Sound to Sound

Political Process

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:51:07 +0000

It’s incredible to think that another general election cycle is here. I clearly remember the 2008 New Hampshire primary for both Republicans and Democrats. And now, here we go again. Who wants to be the POTUS anyway? Do any of the candidates truly believe that they can accomplish what they promise? Shouldn’t the message be more of: “If I am elected and I have a majority in Congress that agrees with me, and there have been no other issues or events that require my significant attention, I will attempt to do [blank]. . .”. I mean, c’mon, just look at the stalemate this country is in. I agree that something needs to be done, but this country is too large for any one person to achieve all that is necessary. It must start out at a more local level, gain momentum from there, just like the Occupy movement, but more mainstream. There must be some type of unity across social, racial and political boundaries.

For the past eight years I have lived in either New York or California. Although I don’t always agree with everything my colleagues or neighbors believe in, I have generally felt more or less in line with their values and principles. It’s not until I meet someone from a very different part of the country that I realize how divided we are. I’m moderately conservative for those that know me on the coasts, but I would probably be starkly liberal in other parts of the United States. Representing each of these constituents is what makes this democratic republic so great; it is also what makes achieving any one goal together so difficult.

I remember holding my oldest daughter while watching TV the night that President Obama was elected in November 2008. It was a hopeful and memorable sight. But here we are, with little changed for the country. Personally, I will be forever thankful that my family and I have been blessed during these past few years, but the change and hopes that many longed for have been unrealized. And the President’s time in office stands at just over 365 days and counting. I don’t like to get into political discussions too often, but I can only imagine what non-Americans think of when viewing what happens in the U.S. every four years on the political stage. What a waste of money that could have been put to work elsewhere. And once a new president is elected, I can only wish him luck in achieving the tasks that lie ahead.

A year without Neko

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:20:23 +0000

I wrote the below text over a year ago, once our cat ran away in New York. A year and over three thousand miles later, now living on the west coast, I can honestly say that the move has been good for our family and we are happy here. And Neko’s memory will forever live on. Maybe one day we will think about getting another cat here in California. But Neko, like any loved one, is not easy to replace.

_________________________________________

Over five years ago I finally gave in to my wife’s pleas for us to get a cat. We were in a small apartment at the time and I was hesitant at first. But I eventually agreed and we brought home a beautiful, mixed female cat from the local animal shelter. Her name in the shelter was Vixen. Once we brought her home, we named her Neko. That cat, thanks to her friendly and loving nature, soon became a good friend and a stable and fun part of our household. After living in two different apartments, my wife and I bought a house and in we moved in with our two daughters and cat (who, by the way, we have had longer than either one of our daughters). In our house, she had more room to roam, but also had easier access to get outside through the front door. The first time she escaped, I didn’t think I would see her again. But she soon came back and we cleaned her up. We then developed a scheme to keep her in the house as we were entering and leaving. But she still whined by the door at times, yearning for the adventure and excitement of a few hours outside.

Last week I was in Switzerland when Neko got out again. No one at home was concerned, as Neko had always come home before after escaping from the house. It was cold and dark and it was expected that she would return shortly. But today, more than a week after she sprinted down our front porch steps, she has yet to come back. I like to think that she might find her way back one day, but it has been unbearably cold and snowy. It is sad to think that Neko has either found a new home or is sadly dead. I can’t think of any other alternative, but hope she is okay wherever she is.

So this post is for her. Yes, I know Neko is a cat (and I swear I’m not a cat guy). But she was our cat and I took care of her more than anyone else in our house. She was a fun addition and I will miss her. Wherever you are Neko, know that we won’t forget you.

Zuccotti Park

jerrysanchez47 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 08:52:24 +0000

There was a time that I walked by Zuccotti Park, the epicenter of Occupy Wall Street, daily on my way to work. Not wanting to deal with the additional crowds of the express trains headed downtown from Grand Central and having a few minutes to spare, my commute consisted of taking the local 6 train downtown to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall, walking through City Hall Park, past my favorite fountain in all of NYC, and down Broadway to my office at 120 Broadway, exactly kitty corner to Zucotti Park, a full city block between Broadway and Church Street in lower Manhattan.

