Joy Salsa in the FieDie

I have spent the last several weeks working in the financial district, lovingly referred to as the FieDie. The buildings are tall, the wind is cold and the people are in a hurry. But living in this world of what I like to call "grown-ups," I find that like anywhere else, there is joy to be found. For example, on St. Patrick's Day, no where else in the city did I see so many people dressing in green for the occasion. Walking across an intersection in a diagonal (Tokyo Style) the street was filled with pastel greens mixed into business suits and high heels.


Another joy I discovered recently is just how other smaller business (mainly eateries) feed off of their monster-sized skyscraper hosts. Every restaurant is focused on take-out at lightening speed. This proves to be difficult for me as I am a slooooooow eater and decision-maker. On several occasions I have become check-out road kill as people plow past me. Today, I also experienced being check-out road kill at an amazing little frozen yogurt stand called Yoppi on Montgomery. First off, I had to choose which flavor I wanted out of the six they offered. Did I want them swirled? A sampler of each flavor? A giant cup of only one? As I was deciding, a stampede of people charged in to the tiny shop and I hastily picked two flavors. But then came the toppings! Chocolate Chips? Fruity Pebbles? Oreo Cookies? Cap'n Crunch!? By this time, my friends had already paid for their creations so I quickly chose Cap'n Crunch on the recommendation of Amymole. But what spoon color do I want? Ah! So many fun decisions! Pink! I chose pink! After I paid for my snack, the clerk moved my cup of joy off the scale to hurry me along right after I paid. I can't help it. I don't move fast. I savor. Even if it involves choosing a spoon color.

We giggled like giddy children as we headed back to the office with our prizes. Amymole took the cake for most amazing creation. I couldn't even really tell all that was involved in this masterpiece, but it looks like I feel on my birthday.


Wednesday was my last day working in the financial district and I know a part of me is going to miss it. When you're a kid, or at least when I was, I always pictured being in an Ally McBeal suit, walking with many other people in suits to my important office in a big and important building, making important decisions every day. In reality, I am a freelancer who craves travel, scraping by each month's rent, wearing whatever was on sale and working in various locales. Both are great as long as you find happiness in to some degree. We can't always be 100% happy all of the time, that's just unrealistic, but we can sure shoot for 80% of the time. That's my goal anyway. And having Cap'n Crunch on top of frozen yogurt raises me at least 15% for the day.