I will always wonder what would have been…if I moved to New York City after college. That’s today’s theme.

Being the practical person that I am, I did not take that leap for a variety of reasons that have all proved to be solid in retrospect. My relationship with Mike is one I cherish more than anything, and I did not want to move 3,000 miles away, even when we were just 22 and graduating — I knew in my gut that wanted to be close to him.

After four years of out-of-state tuition at CU Boulder, my parents were NOT going to fit the bill for me to run around NYC like a wanna be Carrie Bradshaw. And rightfully so! Who knows how I would’ve covered rent and today, at 30, I am essentially debt free (not taking our house or one car into consideration). By not living a credit card lifestyle in my early 20′s I have so much more now, along with a real appreciation for how long it takes to pay off living above your means.

A career in public relations has, thankfully, taken me to the Big Apple many times. I’ve dined at A-list restaurants, shopped until I could barely walk and visited the headquarters of some of the coolest media houses on the planet. I’ve danced in NYC clubs (and maybe on a few tables), brunched at 2pm on Sunday, and grabbed a giant slice while hailing down a cab as the sun came up.

I adore New York City.

On every business trip I would, without fail, call Mike and my mom to tell them how much I loved NYC. I would question my motives for never moving there and think aloud about, “what if.” My wise mother (backed up by Mike) would respond, “go ahead, try it.” But try it without a company AMEX. Take the subway instead of a car. Live in a basement apartment rather than a hip boutique hotel. Walk by the shops because your paycheck is going to rent, and that’s it.

Now, I realize that reality is a bit harsh as I still have dear friends and family in the city who are thriving. But the media, especially my obsession (Sex & the City), glam the NYC lifestyle up in a way that isn’t really feasible for 99.9% of us.

But this “First 30 Days to 30″ series is all about opening up and revealing myself…and I don’t think I’ll ever stop wondering “what if” about the great streets of New York City.