I have sat there at Zuccotti Park innumerable times on one of the many benches or stairs to eat my lunch, whether brought from home or purchased at a local deli or maybe even from one of the local street carts that was stationed there. The Park served as a refuge when needing to take a break from a hectic day or in passing between the WTC to Trinity Church and Wall Street on one of my walking tours for out-of-towners. I even remember the Park prior to its beautification and the installation of the thirty-foot, orange-red abstract erection on the Broadway side and the in-ground lighting. The Park I largely remember was much grittier. It was New York, a place where the working class, immigrant, tourist and businessman were forced to mingle. It was an equalizer.

From 2005 to 2008, Zuccotti Park was a staple of my weekly grind. For the past few months it has been the site of the 99% as they rally. And now I am in California, far from Zuccotti Park, but following the news daily. If the Occupy movement has achieved nothing else, the NYC Occupy crowd has managed to achieve the removal, for all intents and purposes, of a valuable public site at the heart of the financial district. And that, my friends, is something I cannot support.

Flashback

jerrysanchez47 — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:01:37 +0000

I posted the below text in February 2007 on this blog. This was over four years ago, but it seems extremely relevant today and worth reposting.

___________________________________________

On February 8, 2007, the New York Times ran an article on Mitt Romney and his faith – he is an active Mormon. The article received over 500 comments from people around the country by mid afternoon. Even I commented on the article, which I don’t usually do. I still like Mitt and am interested in seeing how far he makes it in the race for the Republican nomination, but it’s likely that hatred and fear of his misinterpreted religion will unfortunately end his hopes for the office of the president. As such, is this a sad commentary on the state of the U.S. in 2007 or is there really that much to be worried about if a Mormon was president?

Personally, I don’t think that his religion should be a factor in the presidential race, at least no more than the religion of any other candidate. But it is, and it bothers me somewhat. Mormons may well still be a minority, but there are enough faithful Mormon leaders in business and politics throughout the country that it is far from inconceivable that one day a Mormon may be president. Maybe Romney is merely breaking down the walls to one day allow that to happen. Mormonism is one of the fastest (if not the fastest) growing religions in not only the U.S. but the world. The Mormon Church emphasizes family, education, and Christian values. Even if the country is not ready for a Mormon leader in 2008, it is only a matter of time before someone just as qualified as Romney, if not more so, steps up to lead. Mormons may not be mainstream, and may never be, but they are good people. And maybe one day, this country will give them some credit, as well as a chance.

But What’s Next?

jerrysanchez47 — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:04:24 +0000

Who would have thought that the regulatory compliance issues of the investment management business would one day be my focus at work. I didn’t. If you asked me when I was in law school whether that would be something that would interest me, I would have most likely said no. But it is a huge and growing industry in the U.S. and there is a need for experts in the field. I’m not claiming I’m an expert, but I am learning more and more each day. However, this is a means to an end for me. The problem is that I am not sure what I want to do next. I know I will want to do something at some point. But what? Write a book? Teach? Do some consulting? That is what comes to mind at the moment. But who knows. I guess until I have a definitive answer and the drive to pursue that next thing, I will continue to be involved in the world of investment management compliance.

A Gaijin’s Life

jerrysanchez47 — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:26:02 +0000

It has been too long. I can’t believe that I left Japan in August 2000 and as of September 1, 2011, I have yet to return to visit – not even once. From 1998 to 2006, a good chunk of my adult life, I have identified myself partly as someone who was interested in Japan, its people, culture and language. Once people met me for the first time, it didn’t take long for them to know that I used to live in Japan and spoke Japanese fairly fluently. But since 2006, my Japanese speaking opportunities have dwindled as my family life has flourished. But I am still interested in Japan, although I have accepted that my career won’t revolve around Japan like I once thought it would. But that may not be a bad thing, as the country is not what it used to be in the world and may never be again. There are so many things in Japan, though, that I would still like to see and experience. Maybe one day I’ll be able to get back, if even for a short time, and experience life as a gaijin again. I still speak Japanese well enough that traveling throughout the country wouldn’t be a problem. It is just a matter of finding the right time and arrangement to be able to go back. My target Japan visit date is sometime in fall of 2013, two years from now. Unbelievably, it has been longer than I ever would have imagined it would have been. I just hope that this drought doesn’t continue for longer than I am imagining it could.

