"Are You Committed To Boston?"
I get asked this question a bit lately, whenever recruiters reach out. They either know me from my time in NYC, or have discovered my LinkedIn profile and have a position they want to talk to me about... In the event I am ready to leave my current sabbatical or know of someone who may be a good fit for the role they are scouting.
They are always hoping I'll be willing to move to NYC for a role they are trying to fill.
My response is always, "Yes. I decided to prioritize where I wanted to live over my career. Even if it means I end up with 'no career.' Or if I end up doing something completely different than I was doing."
I was on a plane yesterday afternoon, flying back from my vacation in Providenciales to my home in Toronto. While our flight had DirectTV, we weren't able to pick up a signal till we were about 30 minutes off of the mainland. So for the first three hours, I was unaware of what had unfolded at the Boston Marathon just as I was boarding my flight.
Because it was a Canadian airline, the DirectTV channel options I had available were not the best. There was one news channel that was providing any sort of real coverage, and it annoyed the crap out of me. I was longing for MSNBC or CNN; and was even willing to settle for Fox News.
As soon as I landed in Toronto, I had many texts, emails and Facebook messages to reply to. People checking on me, checking on my friends, checking on if I knew what had happened... Very kind and concerned people.
Everyone I know in Boston is fine. Shaken. But fine.
I don't live far from where the finish line to the marathon is. The Bikram studio I go to is the next block up on Boylston. The acupuncturist I see is on that same block. The gym I go to is two blocks away. The place where I do most of my shopping is across the street from where the second explosion happened. I know this area very well. And knew exactly what stores the first bomb went off in front of, as well as the restaurant that the second bomb went off in front of.
There's going to be a lot of shake-up in the day-to-day in that area today.
Boston's not a complex city. What you see is what you get with the people that live there. No one is fake. People are smart. They are helpful when you need it. Which is clearly evident after yesterday.
When I got through the customs machine that scans my iris at Pearson Airport, there were a large number of armed customs agents working the Exit door. I got hammered with questions, even though I am labeled a frequent traveler and "non-threatening." I didn't mind it, given what had happened. But it is unusual to see so many people standing around in near riot-gear and carrying guns in Toronto.
"What do you do here?" the agent who took my scan sheet asked. He wanted to know what I did for a living, since I had to present my Permanent Residency card to him.
I laughed.
"I don't work," I told him.
"Then how do you pay for stuff here?" he asked, sniping at me.
"My husband works," I explained, also having to add what my husband does for a living - as the man asked. My answer more than appeased him.
"I am likely just between jobs though," I added. "I'm just taking a break."
What I omitted, though, was that if I take a job... It won't be in Canada. It will be in Boston.
I am committed to Boston. I'm committed to my husband too. And he to me. And he knows how important Boston is to me. I appreciate that.
They are always hoping I'll be willing to move to NYC for a role they are trying to fill.
My response is always, "Yes. I decided to prioritize where I wanted to live over my career. Even if it means I end up with 'no career.' Or if I end up doing something completely different than I was doing."
I was on a plane yesterday afternoon, flying back from my vacation in Providenciales to my home in Toronto. While our flight had DirectTV, we weren't able to pick up a signal till we were about 30 minutes off of the mainland. So for the first three hours, I was unaware of what had unfolded at the Boston Marathon just as I was boarding my flight.
Because it was a Canadian airline, the DirectTV channel options I had available were not the best. There was one news channel that was providing any sort of real coverage, and it annoyed the crap out of me. I was longing for MSNBC or CNN; and was even willing to settle for Fox News.
As soon as I landed in Toronto, I had many texts, emails and Facebook messages to reply to. People checking on me, checking on my friends, checking on if I knew what had happened... Very kind and concerned people.
Everyone I know in Boston is fine. Shaken. But fine.
I don't live far from where the finish line to the marathon is. The Bikram studio I go to is the next block up on Boylston. The acupuncturist I see is on that same block. The gym I go to is two blocks away. The place where I do most of my shopping is across the street from where the second explosion happened. I know this area very well. And knew exactly what stores the first bomb went off in front of, as well as the restaurant that the second bomb went off in front of.
There's going to be a lot of shake-up in the day-to-day in that area today.
Boston's not a complex city. What you see is what you get with the people that live there. No one is fake. People are smart. They are helpful when you need it. Which is clearly evident after yesterday.
When I got through the customs machine that scans my iris at Pearson Airport, there were a large number of armed customs agents working the Exit door. I got hammered with questions, even though I am labeled a frequent traveler and "non-threatening." I didn't mind it, given what had happened. But it is unusual to see so many people standing around in near riot-gear and carrying guns in Toronto.
"What do you do here?" the agent who took my scan sheet asked. He wanted to know what I did for a living, since I had to present my Permanent Residency card to him.
I laughed.
"I don't work," I told him.
"Then how do you pay for stuff here?" he asked, sniping at me.
"My husband works," I explained, also having to add what my husband does for a living - as the man asked. My answer more than appeased him.
"I am likely just between jobs though," I added. "I'm just taking a break."
What I omitted, though, was that if I take a job... It won't be in Canada. It will be in Boston.
I am committed to Boston. I'm committed to my husband too. And he to me. And he knows how important Boston is to me. I appreciate that.
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