While I was running errands over the weekend, I came across a crowd in the Time Square subway station. That’s not unusual, but being ever nosey, I wiggled my way in to see what all the fuss was about. As soon as I saw what everyone was looking at I thought, oooh pretty new statue.

Then I noticed the bucket of money in front of it and realized, holy shit, she’s a real person. With her white wig and white face makeup she really looked the part of a ballerina statue. She was amazing; even when I stared really hard at her, the only movement I could barely detect was her breathing. After a few minutes she moved gracefully into another dance position and returned to her statuesque state.

mta, random, why i love new york city | 2 Comments »

Before I moved to New York I often heard the stereotypes of the inhabitants: they’re rude, pushy, snobby, and always in a rush. Last year I talked of New Yorker’s as “them” compared to “me.”Now, a year later, them = me. And you know why? It has little to do with one’s personality and everything to do with the pace of the city. Although I was never a slow-paced, exactly easy-going person, I’ve found that my traits have only been enhanced by my surroundings.

Slow people annoy the hell out of me, I glare at tourists walking in circles with maps around me, and I refuse to move out of the way if someone is in my path. I might sound like a total bitch, but the truth is, I’ve become a total New Yorker. And it’s not a bad thing.

 What non-New-Yorkers don’t understand is that we don’t hate you; you’re often simply in our way. Think about it: What if everyday, a huge group of people were conglomerated around your workplace, making it almost impossible to get inside. The difference is that you (non-new-yorker) most likely don’t work in or around gigantic tourist inducing areas like New York offers. For tourists, New York is an amazing, bright-lit, enormous building-filled city of endless possibilities. For New Yorkers, it’s a place where we live and work. And usually, we’re trying to get to one place or another…and that’s where you get in the way.

I happen to work near the Empire State Building; while tourists are wandering around, admiring the monstrosity, I’m trying to weave through crowds, picking up my lunch and running errands. My hour only allows for much time – and that doesn’t include standing in lines and being gracious to slow-paced tourists. 

Like I said before, I’m not a complete bitch; people often ask me for directions (I’m always surprised that I look knowledgable or approachable) and I always stop and answer them. The bottom line is: we are often pushy and fast-paced and rude. But it’s only because we have somewhere to be and you’re often in our way. Don’t take it personally. 

why i love new york city | 22 Comments »

Overheard in the bank today:

“I say bring on global warming; mild winters would be great! So what if those places near the equator get 10 degrees warmer – it’s already so hot there, what’s another couple degrees? That ain’t so bad. So what if the sea level rises 10 feet – more room to swim! That ain’t so bad. Plus, if it gets warmer here we can start growing all kinds of new shit. Hell, we could grow palm trees! I’d plant a coconut tree in my yard. When I hear the coconuts hit the roof, I’ll go out there and collect them. See, global warming ain’t so bad.”

This is why I love New York…ignorant AND resourceful all in the same breath!!

overheard, why i love new york city | 1 Comment »