Fruit Trees

jerrysanchez47 — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:03:03 +0000

There is something satisfying about eating food that you grow. In our case, we bought a house that had a few fruit trees on our yard. If we had to plant and cultivate the trees on our own, we might be in trouble and I would never be able to write this post. But we inherited many fruit-producing trees and it is merely up to us to maintain them. A few times a week I have to go pick apples from our abundant apple tree and clean up those apples that have fallen, but it is satisfying to bring in a bag of fresh apples on a regular basis. I have given apples to our neighbors and we have tried new recipes for applesauce, apple cobbler and more. I am no handyman and am far from being a green thumb, but I have learned that working in my yard can be therapeutic for me. I just hope that we can maintain the beauty of our yard for years to come now that it is all up to us.

A Tale of Two Cities

jerrysanchez47 — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:23:03 +0000

I have been working in San Francisco now for over two months and what was clear before is even clearer today: San Francisco is no New York. Of course, that is stating the obvious. But the difference between the two cities can be seen even in the homelessness issue, of which San Francisco is struggling. Walk anywhere in the San Francisco (recently ranked second as the country’s most walkable city, right behind New York), and you will see scores of homeless people panhandling in front of the BART/MUNI entrances, with others holding beat-up paper cups in front of restaurants or passed out in small squares and parks, closed storefronts and alleys. In all of my years in New York, I don’t remember seeing many homeless at all (not to imply that they don’t exist there). But what I do remember from the streets of New York were the performers, many of which had real talent and must have brought home good tax-free cash at the end of a full day.

During the summer in Manhattan the streets are full of dancing, showboating and skilled men and women, young and old, earning their keep on the street. While New York was not immune to homelessness, the city does a better job at serving them or sweeping them from site. San Francisco could use some lessons in this regard. With thousands of tourists on the streets of San Francisco around Union Square last Friday, not a street performer was in sight (a completely missed opportunity). Instead, only the tragically homeless and worn down were visible, pushing their shopping carts from block to block. The overall scene and energy each camp brings adds to the allure of each city, and after being here in the Bay Area for a while now, I have come to the following conclusion. People move to the Bay Area not necessarily for San Francisco, but to be in the Bay Area. Nobody I know, however, ever moved to Long Island, Connecticut, Westchester or New Jersey to be in either one of those places. They moved there because of New York. And that sums up how I feel about each city. I am in San Francisco for the job and live in the East Bay to have a good life. Our seven years in suburban New York were about the proximity to Manhattan, and that, was all that mattered.

Under the Stars

jerrysanchez47 — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:40:43 +0000

We’re getting settled into our new home nicely. The weather out by where we live has been amazing. Cool in the morning and evenings and not too hot throughout the day. One of my favorite things to do since we have gotten settled is to step outside at night, when the sun and the noise of the kids has gone down, and look at the stars. Our neighborhood gets pretty dark at night, which is not great for bike riding, which I have learned, but is helpful for stargazing. The nights under the stars remind me of my days in Hawaii, as a student, when I used to walk to the beach in the evening to listen to the waves crash on the shore and think, while viewing the heavens up above. Now that we have new patio furniture at the new house, I have enjoyed turning off all of the lights inside our house and deck and slip into our backyard furniture and look up at the stars. While there are no waves crashing in our backyard, the quiet is just as peaceful. I think I am going to get used to this. Since the move, and this may be a surprise to most that know me, I don’t miss New York at all. One day I might. But not now. I have seven years of stargazing to catch up on.

Another Decade

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:53:39 +0000

I remember when I turned 22. I was in Hawaii at the time and a few friends baked me a cake, from what I recall. As of today I am 32. So much has happened since my bachelor, college days of Hawaii, yet here I am. One more decade behind me and ten years older. I still feel young, and I am, relatively speaking, but my body is ten years older and I sometimes feel it. I have accomplished a lot since that summer birthday ten years ago, and I am wiser now, and I have so much to be grateful for. I couldn’t have planned exactly how my life has gone so far, but I don’t know that it could have gone much better.

