I’m a different person but I also live in the city.

For context, I’ve been lucky enough to live in a lot of places, in different countries and here in the US. But nowhere i lived felt like home until i landed here in January 2014, almost nine years ago. I’ve lived here long enough to live in an apartment, then buy and sell a house in midtown (and I sorely miss living in midtown). And know what I did after selling my house in the city? I went and bought another house in the city.

I’m not blind. I know this city has problems. But I’ve experienced life in a broad range of places that, on paper, are “better.” Fact of the matter is everyone, everywhere has problems - and they impact people in myriad ways. Because of all that, and because I like living here so much, I do everything I can to stay involved and help make the experience better for everyone. It’s a lot of work but it can and does happen.

I’m sorry the experience of living in the city seems to have not worked well for you. But I really want to recognize that people can have full and happy lives here. And people who are happy with their lives are not “part of the problem.”