To wordpress. It's been a good run on blogger, but I just feel stuffy in here. So, if you'd like to continue to follow my writing, point yourselves here:
http://chrishiatt.wordpress.com/
For Google reader (or any other RSS feed reader): http://chrishiatt.wordpress.com/feed/
Thank you for reading. I look forward to seeing all of you on wordpress. Cheers!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Let me tell you about my favorite pizza place
Grimaldi's pizza. Oh my. If you're one of those people who thinks New York is overrated, you would probably think this pizza is, too. Now that I think about it, you probably think this blog is overrated in that case. But if you did think that, you wouldn't be reading, so now I'm writing to no one. Getting back on track...
I will try to explain this in the most elemental terms, as this pizza has become elemental to my existence in New York. Eating Grimaldi's pizza is like rediscovering the ability to do something that is crucial to your existence. Take breathing, for example. If you suddenly remembered how to breathe, what types of emotions do you think you would feel? Energy. Refreshment. Confusion, maybe? How have you been living all this time without the ability to breathe? Astonishment that you're alive. Now imagine those emotions and feelings tied up in a pizza. I'm not kidding. When you eat this pizza, it amazes you down to the last bit of discarded crust on your friend's (or wife's) plate. And it's not that eating a single pizza at Grimaldi's is even that great. It's that after going there a dozen times, I am still delighted by each bite - even surprised by each slice's unique quality. It gets better each time, and it is easily more delicious than any of the other pizza places I have been to in New York.
So if you live here, or if you're moving here, and even if you don't care, go wait in line at Grimaldi's. It's well worth it.
I will try to explain this in the most elemental terms, as this pizza has become elemental to my existence in New York. Eating Grimaldi's pizza is like rediscovering the ability to do something that is crucial to your existence. Take breathing, for example. If you suddenly remembered how to breathe, what types of emotions do you think you would feel? Energy. Refreshment. Confusion, maybe? How have you been living all this time without the ability to breathe? Astonishment that you're alive. Now imagine those emotions and feelings tied up in a pizza. I'm not kidding. When you eat this pizza, it amazes you down to the last bit of discarded crust on your friend's (or wife's) plate. And it's not that eating a single pizza at Grimaldi's is even that great. It's that after going there a dozen times, I am still delighted by each bite - even surprised by each slice's unique quality. It gets better each time, and it is easily more delicious than any of the other pizza places I have been to in New York.
So if you live here, or if you're moving here, and even if you don't care, go wait in line at Grimaldi's. It's well worth it.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Movies in NYC
My wife and I love movies. At this point, I am not even ashamed to say we watch one almost every night. When I got to this city, I looked at the price tag for viewing a film on the big screen. Averaging $13 for an adult, paying for the movies here is no joke. But going to the movies here is like being reborn. Let me tell you why.
The screens are huge and clean. Most of them are DLP, which means there are no blemishes and scratches on the picture associated with a spool of film being used several hundred times. The seats are comfortable, and the theaters don't smell like vomit. Amber and I went to Times Square to see "Date Night" just before the bomb scare the weekend before last, and our theater had large, memory foam-padded captain's chairs with leather headrests. I didn't move an inch the entire hour and half, and I usually writhe around in agony as my tail bone gets more and more sore. IMAX theaters abound, and they are well worth the average of $17 you will pay for the experience. There are other reasons, I'm sure.
We just got a TV at our apartment, and it's a good thing because I would gladly bankrupt us on decadent cinema experiences in this city.
The screens are huge and clean. Most of them are DLP, which means there are no blemishes and scratches on the picture associated with a spool of film being used several hundred times. The seats are comfortable, and the theaters don't smell like vomit. Amber and I went to Times Square to see "Date Night" just before the bomb scare the weekend before last, and our theater had large, memory foam-padded captain's chairs with leather headrests. I didn't move an inch the entire hour and half, and I usually writhe around in agony as my tail bone gets more and more sore. IMAX theaters abound, and they are well worth the average of $17 you will pay for the experience. There are other reasons, I'm sure.
We just got a TV at our apartment, and it's a good thing because I would gladly bankrupt us on decadent cinema experiences in this city.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Work
New York City is cutting lots of jobs (up to 11,000) to close a budget gap of several hundred million dollars. Bloomberg's blaming Albany, D.C. is blaming Wall Street. Most of those cuts are going to be teachers and firefighters. Thanks to the failed bomb attempt in Times Square last weekend, our police force will not shrink.
So what? Watching all of this go down and talking to Amber as she pursues a teaching career, I've been thinking a lot about work lately. Why do we work? What motivates us to do it? And in the end, what's the point? So you're thinking, "Really, Chris? You're going to get philosophical on us?" I know. I can't help it.
People work for a variety of reasons I guess. But what are they? Satisfaction is a start. Maybe it gives someone satisfaction to pursue a dream. I know Amber has wanted to teach all her life. Or maybe the act of producing something is satisfying. Unfortunately, the production of tangible things in the US is becoming a foreign concept. But we can add value by providing services or by channeling information in a useful way. Money is another one. We work and get paid for it, and this is a necessary exchange, because we live and pay for that. While it's necessary, I can't say it's that much of a motivation for me and for many people I know - but there is the old school that's still trying to get rich (my problem is, most of the time someone else has to get poorer for you to get richer). Greed is powerful, and I am greedy - I'm just not sure I'm greedy for money. The problem with working for money is that its actual value isn't determined by what we do, but what we do is given an arbitrary dollar value. This becomes a problem when global economic uncertainty can make the Dow dip 1,000 points in a single day and looming inflation makes me wonder if a $20 bill will be able to buy a sandwich in 10 years.
Where am I? I have a daily activity. It satisfies some of my desires and many of my physical needs. Still, I see people in the city who do not work. Their daily activity is survival, much like that of the developing world, and they live by the generosity of other people and by the accommodations afforded every American citizen, regardless of motivation or ability to work. And their mental and emotional state is largely unrelated to their vocation. When I look at these people, I see some who are happy - happier than most of New York's workforce. I also see some who are apparently more miserable than anyone I have ever met. In these cases, I find it hard to believe that a steady job and an apartment could do anything for them, anyway. I just went in a circle.
I like my job. I know people who like their jobs. So I'm not talking about going off the reservation here. But I do want to remind myself (and any of you who haven't thought it through), that work is a small element of a much bigger and more complicated picture. Around the time that jobs start disappearing (albeit slower now than last year), it's probably a good time to look at what you do and imagine what your life would be like without your vocation. If you live in New York and you work for the city, I would do it sooner than later.
Thank you for reading my blog.
So what? Watching all of this go down and talking to Amber as she pursues a teaching career, I've been thinking a lot about work lately. Why do we work? What motivates us to do it? And in the end, what's the point? So you're thinking, "Really, Chris? You're going to get philosophical on us?" I know. I can't help it.
People work for a variety of reasons I guess. But what are they? Satisfaction is a start. Maybe it gives someone satisfaction to pursue a dream. I know Amber has wanted to teach all her life. Or maybe the act of producing something is satisfying. Unfortunately, the production of tangible things in the US is becoming a foreign concept. But we can add value by providing services or by channeling information in a useful way. Money is another one. We work and get paid for it, and this is a necessary exchange, because we live and pay for that. While it's necessary, I can't say it's that much of a motivation for me and for many people I know - but there is the old school that's still trying to get rich (my problem is, most of the time someone else has to get poorer for you to get richer). Greed is powerful, and I am greedy - I'm just not sure I'm greedy for money. The problem with working for money is that its actual value isn't determined by what we do, but what we do is given an arbitrary dollar value. This becomes a problem when global economic uncertainty can make the Dow dip 1,000 points in a single day and looming inflation makes me wonder if a $20 bill will be able to buy a sandwich in 10 years.
Where am I? I have a daily activity. It satisfies some of my desires and many of my physical needs. Still, I see people in the city who do not work. Their daily activity is survival, much like that of the developing world, and they live by the generosity of other people and by the accommodations afforded every American citizen, regardless of motivation or ability to work. And their mental and emotional state is largely unrelated to their vocation. When I look at these people, I see some who are happy - happier than most of New York's workforce. I also see some who are apparently more miserable than anyone I have ever met. In these cases, I find it hard to believe that a steady job and an apartment could do anything for them, anyway. I just went in a circle.
I like my job. I know people who like their jobs. So I'm not talking about going off the reservation here. But I do want to remind myself (and any of you who haven't thought it through), that work is a small element of a much bigger and more complicated picture. Around the time that jobs start disappearing (albeit slower now than last year), it's probably a good time to look at what you do and imagine what your life would be like without your vocation. If you live in New York and you work for the city, I would do it sooner than later.
Thank you for reading my blog.
Friday, April 30, 2010
A Night at Webster Hall
Some friends invited Amber to a Hanson concert (and she went), and Alan and I met up in the east village for a show Wednesday. We went to Webster Hall to see Frightened Rabbit. Last year, they hooked us both at Pitchfork in Chicago. The show was highly anticipated, and I won't say they disappointed us. One of the openers blew me away. Maps & Atlases is some sort of progessive indie rock band. Call them what you will, they are worth a gander. So take one if you're so inclined.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
UES
My wife and I watched "You've Got Mail" a couple of nights ago. Beyond giving me an odd sense of nostalgia for the lost days of AOL (dare I say, a simpler time?), the movie almost made me wish I had found us a place on the Upper West Side. The film casts a warm, amber hue on that side of town, and I have found myself gazing at those apparently greener pastures, just across the park and out of view. We live in the Upper East Side, in a beautiful neighborhood called Lenox Hill. East 76th at 2nd Avenue, to be precise.
Clearly I'm a sucker for movies, and I know that every neighborhood has its ups and downs. So rather than wish our life was like a mid-nineties dramedy, I have decided to look for the some more "ups" on our uptown digs.
1. The people. Every time I walk to and from the subway, I am surrounded by people that I like. Many of them are old, most are professional, they dress well (but not too well), and they make eye contact with you. People are courteous on the train, and they are not in a hurry. The culture up here is very different from Brooklyn, and it is even distinct from residents downtown.
2. No tourists. I had never visited this neighborhood before I came to preview the apartment. As far as I can see, few people make it up here who don't have a destination in mind. Given the lack of touristy destinations, we seem to end up with a feeling of community that is uninterrupted by the influx of visitors to the city this spring.
3. Convenience. Everything we need is within walking distance of our apartment. There is a fantastic hardware and houseware store on the corner called Rainbow. Restaurants and cafes line the avenues on either side of us. A park on the East River is only two avenues away, and Central Park is only four. Bed Bath & Beyond has a huge store ten blocks south of us, and that is particularly handy when you have lots of gift cards from there.
4. Atmosphere. UES is clean, relatively quiet and relaxed. We both feel comfortable walking there at night. I'll admit I was uncomfortable at times while living in Crown Heights.
As I think of more, I will post them. Look for some pictures of our neighborhood soon, too.
I hope you are having a wonderful day.
Clearly I'm a sucker for movies, and I know that every neighborhood has its ups and downs. So rather than wish our life was like a mid-nineties dramedy, I have decided to look for the some more "ups" on our uptown digs.
1. The people. Every time I walk to and from the subway, I am surrounded by people that I like. Many of them are old, most are professional, they dress well (but not too well), and they make eye contact with you. People are courteous on the train, and they are not in a hurry. The culture up here is very different from Brooklyn, and it is even distinct from residents downtown.
2. No tourists. I had never visited this neighborhood before I came to preview the apartment. As far as I can see, few people make it up here who don't have a destination in mind. Given the lack of touristy destinations, we seem to end up with a feeling of community that is uninterrupted by the influx of visitors to the city this spring.
3. Convenience. Everything we need is within walking distance of our apartment. There is a fantastic hardware and houseware store on the corner called Rainbow. Restaurants and cafes line the avenues on either side of us. A park on the East River is only two avenues away, and Central Park is only four. Bed Bath & Beyond has a huge store ten blocks south of us, and that is particularly handy when you have lots of gift cards from there.