I moved to California less than two months ago with an eight-year plan in mind and am going to work the plan and see where it takes me. One day I’ll wake up and will be turning 42, another ten years behind me. I can only hope my thoughts then are similar to what I feel today.

One Month and Eight Years

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:12:14 +0000

I have officially lived in California for one month today. The funny thing is I don’t miss New York. Maybe it is because I still feel like I am on vacation here. Maybe it’s because my overall stress level has gone down. Maybe it is because I have consistently left the office at 5:30 pm each evening instead of my New York days when leaving at 6:3o was leaving early. But whatever it is, it has been welcome. Now with the move into our new house next week, we will feel more at home and can settle in and get to know the area. I hope we can make as good of friends as we had in New York here in the Bay Area. I hope my daughters will feel at home in their new environment. I hope that the feeling that this move was the right thing for us will continue for years to come.

I turn 32 next month. In my mind, California is part of an eight year plan for me. This means that around the time I turn 40, I will be on my way out, my fun in the sun behind me, and on to more cost-efficient, wallet-friendly, shores. But a lot can happen in eight years and for now I must focus on the present. If I do that, I’ll wake up one day with my 40th just around the corner.

Pieces of me

jerrysanchez47 — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:56:14 +0000

I have lived in many great places in my life. And each place has become a part of me somehow. It’s difficult to imagine my life of 32 years without my youth in the Seattle area, my volunteer work spent in Japan, my college days in Hawaii, and my graduate school and early career in New York. Now I’m in California. And after just buying a house, it’s safe to say that I will be here for a while. I doubt that this will be the last place I ever live, but this is home for now. When I leave, there will be parts of California that will never leave me, just as there are pieces of me from every other location I have ever lived. The culture, the beliefs, the people you interact with, they all come together to form you. As I now raise my children here in California on this, my fourth father’s day weekend as a father, I can only pray that the influences around me in my new home support me to be a better father.

Home Ownership 2.0

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:20:03 +0000

Am I crazy or opportunistic? I left one coast, where home ownership turned out to be an overall positive experience to move to the opposite coast and jump right into another home in arguably one of the most uncertain real estate and economic times of recent memory. But we need somewhere to live. And we liked the house, the price, the current interest rates and the area. So here we are, less than two weeks into California, taking the plunge again with home ownership. It’s an exciting, yet humbling thought. We hope that everything works out as well as it did in New York. We hope that we’re happy in the house for years to come. We hope we have as good of neighbors as we did in New York. We hope that this is the right choice. It feels right, and that has been enough in the past.

A Week of Lasts

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 24 May 2011 16:09:27 +0000

A week of lasts is here. My last week riding Metro-North, my last week heading to Manhattan to work on the southern side of a 40 story building, the city spread out below me, supporting me like the good friend it has been for seven years. I have written on this blog how I would return home to New York after traveling and it felt like home. It was home, until somewhere in the winter of the sixth year with two children to raise, my impression of New York began to change. I still enjoyed the city, but the lifestyle I was living didn’t nicely fit within what I would like to achieve at this stage in my life. So we’re leaving, and things have fallen into place unbelievably well, which tells me that it is time to go. And now that time is here.

Seven years ago my wife and I, married for less than one week, moved to New Rochelle, New York, a city in Westchester that has its pros and cons. But we didn’t know any better. We were still basically students. But hard work and perseverance paid off and our lives and careers will never be the same. We leave good friends behind in New York, but we join a long list of friends that have come and gone before us. It’s our turn now, and we leave with two beautiful daughters that are a product of New York. They will always be able to look to this area of the country and know that people here love them.

Between my life in New York as a student, an unemployed seeker of a lucky break, a new attorney and an established employee at a good company with a career that is headed in the right direction, the city has been one of the few constants. Whether it has been taunting me with what I didn’t have yet, or consoling me by showing me how fortunate I have been, this city has been a dear friend. Although I will miss my friends here in New York and have grown tremendously in my seven years here, the city itself may have been perhaps the best teacher of all.

