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[may-livingston-blog]

Afternoon Coffee || May & Carson

tThere was a fresh breeze in the air that was a well deserved break from the sizzling heat wave that was passing over Miami. Finally something that she was used to. May found herself sitting outside of a Starbucks right on the edge of the heart of the city. The view of a park to her right and the view of the coast to her left was a good change from the never ending mountain range that surrounded Blue Ridge, Georgia. It was much different and the difference was appreciated. The sun on her skin and the gentle breeze that passed through the air was a nice break up from the heat. She sat with an iced coffee in front of her and her iPad in her lap as she flipped through some magazines and did some work that she had been needing to get done for a while. She loved Poise but there was no denying that it was some hard work and she was okay with that. It kept her busy and May loved to always have something to do. It was difficult for her to just sit with nothing that's why Miami was definitely becoming a close part of her very quickly. the city life was overwhelming but as the days passed it was becoming natural for her. Finding her way around the city was beginning to be easier and easier with each time she went out on her own to purposely get lost and each time was better than the next. it was a well needed change from the monotonous pace of a small town. As much as she loved her family and the close friends that she had made around the small town, it was time for her to get out and do something for herself. All her life, May spent her time revolving it around the people that surrounded her. She was as selfless as selfless could be, rarely doing anything for herself. She put her dreams aside to assure that the dreams of her dearly beloved friends and family were accomplished. It gave her the biggest smile to see them smile but there comes a time when you have to reflect on your wants and needs. When your dreams have to come before those around you. May finally realized that when the job at Poise rolled around to her doorstep and she found herself rolling her suitcases down the driveway of her house and leaving Georgia in her rearview mirror without having plans to come back. There were a few reasons that she left besides the fact that she needed to be selfish for once. Reasons that she did not disclose to anyone and she planned on keeping it that way due to her desire to start fresh with a clean slate. So far, this what she needed. She needed to go somewhere where she didn't know anyone or anything and she was starting a new life with only her suitcases behind her and the bright future of success in the magazine industry. The small business of her Aunt Carol's wedding planning business had nothing on Poise. The size difference was immense and even though May had some experience dealing with the public and a select few skills translated over, there was nothing that she could've done to prepare herself. She did some research on the area and some of the most popular hotspots which helped quite a bit and she was still getting herself acquainted with the night life. The clubs and the bars were a good place to start and she made the effort to ask as many questions as she could without being too pesky. Fortunately, it was becoming easier with every day that passed and she was open to learning and gaining as much knowledge as she could about the do's and dont's of public relations. As May sat back, enjoying the sunshine on the streets of Miami with an iced coffee in hand, she waited for one of her fellow coworkers and recent friend, Carson. Lucky for her, May seemed to have been fitting in well around the office Poise. It was the people there that made the transition much easier. They were welcoming to the office and made it easy to become acquainted with the big name magazine industry of Poise. She awaited for his arrival, taking sips of coffee and just relaxing. It was nice to meet someone from as small of a town as her. It was a nice breath of fresh air for her to see that someone else was still trying to get used to this as well. The cameras were still a bit strange and foreign to her for obvious reasons as it would be for anyone. But even something as simple as just getting a coffee was making the adjustment a lot easier.

[may-livingston-blog]

“God, the beach is beautiful here. I haven’t been to the beach in ages..it feels nice to finally feel the sun again.”

[may-livingston-blog]

Exploring Miami

there wasn’t much else that could possibly be done to help the move go even a little bit smoother. boxes were still making up most of the furniture in her new home and though she had future plans to get those boxes out of the way, she wasn’t sure it would happen quite yet. the homesickness was just about setting in, causing her stomach to turn with nostalgia and her mind wandering to the sentiment of the many different milestones and memorable occurrences that have happened back in blue ridge. it was hard for her to dust those intrusive thoughts out of her cluttered mind and replace them with thoughts of a fresh future, but she was trying. may figured that removing herself from the confines of four walls was a better way to handle the homesickness. to turn her attention elsewhere and place it into her bright future in sunny miami. 

pushing one of the boxes out of the way and off to the side, may swiped up her everyday bag with a manicured hand as she tossed it over one shoulder and quickly slipped on a simple pair of flats to begin her day of figuring out the lay of the land. the map on her phone was of little help once she had finally broke out of her apartment and stepped out into the fresh air. people crowded the streets with loud talking and heavy laughter that lingered in the air. she was definitely not in georgia anymore. it was a much different atmosphere. in miami, the environment had a the attitude of a constant party where everyone was invited and it never ended. complete strangers would talk as if they had known each other forever and the beach was always crowded and the boardwalk seemed to constantly be busy. georgia was much simpler, especially in the off-the-map town that she called home. it was a tiny town with only a few quaint shops, a diner, and the simplicity of the surrounding farmers and never ending roads to nowhere. there was no beach, only the clearings in the woods where she and all of her friends would go to have bonfires in the middle of the night. a town favorite was the lake forty-five minutes out that they would go to just off a whim and come back whenever with no clock to keep them bound to the times of the real world. it was the small things that she was now beginning to miss, especially as she compared and contrasted while walking down the long stretch of sidewalk.

of course there were the moments that she would’ve chosen to forget. the moments that drove her from blue ridge and was the catalyst for her move to miami. those were the moments she never told a soul. that she kept hidden to eat her alive behind a smile. the move was healthy for her. it was those things that were going to be worked at each day she was away from them until they no longer bothered her. they were impossible to get rid of completely but it was worth a shot and miami was that one shot.

may brushed a long piece of golden blonde hair over her shoulder as she walked, her blue eyes scanning the city streets for any interesting land marks she could use to navigate. she mentally noted each little shop that she would hit and each boutique that had an appealing display in the window. it was either sooner or later that she would have to get acquainted with the city and she chose sooner rather than later.