4. Atmosphere. UES is clean, relatively quiet and relaxed. We both feel comfortable walking there at night. I'll admit I was uncomfortable at times while living in Crown Heights.
As I think of more, I will post them. Look for some pictures of our neighborhood soon, too.
I hope you are having a wonderful day.
New York Laws for New Drivers
Any time you go to a new place, it is a good idea to make a note of municipal law. Things might be very different where you are going, and breaking the rules often has unexpected consequences. In New York City, there are a few that I have come across that would have been helpful to know before I got here. First, if you are driving here, don't talk on your cell phone. It's illegal, and they will pull you over for it. When you are driving, don't honk your horn, either. It's illegal, and you will be fined up to $350. Always yield to pedestrians when you are turning. I know it seems like a nobrainer, but they have right of way and will excercise said right to their deaths. So what do you do when you need to park in New York? That's a question I can't answer completely; we got a $125 ticket for parking our moving truck in a way I thought was legal. Street parking is supposedly free unless there is a meter, in which case you must strictly adhere to the signs posted in that zone. A quarter should get you 5 or 10 minutes (the meters only take quarters), and the machines often only last for 30 minutes. Look for the large machines that handle an entire block - here you can pay for an extended period of time. Something tricky to look out for is fire hydrants. They are all over the place and often difficult to spot, but parking in front of one is worth actively avoiding. Beware the City of New York. They were allegedly placing dummy hydrants along fifth avenue for a while to boost revenue. Check out these links if you need more information:
http://www.newyorkparkingticket.com/
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/parking/park_tickets_violations.shtml
There is no shortage of parking garages, especially in our neighborhood, so if your vehicle will clear the height of the garage entrance, consider that. When it's time to move in, though, just find a good spot in the middle of traffic, right in front of your building. It may be illegal, too, but law enforcement will turn a blind eye as long as people can get around you. In my experience, they will allow this to go on for at least 5 hours. Just remember to keep someone with the truck at all times. My advice is to hire movers.
Oh, and don't chew gum in Thailand.
http://www.newyorkparkingticket.com/
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/parking/park_tickets_violations.shtml
There is no shortage of parking garages, especially in our neighborhood, so if your vehicle will clear the height of the garage entrance, consider that. When it's time to move in, though, just find a good spot in the middle of traffic, right in front of your building. It may be illegal, too, but law enforcement will turn a blind eye as long as people can get around you. In my experience, they will allow this to go on for at least 5 hours. Just remember to keep someone with the truck at all times. My advice is to hire movers.
Oh, and don't chew gum in Thailand.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
How do you judge a town?
My friend Dave just sent me a message. "Hmm...to judge a town on its Thai food or not?"
My answer is ABSOLUTELY! If a town doesn't have good Thai, it's probably not worth living there. Honestly think about it and tell me if you can disagree. Gainesville has outstanding Thai food. New York obviously does, too. I will never forget the day we got to Cafetasia in the East Village to find out that their daily special of $5 pad thai and $2 beer was gone.
If you think in terms of Thai, it makes all of the other complicated criteria that we base our decisions on seem trivial. If nothing else, you know you can cope with the less-than-ideal attributes of your city over some delicious dumplings. Well played, Dave. Well played.
My answer is ABSOLUTELY! If a town doesn't have good Thai, it's probably not worth living there. Honestly think about it and tell me if you can disagree. Gainesville has outstanding Thai food. New York obviously does, too. I will never forget the day we got to Cafetasia in the East Village to find out that their daily special of $5 pad thai and $2 beer was gone.
If you think in terms of Thai, it makes all of the other complicated criteria that we base our decisions on seem trivial. If nothing else, you know you can cope with the less-than-ideal attributes of your city over some delicious dumplings. Well played, Dave. Well played.
Monday, April 26, 2010
The National - "High Violet"
When I heard The National was working on another album, I imagined them crouched over a pile of vintage guitars and organs, armed with a wall of tube amps and analog recording gear, mumbling into antique ribbon microphones (standard hipster studio posture, I know). After listening to it, I feel like that is exactly what happened - and it is awesome. Add a few orchestrations, a "spash" of brass, and you have the tasteful and enjoyable "High Violet," streaming now on NYT.com. Give it a try.
Having a distinguishable sound these days is tough. In a wash of bands that are trying to sound the same, breaking through the droning of mediocre buzz bands is difficult both for artists and for music fans. The National is a group of artists like no other recording and performing right now. It's not because they are innovative (although they are - they were hip long before it was cool to be that way), and it's not because there aren't people trying to sound just like them. It's a tasteful mix of husky vocals and an outstanding band that clearly listens to its own music. I should not enjoy listening to this guy grumble about social structures and aingst-ridden love tales, but I do. And if I think hard enough, I realize that the National's last three albums have all sounded similar. Normally decried by people who are looking for constant musical "innovation," it comforts me to hear a band developing its sound over time and staying true to its roots as it evolves. The National seems to have this figured out, and I am very excited to pick this album up when it comes out. In the meantime, I will listen to it a few more times while I work. Let me know what you think of it.
Having a distinguishable sound these days is tough. In a wash of bands that are trying to sound the same, breaking through the droning of mediocre buzz bands is difficult both for artists and for music fans. The National is a group of artists like no other recording and performing right now. It's not because they are innovative (although they are - they were hip long before it was cool to be that way), and it's not because there aren't people trying to sound just like them. It's a tasteful mix of husky vocals and an outstanding band that clearly listens to its own music. I should not enjoy listening to this guy grumble about social structures and aingst-ridden love tales, but I do. And if I think hard enough, I realize that the National's last three albums have all sounded similar. Normally decried by people who are looking for constant musical "innovation," it comforts me to hear a band developing its sound over time and staying true to its roots as it evolves. The National seems to have this figured out, and I am very excited to pick this album up when it comes out. In the meantime, I will listen to it a few more times while I work. Let me know what you think of it.
Friday, April 23, 2010
We're Back
My friends, it has been 20 days since my last post. Part of me is disappointed - I feel like we were on a roll, and I have been getting some great feedback from you. However, the much larger (and correct) part of me knows that blogging had to move down on my list of priorities. As a recap, this is some of what has happened in the last three weeks:
1. Amber and I got married.
2. Amber and I went on a fantastic honeymoon.
3. Amber and I moved to New York City.
4. I went back to work.
Now you might notice a trend here, or at least I could pose an elementary standardized test-style question like "which of these sentences does not go with the others" and you would probably get it right. As my friends and I would say, "We're back." And I am very excited to be able to say "we" with confidence now.
This blog is titled "Moving to New York." I hinted at retiring it before, and I think that time is near, but for now there is plenty left to tell about the process. Now it simply involves another perspective, and I will do my best to integrate Amber's take on moving to New York City into my writing. It will take us a while to get on our feet here, and until then I must leave you with fewer words than I had intended to provide. More to come very soon.
Cheers!
Coming soon:
1. Should you rent a walk up?
2. UES (the Upper East Side)
3. Justin Timberlake's BBQ restaurant
4. Moving truck + Manhattan = Failure
5. Barriers to Renting in Manhattan (and what you need to get it done)
6. Your questions
1. Amber and I got married.
2. Amber and I went on a fantastic honeymoon.
3. Amber and I moved to New York City.
4. I went back to work.
Now you might notice a trend here, or at least I could pose an elementary standardized test-style question like "which of these sentences does not go with the others" and you would probably get it right. As my friends and I would say, "We're back." And I am very excited to be able to say "we" with confidence now.
This blog is titled "Moving to New York." I hinted at retiring it before, and I think that time is near, but for now there is plenty left to tell about the process. Now it simply involves another perspective, and I will do my best to integrate Amber's take on moving to New York City into my writing. It will take us a while to get on our feet here, and until then I must leave you with fewer words than I had intended to provide. More to come very soon.
Cheers!
Coming soon:
1. Should you rent a walk up?
2. UES (the Upper East Side)
3. Justin Timberlake's BBQ restaurant
4. Moving truck + Manhattan = Failure
5. Barriers to Renting in Manhattan (and what you need to get it done)
6. Your questions
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Forward Motion
In the words of one of my favorite contemporary actors: "I know it doesn't feel like it, but we're makin' progress." Sometimes a week will go by and I feel like nothing has been accomplished. I'm sure you know the feeling. This week has been good despite feeling at times like I'm in a tailspin. This was the last full week before the wedding, and I can barely believe it. There is plenty left to do, but I know we will get it done.
The church is nearly completed, and as I understand it the sanctuary will be ready for us. The only thing missing is chairs, but we took care of that. So, just a few more days and wedding tunnel vision will have set in completely. I don't expect to remember much of the events that lead up to it, but I want to. Too many times I gear up for something and invest nearly all of my energy in it, only to wake up afterwards struggling to remember details. This time, I want the experience to last, and I want it to be special for everyone dear to me.
On a completely unrelated note, Alan, Robin, Scott and I went to see The Temper Trap last night at Webster Hall. It was good, but the show was expensive and they only played for 40 minutes. We left confused, broke and dizzy from the noise, only to buy a six pack from a corner store and take it to the roof. Good memories. I won't bother providing a link for the band. They might get big, though.
If you're bored in Gainesville this week call me - I'm sure I can find a job for you.
Warmly,
Chris
The church is nearly completed, and as I understand it the sanctuary will be ready for us. The only thing missing is chairs, but we took care of that. So, just a few more days and wedding tunnel vision will have set in completely. I don't expect to remember much of the events that lead up to it, but I want to. Too many times I gear up for something and invest nearly all of my energy in it, only to wake up afterwards struggling to remember details. This time, I want the experience to last, and I want it to be special for everyone dear to me.
On a completely unrelated note, Alan, Robin, Scott and I went to see The Temper Trap last night at Webster Hall. It was good, but the show was expensive and they only played for 40 minutes. We left confused, broke and dizzy from the noise, only to buy a six pack from a corner store and take it to the roof. Good memories. I won't bother providing a link for the band. They might get big, though.
If you're bored in Gainesville this week call me - I'm sure I can find a job for you.
Warmly,
Chris
Monday, March 29, 2010
Spring really has sprung.
It is still cold, though. I took this picture of the first blooming plant I saw. The Empire State Building is in there, too.
Happy Monday!
Gatekeepers
It is amazing how often I find myself in this position. A need, identified and well contemplated. A solution, within reach. A human being, standing in between us. Being a broker in this city must be tough work. I believe that what they do can add value to the equation; I simply have not experienced it yet. I spent a couple of exhausted evenings after work last week following a young broker around east Manhattan. She seemed to know what she was doing. All it amounted to was seeing apartments that were either completely unaffordable and beyond my price ceiling or nearly impossible to fit inside. That was disappointing, but I did get to establish a barometer to aid my search. Tomorrow, I will meet another broker in the east village. I hope to see a place in east midtown that is a fantastic deal. Well, it appears to be a fantastic deal, but she is unwilling to disclose her fee, or the address of the place. I don't blame her, because if I found the place without her I could save a lot of money. The completed application on my bed is for an apartment I found on my own in the upper east side. I spoke directly with the building's management company and they faxed me an application. It's really a shame. The person who did the most work for me will end up getting nothing out of it. Someone has said that "she didn't do her job, then." Even though I believe we could have found a place if she had listened to me, I still don't believe she did nothing. Because tomorrow, when I meet with the hostile broker who I am terrified will waste my time, I will look back on all the apartments the first broker showed me as a means to making a decision. Part of me wants to say no to this place for her sake, even if it is perfect for us. How messed up is that? In the end, I have a sneaking suspicion that no broker will benefit from the time they invest in me. I would feel bad, I think, if they weren't necessary to the hunt. Tomorrow's broker stands as a gatekeeper. There is no way around her. I must let her show me the apartment, and if I choose it, I must pay her as if she is credited all the work of the other. Hopefully New York brokers plan on losing some.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Illumination (for those still in the dark)
Hello my friends. I would like to thank you for your support over the past few months. For whatever it's worth, the words I have put together in this space have brought me comfort in trying times, and I would not have written it without you here.
