Blogging - Underground Style
Yep, that's right, I've joined the Underground. And by Underground I mean the NYC Subway System, by which I mean the free system of taxpayer supported saunas, specifically the Grand Street Station. Waiting for a B or D to begin my journey to Upstate NY, I mean, Washington Heights.
So, first observation (besides feeling the trickle of sweat wend it's way down my back) has to do with my soon-to-be fellow passengers, but currently, my fellow waiting-for-trainers. A couple came down the stairs, the man complaining about how he was going to be angry if they "were going the wrong fucking way", Grand Street being a station which allows you to choose Uptown/Downtown after going through the turnstiles. Overhearing them, I looked up expectantly, perfectly prepared to help ensure that they were on the side they intended to be on. However, they proceeded to walk right past me, ignoring my smiling helpful face, and mumble their way on down to the end of the bench upon which I sit. Then they asked an Asian woman (Grand Street stop being in Chinatown) if the train on this side went to Penn Station. Now, I am not saying that they had no reason to choose whomever they would like to help them answer their question, however, a reasonable person would assume that the white girl with the laptop more than likely spoke English, while the same could not be quite as presumed of the Asian woman. However, after bringing up "34th Street" both parties were able to concur that the couple was indeed on the correct side. Weird.
Okay, actually on the D now. Can take this all the way to Columbus Circle and then transfer. Sweet, writing time.
Noticing that the personalities of my new neighborhood are quite different than I've experienced before. Especially the store/restaurant workers. There is this quality...the only way I can think to describe it is that they are "close-talkers" though they are 8 feet away. There's just the quick, brusque in-your-face quality without being in-your-face because that would take too much time and would you just answer the question already? Vanilla or chocolate, it's not a fucking scientific research project. That's sort of the feel. But they're dichotomously really nice about it at the same time. Weird.
Wow, 34th Street. Hope that couple managed to get off the train.
Blogging on the train is fun. It does require you to be choosy about your seat, though. No one likes to write with the possibility of someone peering at the text on the screen as they type. That would be not so fun. Nope, not at all.
All my roommates disappeared this weekend - it was like someone launched a Brentron bomb (similar to H-bomb), and only I and all of our belongings survived. Seriously, I just left home at 8:45PM on a Sunday, and there was still no one there.
Uh-oh, there is now a person sitting next to me, and he's just decided to look curiously over. Ugh. Good thing I transfer at the next stop.
Ahhh...transfer is complete. Now for the long haul (although, fortunately I have left early enough that the train is still going express - Yay for me).
Why such a domestic and un-pithy post, you might ask? I spent the day trying to organize my new room. Again. Which frankly consists of just moving piles and containers of stuff from one side of the room to the other, or so it seems. And I think, in all of the "redding up" - as we Pittsburghers would call it - I must have been doing some mental cleaning, too. Or maybe I just didn't imbibe in enough outside influence to have anything to comment on.
Here's a question: Do you ever imagine how you are perceived by other people...through their eyes and life specifically, not as if you were you being able to look at yourself from the outside? And then compare and contrast to the latter? I've been doing that since about 4th grade (well, that's when I first recall doing it). I used to imagine I was Danny Lumpkin, who sat the next row over and 3 desks back from me. I'd imagine looking at the back of my head, and what my reaction (as Danny) might be. Then I tried to picture it if it was me. I was always fascinated by that notion - maybe it's an out-of-body-experience craving? Je ne sais pas.
Well, I think this was enough post for one long trip under the surface of New York City. And look, here's 125th Street! God, I LOVE the Express.
So, first observation (besides feeling the trickle of sweat wend it's way down my back) has to do with my soon-to-be fellow passengers, but currently, my fellow waiting-for-trainers. A couple came down the stairs, the man complaining about how he was going to be angry if they "were going the wrong fucking way", Grand Street being a station which allows you to choose Uptown/Downtown after going through the turnstiles. Overhearing them, I looked up expectantly, perfectly prepared to help ensure that they were on the side they intended to be on. However, they proceeded to walk right past me, ignoring my smiling helpful face, and mumble their way on down to the end of the bench upon which I sit. Then they asked an Asian woman (Grand Street stop being in Chinatown) if the train on this side went to Penn Station. Now, I am not saying that they had no reason to choose whomever they would like to help them answer their question, however, a reasonable person would assume that the white girl with the laptop more than likely spoke English, while the same could not be quite as presumed of the Asian woman. However, after bringing up "34th Street" both parties were able to concur that the couple was indeed on the correct side. Weird.
Okay, actually on the D now. Can take this all the way to Columbus Circle and then transfer. Sweet, writing time.
Noticing that the personalities of my new neighborhood are quite different than I've experienced before. Especially the store/restaurant workers. There is this quality...the only way I can think to describe it is that they are "close-talkers" though they are 8 feet away. There's just the quick, brusque in-your-face quality without being in-your-face because that would take too much time and would you just answer the question already? Vanilla or chocolate, it's not a fucking scientific research project. That's sort of the feel. But they're dichotomously really nice about it at the same time. Weird.
Wow, 34th Street. Hope that couple managed to get off the train.
Blogging on the train is fun. It does require you to be choosy about your seat, though. No one likes to write with the possibility of someone peering at the text on the screen as they type. That would be not so fun. Nope, not at all.
All my roommates disappeared this weekend - it was like someone launched a Brentron bomb (similar to H-bomb), and only I and all of our belongings survived. Seriously, I just left home at 8:45PM on a Sunday, and there was still no one there.
Uh-oh, there is now a person sitting next to me, and he's just decided to look curiously over. Ugh. Good thing I transfer at the next stop.
Ahhh...transfer is complete. Now for the long haul (although, fortunately I have left early enough that the train is still going express - Yay for me).
Why such a domestic and un-pithy post, you might ask? I spent the day trying to organize my new room. Again. Which frankly consists of just moving piles and containers of stuff from one side of the room to the other, or so it seems. And I think, in all of the "redding up" - as we Pittsburghers would call it - I must have been doing some mental cleaning, too. Or maybe I just didn't imbibe in enough outside influence to have anything to comment on.
Here's a question: Do you ever imagine how you are perceived by other people...through their eyes and life specifically, not as if you were you being able to look at yourself from the outside? And then compare and contrast to the latter? I've been doing that since about 4th grade (well, that's when I first recall doing it). I used to imagine I was Danny Lumpkin, who sat the next row over and 3 desks back from me. I'd imagine looking at the back of my head, and what my reaction (as Danny) might be. Then I tried to picture it if it was me. I was always fascinated by that notion - maybe it's an out-of-body-experience craving? Je ne sais pas.
Well, I think this was enough post for one long trip under the surface of New York City. And look, here's 125th Street! God, I LOVE the Express.
posted by Brenda at 10:00 PM
1 What'd you say?
As far as the "weird" people looking at me on a subway...I tend to get up and move especially if they give me the jibblies....
I've never really thought about how others see me really. I'm pretty comfortable with who I am...not saying you aren't...just I really don't care if people see me as odd or quiet...or whatever...
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