burned and asking me for change.  I never give him any.

During my 1 avenue and 2 block walk to work,, I pass by 1 or 2 super polished modelly-types headed and  watch the finance guys turn their heads to glance at these women  before their swallowed up by the Conde Nast buildings. From here I have about 5 more minutes until my final destination in which i dodge clouds of construction dust billowing into my face, contemplate turning back and calling in sick,  and unearth my id inside my wallet while 4 impatient people wait for me to open the doors to the office building.

city life is overstimulating at times. i could do without the random bums trying to body slam me and call me names as i cross the street. i could do without other bums tapping my head while i'm trying to read at starbucks. i could deal without lugging 10 extra pounds with me everyday.

 but its fall now and soon it will be winter. i love this city during this time of year, i love how its going to be the holidays soon. time to pull out "love actually" and scarves and uggs :)
seasons greetings everyone

i've been "working" for one year officially- on a payroll, paying taxes, button-up shirts, touching base, the whole kit and kaboodle.  unsurprisingly, I have begun to think a lot about what I want to do when I retire (which i hope is sooner than later...)
 
Assuming I have a well constructed next egg, things i want to do when i'm old and decrepit:

1) plant an organic garden and grow, among other things, seedless watermelon, chinese vegetables, kabocha pumpkin

2) play a lot of tennis

3) live on the beach with a magnificent deck overlooking the water and sip tea with a  cashmere blanket wrapped around my shoulders at night with a mug of tea.

4) travel during the winter months

5) take dance classes with other retired couples

I cant wait to retire!!