Tuesday, September 11, 2012

365 Days and The Power To Be You

What? A blog post on Engel’s Ensights blog? Will the wonders never cease?

We’re in the process of creating the new www.MarcusEngel.com and wanted to be sure we incorporate the Engel’s Ensights blog. I’ve been reviewing the prototype for the new web site and, of course, that landed me on the blog.

I’ve been very unfaithful about blogging over the last 12 months, 1 year, 365 days, however you choose to state it. In fact, it was one year to the day since my last blog post. Why? The simple answer is: I’ve been busy. A more truthful answer is: I’ve had other priorities.

If you read back to the last blog post, ya know, the one from a year ago today, it was to recognize the 10 year “anniversary” of the attacks of September 11. I had a unique perspective on the commemorations since we were living in New York at the time.

That one year relocation to The Big Apple is the priority which pushed the Engel’s Ensights blog to the backburner. So, let me give you an update on the past year…

I began the M.S. in Narrative Medicine program at Columbia University in NYC one year ago this month. Having not been a student for a mere 11 years, going back to school, especially in a program as intensive as a grad program at an Ivy League university was, to say the least, overwhelming. Yet, as with anything, persistence prevailed.

Our one year adventure in New York was, in a word: incredible. Both Marvelyne and I love the city and had too many adventures to count. My education was my #1 priority, but there was still plenty of time for exploring the city, dining at new and different restaurants, experiencing NYC nightlife and just soaking up the flava of the most exciting place I’ve ever been.

In early May, I walked home from Columbia to our apartment on W. 119th Street for the last time. While I still had a summer capstone project to work on from our home in Orlando, my time of sitting in classrooms was over.

We spent our last couple weeks in the city entertaining family and friends and trying to mark things off our bucket list. And we did just that!

In late May, Marvelyne and I relocated back to our home in Orlando. I missed this place. While I love NYC, after a few months of living there, I knew I didn’t want to be a permanent resident. Love to visit, but don’t want to pay my taxes to NY state. Marvelyne, on the other hand, would move back in a heartbeat and be content to be a city dweller forever.

The summer of 2012 was spent settling back into life in Orlando, travelling the country speaking and positioning my business for the fall and beyond.

Today, on 911, I’m sitting in my home office, feet up on the desk, listening to Sirius Radio’s commemoration of the attacks of 11 years ago. I cannot help but reflect back to living in the heart of the 911 attacks on America, even though it was a decade after those events. And what is there to say that hasn’t already been said? Very, very little.

All we can do is try to remember, as best we can, those horrible events so they don’t slip from our thoughts.

And, because I know there are many of you who’ve asked where my blog posts went…I welcome you back! And thank you for welcoming me back, too.