The Birds of Times Square
We went to NYC this weekend partly to escape the NJ suburbs and also because NYC is like a magnet, you can't stay away from its pull too long. We really didn't have a set plan but a sorta-kinda we will do what we run into plan.
It's funny because NYC is one of those places where you can find pieces of yourself. In my case at least, finding myself in any place is incredibly refreshing. Feeling like an outsider is ok for a while.
I felt like the outsider in Maryland till I went to grad school and found my niche of study with people who cared about libraries and books the same way I did. I felt like an outsider in Desenzano among the hoity toity rich of Italy until I found Cremona and saw myself in the creative violin-makers shops. That place was a real dream: walking the streets hearing an array of violin music stream out. The violin makers were all a very solemn sort that reminded me in a way of the Wizard of Oz. And then there is NJ, definitely not me, the girls my age sadly label themselves way too much into one of two categories: preppy pretentious East Coast or the Real Housewives of NJ with purple nails and obscenely loud. I don't like labeling myself except maybe with labels like "Enjoys gelato and her Levi's" but I don't like falling into a mold because as fluid as my life has been I see that any mold becomes a cage. Part of life is being a free little bird because the cage can change at any moment.
And being ready to change in any situation is good. The best preparation is always with a book.
NYC is an open cage. There are people who love to stick themselves into a very precise mold of who they are and label themselves like crazy. Then there is everyone else who isn't from any particular place and happens to be in NY and just is who they are.
Yesterday I saw myself in the naked fat Botero man of Columbia circle.
It is the fifth time I have seen him and this time he looked familiar like a friend who had just been waiting for me. He is fat, like my thighs, out of place, like me in NJ, exposed, like no one dares to be, and giantly naked in between the fancy shops of Columbus Circle. The best part? He doesn't care to be giant and weird and fat with a tiny penis there infront of Williams Sonoma and everyone around is ok with it too, they even like his little penis.
Needless to say, it was incredibly refreshing to go to the city this weekend.
NYC is also perhaps the dirtiest city I've visited. They say there are 4 rats for every human! The rats like the subway so we avoid it and do a lot of walking. Like 10 miles of a lot for me to avoid any rodent sightings.
The weather is perfect these days and I'm hoping we can keep going before the cold starts to set in.
Oh, and for my title, this was one of my favorite pictures of the day.
I happen to think they are the builders of NY that sat on the skyscraper they were building about a century ago. They just came down to see how things are going.
As they would say in Brooklyn, "It's goin' aight, kid."
It's funny because NYC is one of those places where you can find pieces of yourself. In my case at least, finding myself in any place is incredibly refreshing. Feeling like an outsider is ok for a while.
 |
| "How long do we have to wait in this dress for Bridezilla while we inhale fumes of street meat?" |
I felt like the outsider in Maryland till I went to grad school and found my niche of study with people who cared about libraries and books the same way I did. I felt like an outsider in Desenzano among the hoity toity rich of Italy until I found Cremona and saw myself in the creative violin-makers shops. That place was a real dream: walking the streets hearing an array of violin music stream out. The violin makers were all a very solemn sort that reminded me in a way of the Wizard of Oz. And then there is NJ, definitely not me, the girls my age sadly label themselves way too much into one of two categories: preppy pretentious East Coast or the Real Housewives of NJ with purple nails and obscenely loud. I don't like labeling myself except maybe with labels like "Enjoys gelato and her Levi's" but I don't like falling into a mold because as fluid as my life has been I see that any mold becomes a cage. Part of life is being a free little bird because the cage can change at any moment.
And being ready to change in any situation is good. The best preparation is always with a book.
 |
| "Now here is your favorite book. Let mommy know when you are all done." |
 |
| "Once upon a time, there was a little girl who pooped next to the train." |
NYC is an open cage. There are people who love to stick themselves into a very precise mold of who they are and label themselves like crazy. Then there is everyone else who isn't from any particular place and happens to be in NY and just is who they are.
Yesterday I saw myself in the naked fat Botero man of Columbia circle.
It is the fifth time I have seen him and this time he looked familiar like a friend who had just been waiting for me. He is fat, like my thighs, out of place, like me in NJ, exposed, like no one dares to be, and giantly naked in between the fancy shops of Columbus Circle. The best part? He doesn't care to be giant and weird and fat with a tiny penis there infront of Williams Sonoma and everyone around is ok with it too, they even like his little penis.
 |
| "Mama, he has this thing between his legs!" |
Needless to say, it was incredibly refreshing to go to the city this weekend.
 |
| Dancers |
Oh, and for my title, this was one of my favorite pictures of the day.
I happen to think they are the builders of NY that sat on the skyscraper they were building about a century ago. They just came down to see how things are going.
Comments
Post a Comment