:: Sunday, February 10, 2008 ::

You just have to be here to understand it

I know that everyone at home is expecting my witty banter to entertain them to their fullest delight, but I'm afraid that my wittiness isn't burning all full engines. I mean, New York has plenty to blog about, but I just don't know how to sum it up into words. It's all something you just have to experience.

The class yesterday was beyond boring. What was exciting was my adventure through Brooklyn because I got lost. AS YOU WERE. I did not get lost. I actually found the subway station I wanted with extreme ease. The problem I ran into was that the station I found wasn't in service when I needed. Thus I had to find another station that was open and heading in my direction. I wound up walking along the street above the subway line which eventually led me to the mall nearby, so I decided to swing in there and look around. Not much there. I mean, it's a mall, but I hate shopping.

That was about all my experience yesterday. That and the horrendous line at McDonald's. Today was almost as boring. I cleaned the apartment this morning and spent the afternoon moping around Herald Square in Manhattan (Macy's). I bought a new shirt and pants (the pants are to replace the pair that were ruined in the journey up here) at Ye Olde Navy. It snowed off and on today in spurts of ten minutes or so. Just like New York style, it didn't stick to anything. Actually, the day started off bright and sunny, midday was cloudy and snowy, and afternoon was bright and sunny again. Makes no sense to me.

I managed to handle the subway today without getting lost. I didn't have any homeless people yell at me claiming I'm killing the youth of today. I didn't have as many people stare at me like I was a tourist like I did when I first got here. And I was lightly entertained by a dance crew at the Herald Square subway station. It was alright if you like spastic teenagers shaking their bodies like a bottle of chocolate milk. No racial slurs meant there.

I found one secret to looking like a New Yorker. The myth is that New Yorkers wear only black. That isn't quite true (but close). New Yorkers wear color, they just don't wear designs on their shirts and all of my shirts I brought have designs on them of NSU. This of course made me stand out like a tourist. Add on my slow pace of walking and I was for sure a tourist. Now with my plain tshirts, my shaved face (New Yorkers for the most part don't have facial hair), and dark coat (everyone has a black / dark blue winter coat) I blend in a little better.

Granted, I am still a bit of a tourist. I like to mope around and see the sights. Thursday Jill and I went to Bryant Park to see Fashion Week. It was really just a bunch of tents covering the park in Midtown Manhattan, but it was still fun to see. We almost made it inside until they asked us for our credentials. Unfortunately, my smiling face wasn't enough. However, Jill's was, but she didn't go inside because she didn't want to leave me. Down but not out, we wandered to the side of the tent and saw several actresses / models leaving the shindig. One was Carmen Electra (excuse the spelling) and the others I have no idea who they were. Apparently I need to freshen up on my celebrity faces so I will be able to know when I see famous people.

So that has been my week / weekend so far. Nothing too exciting going on which is surprisingly what most New Yorkers experience. There is quite a bit to do in New York, but sometimes it's just nice to chill in your apartment and see the cool stuff later. I mean, it's not going anywhere, right? (Ignoring terrorist attacks)

Tomorrow's plans? Job hunt. Fun.

God is good. All the time.
Peace

:: Ben 9:02 PM [+] ::
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