Day 19: Vacation

I am heading out of the city! I am off to California and then North Carolina to visit the family. I haven't decided if I will post while I am on the road. Goodbye New York... for now. See you in a week!

Day 18: Beach bumming it

Today was spent with the sun, the waves, good reads, and good friends. I had so much fun. I promise to write more tomorrow. I am now going to become one with my pillow.

Day 17: A New York Minute

Life moves at warp speed out here. My experience interviewing for a nursing job at NYU Langone Medical Center typifies the saying and song "In A New York Minute." I interviewed with the nurse manager and immediatley after the interview I called the nurse recruiter to let her know how it went. She said, "Great. I already heard from the nurse manager. I am drawing up the paperwork and we are targeting a September 14th start date!" I literally went from jobless to job in... you guessed it "A New York Minute!" I am still in a bit of shock as I was walking around Soho today just taking in the sights. As I walked the memories came flooding back to me, the exams, the clinicals, the tears, the triumphs. And I closed my eyes as the cool summer air hit me, and I savored how fast a New York Minute could completely change my life.

Day 16: Movies set in New York

Here are the first ten movies that come into my head that were filmed in New York:

1. August Rush

2. The Visitor

3. Taxi Driver (A classic)

4. Boiler Room

5. The Usual Suspects

6. Saturday Night Fever

7. A Bronx Tale

8. Do The Right Thing

9. Regarding Henry

10. Coming to America

If you go to Wikipedia, the list of movies filmed in New York City is rather lengthy! And I find myself becoming like every other New Yorker when I go to the movies and mutter to myself, "I have been to that deli" or "I know that subway stop". It is really funny! I find myself more and more invested in this little island the more I live here. Maybe it has to do with all of the walking and exploring, camera in tow.

Anyway, out of my list 0f movies two were filmed under the arches at NYU. And since I have been here, I have stumbled onto three movies being filmed at NYU.

So, I will end with a quote from "Coming to America" a funny, comedy that seems to play on repeat on Bravo. It starred Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall. This quote was said by Murphy's character, Prince Akeem to a woman he was initially supposed to marry. When he asked her what she liked to do, she would answer with a comical bow, "Whatever you like" to which he responded, "Listen, I know what I like and I know you know what I like, because you are trained to know what I like, but I would like to know, what do you like?"

Now, looking at this quote, all I can think is, blunt and direct... just like a typical New Yorker!

Day 15: Change

I finally took the big leap and chopped my sisterlocks into a chin length bob. On Saturday, I took some before pictures and went to Khamit Kinks in Brooklyn for a consultation. I was hoping that the salon would not be too busy and that they would take me before I changed my mind. My mom can tell you, I have vacilated back and forth about my hair since last December (I kid you not!). But I found my way to Brooklyn on that soggy, Saturday afternoon and after getting turned around it seemed like Khamit Kinks just ended up appearing at the end of a block that was undergoing construction. An African woman greeted me and ushered me into her station. I explained the various lengths of my hair and the breakage that had occurred. Then she looked at me and said, "Do you want to just cut it now?". I shook my head yes and before I knew it my sisterlocks were tumbling to the floor.

It is funny, but locs hold a lot of history. Even after my haircut was done, my hairdresser carefuly scooped the chopped hair up into a bag and handed it to me like she was handing me my own personal history book. I emerged feeling lighter. I am so glad that I took the plunge, change really is awesome!

Day 14: Future tellin'

It still continues to amaze me how many psychics are in the East Village! I think there are at least two per block! Coincidentally, a recent article by a reporter at CNN.com discussed the increase during this economic downturn of people consulting psychics. In fact, a new type of person is consulting psychics: the type A, business suit, wallstreet type! And relationship questions are taking a backseat to finance questions/predictions.

I have had three experiences with palm readers. The most recent one was when I was food shopping in Whole Foods (possibly hippie central) This guy in cowboy boots and a cowboy hat grabbed my hand and stared at it for what seemed to be an eternity. He then exclaimed, "Why are you not writing anymore?" I was flabbergasted by the question. How did he know that I used to write? He then asked my why I was not singing anymore. Many people do not know that I can sing. Then he touched me on my back and asked me why I didn't have someone look at where I was injured. So far he was batting 3 for 3.

The next experience involved a guy I had been dating a couple years ago. We were having a coffee at starbucks and just enjoying each others company. He takes my palm and asks me if he can read it. I start to laugh, and ask him if he is a psychic. His brown eyes became serious and he said that his grandfather is a "seer" and that he has the gift but doesn't choose to pursue it. He slowly talks me into the reading, taking my palm carefully into his and studying it for a couple seconds. He told me that I have a lot of schooling ahead of me. I found that very interesting because that was way before the idea of going back to school had even entered my mind. He also said that in terms of children, I have "two boys in my hand". When I asked him how many children he had in his, he quickly responded, "I have one, a little girl". What struck me was how sure he was about what he was saying. It didn't seem like he was consulting some crystal fairy in the sky he uttered these things like he was reading a book.

The last brush I had with a psychic was during a street fair in Rockridge, California (a gentrified area in Oakland). I was walking through the crowd and a woman grabbed my hand and said she had to read my palm. I relented. She told me mostly things about a relationship that kind of seemed to ring true but what I really remember is her saying that I was going to move to a place surrounded by a lot of water. Her words came back to me in a flash when I looked out of the window during my flight to New York and saw the ice blue water jut out against the island of Manhattan. I remember thinking, "hmm...maybe there is something to this psychic stuff. after all" Either way, I have more education, moved to a land surrounded by water, and I am writing again. So, I guess so far I am batting three for three.

p.s. Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. The sign says, "special reaing $5.00". I guess since they can predict the future they don't need to know how to spell it!

Day 13: Brooklyn

I think Brooklyn is my favorite borough of New York. I remember when I first moved to New York I had to be in Brooklyn for my very first nursing clinical. It may seem silly now, but I was absolutely terrified! I was just getting used to living in Manhattan and now I had to venture to another borough? But once I found my way there I realized, it isn't all that bad and I started to realize why people loved it there so much. I mean my friend just visited New York and she named her new dog Brooklyn. How cool is that!! Even Posh Spice and David Beckham named one of their sons after the beloved borough.

I will never forget when I was hanging out with my friends in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and my mom called. I was out a little late and I told her, "Hey Mom, I am in Brooklyn". Her voice was incredulous! She replied, "You are in BROOKLYN!!" I could see images from "Good Fellas" flashing in her mind. Williamsburg is one of those neighborhoods in Brooklyn that has undergone a face lift (aka gentrification). It used to be a rough neighborhood but it is now home to many hipsters (skinny jeans wearing, whole foods shopping young people). We laugh about that night now. For me, that night stands out as a growing time for me. I was stepping out of my comfort zone and spreading my wings as a newbie New Yorker. And boy did it feel good to stretch my wings and fly.