I have been working as a full-time freelancer for almost two weeks now at Siivo Corp, a web design and ecommerce consulting company located at 27th and 5th Avenue. They have asked me to stay with them on a permanent basis after the wedding. So, I suppose you could say I have a job. And since I have a job, I am able to look for apartments (which is what Amber and I have been doing on craigslist for the last hour over the phone), and since I will probably end up finding an apartment for us to live in, I imagine Amber and I will be moving here after all. What a wonderfully strung sentence!
So what's next? There is plenty to say. Sometimes I want to write it here and end up not doing it for one reason or another. I have not decided if I will keep this blog up in its current state or not. I will say that I plan to keep blogging. It will actually be a large part of my day to day job. I have been doing some music writing as well, and plan to pursue more outlets for those efforts. In addition to music, some friends and I are starting a NYC food blog soon. That will be formidable. I will do my best to update some more here, largely for the sake of anyone looking for practical wisdom on moving up here. After that, we will just have to see how it goes.
All for now. Up next: Apartment Hunting, or what I hope will be my epic battle against brokers' fees.
Cheers!
I have been working as a full-time freelancer for almost two weeks now at Siivo Corp, a web design and ecommerce consulting company located at 27th and 5th Avenue. They have asked me to stay with them on a permanent basis after the wedding. So, I suppose you could say I have a job. And since I have a job, I am able to look for apartments (which is what Amber and I have been doing on craigslist for the last hour over the phone), and since I will probably end up finding an apartment for us to live in, I imagine Amber and I will be moving here after all. What a wonderfully strung sentence!
So what's next? There is plenty to say. Sometimes I want to write it here and end up not doing it for one reason or another. I have not decided if I will keep this blog up in its current state or not. I will say that I plan to keep blogging. It will actually be a large part of my day to day job. I have been doing some music writing as well, and plan to pursue more outlets for those efforts. In addition to music, some friends and I are starting a NYC food blog soon. That will be formidable. I will do my best to update some more here, largely for the sake of anyone looking for practical wisdom on moving up here. After that, we will just have to see how it goes.
All for now. Up next: Apartment Hunting, or what I hope will be my epic battle against brokers' fees.
Cheers!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The Whitest Boy Alive
No, I am not talking about myself.
I've been listening to Rules by The Whitest Boy Alive all morning. The album isn't extraordinary, but it's really good. The music is disconcerted and funky, and each instrument is expressed in its own spatial layer. Vocalist/guitarist Erlend Øye (Kings of Convenience) is the reason I gave them a chance, but as I've discovered this album over time, it is not his vocal presence that brings me back to it. The sound is unremarkable, not at all German, and I love it. It is great subway music. Give them a try.
I've been listening to Rules by The Whitest Boy Alive all morning. The album isn't extraordinary, but it's really good. The music is disconcerted and funky, and each instrument is expressed in its own spatial layer. Vocalist/guitarist Erlend Øye (Kings of Convenience) is the reason I gave them a chance, but as I've discovered this album over time, it is not his vocal presence that brings me back to it. The sound is unremarkable, not at all German, and I love it. It is great subway music. Give them a try.
Something in the walls
A noise has been hindering my sleep lately. I only hint at the source here for the sake of the squeamish reader, but I can tell you it sounds big. If you've ever dealt with rodents where you live, I wonder if your reaction is similar to mine. You just sort of recoil under your covers, hoping it doesn't come bursting through the wall or ceiling. You try beating the walls and yelling, exacerbating your fears of an intrusion and delighting your neighbors. Even now as I clumsily plod this post out on my cell phone, I find myself looking up periodically to make sure there's no breach. Now that it's quiet, I might not be able to sleep for fear that he is just silently skirting around my bedroom, plotting my demise as he chews holes on my favorite wool socks.
At this point you are probably thinking one or both of the following:
1. Chris has finally lost it.
2. This post is a waste of my time.
Sorry about that. I probably should have named it "Rats in New York." All I can say is if you're moving here you are going to deal with them one way or another.
If you made it this far into this post, take heart. I will have a silver lining for you tomorrow.
Chris
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Working in NYC
I rose out of the subway this morning with a new perspective. Flatiron, named for an iron-shaped building where Broadway and Fifth Avenue intersect, is a lively place. As a tourist, I was never interested in it. Nothing in the area ever attracted me, and most subway lines that I rode as a visitor bypass it. As a new resident working in the city, I am thrilled to be learning the area and am enjoying its architecture and culture. Almost everyone you see on the street works somewhere nearby. In the morning the sidewalks are lined with the fast-paced crowds you see in movies. At lunch, people wander to corner cafes and delis for a quick break from their computer screens. Today I took my grilled vegetables, fruit and cheese from a nearby cafe with a hot and cold buffet inside to Madison Square Park. It was full of vibrant young professionals chattering about the day's troubles. Two girls next to me commiserated about their old boss and how he didn't understand their generation. At some point during that lunch, I looked up at the New York Life building's exquisite golden roof, the early spring sun warming my back and the droning, frustrated urbanites' banter sitting dull in my ears. In that moment I felt excited. Excited to be alive. Excited to be working. Excited to be in this place. Excited about our future.
There are days when I am not excited at all, and sometimes I feel like giving in to my fears and my desire to be in control. Up here, I have no choice but to surrender - either to my own fears or to the one who sustains me. Today, I was reminded of His goodness. And I am looking forward to the ways Amber and I will grow here.
My optimism usually comes in short bursts, but I will let you know how things are going. Also, I will share a link to my main client soon.
Thanks for keeping up with me. If you're reading and havent commented, I would love to know you're out there.
Chris
Monday, March 8, 2010
Exemplary Love
Family has been on my mind for the last day or so, largely due to a post by Tamara Johnston. She is a writer, wife and mother of five young children. If you haven't seen her blog yet, please take a look.
I got to know Tamara and her husband Brian through their wonderful children. As I look toward starting my own family, I think of theirs and others with joy and expectation. There is so much life in a family, and I can not wait to begin a new one with my fiancee, Amber. Excited, I am. Terrified, indeed. What a sobering thought! Maintaining a healthy marriage is extremely difficult (people tell me that a lot, and America's divorce rates validate their claims). Raising children at the same time...I can't even imagine. I don't even have the "healthy engagement" part down. The whole package is just mind blowing, and it seems impossible. But my parents did it, and so did Amber's. I think back to my childhood and remember that, above all, I never wondered if my parents loved me. I look at the families I am blessed to know well (the Johnstons, Hamersmas, Pendleys, Gregorys, etc.), and I see the same thing. This exemplary love is fundamental to life as it was intended but apparently lacking in our culture. I hope to join the ranks of people loving their spouses and children selflessly and unconditionally, no matter how hard it ends up being over time, and no matter how unattractive it seems. Thank you for giving me a new way to think about it, Tamara.
What motivates the love we are talking about? Read about it here.
I got to know Tamara and her husband Brian through their wonderful children. As I look toward starting my own family, I think of theirs and others with joy and expectation. There is so much life in a family, and I can not wait to begin a new one with my fiancee, Amber. Excited, I am. Terrified, indeed. What a sobering thought! Maintaining a healthy marriage is extremely difficult (people tell me that a lot, and America's divorce rates validate their claims). Raising children at the same time...I can't even imagine. I don't even have the "healthy engagement" part down. The whole package is just mind blowing, and it seems impossible. But my parents did it, and so did Amber's. I think back to my childhood and remember that, above all, I never wondered if my parents loved me. I look at the families I am blessed to know well (the Johnstons, Hamersmas, Pendleys, Gregorys, etc.), and I see the same thing. This exemplary love is fundamental to life as it was intended but apparently lacking in our culture. I hope to join the ranks of people loving their spouses and children selflessly and unconditionally, no matter how hard it ends up being over time, and no matter how unattractive it seems. Thank you for giving me a new way to think about it, Tamara.
What motivates the love we are talking about? Read about it here.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Inclement weather
Please excuse the lull in posts over the last week. I was in Gainesville visiting Amber. We had a really nice time, and I enjoyed getting to be with her in person instead of on the phone. Anyone with distance dating or engagement experience can tell you that it can be exhausting trying to have something to say all the time. The sweetest moments Amber and I have shared together have been silent, and there is something about silence on the phone that just doesn't work.
The trip was not without incident. I left my apartment at 4am Friday and headed to the subway. Plodding down empty, snow-covered streets with Target bags over my shoes and a half-empty suitcase, I made my way to the Nostrand Avenue station to catch the A to JFK airport. We were about 20 hours in to what the airport newscasters called a "snowicane," and more than 12 inches had fallen already. It's fun walking in the snow before anyone else, although I ended up having to walk down the street because the sidewalks were a disaster. After about an hour I made it to the airport and checked in. When I arrived, the kiosk that replaced so many jobs told me that it was too late to check a bag. I arrived an hour early and found this odd, but I had not planned to check a bag so it wasn't a problem. When I got to the gate and finally made it on the plane, I was relieved to see that the flight was, in fact, scheduled to depart on time. An hour passed, and just as I was getting irritated the captain came on the speaker and informed us that they were still putting bags on the plane. Half of me immediately thought back to that kiosk telling me I couldn't check anything. I would have been so mad. The other more compassionate half looked at the men outside with empathy. I could not imagine working in what I had just walked through, much less trying to accomplish the task of getting an airplane ready to take off in such weather. So I sat patiently for another hour and imagined what the sideways snowfall was doing to everyone who had planned to wake up and do something that day. As the sun came up, the outlook remained bleak. Glancing out the window was like looking into a gloomy dream; I almost couldn't believe all this was happening. Within another half hour, they had de-iced the plane and gotten us airborne. I later found out that few other aircraft made it out that day. Atlanta was a nightmare, as usual, but my New York legs carried me from the end of Concourse A to the end of Concourse D in 12 minutes, just in time to see them close the doors and tell me I could not board. A short scuffle with the Delta staff in Atlanta later, I arrived to see my fiancee.
Gainesville was sunny and warm, and my smiling bride-to-be waited for me at its regional airport. I could not have asked for more. What I didn't expect was a blizzard in Atlanta to delay my return flight. But I welcomed another day in Gainesville with Amber, and I was delighted to fly directly to New York from Orlando the next day in first class. Thanks, Delta. Maybe we'll give you another chance.
Now, it is back to the grind and definitely down to wire. Every day that passes is another notch on the belt tightening around our plans to move here. I am looking forward to seeing the Lord's provision this week, and to time with friends in Atlantic City this weekend.
The trip was not without incident. I left my apartment at 4am Friday and headed to the subway. Plodding down empty, snow-covered streets with Target bags over my shoes and a half-empty suitcase, I made my way to the Nostrand Avenue station to catch the A to JFK airport. We were about 20 hours in to what the airport newscasters called a "snowicane," and more than 12 inches had fallen already. It's fun walking in the snow before anyone else, although I ended up having to walk down the street because the sidewalks were a disaster. After about an hour I made it to the airport and checked in. When I arrived, the kiosk that replaced so many jobs told me that it was too late to check a bag. I arrived an hour early and found this odd, but I had not planned to check a bag so it wasn't a problem. When I got to the gate and finally made it on the plane, I was relieved to see that the flight was, in fact, scheduled to depart on time. An hour passed, and just as I was getting irritated the captain came on the speaker and informed us that they were still putting bags on the plane. Half of me immediately thought back to that kiosk telling me I couldn't check anything. I would have been so mad. The other more compassionate half looked at the men outside with empathy. I could not imagine working in what I had just walked through, much less trying to accomplish the task of getting an airplane ready to take off in such weather. So I sat patiently for another hour and imagined what the sideways snowfall was doing to everyone who had planned to wake up and do something that day. As the sun came up, the outlook remained bleak. Glancing out the window was like looking into a gloomy dream; I almost couldn't believe all this was happening. Within another half hour, they had de-iced the plane and gotten us airborne. I later found out that few other aircraft made it out that day. Atlanta was a nightmare, as usual, but my New York legs carried me from the end of Concourse A to the end of Concourse D in 12 minutes, just in time to see them close the doors and tell me I could not board. A short scuffle with the Delta staff in Atlanta later, I arrived to see my fiancee.
