Sunday, January 25, 2009

New York, the slippery streets and the “Flat-Irony-Building”

Hang in there with me I know this blog is long but its worth it. Trust me!

The first week of work and life in my new hometown has been very…interesting, to say the least. I can say very little about my work due to confidentiality contract, but what I can tell you is that I am working on the Next Food Network Star Season Five. Some of my duties include post-production responsibilities, production assistant, and set run job duties. The work is tedious but I find fulfillment knowing how essential my role is to the overall process of producing reality TV.

Being in this city for just one week, I have realized that irony falls upon me daily like the foreign concept of snow has for the past couple of days, although it warmed up to a very nice forty-three degrees today. I began to notice the ironic situations that seem to rotate like the revolving doors that are on every sky-scraper in this city. For example, I walk into the 555 building where I work. The lobby level is a BMW showroom, as I work in the BMW building. As irony would have it, I have to walk by a china cabinet housing vehicles over sixty thousand dollars, and yet I am catching the elevator right by it to go up to the eighth floor to work on a paupers salary.

Maybe the irony that I have lived along a river my entire life. Back home it was the Mighty Mississippi and here it is the Iceberg Present Hudson River. No lie! I have a great view from my office window of the Hudson. Like a country boy new to the city, I asked why was there so much trash floating in the river. Was that the debris from the US Airways plane crash that happened right in front of our office view. My co-workers laughed. I said what’s so funny. That’s icebergs floating “Southey” as they call me. How was I supposed to know. The only think I have seen in the water back home were trash, gambling boats and barges. The gambling boats was a foreign concept to them.

Or if that doesn’t scream irony for you like roar of the subways underneath the city, how about the irony of running into a former co-worker at the Early Show on your way home from work, and she tells you how she is getting married to someone you both interned with. ODD yes, ironic maybe?

But the week has been good. I must tell you though that this southerner has fallen. Not spiritually but physically. I now have learned that melted snow turns to…. Yep you guessed it, ICE. I was walking along the street and as you will learn if you ever visit, the Avenues are much longer than your city streets. Well there was this old man shoveling the storefront. Reading a book that my brother-in-law gave me and I wont lie, somewhat dancing to my ipod, I began to feel my feet sliding out from under me. So like a newborn fawn learning to take his first steps, the top half of my body began flailing around. And of course you know you try to be graceful and catch your balance as you slip and slide. Well the only thing caught was my body as I slid and stumbled and flailed along for about half the avenue and landed… on my butt then sliding right into a cab tire. All I could do was laugh. I laughed so hard, of course not realizing how loud I was since the music was cranked up. Everyone came up and said are you okay, and all I could do was laugh. One middle eastern lady laughed and then I made eye contact with her and she felt ashamed but I told her I was glad I could bring some entertainment to her day and we both laughed. Luckily the only thing hurt was the curb.

I have posted a video virtual tour of my place. Check it out to see my apartment in Queens!s

The times that I make a fool of myself and no one here to witness them. I had the chance to share my faith with a co-worker and about trusting God. It was a random opportunity but I saw it open and walked in. It was only in sharing about my trust in the recent decision to move, that I realized I needed to thank you all for your support, confidence and faith in me that I could embark on this journey. I didn’t believe in myself at first but now I can say thanks for pushing me off the cliff, cause I knew how to fly I just didn’t want to get my wings dirty. Thanks for the push, its what I needed, just have to make sure that when I land, its not on slippery ice!

 Peace, Love and NYC,

Dillon


Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Big Bird Always Asked... Do You Know the People in Your Neighborhood, in your neighborhood.... Oh You Know How the Song Goes

First a very Happy Birthday to my mom today!

Secondly, hey everybody I am posting this blog mid-week to tell you about my first day and as the title says, a little bit about the place I am living. QUEENS, New York. Its a place that many describe as a melting pot of cultures. The closest northerners, get to a gumbo. Queens is home to over 100 different ethnic groups.  Near by Forest Hills and Kew Gardens is predominantly Jewish and Italian, while Woodside (where I live) Rockaway Beach, Long Island City house the Irish.  Its a very diverse population and am getting to know the people and the area in my neighborhood. So by now you are wondering where the coon-asses are right? Yeah well I am nice and warm in my apartment tonight!

The first day of work went really well, met new people and reunited with one I interned with here in NYC back in 2007. The work is tedious but, its work that is essential to the whole reality TV competition process. I enjoyed the day while they are long, it is a good sense of accomplishment when its time to turn in for the night. Today was the first day that we did not get snow since I have been here. And as you can tell from the pictures it is nothing like the SNEAUX we get down home. 

Friday for dinner two former interns and myself are having dinner to catch up from the two years we last spoke and saw one another. And you can expect a blog post this weekend with two funny stories about my escapades and mishap on the way to work this week... and I do mean mishap! 

You know I have to leave you in suspense... until then,
Peace, Love, and NYC,
Dillon

Sunday, January 18, 2009

I Thought This Place Looked Familiar



I found this place just the way I left it. Busy, crowded, lifelike, and yet seemed like a natural fit at the same time. The move went well, although still adjusting. While the highest temperature over the past three days doesn't even total 50 it has been a very nice change from the Louisiana heat. My room is "set-up" and my bags unpacked, making this move seem a lot more permanent than what I guess I originally was expecting. I am living in Queens, NY and its a nice transition from the hustle and bustle of living in noisy midtown where I lived last time. Its only a 15-20 minute subway ride max into the city. I like it because its a very homey feeling type of place. Last night, I realized how conveniently located my place is too. A Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond, 2 Home Depots, Sports Authority, grocery store, laundry mat, and eateries galore all within walking distance of my place. Its a place that I can say I am proud to call home. Everything just seems to be falling into place and the blessings keep coming. I went to church this morning at the same church I went to when I was here the last time, and was like I had been there all along. It was nice to feel welcomed in such a big place. As big as it is, (I am sure as you would expect) I ran into someone I knew. This city doesn't seem so big after all. Work starts tomorrow morning and I am excited and ready. I have posted  a few pictures for you to see my neighborhood. Its funny a small town boy in this big ol city, here we go! Deep breath. Hold on. Dive in.

Peace, Love and NYC,
Dillon
             

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Your news on the move...


Three days is not a very long time to make a decision that will more than likely change the rest of your life, but that is about how long I had. I have decided to chase the dream, and accepted a position in New York to work with on The Next Food Network Star. It is the Food Network's reality show that gives ten new finalists the chance to compete for the biggest prize on television: their own Food Network show.

I am so fortunate and blessed at the opportunity and can not wait to begin work on Monday January 19th. Please keep in touch and join me as I take the leap of faith in moving on Friday the 16th.

This blog is your one-stop-shop to find out the latest on my adventures in one of the greatest cities in America.