Maneuvering through crowds: I have become an expert in maneuvering through crowds. It only takes a couple weeks of dealing with hot, sweating
bodies all around you all the time to figure out how to become efficient and strategic at street walking. The first thing I usually do when I step out onto the
street from my apartment or subway or where ever is to scan the street for a couple seconds to check out the scene. The point is to asses the level of human congestion and then decide at what pace I want to walk at and then strategically plan out my side-steps and swerves about 2 to 4 feet in front of me. Planning how I'm physically going to get around a slow or oblivious walker 2 to 4 feet in front of m
e gives me time to decide the best way to bypass them without touching them. I have become a passive aggressive street walker here and its worked well for me so far. Its definitely a New York skill that I will take with me in the future.
Parking: Thank god I do not drive a car here. I don't know how people do it! There is a parking garage right next to may apartment where you can park for the day for $32 or for the month for $432. Seems reasonable. Also, as my picture indicates, do not mess with the NYPD or parking enforcement.
Subway: Ahhh the NYC subway. I realize I have developed a love/hate relationship with the su
bway. I love it because it is efficient. period. I hate it because its dirty, smelly and about 15 degrees hotter than the streets above it. The best part is when I am eagerly anticipating the arrival
of a train because of its nice, cool air conditioning only to jump in it and immediately realize the air conditioning doesn't work in that car. Its like stepping into a smelly sauna when you're already sweating with clothes on. And like everything else around here, no one really seems to care or notice and everyone just deals with it and goes about their day.
Garbage: Where do I begin? This entire island of Manhattan smells like shit. (excuse my language but its true) I am not exaggerating when I say that every morning on my way to work I wa
lk by the biggest piles of garbage on the street that make me gag they smell so bad. It is amazing to me how much trash this city produces. EVERY night there are HUGE piles of garbage on the street waiting to be picked up by the garbage man who makes the most noise he can at 3am. This picture of is what piles up right outside my apartment EVERYDAY. There are about 2 to 3 of these piles on every block. And the best part is that NYers don't recycle! Coming from Seattle this was absolutely unacceptable to me of course, but I've talked to people about it and they have all sort of acknowledged that people don't recy
le her for the most part. Shame.....
Where I live: Hells Kitchen. Or so I thought. Whenever people ask me where I live I say 34th and 9th in Hells Kitchen. And they're response is "Oh, that's not Hells Kitchen. Hells Kitchen is right North of you and Chelsea is right South of you. You actually don't really live anywhere." And I'm like, "Um, ok?!?!" My point is that NYers are very particular about neighborhoods. Neighborhoods here are not like Seattle where one bleeds into another; neighborhoods literally begin and end at specific streets and people get really defensive when you are 'incorrect' about where you live. That its annoys me.
The Brooklyn Bridge: Its beautiful! I walked the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset a while back and it was gorgeous. I took some really great photos. enjoy:)
P.S. Pretty much all of you know I'm going to Istanbul in Sept. and given the recent (and increasing it seems like) terrorist attacks in Istanbul due to the religious/political instability of the coun
try, I made sure to register my information with the U.S. Dept. of State. fun times.
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