So I live in Manhattan now.
It’s a very strange world.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly a newcomer to “the city” – but there’s such a monstrous difference in spending a whole lot of time here and actually living here. I left a press event two nights ago, at Webster Hall, all dejected and girding myself for the long drive home…and slowly realized, as I was walking the whopping five blocks to the apartment, that I could just walk the whopping five blocks to the apartment. No driving home! No tolls! No Gowanus Expressway! No fighting sleep! I was home, stunned, in about ten minutes. Did a couple of laps around the apartment because I couldn’t figure out what to do next.
Things I enjoy:
Walking around with Rebecca. (but we could do that before. Hmmm.)
Not worrying about having to get home to tend to the cat.
My new commute to work. Actually, my new commute to everywhere I go.
The sheer number of things to do.
Things I don’t enjoy:
Alternate side parking. ‘nuff said.
Almost total lack of greenery.
The f’ing never-ending noise.
The sheer number of faceless people wearing twee flip-flops and rumpled clothing, texting their friends as they walk. The apocalypse could happen and three-quarters of the city would miss it because they never look up.
Life’s a bit of an adventure now. And that’s fine. I miss Brooklyn like the dickens, but I’ve always loved Manhattan. I’ve added at least two and a half hours to every single day now, and that makes a huge difference in quality of life. Though I haven’t gotten used to it, and am thus not spending it wisely, I am thoroughly enjoying the extra time.
Now if only I could get those texting twits on the street to look up.
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