Hanna at Four

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:56:03 +0000

The below is what I wrote on this blog in May 2007, shortly after our first daughter Hanna was born. Tomorrow, she turns 4 years old. Just like I asked four years ago, where has the time gone? We have created, taught, learned from and loved a beautiful individual full of personality. Hanna Mei is in California now waiting for me and her mom to join her as we move West from New York. I apologize Hanna for not being there on your special day, the anniversary of your birth day. Happy Birthday, Hanna. I love you.

_______________________________

After forty weeks of preparation, excitement and nervousness (at least for me), I am happy to announce that my beautiful baby girl is here. She was born on Friday May 18, 2007 at 6:55 pm. The labor was long (and as we were told many times, “they don’t call it labor for nothing”) and did not look fun or comfortable, but my wife stuck it out and did a great job. We named her Hanna Mei Sanchez. Surprisingly, she was a big baby, 8 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long. She is healthy and is doing wonderful (she even let us sleep last night). I was happy to see that she has her Mom’s eyes and nose and maybe her cheeks. We’ll see what part of me crept into her. She also had a head full of dark hair and beautiful eyes. We came home on Monday the 21st, our three-year wedding anniversary. I think it has hit me by now. I’m a father. Wow. I must enjoy every moment because the time will fly.

Three Year Flashback

jerrysanchez47 — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:08:48 +0000

I wrote the below paragraph in May 2008, when I was looking for a new job and ready to leave New York. By that August, however, I had accepted a new job in New York (it was the best opportunity that arose during that difficult job market) and my wife and I agreed to commit to New York for a few more years at least. Three years later and I am still at the job I took during that down market and will be transferring to our office in San Francisco. We are finally leaving New York, three years later than I once thought it would be. But staying here has been the right decision and we are excited to be able to move on. What was a stressful and uncertain time in 2008 has become, in retrospect, a great opportunity, both personally and professionally.

___________________

I have reached that point in the past few days when you are ready to just move on. A decision has been made and the rest is just a matter of time. I am ready to leave New York and, provided I can find a job worth moving for, could go wherever I wanted. I can now say that I have lived in New York longer than anywhere else other than where I grew up. I have moved around a lot since 1997 and staying somewhere for four years is a long time for me, regardless of how quickly the time here has passed. But I have had my fun in New York and it is time to move on, personally and professionally. Sure, I’ll miss New York and always will because other large cities in this country are just not the same. The question on my mind, however, is where do we go from here? I am more open than I used to be, but that does not mean I would pick up and move just anywhere. Plus, we are in one of the worst job markets in the past many decades and finding a job may not be such a walk in the park, even with a New York resume. The top cities on my list, believe it or not, are Seattle, Dallas, Chicago and San Francisco. Maybe in that order. I can’t help but think that after living in New York for four years, housing prices everywhere else seem like a steal, as if we are somehow cheating, especially given the recent decline in housing markets across the country. If you could move anywhere, where would you go?

-JAS, May 2008

Simply Incredible

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:17:05 +0000

I have walked all over this city. I have driven all over this city. I have taken a train beneath much of this city. And I have flown over the city numerous times. And there is no other way to put it: the architecture and urban planning of New York City is simply incredible. If you can look past the crumbling infrastructure, the dirt and grime and see what man has built on, under and above the island that the indigenous people once called Mannahatta, you will find a spectacular achievement almost unparalleled by any other modern world city. The story of New York City is the story of the United States and is one of the few places that all American citizens should visit. My seven years here will be unlike any I will spend the rest of my life, and although I am looking forward to leaving New York and beginning a new life in some ways, pieces of New York City will never leave me.

On 400 Rejection Letters

jerrysanchez47 — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:38:30 +0000

I read somewhere once that no one will be successful until they have more than 100 rejection letters as evidence of their effort. Last night, in our effort to rid ourselves of the things we don’t need in connection with our move across the country, I came across my stack of rejection letters that I had kept from my job hunting days of 2006. It was fascinating to remember how much time I spent preparing cover letters, sending emails and piling up the rejection letters. The stack did not include all of the emails I received or a list of all of the firms or companies I never heard from; just the hard copy letters. I would imagine that most of the rejection letters sent today are done so electronically, but as recent as 2005-2006, that was not generally the case, as there was a time I would come home to multiple letters at a time in my mailbox. But I never took the letters personal or let them discourage me despite receiving over 400 or so of them from firms in New York City. As I looked through them last night, I thought of how eager and dedicated I must have been in searching for that first step in what I expected to become a lifelong career. And now, five years later, I get up everyday and go to a job that I could not have anticipated while I was sending out resumes, but I nevertheless enjoy. Funny how life has a way of working out when you keep trying.