Gainesville was sunny and warm, and my smiling bride-to-be waited for me at its regional airport. I could not have asked for more. What I didn't expect was a blizzard in Atlanta to delay my return flight. But I welcomed another day in Gainesville with Amber, and I was delighted to fly directly to New York from Orlando the next day in first class. Thanks, Delta. Maybe we'll give you another chance.
Now, it is back to the grind and definitely down to wire. Every day that passes is another notch on the belt tightening around our plans to move here. I am looking forward to seeing the Lord's provision this week, and to time with friends in Atlantic City this weekend.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Christian Church in New York City
Since my time in my high school youth group, I have held very dearly the privilege of involving myself in the local church. You can not truly know something without delving deep into the things that make it real. Like it or not, religion, like the the food we eat and the music we listen to, is foundational. As I grow roots in this city, they are still shallow, and I can not presume to have any of it "figured out." Some of you have asked me about my experience with the church here. Please know that my tendency and preference is to experience things from the inside out.
In this case, I write as an observer.
The streets here are lined with churches - some small, others large, Gothic edifices with Latin inscriptions and Roman numerals dating them long before any of the surrounding buildings had even been conceived. What goes on inside them? Many are open to the public, almost acting as museums while offering worship services. St. Patrick's Cathedral on Madison Ave is a great example. They offer somewhere around 5 masses a day; one in the afternoon is in Spanish. I like to go there on Sunday afternoons and read, reflect and pray. The cavernous spaces catch all the tourist's noise and create an odd sense of peace. Old First Reformed Church in Park Slope offers an ongoing collection of chamber music performances geared toward children in addition to standard services and Sunday school classes, althought I have never been inside. Another church meets in a small space above a corner store down the road from us, at the corner of Dean Street and Nostrand Avenue in Crown Heights. Saturday and Sunday nights it pumps out boisterous, high intensity praise music that nearly lures me upstairs every time I pass it (and I don't even like praise songs). Across the street on the opposing corner, the large and austeer Bedford Presbyteriam Church makes no noise. Sometimes I wonder if anyone even goes in.
I have walked in reformed Christian circles for long enough to know that a discussion of the New York church would be incomplete without Redeemer. I visited the church at its Hunter College Auditorium meeting and heard Tim Keller preach. He was every bit as impressive and unassuming as I imagined he would be. My fiancee Amber and I listened to some lectures that he and his wife gave for premarital counseling so I knew what to expect. Sitting in the back of the theater listening to him preach was almost the same as hearing him on the computer. The music is billed as traditional, although I am not sure which tradition they are aiming for. A brass quintet accompanies an organist, and a song leader sings from the lectern, apparently not through a microphone. The singing on the part of those attending was minimal and forlorn. I have decided not to return until Amber and I are looking for churches together in April.
Park Slope Presbyterian Church
My friend Sarah took me to this church when I first got here, and it has been my first choice ever since. They meet in a school, much like the church I worked at in Gainesville and attended for 6 years, but not in the auditorium like most. When you enter John Jay High School on 7th Avenue in Park Slope, you are ushered upstairs, through foam green hallways and stairwells, past the large auditorium into the cafeteria. The room is dirty and obstructed by large collumns, but it is well lit and deep.
Each morning members of the church set up chairs and the musicians bring their equipment with them. The pastoral staff wears traditional robes. They partake of communion each Sunday. They greet each other by name and pass the peace. The atmosphere is full of the joy and frustration created by large numbers of young children chattering and dancing in the makeshift aisles. For all the things that it is not - specifically everything that a large, beautiful church on 5th Avenue in Manhattan can offer - this church is truly a group of people seeking community in something greater than themselves. That is what I look for in a church, and since I found it early, I was spared the hassle of looking elsewhere. Of course when Amber arrives, we will select a church together. For now, I am content and pleased to attend it.
The music is very interesting. A female song leader backed by a band of four or five including drums, bass and a pedal steel guitar guides the congregation through hymnity young and old. It is never what you might consider contemporary, but it is fresh and exciting. Having led worship for so long, it can be very difficult for me to be led in it. I am constantly critiquing what I hear and reading in to the music, noting the demeanor of the musicians and their relationships with the leader. The process always happens the same way, and it is nauseating. At Park Slope Presbyterian I have found it easy to sing and worship, and I even find myself laughing at a particularly good riff from the pedal steel player from time to time. (I went to see him play at a club in the East Village and was pleased to see that he brings what he has to a Sunday morning worship service.)
In short, I like the church. It's not perfect, making it the perfect place for me. As to the state of the church at large, I hope to have more to say as I continue to experience things here. I hope this helps you.
In this case, I write as an observer.
The streets here are lined with churches - some small, others large, Gothic edifices with Latin inscriptions and Roman numerals dating them long before any of the surrounding buildings had even been conceived. What goes on inside them? Many are open to the public, almost acting as museums while offering worship services. St. Patrick's Cathedral on Madison Ave is a great example. They offer somewhere around 5 masses a day; one in the afternoon is in Spanish. I like to go there on Sunday afternoons and read, reflect and pray. The cavernous spaces catch all the tourist's noise and create an odd sense of peace. Old First Reformed Church in Park Slope offers an ongoing collection of chamber music performances geared toward children in addition to standard services and Sunday school classes, althought I have never been inside. Another church meets in a small space above a corner store down the road from us, at the corner of Dean Street and Nostrand Avenue in Crown Heights. Saturday and Sunday nights it pumps out boisterous, high intensity praise music that nearly lures me upstairs every time I pass it (and I don't even like praise songs). Across the street on the opposing corner, the large and austeer Bedford Presbyteriam Church makes no noise. Sometimes I wonder if anyone even goes in.
I have walked in reformed Christian circles for long enough to know that a discussion of the New York church would be incomplete without Redeemer. I visited the church at its Hunter College Auditorium meeting and heard Tim Keller preach. He was every bit as impressive and unassuming as I imagined he would be. My fiancee Amber and I listened to some lectures that he and his wife gave for premarital counseling so I knew what to expect. Sitting in the back of the theater listening to him preach was almost the same as hearing him on the computer. The music is billed as traditional, although I am not sure which tradition they are aiming for. A brass quintet accompanies an organist, and a song leader sings from the lectern, apparently not through a microphone. The singing on the part of those attending was minimal and forlorn. I have decided not to return until Amber and I are looking for churches together in April.
Park Slope Presbyterian Church
My friend Sarah took me to this church when I first got here, and it has been my first choice ever since. They meet in a school, much like the church I worked at in Gainesville and attended for 6 years, but not in the auditorium like most. When you enter John Jay High School on 7th Avenue in Park Slope, you are ushered upstairs, through foam green hallways and stairwells, past the large auditorium into the cafeteria. The room is dirty and obstructed by large collumns, but it is well lit and deep.
Each morning members of the church set up chairs and the musicians bring their equipment with them. The pastoral staff wears traditional robes. They partake of communion each Sunday. They greet each other by name and pass the peace. The atmosphere is full of the joy and frustration created by large numbers of young children chattering and dancing in the makeshift aisles. For all the things that it is not - specifically everything that a large, beautiful church on 5th Avenue in Manhattan can offer - this church is truly a group of people seeking community in something greater than themselves. That is what I look for in a church, and since I found it early, I was spared the hassle of looking elsewhere. Of course when Amber arrives, we will select a church together. For now, I am content and pleased to attend it.
The music is very interesting. A female song leader backed by a band of four or five including drums, bass and a pedal steel guitar guides the congregation through hymnity young and old. It is never what you might consider contemporary, but it is fresh and exciting. Having led worship for so long, it can be very difficult for me to be led in it. I am constantly critiquing what I hear and reading in to the music, noting the demeanor of the musicians and their relationships with the leader. The process always happens the same way, and it is nauseating. At Park Slope Presbyterian I have found it easy to sing and worship, and I even find myself laughing at a particularly good riff from the pedal steel player from time to time. (I went to see him play at a club in the East Village and was pleased to see that he brings what he has to a Sunday morning worship service.)
In short, I like the church. It's not perfect, making it the perfect place for me. As to the state of the church at large, I hope to have more to say as I continue to experience things here. I hope this helps you.
Bagels
When I arrived here on a dime, I instinctively became attracted to cheap food. It's not that I don't want to experience the finer things this city has to offer; I have just become content to wait. So what to do with a couple dollars and an empty stomach? Fortunately, there are many options in this scenario. Singles burn wholes in your pockets in this city - people around here just make them so easy to use. For me, it's a bagel all the way.
I'll save the calories per pound analysis for someone who cares about it and get on to my favorite bagel in New York. The french toast bagel at The Bagel Store in Williamsburg is incredible. Enormous, dusted in powdered sugar, crunchy, flakey, delicious. I order it toasted with butter, unless of course it just came out of the oven (the Internet tells me that true New Yorkers would never order a fresh bagel toasted - guess I haven't arrived yet.) There are lots of people willing to make absolute statements on a whim (i.e. that was the best movie ever!), but understand this: that bagel is formidable, like a heavy force weighing against my self control. Fortunately for me, and much to my chagrin, the shop is difficult to get to from Crown Heights.
Apparently the art of the bagel is somewhat more nuanced than I could have imagined. Devoted food writers won't seem to touch them, which I think is more out of fear than disrespect. The only way to navigate the world of New York bagels online seems to be relying on user reviews on Google Business listings or on Yelp.com. There are different varieties to suit varying tastes, and of course there is the elusive bialy. If you ever see one down south, order it.
Lately I have been considering a new direction for some of my time spent blog writing. I would focus entirely on food, and I am thinking bagels would be an excellent category. We'll see. For now, I will keep conveying my experiences here. My next post: The Christian Church in New York City.
I'll save the calories per pound analysis for someone who cares about it and get on to my favorite bagel in New York. The french toast bagel at The Bagel Store in Williamsburg is incredible. Enormous, dusted in powdered sugar, crunchy, flakey, delicious. I order it toasted with butter, unless of course it just came out of the oven (the Internet tells me that true New Yorkers would never order a fresh bagel toasted - guess I haven't arrived yet.) There are lots of people willing to make absolute statements on a whim (i.e. that was the best movie ever!), but understand this: that bagel is formidable, like a heavy force weighing against my self control. Fortunately for me, and much to my chagrin, the shop is difficult to get to from Crown Heights.
Apparently the art of the bagel is somewhat more nuanced than I could have imagined. Devoted food writers won't seem to touch them, which I think is more out of fear than disrespect. The only way to navigate the world of New York bagels online seems to be relying on user reviews on Google Business listings or on Yelp.com. There are different varieties to suit varying tastes, and of course there is the elusive bialy. If you ever see one down south, order it.
Lately I have been considering a new direction for some of my time spent blog writing. I would focus entirely on food, and I am thinking bagels would be an excellent category. We'll see. For now, I will keep conveying my experiences here. My next post: The Christian Church in New York City.
Monday, February 22, 2010
It's a beautiful day
This post might be running against its grain, though. Blogger crashed safari on my computer three times. I'm not superstitious, but sometimes things just aren't in the cards. Let's see if Firefox is feeling generous today.
A friend visited me last weekend and I just sent him off at JFK. We saw most of the city in three full days and walked an excessive amount, even by this city's standards. Now with the Rising in two ears and Bruce Springsteen squeezing smoky sentence fragments through his weathered vocal chords, I am back to work.
Forgive the title if that band from the 60s still has a corner on the phrase, or if Bono thinks he rightfully stole it in 2000, but today is beautiful. Beyond a glorious sunrise into a crisp, clear sky, several things have already tinted this week a golden hue. In no particular order, save in possible chronology:
1. The A train operator said "Good morning! Welcome back from the weekend."
2. I have been able to listen to two albums in their entirety on headphones, and I am working on the aforementioned third. Enjoying good music while encased in these isolating headphones by Bose is like borrowing solitude in a carnival of commuters. And adding music to any series of events helps me to experience them with a full emotional spectrum.
