jayroop

It is way too early for me to be awake. 5am and I am cruising (probably the wrong choice of word) through San Francisco with some strangers knees jutting into my back on the way to the airport. I don’t know when I will be back to this city, but one thing is certain - it won’t be on the same terms.

Generally, it has been a successful trip, receiving good feedback from NY to SF. I’m not tooting my own horn, but if I’m honest, it has been nice to hear people’s feedback. However, maybe like most journeys in life, I have been left with more questions than answers. Oh, and a lot more confusion, too.

So long San Francisco, I may be rolling out but am I rolling on?

From Here to There

So this past week has been a blur of movement, from Baltimore to New York to San Francisco and on Tuesday, back again. (My apologies, but this will be more of a summation of these events.)

My job search has led me to these places both near and far and along the way I have run into a fair number of friends. At Meg’s Birthday in New York I saw many friends in one place (can you ask for a better thing?) and had my entire job search world turned upside down by none other than the realization (again) that I enjoy my friends all too much to easily uproot myself and transplant myself onto the west coast.

It actually took one of the partners at a studio that I interviewed at (they are, unfortunately, not hiring at this point in time) who spun my own work and words back around me in such a clever way that I couldn’t help but seriously consider his words.

This project was for a travel agent who specialized in setting up more “adventurous” vacations, hence the name, Gallivant Nouveau (my own naming). Josh (who interviewed me) said that it takes a certain amount of up rooting if you really want to gallivant and that I should keep that in mind when making my decision. He also said, “You can come to New York City and 5 years of your life will go by and you will wonder what you’ve been doing all this time.”

And so, this has been on my mind quite a bit. Or rather, it helped snap me out of my determination to make New York work for me.

My time in San Francisco has been chock full of running all over the place. That is the reason for the lack of updates (I’ve tried to keep those on Facebook in the know with my status, but not everyone can see that). In a nutshell here is what I have done:

Thursday
- Arrival in SF
- Met my cousin at her apartment where I am staying

Friday
- Intervew #1 @ Albertson Design (http://www.albertsondesign.com) went very well
- Interview #2 @ Noise13 (http://www.noise13.com) also went very well (+ they have 2 dogs!)
- Met with my friend Sarah from the high school days in Maryland and her boyfriend, got burritos, went out to a couple bars and stayed the night

Saturday
- Lazy day, took a nap
- Went out with my cousin and her roommates to a party and then Hookah bar

Sunday
- Met a friend of a friend in Berkley, went to lunch and then to Amoeba Records on Telegraph
- Relaxed in the afternoon!

Today
- Interview #3 @ Mende Design (http://www.mendedesign.com) went very well (this is a trend, apparently)
- Made baklava with one of my cousin’s roommates
- Dinner with cousin and roommates + friends

All Loud on the Western (and Eastern) Front

So, for whatever reason, I have thus far had good feedback from all of my interviews (still waiting to hear from Interview #3 which was today and I have a second interview at Moment Design in New York this Friday). It’s a bit overwhelming and I really have no idea what to do. Maybe I will have some heart to hearts with people this weekend. I just don’t feel equipped to handle this kind of decision despite the fact that it is mine to make in the end. So, who knows what will happen…I certainly don’t.

I’m finding it harder than ever (despite the lack of anything to hold me back) to take the plunge. The question becomes, with the ability to do anything I please and go wherever I want to go, which side will win out?

Old + Familiar or New + Exciting?

Stable + Secure or Wild + Spontaneous?

New York or San Francisco?

Solids or Stripes?