A Hobby

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:50:12 +0000

I feel like I am missing something. And this is not a new feeling. Ask me what my hobbies are and I will tell you that I enjoy reading on the train to and from work every day. Which I honestly do enjoy, but there is something else missing. I have a wonderful life and family, and one that I wouldn’t change for anything; I just need something else for me to focus on. A hobby.

I hope this comes with a move to Northern California. I will probably be working earlier in the morning, which could (possibly) open up some time for me in the early evening. The weather and the environment of California may help encourage more outdoor activities, but whatever it is I choose, I need to find something. I would love to join a soccer club, take up martial arts again or even focus on parkour, cycling or even strength conditioning with a group. But I need something to focus on beyond my family, my job and reading on the train. As enjoyable as all of those things are, there is room for one more. Getting away from New York will be the catalyst and it will be up to me to make it work from there without losing sight of what really matters in life. That will be the key. And it all starts with the move.

New York No More

jerrysanchez47 — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 06:28:45 +0000

I spent a few extra minutes walking around the bustling streets of Midtown during Friday’s evening rush hour last Friday, over streets I have walked on so many times over the past seven years. And it is a surreal experience. It is unbelievable to think that I will soon no longer call New York home. I have been critical of New York lately and have contemplated moving for the past year, but the time is now here. Within the past week my wife and I have put our house up for sale, entertained two offers and accepted the offer that eventually landed at our exact listing price. The inspection has passed and we are intent on packing up and leaving at the end of May. When things come together as smoothly as this, you know it is time to leave. New York has been good to us and it was an excellent career move for me. It was good financially and good personally. I will never forget my time here, and after seven years, would argue that it is fair for me to claim to have some New Yorker in me. My dream here has been fulfilled.

Yet, I am excited to leave and to start what we hope will be a better lifestyle. We don’t necessarily need a better life, but a better lifestyle is a key reason for the move. A lifestyle where family and relatives are nearby, where children can grow and where love and happiness can abound. Let’s hope that northern California is that place, for that is where we are headed next. The next chapter of our life together is about to begin.

Gray Hair (repost)

jerrysanchez47 — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 03:12:45 +0000

I wrote the below post exactly two years ago today. Since then, the number of gray hairs I have has at least doubled. Long term, this doesn’t look good for me, but I would prefer it much more than losing my hair. As I look at myself every day in the mirror, the feelings and questions I wrote about exactly two years ago are just as true today, if not more so.

___________________ I don’t know how it happened, but there is no mistaking it now. I have a lot of gray hair. This isn’t just a few strands here and there that blend in with the rest of my natural color, but I’m talking about a lot of grayish-white hair. On my head. I’m too young for this. Where did these gray hairs come from? I noticed a few gray hairs years ago and liked the novelty of the idea, but now more hairs appear to be joining the club each week. I actually don’t mind that much (yet) and hope it makes me look a bit more sophisticated or wise, but I am afraid of where this will go. I am nearing the end of my third decade this year. Will my head be one gray mess in ten more years? Will I even have hair at all? Is stress an actual factor in causing hair to turn gray, because I have had some of that in my life? Does anyone even know what causes gray hair other than genetics (but my dad doesn’t have that much gray)? I rather have graying hair than hair loss, but I am just curious as to how this is hitting me at this age

Number Three

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:18:10 +0000

Am I ready for another kid? I love the two I have and while I have moments of recollection where I flash back to my pre-kid life, the reality is that I would not trade in my two girls for anything. I lose my patience with them at times and am usually ready for them to go to bed each evening at 8:00 to get some peace and quiet, but they are my daughters and I love them. I have some hesitation about having number three for various reasons, but deep down I already know the answer. I don’t know how many times I have told myself, my wife and others that I am done having kids, but I already know how I feel and it is not what I have been telling everyone since number two was born. There is a number three in our future. The only question is when. The realistic response is probably sooner rather than later, but we need to figure some things out first. We are in the process of moving this year and need to put that behind us. At that point I will feel ready. But as I sit here on another flight at 37000 feet above the central U.S. and listen to Alicia Keys’ ‘Unthinkable’ my mind is made up and there is not much to do about it.