3. I can still smell the coffee I had earlier on my clothes. It stands out somehow over the aroma in the air of the Starbuck's Coffee I am sitting in, and I must admit it was the best airport brew I have ever had. That is not exactly saying a lot, but I am grateful for that Dunkin Donuts as it was opportune, timely and inexpensive. I am looking forward to flying out of JFK this weekend. As an aside, why is train station coffee always better than airport coffee? It seems like it should be the other way around.
4. Images from the trains I rode this morning, uncharacteristic of my usual route underground, surprised me. Tail sections moved like shark fins on the dark horizon as we approached Terminal 5 (no, not the venue) at around 6AM, intimidating each other and almost haunting me. Fantastic! A large hawk-like bird soared over Rockaway Avenue as we approached a tunnel, in line with the train and in phase with its speed. I imagined today as a film where that was a transition shot between movements, just as I transitioned from one to another. Smiling faces on the subway greeted each other with a vulnerability I rarely see here, and people helped young mothers stow strollers and elderly patrons find seats.
This is sounding too optimistic for me, so as a disclaimer, I fully expect something disturbing later to taint the whole thing. But for now, I am delighted to share it. What have you seen today?
A friend visited me last weekend and I just sent him off at JFK. We saw most of the city in three full days and walked an excessive amount, even by this city's standards. Now with the Rising in two ears and Bruce Springsteen squeezing smoky sentence fragments through his weathered vocal chords, I am back to work.
Forgive the title if that band from the 60s still has a corner on the phrase, or if Bono thinks he rightfully stole it in 2000, but today is beautiful. Beyond a glorious sunrise into a crisp, clear sky, several things have already tinted this week a golden hue. In no particular order, save in possible chronology:
1. The A train operator said "Good morning! Welcome back from the weekend."
2. I have been able to listen to two albums in their entirety on headphones, and I am working on the aforementioned third. Enjoying good music while encased in these isolating headphones by Bose is like borrowing solitude in a carnival of commuters. And adding music to any series of events helps me to experience them with a full emotional spectrum.
3. I can still smell the coffee I had earlier on my clothes. It stands out somehow over the aroma in the air of the Starbuck's Coffee I am sitting in, and I must admit it was the best airport brew I have ever had. That is not exactly saying a lot, but I am grateful for that Dunkin Donuts as it was opportune, timely and inexpensive. I am looking forward to flying out of JFK this weekend. As an aside, why is train station coffee always better than airport coffee? It seems like it should be the other way around.
4. Images from the trains I rode this morning, uncharacteristic of my usual route underground, surprised me. Tail sections moved like shark fins on the dark horizon as we approached Terminal 5 (no, not the venue) at around 6AM, intimidating each other and almost haunting me. Fantastic! A large hawk-like bird soared over Rockaway Avenue as we approached a tunnel, in line with the train and in phase with its speed. I imagined today as a film where that was a transition shot between movements, just as I transitioned from one to another. Smiling faces on the subway greeted each other with a vulnerability I rarely see here, and people helped young mothers stow strollers and elderly patrons find seats.
This is sounding too optimistic for me, so as a disclaimer, I fully expect something disturbing later to taint the whole thing. But for now, I am delighted to share it. What have you seen today?
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Snow
So much snow. It falls haphazardly, though not without grace. Even when it comes down sideways, the wind carries it along with a certain elegance. No matter what path it takes, the snow comes in waves up here - relentless, unforgiving waves.
It isn't always dramatic. I listen to it at night - it sounds like popcorn bouncing off the inside of the bag just before it's time to take it out of the microwave. From my bedroom you can see the edge of our roof terrace. That is my barometer - if the snow resting on the ledge grew while I slept, it is still snowy enough on the street to wear boots. Of all the things I imagined this city to be, snow covered is not one of them. The weather has taken me by surprise, even after I prepared myself for a real winter. Manhattan is almost completely frozen, and so are we who skate across its streets and sidewalks.
As I understand it, most of my friends and family around the country got some snow last week, too. Cheers!
It isn't always dramatic. I listen to it at night - it sounds like popcorn bouncing off the inside of the bag just before it's time to take it out of the microwave. From my bedroom you can see the edge of our roof terrace. That is my barometer - if the snow resting on the ledge grew while I slept, it is still snowy enough on the street to wear boots. Of all the things I imagined this city to be, snow covered is not one of them. The weather has taken me by surprise, even after I prepared myself for a real winter. Manhattan is almost completely frozen, and so are we who skate across its streets and sidewalks.
As I understand it, most of my friends and family around the country got some snow last week, too. Cheers!
Your questions
I received some very good questions based on my last post, and I would like to address them all in time. First, I will answer my mother's, both because she asked first and because I think it will provide some good background.
Let me begin by disclosing the album I am listening to right now: Songs for Silverman, by Ben Folds. Possibly a masterpiece, but what do I know?
Freelance in NYC
A week or so ago I mentioned doing freelance while I search for full-time employment. As a courtesy to my clients I have chosen not to discuss the organizations specifically, but let me tell you about what I do for them. I am considered a content or copy writer.
Content Writer
I provide content and copy writing services for Web sites, print and radio/webcasts. Typically, a Web site begins with a basic structure and design and needs to be filled with words. This is a more complicated process than you might imagine. Many designers lack the time or proficiency to write effective copy. My words are strategic, and my writing blends a variety of skills into one service that is in high demand nationwide. So I begin by assessing the needs of the site. In some cases, they might go beyond writing. If so, I include them in my recommendations to the site developer. I research the organization, its industry and its market and I draft content. The content of a site exists in a very awkward place in that it must be written for humans but engineered to perform well with algorithms used by search engines to deliver the content to people. And of course, that is all changing each day, so I have enjoyed learning more about the future of Web content as I research to write. In addition to Web sites, most companies create print materials or collateral to reinforce their presence online. Brochures, business cards and informational packets are particularly useful at trade shows or conferences where large numbers of prospective clients or customers are gathered in one place, and I write for these publications as well. Establishing a voice that is appropriate in tone and syntax to the people my clients are targeting is difficult, but it is the most important aspect of my services. My first client was a Web designer and Ecommerce site developer.
My education at UF and my experience qualifies me to do more than write, but I enjoy it most of all. If you know anyone in need of these services or if you don't know where to start, let me know.
All for now. Next, I will address the void in my life that was created when Dan left. Also, I have some thoughts on the very excellent questions about the church in New York and I will tell you about the one I have been attending.
Let me begin by disclosing the album I am listening to right now: Songs for Silverman, by Ben Folds. Possibly a masterpiece, but what do I know?
Freelance in NYC
A week or so ago I mentioned doing freelance while I search for full-time employment. As a courtesy to my clients I have chosen not to discuss the organizations specifically, but let me tell you about what I do for them. I am considered a content or copy writer.
Content Writer
I provide content and copy writing services for Web sites, print and radio/webcasts. Typically, a Web site begins with a basic structure and design and needs to be filled with words. This is a more complicated process than you might imagine. Many designers lack the time or proficiency to write effective copy. My words are strategic, and my writing blends a variety of skills into one service that is in high demand nationwide. So I begin by assessing the needs of the site. In some cases, they might go beyond writing. If so, I include them in my recommendations to the site developer. I research the organization, its industry and its market and I draft content. The content of a site exists in a very awkward place in that it must be written for humans but engineered to perform well with algorithms used by search engines to deliver the content to people. And of course, that is all changing each day, so I have enjoyed learning more about the future of Web content as I research to write. In addition to Web sites, most companies create print materials or collateral to reinforce their presence online. Brochures, business cards and informational packets are particularly useful at trade shows or conferences where large numbers of prospective clients or customers are gathered in one place, and I write for these publications as well. Establishing a voice that is appropriate in tone and syntax to the people my clients are targeting is difficult, but it is the most important aspect of my services. My first client was a Web designer and Ecommerce site developer.
My education at UF and my experience qualifies me to do more than write, but I enjoy it most of all. If you know anyone in need of these services or if you don't know where to start, let me know.
All for now. Next, I will address the void in my life that was created when Dan left. Also, I have some thoughts on the very excellent questions about the church in New York and I will tell you about the one I have been attending.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Alive and Well
By some miracle I have not gotten sick yet. With Dan sick when I got here and Alan and apparently sick for the last 2 months, I was certain it would bring me down. As of now, I feel fine. If this ridiculous weather had its way, though, we would all be done for. Going from a piping hot train to freezing rain hitting my face sideways on my way home to a 65 degree apartment is New York's way of confusing my immune system, I think. Mom always said I would catch a cold if I didn't bundle up, but up here, I think you will catch one if you don't adapt to all of the changes in temperature appropriately. For now, I am in survival mode with the millions here just like me.
Beyond that, I have been at a loss for blog posts and topics. Let me know if there is anything you would like for me to write about and I will try to address it soon.
CBH
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Visiting Gainesville
Dear Friends,
All those Florida tourism signs in the subway have been taunting me since I arrived. After all, I must succumb to their prodding. I am pleased to announce that I will arrive in Gainesville on February 26.
Very affectionately yours,
Christopher Hiatt
All those Florida tourism signs in the subway have been taunting me since I arrived. After all, I must succumb to their prodding. I am pleased to announce that I will arrive in Gainesville on February 26.
Very affectionately yours,
Christopher Hiatt
Monday, February 8, 2010
Traveling in New York, pt. 2
Dave commented on my last post about travel, and I want to clarify something. Traveling from the Bronx to Coney on the subway would take as long as a flight from Manhattan to Jacksonville. My advice is to skip it altogether. Not much going on there but Tottono's Pizza and Nathan's Hotdogs, and you can get both in Manhattan. Share a cab with friends if you want to ride the Cyclone. No rush though - it's a landmark now so they can not tear it down.
Traveling around New York City is so much more than reaching a destination. It is entertainment. Every time you get on the train, something new happens. Beyond the classic change mongering and the occasionally believable cry for help, the subway offers some pretty decent performances. At the going rate for comedy, dance and live music in this city, I often find myself wishing I had more change in my pocket. Some of them are legitimately talented, and many times it is no coincidence.
For travel in Manhattan, the subway is king. You can get almost anywhere quickly and at least take the edge off a cab ride. Broadway at 125th to E. Houston is around $40. Yikes. The busses, often over looked or under appreciated, can be a real treat, too. The tradeoff is that people can talk on their phones up there, so watch out for people screaming on their commute home about whatever tragedy befell them that day.
In Brooklyn, it is almost always quicker to find a good bus route than getting on the subway, and they run more frequently at high traffic times just like the metro. Plus, you get to see more than the abundant (and tasteful) graffiti lining the railways, and you learn more about New York. The first time I took a bus over to Park Slope from our apartment in Prospect Heights I was delighted to learn how close we were to the Target where I do most of my shopping. When the weekend hits and MTA starts changing scheduled service on every line, it is nice to have some consistency in the busses. Just do not plan on relying on them to be on time, especially if it is cold out. Amber and I learned that the hard way last weekend.
Get a real map. Are you moving here or visiting for an extended period of time? Get something other than a rail map. It is easy to operate as a tourist with MTA maps because they layout the city so that you can see it logically. However, what the maps manage in making the subways "user-friendly" is at the sacrifice of scale. The first time you go off your familiar route and end up outside, you will have no idea where you are or how easy it might be to get back on track. For example, walking east to west on 42nd street between lines is no problem, but on the map it looks like miles. Conversely, if you find yourself in Chelsea on the A-C, you have a long way to walk no matter where you are going and you will find yourself wanting to walk to the Hudson and jump in, only to find that the river is also too far to walk to.
When do you get a cab? If you can afford it, take them whenever it seems easier. They are quick and fun (who needs the roller coaster at Coney?), and you can get a good deal if you travel in groups. Traveling east to west is tough in the city (unless you are at 14th street), so consider a cab if you need to get across town. If it is just you, try busses before you flag a cab down. Make sure you have a metrocard or exact change, though. $2.25 in quarters is no joke. Car services are a great option for airport travel, but cabs also have flat rates between Brooklyn and Manhattan. You can rarely count on finding a cab randomly in the outer borroughs (aka anything by Manhattan), so plan on calling one if you need it. At that point, it is probably more worth getting a car service and negotiating the price ahead of time. You will save money and it is definitely a smoother ride.
