I have been a resident of New York City for nearly a month now. I thought I should develop some consistent habit of writing to set up some sort of way to chronicle my time here.
The thing that amazes me the most about living here is how quickly a place becomes routine. How something so new and frightening and inspiring can quickly become “the walk I have to take to get home” or “the dense crowd of tourists I have to force my way through to get to work.” The world is the same, really, wherever you go. People go to work, they go out, they go home. They break up and meet up and cook dinner and go to bed. Once you acclimate, you have to remind yourself of a places special qualities, and find the inspiration for yourself. The brain looks for comfort, routine. It seeks out comparable situations and tries to put the pieces together.
To be a bit less “poetic”, I’m thinking specifically of work. I walk through times square to go to work everyday. Now, since my childhood this has been a place of incredible awe to me. A place filled with countless people and representing so many dreams and opportunities to so many. Now it’s a nuisance, and those people, well they need to get their asses moving so I can get to work on time. I have to stop everyday and remind myself of just how amazing of a place it really is.
In addition, it blows my mind that “going home” means heading uptown to my apartment in east harlem...being sure to take the 96th st. stop rather than 103. I have no previous experience to compare this too. My brain keeps trying to make it routine, it’s searching for comfort. But honestly, I don’t want it. I want it to amaze me everyday. I want to be continuously inspired by the endless amounts of people and situations and ideas.
Other thoughts about NYC....
-the people here have surprised me with their kindness. Everyone is quick to give up their seat on the subway for someone who needs it. People smile, say hello, help strangers carry things. This came as an incredible shock to me. I love it.
-I was spoiled in RI with Salt Pond Yoga. I can’t find a yoga place with a teacher anywhere near as amazing that doesn’t cost your first born child to attend. Bummer. Guess its going to have to be podcasts for me.
-In general the people of New York are wound super tight. This was expected. I was told by someone at my work that I seem like someone who smokes weed all the time. I replied “nope, I’m just not crazy worked up like you people” I think it might’ve been the first time in my life I was referred to as “mellow”.
-There’s so much to see here and a huge portion of it is free. I love it.
I think that’s all I’ve got for now. It’s too hot in this city to think.