Just one more reason…

jerrysanchez47 — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:01:51 +0000

Here is one more reason to leave behind this city: the MTA. Yes, the Metropolitan Transit Authority not only raises fares almost year after year, but the service is getting worse as the equipment continues to get older. There is no doubt that the drastic winter weather of the past two months in the NYC area is somewhat to blame, but the MTA’s overall service is shameful. From my experience, other cities in the U.S. and throughout the world do a much better job at providing public transportation to its residents than in the NYC metro area. I don’t mind commuting, but I do mind how much my commute has been disrupted in the last few months. After almost seven years of riding Metro North trains daily, I feel as if I have no choice but to make a change. For those that have spoken with me lately, you’ll know that the MTA is just one of many reasons why I am looking to move. Overall cost of living, lifestyle and weather are just some of the other reasons pushing me out.

At this point we are seriously considering California, although that state doesn’t come free of issues and concerns. But the one benefit is that I can keep my job and transfer to the San Francisco office. If it weren’t for my job, California would probably be out of the question. If we pull off the move, I will have a commute there as well. But I look forward to my commute as the BART, Caltrain or ferries are generally free of delays and don’t have the equipment problems that I experience regularly in New York. So yes, I am fed up and we are trying to move. Stay tuned as to how it plays out.

FB

jerrysanchez47 — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:24:08 +0000

Say what you want about Facebook, but the recent $50 billion valuation by Goldman Sachs is nothing to laugh about. I joined the site almost four years ago, uploaded some pictures of myself and checked the site only occasionally, as only a handful of my friends were on the site at the time. Today, almost everyone I care to know (and several in which I don’t) are on the site. Contrary to what I initially believed back in 2007, this has been no fad, like Bebo, Friendster or MySpace. And the site had perfect timing as well. If it were not for mobile devices the site would not be as big as it is. Let’s be honest, I only check the desktop version of the ‘Book once a month or so, but since I have my phone with me at all times, it doesn’t hurt to check quickly once or twice a day as I am waiting in line at Costco, waiting for my train or watching a program on TV. What the site has created is incredible because of its sheer numbers. If Facebook were a country, it would be the third largest country in the world. More people spent time on Facebook in 2010 than other website in the world. And the company keeps innovating, which is crucial for its survival. It is creating a generation of people, young and old, that are used to living their lives subject to constant scrutiny and comment by anyone they are friends with, including those they don’t know so well. When I joined the site back in 2007, there was no way I would have imagined that I would still be checking the site four years later. I wholeheartedly expected to upload some info into the cloud, only to have it drift away as time went on. But the site is real and has had more staying power than I ever would’ve guessed. Whether you like the company or not at this point, everyone you know is on there and once you join, escaping is futile.

New York, New York

jerrysanchez47 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:54:15 +0000

As much as I love this city, and know I will miss it the day I leave, I sometimes feel that enough is enough. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy commuting into the city for work and have enjoyed the innumerable sources of entertainment the New York City streets can freely offer, but I wonder sometimes what we are doing here. On New Year’s Day I came into Manhattan with my family. Parking was a disaster, although we eventually managed to find free street parking thanks to the hard work and quick thinking of my wife. After lunch at a friend’s house, someone had the brilliant idea to head to Times Square with our two young kids. We made it out alive, but not without the added stress that the City can bring. My two young daughters enjoyed the stimulation that the hustle and bustle provided, but I longed for the suburban sprawl that has overtaken so much of the country, where I can drive from parking lot to parking lot and enjoy the same stores as found in New York with less hassle. I dare to say that I am getting old. When I was younger the glamorous streets of New York City called my name and eventually lured me to its opportunities and excitement. As a family man, New York City is pushing me out, as it makes little sense for me at this point to remain tied to the metropolis, the costs involved, the deteriorating infrastructure and the hassle. And this year is the year we will try to do something about it. After almost seven years here we will attempt this year to make the move back west later this year. Stay tuned to see how it turns out.