No matter my destination, I always do my best to enjoy the ride. New Yorkers spend so much time commuting, mostly underground, and we have to find a way to make that time meaningful.
Friends who live here already, correct me where I am wrong and share your favorite subway story. I want to hear them.
Traveling around New York City is so much more than reaching a destination. It is entertainment. Every time you get on the train, something new happens. Beyond the classic change mongering and the occasionally believable cry for help, the subway offers some pretty decent performances. At the going rate for comedy, dance and live music in this city, I often find myself wishing I had more change in my pocket. Some of them are legitimately talented, and many times it is no coincidence.
For travel in Manhattan, the subway is king. You can get almost anywhere quickly and at least take the edge off a cab ride. Broadway at 125th to E. Houston is around $40. Yikes. The busses, often over looked or under appreciated, can be a real treat, too. The tradeoff is that people can talk on their phones up there, so watch out for people screaming on their commute home about whatever tragedy befell them that day.
In Brooklyn, it is almost always quicker to find a good bus route than getting on the subway, and they run more frequently at high traffic times just like the metro. Plus, you get to see more than the abundant (and tasteful) graffiti lining the railways, and you learn more about New York. The first time I took a bus over to Park Slope from our apartment in Prospect Heights I was delighted to learn how close we were to the Target where I do most of my shopping. When the weekend hits and MTA starts changing scheduled service on every line, it is nice to have some consistency in the busses. Just do not plan on relying on them to be on time, especially if it is cold out. Amber and I learned that the hard way last weekend.
Get a real map. Are you moving here or visiting for an extended period of time? Get something other than a rail map. It is easy to operate as a tourist with MTA maps because they layout the city so that you can see it logically. However, what the maps manage in making the subways "user-friendly" is at the sacrifice of scale. The first time you go off your familiar route and end up outside, you will have no idea where you are or how easy it might be to get back on track. For example, walking east to west on 42nd street between lines is no problem, but on the map it looks like miles. Conversely, if you find yourself in Chelsea on the A-C, you have a long way to walk no matter where you are going and you will find yourself wanting to walk to the Hudson and jump in, only to find that the river is also too far to walk to.
When do you get a cab? If you can afford it, take them whenever it seems easier. They are quick and fun (who needs the roller coaster at Coney?), and you can get a good deal if you travel in groups. Traveling east to west is tough in the city (unless you are at 14th street), so consider a cab if you need to get across town. If it is just you, try busses before you flag a cab down. Make sure you have a metrocard or exact change, though. $2.25 in quarters is no joke. Car services are a great option for airport travel, but cabs also have flat rates between Brooklyn and Manhattan. You can rarely count on finding a cab randomly in the outer borroughs (aka anything by Manhattan), so plan on calling one if you need it. At that point, it is probably more worth getting a car service and negotiating the price ahead of time. You will save money and it is definitely a smoother ride.
No matter my destination, I always do my best to enjoy the ride. New Yorkers spend so much time commuting, mostly underground, and we have to find a way to make that time meaningful.
Friends who live here already, correct me where I am wrong and share your favorite subway story. I want to hear them.
Working in New York: an Entrepreneur in the City
When I moved here, I imagined myself finding the right job very quickly and transitioning into it with ease. It never occurred to me that this would be easy, but expecting the worst is an expert way to fail. So what should I expect? When there are so many variables, it feels like we are almost always set up for disappointment. Things almost always end differently than the way I thought they would, and based on previous experiences I should be very stressed by now. But today I remember the promises of the one who made me. His plans are to prosper, not to harm. At the end of every season like this one, I find that I am better for the changes, especially the ones that took me by surprise. I have spent time waiting for things to go my way, and plenty of times they have. This time, I have chosen to expect God to provide for me in the way He chooses, even as I pursue what I think is best.
Time with Amber was great. We had plenty of time to spend together in the city and it made us excited to live here. I officially have "creative license" for choosing our city dwelling. You would think Amber would want to sign off on something before I sign a lease the size of an annual salary, but she is content to be satisfied with my choice. Now that is love. I never thought I would find someone like her.
An entrepreneur, you say? I am working as a freelance writer in New York, making an honest living (at least enough to scrape by), and I have prospects. Not what I planned on, but certainly not bad. I am poised to experience grace each day, and it feels good to be a free agent.
So how are you doing?
Time with Amber was great. We had plenty of time to spend together in the city and it made us excited to live here. I officially have "creative license" for choosing our city dwelling. You would think Amber would want to sign off on something before I sign a lease the size of an annual salary, but she is content to be satisfied with my choice. Now that is love. I never thought I would find someone like her.
An entrepreneur, you say? I am working as a freelance writer in New York, making an honest living (at least enough to scrape by), and I have prospects. Not what I planned on, but certainly not bad. I am poised to experience grace each day, and it feels good to be a free agent.
So how are you doing?
Sunday, January 31, 2010
a happy birthday in 2010
Amber is here for a week. She arrived yesterday, and it was the best present I could have asked for. Festivities included bluegrass brunch in soho (thanks for the tip, Robin) and dessert at Rocco's in the west village. Why have a birthday cake when you can try every kind of dessert imaginable? I don't know why we're still baking those things. Either way, Rocco's was excellent. I will be posting on that soon, and if you come to our wedding you might get to taste some of their confections :)
It was a great day with family and friends, and I am looking forward to a good week with Amber. I'm not sure how often I will be posting during the time she is here, but on the radar: traveling in New York - cabs, buses in Brooklyn and my recent discovery that subway maps are not made to scale.
Cheers!
It was a great day with family and friends, and I am looking forward to a good week with Amber. I'm not sure how often I will be posting during the time she is here, but on the radar: traveling in New York - cabs, buses in Brooklyn and my recent discovery that subway maps are not made to scale.
Cheers!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Freelance
Or, Working in New York, pt. 3
Freelance. What an interesting word. I suppose my lance is a digital pen (and paper), and I have been blessed with an opportunity to wield it for profit. For my dedicated readers and dear friends, thank you for your support. It is refreshing to credit my account with something green for the first time in nearly a month, and I thought you might like to know.
Also, for anyone looking for a versatile freelance writer and editor,
feel free to contact me. Thank you for reading!
Freelance. What an interesting word. I suppose my lance is a digital pen (and paper), and I have been blessed with an opportunity to wield it for profit. For my dedicated readers and dear friends, thank you for your support. It is refreshing to credit my account with something green for the first time in nearly a month, and I thought you might like to know.
Also, for anyone looking for a versatile freelance writer and editor,
feel free to contact me. Thank you for reading!
Gorilla Coffee
Or, Food in New York, pt. 3
I don't know why I have been walking to Starbucks all this time. Well, maybe the $60 in gift cards I got for Christmas have something to do with it. Nonetheless, I am in coffee crisis mode. I feel like one of the cursed Pirates of the Caribbean: every time I take a sip of Starbucks' coffee, it turns to ash in my mouth, and I am left with a sense of longing for this magical coffee I have found in Brooklyn. The fine folks at Gorilla Coffee roast it for the masses in Adelphi and brew it for the select few down in Park Slope. The first sip was a reawakening: bold, full-flavored coffee that balks at the accoutrements at the end of the counter. They must just offer cream and sugar as a tip of the hat to the old regime that made us believe we needed them. The most powerful marketers sell ideas with great products. Gorilla Coffee is making a robust effort to join them.
Try it. Visit their Web site here, order some and discover it for yourself. I recommend the artistic and impressively packaged box gift set (not pictured above). Brooklyneers and Manhattanites, swing by their shop on 5th Ave in Park Slope. It's well worth the trip, and the WIFI is actually free.
Cheers!
I don't know why I have been walking to Starbucks all this time. Well, maybe the $60 in gift cards I got for Christmas have something to do with it. Nonetheless, I am in coffee crisis mode. I feel like one of the cursed Pirates of the Caribbean: every time I take a sip of Starbucks' coffee, it turns to ash in my mouth, and I am left with a sense of longing for this magical coffee I have found in Brooklyn. The fine folks at Gorilla Coffee roast it for the masses in Adelphi and brew it for the select few down in Park Slope. The first sip was a reawakening: bold, full-flavored coffee that balks at the accoutrements at the end of the counter. They must just offer cream and sugar as a tip of the hat to the old regime that made us believe we needed them. The most powerful marketers sell ideas with great products. Gorilla Coffee is making a robust effort to join them.
Try it. Visit their Web site here, order some and discover it for yourself. I recommend the artistic and impressively packaged box gift set (not pictured above). Brooklyneers and Manhattanites, swing by their shop on 5th Ave in Park Slope. It's well worth the trip, and the WIFI is actually free.
Cheers!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Food in New York, pt. 2
Ladies and gentlemen from elsewhere,
the anticipated Mamoun's Falafel in Greenwich Village:
People all over New York (and the internet) have been raving about this place for years, so I am just adding to the noise at this point. I don't care though. It's worth it. Mamoun's will give me falafel for $2.50. Apparently they have been doing this for almost 40 years, and every time I eat one I can barely believe it is happening. It is like eating fruit from the garden of Eden. They have shawarma, too, which is a lot like a gyro. I haven't eaten one yet because they are $5 and I am still obsessed with how cheap the falafel is.
Falafel, as you may know, is made from ground chick peas or fava beans and deep fried. Thus it is vegetarian, although I have my doubts because it tastes like delicious meat. Maybe that's a bad thing, but my confused taste buds want more every time, and my hemorrhaging pockets can sometimes scrape together enough quarters to grant their wishes. Thank you, Mamoun!
the anticipated Mamoun's Falafel in Greenwich Village:
People all over New York (and the internet) have been raving about this place for years, so I am just adding to the noise at this point. I don't care though. It's worth it. Mamoun's will give me falafel for $2.50. Apparently they have been doing this for almost 40 years, and every time I eat one I can barely believe it is happening. It is like eating fruit from the garden of Eden. They have shawarma, too, which is a lot like a gyro. I haven't eaten one yet because they are $5 and I am still obsessed with how cheap the falafel is.
Falafel, as you may know, is made from ground chick peas or fava beans and deep fried. Thus it is vegetarian, although I have my doubts because it tastes like delicious meat. Maybe that's a bad thing, but my confused taste buds want more every time, and my hemorrhaging pockets can sometimes scrape together enough quarters to grant their wishes. Thank you, Mamoun!
Monday, January 25, 2010
it's raining. sideways.
Today's weather is the worst I have seen in New York. Raindrops barrage pedestrians from an opaque sky as the wind rips through the streets and avenues at overwhelming speed. From my vantage point in this Starbucks I can see people doing their best to stay dry and upright. I have lost count of the umbrellas this day has devoured before my eyes. The public garbage can on the corner is like a graveyard for umbrellas of every size, shape and color. I almost lost mine on the way in, but I think I made it before the wind became self aware. And there goes another one. Imagine the disappointment. It is still beyond me how any degree of professional attire can be maintained here.
I have now entered the home stretch of my first month here. It is amazing how fast time is moving - the first week felt like a lifetime to Amber and I, but now things seem to be progressing in double time. At the beginning of last week I was sure I was going to have a job by now, and it displeases me to say that my expectations were not realistic. It takes time to hire someone new, and I need to be okay with that. So, I have spent the beginning of this week doing my best to do that while pursuing my interests. It pleases me to say that I am still making progress.
Yesterday I slept through church and awoke disappointed. Now that Sunday is mine to observe at the sabbath again, I have really come to love the time away from everything even in my unemployed state. There is still places I haven't been, even neighborhoods I have never set foot in. So I decided to wander for a while until I found a good place to read. When I emerged from the subway, I found myself beneath Radio City Music Hall. Unfortunately the weather was similar to today: freezing rain and wind (although not nearly as angry), so I wasn't able to spend any time in nearby Central Park as I had hoped. As I walked south from the Apple store at its southeast corner, I came upon St. Patrick's Cathedral. After slipping inside through dirty puddles and an empty narthex, I was amazed at the massive and ornate structure. Absolutely beautiful and serene, the naves' vacuous corners captured each whisper, cough and movement and held them there, sheltering the people below in a blanket of stillness. I have toured cathedrals throughout Europe that were far more grand, but I have never experienced such peace in a large room. So, I sat there for a couple of hours, ESV Bible in hand, and spent time praying and reflecting. I sincerely hope I do this every Sunday, whether I miss church or not. Taking time to renew my mind was so important. Don't lose sight of that.
