life happens

Just two years ago I had a mini panic attack when I realized I had $30 to last me for nine days until my next paycheck. That with no credit cards.

It wasn't just the lack of funds, but the fact that the apartment next to mine had burnt to a nice crisp a mere week before. The idea that if a catastrophe of any kind was to occur (such as another blackout, god forbid 9/11, or something new) I would be SOL.

Ah, good times.

Looking back I am amazed I didn't freak out more often. But I think I didn't because I knew that by living in NYC I had chosen to live "frugally". I would pay over a grand a month on rent in trade for eating one box of pasta for a week. Still don't regret it.

But I don't bring this up to say "oh poor me" or quote some "when I was a kid I walked a mile in three feet of snow" kind of stuff. More to point out how quickly life can change.

That was two years ago. Only. And here I am with my debt paid off and making enough money that I can potentially save for and buy an apartment in manhatty in a year or so. When in it the two years seemed like forever, but such is the beauty of hindsight.

Really I am fortunate not only that I could do this, move to NYC and six years later live in relative security, but that I had the expanse of life experiences before moving here that enabled me to do so. Without all of my adventures I would not of had the gumption or the skills to wrestle my way from uber debt to financial freedom so quickly. If you can call $1350 a month rent free. (Oh equity, I dream of you so.)