The Things New York City Couldn't (Or Wouldn't) Let Me Have

After recent visits to my hometown of Syracuse, Jon's place outside of Boston, and the California desert where I'll soon relocate temporarily, I can't get this list off my mind.

For 12 years, New York City couldn't find a way to give me:

• A screened-in porch
• A window in the bathroom
• A car
• A boyfriend
• A morning when I could walk without limping (thanks to humidity, flip flops, hangovers...)
• A starry night sky
• A bedroom
• A pet that's not an unwelcome mouse
• A sense of meaning

You have to put a lot into New York in order to get anything out of it. A good cup of coffee, a fun night out on the town, a job in your industry of choice - all of these things come at a cost. These things can drain your bank account as well as your soul. And sometimes you're left asking the timeless question, "What have you done for me lately?"

I'm hoping a trial separation will improve my relationship with the City, but according to this week's issue of Time Out New York, I'm probably ready to go.