Thank you for reading.
Up Next: How falafel has changed everything.
I have now entered the home stretch of my first month here. It is amazing how fast time is moving - the first week felt like a lifetime to Amber and I, but now things seem to be progressing in double time. At the beginning of last week I was sure I was going to have a job by now, and it displeases me to say that my expectations were not realistic. It takes time to hire someone new, and I need to be okay with that. So, I have spent the beginning of this week doing my best to do that while pursuing my interests. It pleases me to say that I am still making progress.
Yesterday I slept through church and awoke disappointed. Now that Sunday is mine to observe at the sabbath again, I have really come to love the time away from everything even in my unemployed state. There is still places I haven't been, even neighborhoods I have never set foot in. So I decided to wander for a while until I found a good place to read. When I emerged from the subway, I found myself beneath Radio City Music Hall. Unfortunately the weather was similar to today: freezing rain and wind (although not nearly as angry), so I wasn't able to spend any time in nearby Central Park as I had hoped. As I walked south from the Apple store at its southeast corner, I came upon St. Patrick's Cathedral. After slipping inside through dirty puddles and an empty narthex, I was amazed at the massive and ornate structure. Absolutely beautiful and serene, the naves' vacuous corners captured each whisper, cough and movement and held them there, sheltering the people below in a blanket of stillness. I have toured cathedrals throughout Europe that were far more grand, but I have never experienced such peace in a large room. So, I sat there for a couple of hours, ESV Bible in hand, and spent time praying and reflecting. I sincerely hope I do this every Sunday, whether I miss church or not. Taking time to renew my mind was so important. Don't lose sight of that.
Thank you for reading.
Up Next: How falafel has changed everything.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Working in New York, pt. 2
I have a suspicion that this is what the majority of you are most interested in (at least for right now), and I can't say I blame you. I must avoid being too specific here to protect the people and or organizations in question, so don't get too excited. I have applied for dozens of jobs, but there are 3 jobs that I am actively competing for, and each would be a worthy attempt at reaching my career goal at some point. This is good news and encouraging. I will provide details beyond your wildest expectations, but not until I have secured employment.
Time off and in the city has given me a chance to reflect on the idea of working here. The thought energizes me because I see some amazing things happening here, and there are ordinary people doing them. When you are detached from it, the big picture almost seems too good to be true. I know I have always imagined corporate America as a matrix of rigid, emotionless beings working with terrifying precision to create things that I could never understand. Personally, I blame Hollywood for the miscommunication. Those people must exist, but I am fortunate to face an industry of very human beings; I think I'll fit right in. The real struggle appears to be finding something that makes you happy.
Time off and in the city has given me a chance to reflect on the idea of working here. The thought energizes me because I see some amazing things happening here, and there are ordinary people doing them. When you are detached from it, the big picture almost seems too good to be true. I know I have always imagined corporate America as a matrix of rigid, emotionless beings working with terrifying precision to create things that I could never understand. Personally, I blame Hollywood for the miscommunication. Those people must exist, but I am fortunate to face an industry of very human beings; I think I'll fit right in. The real struggle appears to be finding something that makes you happy.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
untitled
Two weeks, half a month or the better part of a moon has passed and I am just within reach of employment and hopeful for a kind of future Amber and I could thrive in. But today I am at a loss for words, maybe because the spaces in my head are occupied by more unanswered questions than conclusions. When I write, I try to be deliberate enough to translate what I am thinking and feeling into something to share. At this point (at least for today), I have decided to be content with being a blank page in an open book full of stories like mine. If you have one, I would enjoy hearing about it.
Alan put up a great post about being true to yourself. A crucial difference would be that I was not unhappy at the place I left behind, though there is something like sadness that can sour happiness when you know you are not following your heart. When it becomes real enough to demand your attention, it comes time to listen to it. I think you will enjoy the read.
Alan put up a great post about being true to yourself. A crucial difference would be that I was not unhappy at the place I left behind, though there is something like sadness that can sour happiness when you know you are not following your heart. When it becomes real enough to demand your attention, it comes time to listen to it. I think you will enjoy the read.
Friday, January 15, 2010
next time I am calling movers
As many of you know, Sarah is moving away from New York City. She graciously offered us her bed as she no longer needs it. I will not say I jumped in to this hastily; we examined the bed, measuring it to make sure it would not crowd our already stifled living space. Logistics should have been more of a concern. We had 1.3 miles to traverse with a mattress and a metal bed frame (the distance between our apartment and Sarah's in Crown Heights), and it really didn't seem that bad distributed between three people. But it took two trips which translated into several hours (including a trip back for forgotten tools.) I never imagined something so simple could demand the better part of a day.
So if you have a car, go pick something big up and let me know how easy it was. I'd love to hear from you.
It was much easier to do things with a car at my disposal. Still, I will cherish times like these when I have to make do without one. After all, we got it done, and we didn't even try to drag it on to the subway or the bus. Sorry to disappoint, Stacey. I did take pictures though. Here's one from twitter:
Alan and Dan carrying our new mattress down Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.
So if you have a car, go pick something big up and let me know how easy it was. I'd love to hear from you.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
phone photography
What a cell phone camera lacks in quality, it makes up for in convenience. I have a very nice camera, but it is a chore to take it anywhere. The last time I left the house without my phone? I'm not sure, but it happens rarely. I have made it a habit to grab snapshots of moments that deserve the effort.
So, as promised, here are some pictures from my blackberry, taken since January 1, 2010:
So, as promised, here are some pictures from my blackberry, taken since January 1, 2010:
Goodbye, my love.
I love this show. Saw it with Alan and Sarah last week.
And we waited in line in the cold.
One of my first steps out of the subway on my first day. I honestly have no idea where this is, but the over-exposed Sun looks like a black hole.
Illustrious Times Square. New Yorkers don't go here very often.
Buy my friend Sarah and I did!
This is just for Rob and Sarah Hamersma :)
My head looks like a chess pawn when I'm in my winter garb. It felt ironic at the time.
Dean Street (where I reside in Brooklyn)
Passion Pit (a band) at Terminal 5 (a venue). Glorious.
A view of Manhattan from Dumbo outside of Grimaldi's Pizza (Dan, my friend and roommate, and I ate there on January 10). It is arguably the best pizza in New York, though I'm sure there's better stuff out there.
This is Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.
This part of Manhattan is beautiful and full of life.
There are plenty more, but I lack patience for these things. I hope you enjoy them. Sometime soon, I will upload the entire memory card. It is a unique roll of pictures from the last year, and I hope to share it with you.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
I with I had proofread "the hunt"
But I didn't, and the error will remain as published. I like it now.
a new direction (or maybe several old ones)
I just got really excited about November 11, 2011. Maybe I should focus on something more attainable, though, like October 10, 2010. Now there’s a reasonable date. Or, how about April 10? That's the one. Onward!
A week and two days has passed since I arrived in Brooklyn – at the beginning of a new year and so much more for me. It didn’t take long to feel a spark of hope for 2010. Even this new decade shows promise, ten years that will largely be defined by my generation. Deluded? I don't think so. Diluted? Maybe. To understand the progression of people and ideas through space over time is not a claim I am willing to make here. I’m just saying this period of time is ours to persuade. Just sayin…but enough of the abstract.
I think at this point it would be good to lay out a new structure for this blog, to help both of us. Me as I write, and you as you read. Writing here helped me make it through my final days at Christ Community, and I thank you for your patience in that. But now I will have more to share than the time it takes to type it, and I don’t want to overwhelm anyone here. A few categories have presented themselves as recurring themes in my thoughts and activities, so I will start with them. If there is anything else you would like for me to write about, please leave a comment and I will address it as I am able.
This should get us started:
Working in New York: I have already written some about this, and the next two weeks will largely determine the content here, so I will save it for another time.
Winter in New York. Fleeting memories of dismal Dallas winters are all that I had to go on when I came here, with isolated winter travel experiences still charming my perception of snow and of the cold. When I view a place through a tourist’s lens, I tend to look past the things that make a place unique in their season. Now I see so much more than the landmarks. The trees here are haunting, their skeleton branches looming over every street (though the avenues tend to be free of them.) As you walk through the city, the salt on the ground creates a sort of pedestrian soundtrack with the sounds of mass transit and of rushing wind as rhythm and bass. Faces like drones survive the cold in their own way, hardening more than you might expect of the average New Yorker. Garbage finds its way to the streets and sidewalks here (big surprise), but I really feel like litter is more of a problem in the winter. At our stop on the subway in Crown Heights I am almost always shocked at the amount of trash that clutters our path. Today I thought to myself “I should pick this up; no one else is going to.” The thought has visited me more than once, but every time it does a voice inside whimpers “It is so cold out here.” And then I continue on my way. I don’t expect this to change any time soon, but it might with the season. I know the grass is always greener and all that, but it’s nice to think I might…. The bottom line is it's cold, and it seems to change everything. But while it may sound drab or even ugly, I assure you it is extraordinary. How people live through this year after year is a marvel of civilization and a testimony of human resilience. At this point, I still remember what it was to have a car with a heater. All I can do now is remember it fondly and deal with the fact that the seats I sit on here aren't heated.
Music in New York. For years concerts and tour dates in this fine city have mocked me from their lofty perches. With joy I declare: those days are over. Robin got us tickets to see Passion Pit, sold out for three days at Terminal 5 (grungy, industrial venue lodged between two car dealerships on the West side). The show was great, and I could hardly believe that this is the type of thing I can expect to see on a regular basis. I hope I make it to some venues that don’t require so far of a walk into the abyss, though (when you can see Jersey, you know it’s not good. Alan and I thought we were going to have to swim there.) Music is alive and well, and I am excited about growing and changing with the industry that makes it viable. Expect much more on this in the future, maybe even with some reviews if I am feeling articulate.
Food in New York. I’m no foodie (I crave Papaya Dog on a daily basis), but I love to eat more than anyone I know, so I feel like I have some cred. This place has everything you can imagine, and most of it is delicious. This week I ate 4 different kinds of pizza (all fantastic), visited 5 different bagel shops (one was a dud. Beware, Colbert), feasted with my hands at an Ethiopian dinner for Lena's birthday followed by Hungarian pastry and coffee (abandon all hope, digestive systems), had the best eggs benedict I have ever had (brunch at 7A), the best pancakes I have ever eaten (Tom’s with Sarah), general tso’s chicken that laughs at the Golden Buddha in Gainesville, and a Ukrainian midnight snack (borscht and macaroni and cheese that reminded me of the kind Cathy Brown used to make). Oh my, the list goes on. And believe it or not, I have refrained from eating a lot, telling my nose “no” at least once an avenue. Be advised: I will go on and on about food. It’s what I do. Sarah even commented on how I constantly talk about how good things are as I eat them. I have since realized it’s true but have made no plans to stop. Food in New York excites me almost as much as music.
Travel in New York. It seems getting here was the easy part. I will try to do one of these a week, because there are always plenty of things worth mentioning. Travel within and between boroughs is the most important thing to understand as a newcomer here, and the sooner the better. For the sake of time (and of my fingers), be advised that weekend schedule changes on the subway can ruin you, especially if you live in Brooklyn. Your social and professional lives depend on a living knowledge of the MTA. Its serpentine movements beneath our feet are fickle and unrelenting, and you can get almost anywhere you want to go if you anticipate them. More tales from the New York underground at a later date.
Coming soon: As a sincere “hope to say farewell soon” to my trusty phone, I will present a blackberry picture blogroll of my time here so far.
