Some Things

A few thoughts on New York City:

(In no particular order.)

You don't stand "in line" in New York City; you stand "on line." "Next on line please!" This leads one to wonder: which is more accurate? I look down and see that I'm not actually standing ON a line on the floor, but then, am I really in a line? Have I been swallowed by the line? This is one of the many things in New York that are question-making to me.

Stoop sales are AWESOME.


Rush hour in New York is crrrazy. One morning last week we were standing on the platform waiting for the Number 4 train and when it finally came it was PACKED. It was so packed you couldn't have fit an extra thought in there. The Holbs and I looked at the train and then looked at each other and said "YEAH RIGHT" and waited for the next train. Four minutes later another train came and guess what you guys, still packed! So we swallowed our non-New Yorkness and elbowed our way in. Nose to armpit for 20 minutes and we made it to work, mostly in-tact. I've heard some people say that MTA stands for Might Take Awhile, and when it comes to the R train, they're right. I once waited 20 minutes for an R train, and it was really painful. It's hot on those platforms. Really though, hot doesn't cut it; it's sweltering, face melting, lose-five-pounds-in-water-weight hot. And Borough Hall smells like rotting bodies, and Fulton Street smells like urine. All the time! Like someone is replenishing!

Rats on the subway are good luck, I've decided. I saw a rat on the tracks today and got really excited. I got a bunch of weird looks for that. Later I grabbed the last seat on the train, so hah-hah, am I right??

Subway riders are fun. Last night we went to Queens to see the US Open. The subway ride back was a lesson in patience and submission and enduring extreme invasions of personal space. It was so packed I couldn't move my arms and I could have let go of my purse and it would have been suspended at my side by the pressure of about 15 people pushing on it from all sides. Next to me was a playa, doesn't tie his shoes and wears his hat too big and has big diamond studs hanging from his ears. Every few seconds he'd start rapping along with his iPod, providing wonderful commute entertainment.

New York is kinda rad. You heard it here first, folks.

~originally posted september 04, 2005