Home in the Valley, Home in the City

This quarter is almost over and my mind is already racing in excitement for an impending trip to the Big Bad City That Never Sleeps. I temporarily lost my head when looking at New York hotels online and allowed myself to make a reservation at this ultra posh, painfully hip, all sorts of gorgeous (and not too mention all sorts of expensive) hotel, located just a few seconds away from Times Square.

When I got off the phone with a knowledgeable and enthusiastic hotel employee, the reality began to sink in. That reality being that I am, after all, an unemployed graduate student and though I am pretty well off financially as compared to other poor souls journeying through the perils of grad school, I might not be making a very wise decision by paying $300 a night for a hotel room.

But then my philosophy of "We only live once" made me realize that I won't necessarily be digging a bottomless pit of debt and that I should allow myself to splurge just a little bit as a reward for an insanely productive, insanely work-filled quarter. I'll think of this as my Christmas present to myself.

When I made the reservation, the woman on the other line asked me how many people would be staying in the room, and my response was, "Just one." It made me just a tiny bit regretful that I didn't really have anyone even closely resembling a "significant other" to share the time in New York with. The city is, after all,filled with beauty and lights and joy during Christmas time, and this trip could really be very romantic if I had a sexy dude to take on this trip with me.

It also made me realize how "not into dating" I've become lately. The last date I had was about three weeks ago with another lackluster prospect and though he didn't do or didn't say anything particularly terrible, I found myself wondering just what I was doing accepting the date with him in the first place. It also didn't help that when I offered to split the check for dinner with him, he readily agreed. Don't take me for a mooch, but I like to be wined and dined on a first date.

School has been so much more interesting to me lately. My mind's been filled with all these great ideas and just by immersing myself wholeheartedly in what I am doing for my projects made me mature intellectually at an unprecedented rate.

I've accepted the fact that Ohio men are simply not my cup of tea. I don't feel in a rush to get married or to even seriously date any time soon, unless someone truly incredible comes along. I cannot settle for someone who is kind-of okay, because, really, if the guy is not pushing all the right buttons I have other things to look forward to. Things that do not involve dating. Or awkward dinner conversations. Or excuses to avoid a goodnight kiss. There are things not related to dating that I feel perfectly content in doing.

For now I look forward to my date with New York, the city that has a soft spot in my heart. And though there will be no men to share my journey and experiences with, I will feel no less thrilled to go on this trip. Who knows, maybe I'll even get to flirt with one of the cute Wall Street types somewhere along the way :)