A note to you, the reader: I am thankful for you. Whether you are a friend or family member, or if you wandered here one day from somewhere else and liked what you found, I write this with joy knowing there is an audience reading. I hope you enjoy it.
All for now. CBH
Friday, January 8, 2010
the hunt
hello, and my apologies for not updating more frequently. Getting warmed up to my new environment has been exhausting, and we don't have reliable internet at my apartment. This week was spent searching for job leads and applying for various things. I still have more to do, and I will continue to look for jobs, hoping to find just the right fit.
I had a good interview at Relix Magazine today. It is promising, but it's too early to say at this point what will come of it. I am hopeful, and I am loving being in the city. I just with Amber could be here.
This weekend I will post lots more. I already have some good blackberry pictures to post and plenty of stories (if I can remember them.)
Cheers!
I had a good interview at Relix Magazine today. It is promising, but it's too early to say at this point what will come of it. I am hopeful, and I am loving being in the city. I just with Amber could be here.
This weekend I will post lots more. I already have some good blackberry pictures to post and plenty of stories (if I can remember them.)
Cheers!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
clarification
I wasn't clear in my last post, so let me explain the job I got turned down for. This was a part time gig (30 hours a month) at a local non-profit. When I applied, they emailed me back that day to tell me they had already hired someone. So, this isn't true rejection (although I expect that, too). Baby steps.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
a full train is no excuse...
I have to start by telling you this. I was in the 2 train on my way to Manhattan with Alan the other day when the loudspeaker pumped out this bit of comedy:
"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please. A full train is no excuse for illegal sexual activity. If you believe you have been the victim of a crime, please notify the nearest MTA official or law enforcement officer."
It's funny, but it's also pretty sad. I can't believe this needs to be said. Anyway, I just thought you should know. Today I got turned down for my first job. This shouldn't be the first time, so it was good to get it out of the way. Tomorrow, I'm back to doing more applications. It is great to actually have jobs open that I qualify for, because I know lots of people have very few leads. In other news, I saw a poster for a homelessness organization fighting for homeless children. They estimate that there are nearly 13,000 children going to sleep on the street in New York City every night. I think I will get involved with this organization while we live here.
Apples. For all you Florida people, enjoy your citrus fruits. They are expensive up here and not nearly as good. Fortunately, New York has some of the best apples I have ever seen or tasted. Red Spy and Pippins top my list, and I will be purchasing some tomorrow at the Union Square Market.
There is way too much to say, but for now I am off to talk to Amber for a while. This long-distance engagement stuff is not easy. Please pray for us!
"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please. A full train is no excuse for illegal sexual activity. If you believe you have been the victim of a crime, please notify the nearest MTA official or law enforcement officer."
It's funny, but it's also pretty sad. I can't believe this needs to be said. Anyway, I just thought you should know. Today I got turned down for my first job. This shouldn't be the first time, so it was good to get it out of the way. Tomorrow, I'm back to doing more applications. It is great to actually have jobs open that I qualify for, because I know lots of people have very few leads. In other news, I saw a poster for a homelessness organization fighting for homeless children. They estimate that there are nearly 13,000 children going to sleep on the street in New York City every night. I think I will get involved with this organization while we live here.
Apples. For all you Florida people, enjoy your citrus fruits. They are expensive up here and not nearly as good. Fortunately, New York has some of the best apples I have ever seen or tasted. Red Spy and Pippins top my list, and I will be purchasing some tomorrow at the Union Square Market.
There is way too much to say, but for now I am off to talk to Amber for a while. This long-distance engagement stuff is not easy. Please pray for us!
From January 3
I have been here for two full days now. Still living out of a suitcase, I feel in a lot of ways like I am on vacation. This needs to change – I must chase the feeling away tomorrow with a combination of reality (the job search is underway) and with more bitter cold. In the process of catching up with some old friends, I have had some great pizza, been to a comedy show, and Alan and I have tickets for the Colbert Report tomorrow. It is easy to feel like I'm on vacation when there are so many fun things going on, and there will always be things like this going on, as I understand it. I guess it’s all in how you balance everything. Even though lots of what I have gotten to do is free, I would still like to supplement it with some income. I think Amber would appreciate that, too.
Temperature has been a serious factor here. Yesterday, for example, was around 20 degrees at its lowest, with gusts anywhere from 30 to 50 mph. Weather sources say it felt like 6 degrees today. I, having never experienced anything that cold, would agree. It’s not all bad, though. Two consecutive days with snow in them is a real treat for someone who grew up in coastal South Carolina (it snowed there, once) and who has spent the last 6 years in Florida. I love how it snows in the city. Something about the way the wind moves through it, the snow flurries more than it falls (unless it’s really coming down hard, then it snows sideways and shoots into your eyes). As miserable as I might be by the end, I am really looking forward to this winter.
This cold weather has had me thinking about peoples’ motives for living in an area like this. I understand that people move to large urban areas in the northeast for work. What I want to understand is why people set up shop here in the first place (well before New York became a city). Maybe it had to do with trade (we’re closer to northern Europe than the South?) I am looking forward to researching it, and I will get back to you. For now, I say they should have all moved to Florida. It’s usually warmer down there.
All for now. Thank you for reading. Also, I expect to start posting some pictures soon.
Monday, January 4, 2010
I have a post I wrote last night, but I need to find somewhere with wifi to do it. It's a beautiful day today. Blue skies splotched with soft white clouds. Cold, but bearable. The city is dirty and impersonal, but familiar enough to survive. This is going to be a good day.
I miss my friends in Gainesville. If you're reading, let me know!
I miss my friends in Gainesville. If you're reading, let me know!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
NYC with nowhere to go
January 1, 2010
Salam was from Bangladesh. He has lived in this city since 1982, and he has owned a home on Long Island since 1990. He doesn’t spend all of his time driving for a car service; it just helps him make ends meet when the label industry is slow. When I think of recessions, it is easy to imagine the automakers and construction industry struggling. But the label industry. Who knew?
Salam gave me a ride to my new, temporary residence after what became a long day of traveling. Most people try to avoid layovers, and I would say I aim for an hour at the most between legs. Never before, in all my travels, have I had a layover in the airport of my final destination. Dan got stranded in Florida, so he was not around to meet me at the apartment, and Alan works during the day. So I arrived at 2PM with 2 full bags rolling off the carousel. Alan was to get off at 5PM, so I had several options. Treking across New York city with all of my luggage to pick up the key was the first (and that was out). FInding my way to the apartment and sitting outside was another. Also out of the question, given the snow I would later find in Brooklyn. The other was to wait it out in the airport.
So, I looked at it as a layover and dug in. Finding a warm spot upstairs near Delta’s ticketing desks, I sat and read, did some writing, ate a snack and waited for Alan to get off. Twitter was subsequently informed that I was “so dry” about 2 hours in. I realized how dried out you can get just by sitting in a heated environment. Drinking water has always been important for me, and up here the need to hydrate is magnified. I was stranded outside the concourse with no water fountains though, so I spent about 15 minutes searching through broken vending machines, at an under-stocked Dunkin Donuts and a Starbucks. Fortunately Starbucks pulled through.
Salam met me outside as I left the baggage claim area for the last time; noting there had been a long line forming at the taxi line, I gauged the amount of time it would take to secure one and travel the 10 miles between me and my new dwelling. He offered to take me there for $45, which would be a little more than the cost of a cab but would get me there sooner. At that point my will to save money at the sacrifice of convenience was wearing thin, so I followed him. He operates a car service, as I said before, and for those of you who are not familiar with them, they are subtly different from cabs. They generally drive black cars (that are nicer than a yellow cab, but often the same model), and they will pick you up at a specific time from anywhere you want (usually what a concierge would do for you with a cab company). I highly recommend a car service for airport travel. It really is worth it. We walked to his Lincoln Navigator and he hoisted my bags into the trunk. With a nod to the attendant, we whisked by a long line of people waiting for transportation. Along the way, we talked about the city and his family. He told me he loved it here. I asked him questions and tried to understand him through his thick accent. Our route brought us through Williamsburg, known to some as the hipster capital of the world. The section we crossed is actually an orthodox Jewish neighborhood. I had never seen anything like it. Men, women and children walking in painfully straight lines, their traditional coats and hats lending a part of each individual to their culture, springing from their religious fervor. It was a wonderful site and much needed at that time in my day. It was in that car ride that my heart filled with the excitement of living in this place once more, a feeling that I have had for so many years.
After a few minutes, I saw Alan walking down Dean Street toward me. My tired eyes failing in the cold determined it was he by his gait. It is great to be reunited with a good friend. I can not wait to see Sarah and Scott. Now to a weekend with no thought of working at church, and my first week of job hunting.
Salam was from Bangladesh. He has lived in this city since 1982, and he has owned a home on Long Island since 1990. He doesn’t spend all of his time driving for a car service; it just helps him make ends meet when the label industry is slow. When I think of recessions, it is easy to imagine the automakers and construction industry struggling. But the label industry. Who knew?
Salam gave me a ride to my new, temporary residence after what became a long day of traveling. Most people try to avoid layovers, and I would say I aim for an hour at the most between legs. Never before, in all my travels, have I had a layover in the airport of my final destination. Dan got stranded in Florida, so he was not around to meet me at the apartment, and Alan works during the day. So I arrived at 2PM with 2 full bags rolling off the carousel. Alan was to get off at 5PM, so I had several options. Treking across New York city with all of my luggage to pick up the key was the first (and that was out). FInding my way to the apartment and sitting outside was another. Also out of the question, given the snow I would later find in Brooklyn. The other was to wait it out in the airport.
So, I looked at it as a layover and dug in. Finding a warm spot upstairs near Delta’s ticketing desks, I sat and read, did some writing, ate a snack and waited for Alan to get off. Twitter was subsequently informed that I was “so dry” about 2 hours in. I realized how dried out you can get just by sitting in a heated environment. Drinking water has always been important for me, and up here the need to hydrate is magnified. I was stranded outside the concourse with no water fountains though, so I spent about 15 minutes searching through broken vending machines, at an under-stocked Dunkin Donuts and a Starbucks. Fortunately Starbucks pulled through.
Salam met me outside as I left the baggage claim area for the last time; noting there had been a long line forming at the taxi line, I gauged the amount of time it would take to secure one and travel the 10 miles between me and my new dwelling. He offered to take me there for $45, which would be a little more than the cost of a cab but would get me there sooner. At that point my will to save money at the sacrifice of convenience was wearing thin, so I followed him. He operates a car service, as I said before, and for those of you who are not familiar with them, they are subtly different from cabs. They generally drive black cars (that are nicer than a yellow cab, but often the same model), and they will pick you up at a specific time from anywhere you want (usually what a concierge would do for you with a cab company). I highly recommend a car service for airport travel. It really is worth it. We walked to his Lincoln Navigator and he hoisted my bags into the trunk. With a nod to the attendant, we whisked by a long line of people waiting for transportation. Along the way, we talked about the city and his family. He told me he loved it here. I asked him questions and tried to understand him through his thick accent. Our route brought us through Williamsburg, known to some as the hipster capital of the world. The section we crossed is actually an orthodox Jewish neighborhood. I had never seen anything like it. Men, women and children walking in painfully straight lines, their traditional coats and hats lending a part of each individual to their culture, springing from their religious fervor. It was a wonderful site and much needed at that time in my day. It was in that car ride that my heart filled with the excitement of living in this place once more, a feeling that I have had for so many years.
After a few minutes, I saw Alan walking down Dean Street toward me. My tired eyes failing in the cold determined it was he by his gait. It is great to be reunited with a good friend. I can not wait to see Sarah and Scott. Now to a weekend with no thought of working at church, and my first week of job hunting.
I'm here
Sans my best friend.
I left Florida yesterday. Amber took me to the Jacksonville Airport where we said goodbye. Walking away from her was the hardest thing I have done to date. And I miss her.
A post on my travels is forthcoming.
I left Florida yesterday. Amber took me to the Jacksonville Airport where we said goodbye. Walking away from her was the hardest thing I have done to date. And I miss her.
A post on my travels is forthcoming.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
