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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.