Dating the City - Intro to an Ongoing Love Story with Atlanta

Atlanta, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.......

Living in Atlanta is wonderful! The longer I live here the more I love it.

There are so many different kinds of people, and foods and cultures at my disposal. The job market includes, Government, Private Sector, the Beauty Industry, Movies, Television, Music and Theater. Not to mention the HUGE Entrepreneurial presence that is alive and well  and close to my heart.  The possibilities are endless and sometimes overwhelming, but I'd rather have an abundance than nothing at all.   

I must admit that my love story with Atlanta did not get off to a smooth start. It was more like the all too familiar story of when girl meets guy who is so handsome she literally swoons, then said handsome guy says something so incredibly stupid and/or crude that he immediately morphs into Sasquatch right before her eyes and she puts a whole lotta gone in between herself and him. End of story. 

I fell in love with the Atlanta Skyline and the mix of big city energy with small town charm and friendliness.  I was hooked. I pictured myself thriving here the first time I visited. Then winter came and it SNOWED!  S N O W E D, I do not do snow! I am a girl who doesn't function  well in the cold. 

I was born in California where I didn't own a real coat and boots were only worn to create a look, not as protection from the elements.  I grew up near the Panhandle in Florida, where the temperatures dropped but the closest I ever got to snow was a freak hail storm that lasted less than 5 minutes several years back. I felt betrayed. My incredibly handsome Atlanta had morphed into Sasquatch!  I wanted to take all my toys and run, but the move had exhausted my resources, so I just complained under my breath and stayed put.  

I am so happy that I did.  Who knew being broke could be a blessing?  My incredibly handsome Atlanta came back to me!  It has seen me go from a girl with a piece of a job and no direction to someone who has finally figured out what she wants to do with herself. When my car broke down and died a slow and expensive death, Atlanta was there for me by way of MARTA, and while not perfect, it afforded me the opportunity to see a lot of the city I might not have seen otherwise. (Okay, I admit, sometimes I was just lost, but we'll put this spin on it and keep it between us, okay? )

I've made friends that have exposed me to a life far better than anything I could have imagined on my own.  Well, maybe that is pushing it….my imagination is pretty vivid...remind me to tell you about the dream where I meet and marry Lenny Kravitz.  But back to what I was saying, being in Atlanta has changed my life and for that reason, I am dedicating a series of random to posts to all the glorious things this city has to offer. 

Stay tuned!