It’s been so long since I posted on my website blog, so I thought I’d provide a bit of an update.
Some of you have probably heard from me directly, but in case you haven’t, I wanted to share my big news: I AM MOVING to the Upper West Side!
Back in January, I applied to a program called Still Standing which was created by Stonehenge, a NYC real estate company. It is an artist residency offering 20 creatives free housing for a year, in an effort to support New York’s artistic community. My current apartment lease is coming to an end in March, and I was trying to figure out what to do next. I honestly didn’t hear about Still Standing until less than a week before the due date. Obviously I perked up when I started reading about it, but with only days to apply, I didn’t think I had much of a chance. However, since my current mission is to just try things, I put together my materials and sent in an application.
I mostly tried to forget about it and returned to the dilemma of where I was going to live next, until a few weeks ago when I got a call that I was a finalist! I was asked to provide some more information, and was told that I would get a call in another week if I had been accepted. Part of me was jumping up and down with excitement, and another part was telling myself to calm down, it probably wouldn’t happen. When I got that second call that I had been chosen for the residency, I was so shocked I could barely speak. I still feel a bit dazed.
I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten into this program. Before getting accepted, I honestly didn’t know how I was going to afford to stay in New York City at all. I figured I would move back upstate and then try to return to the city when work started to pick up again (whenever that will be). Instead, I get to stay in the city that I love, create my own music, keep my teaching jobs, and be a part of helping New York recover.
Right now I am knee deep in packing and planning, because I’m moving into my new place next week! It’s all happening so fast I can hardly believe it!