so I arrived at the Three City Plan over the holidays after looking around at my life and deciding I was not content.  I needed to take charge of my discontent and figure out some way to be happy.  One of the main reasons I’ve been unhappy lately is my terrible, awful, no-good job.  And I feel like I am in a rut socially and so I thought a change was in order, a BIG change.  Hence, the decision to move.  But since I am going to Africa for about two weeks in July, and the Big Event will likely take place in August, it makes some sense to wait until the fall to relocate. Plus, moving in the dead of the winter? Yikes. 

The problem with having a plan that is really only the rough outline of a plan that will be executed in approximately nine months, is that I have waaaaaaaaaay too much time to think about the Three City Plan (or TCP, for ease of reference).  While in Nashville this weekend, we drove around and looked at all the different neighborhoods and I would close my eyes and try to see myself walking to get java, drinking a beer somewhere, or going for a run.   And I just made plans to go up and visit my parents, who live outside New York City (also a contender in the TCP).    They are going to check out the real estate section of the New York Times this weekend and then we will take a day trip into New York and wander around so I can again close my eyes and try to see myself walking to get java, drinking a beer somewhere, or going for a run. 

But I worry that I am overthinking this process.  S had an interview on Thursday, accepted the job on Friday, and gave his notice on Monday.  He moved about three weeks later.  And he wanted to leave earlier, but some logistical difficulties at his new place caused a delay.  When we had coffee before he left, he was facing a week in his house without having to work.   Usually a glass-half-full-kind-of-girl, I tried to say how nice it would be to take his time packing and saying goodbye to his home of ten-plus years.  He shrugged his shoulders and commented that maybe having a lot of time to think about the big change he was making wasn’t such a good thing.

And that’s what I am wondering for myself.   Having decided to do something nine months ahead of time is giving me over nine months to obsess about my options.  I wonder if having three possible cities out there is too much – maybe I should just pick one, rather than spend hours on the Internet thinking about my options.  If I go to NYC, should live in Manhattan? Or maybe Brooklyn? Should I rent or maybe buy? What kind of jobs should I apply for? Do I want to keep lawyering? Am I qualified to do anything else? Those last few questions apply to each of the three cities, but I am now worrying maybe sitting around, thinking about my options, weighing my choices, and generally overthinking this whole move, is not a very good plan.  I think it might make sense to shelve this decision for awhile as it may drive me absolutely batty.

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