Things I Know Now

This will be a piggy back off of (lol, I was about to '@' you) Dani Colored Glasses' post about moving to NY and not knowing what the deal was.

1. Flo Jo beneath every NYer.
So true. I WAS too cute to run up a flight of stairs yesterday and that made all the difference in an air conditioned seat, getting to the city in a timely manner, not being harassed by the late night locals and... my car having DCG's uncle serenading us in Patois. Not again.

2. The Cute Commute.

I thought I could make my commute to Harlem in my nude patent leather pumps and back. After all, I'm just walking a few blocks to and from the train stations...








FACE.






Those stairs and platforms and more stairs and more platforms and breezeways and under-underground tunnels and transfers via a totally different platform and construction on the platform leading to detours to a split level platform? Then the standing and waiting for a train or for your walk signal? *whimper* I wore cr.ocs for 48 hours straight. Not even my trusty steve madden flippies but crocs. I wanted to marry them, they were so good to me.

3. The all encompassing Tote.
I don't know how they do it. They have these lone-shomp totes with EVERYTHING in them!!! They talk about running to work in their asics, break out the full tupperware of salad, toppings, and dressings, the camelb.ak water bottle, two pieces of fruit, their mac, molesk.ine, iP.ad, umbrella, and tor.yburch flats. Where does it all go?? I have this denim GAP tote which I ADORE and all I'm carrying is the mac, my wallet, and my keys. and I want to die. I'm a wristlet kind of girl. Adjustment is tantamount to survival.

4. Weather Expert.
Yeah, I came home and ordered the isht out some rain boots. Why I didn't order them the FIRST time I got rained on and feet street wet, I have no idea but just know that I am on the hunt for an ankle length northfase bubble with a hood/snorkel BEFORE winter gets here.

and I'm going to find it.

5. Scarves

I have no problems with scarves. I love my solid color jones new york joints with a passion. I have red, dark pink, orange, yellow, wisteria, black, and cream (need blue and green, peeps). How many of them did I bring with my in my packing haste last week? Nun. But, for whatever reason, my leopard print blanket of a scarf was in my carry on from when I bought it in the DMV this past June and that's what i decided DIDN'T match my dress and therefore wasn't coming with me last night.

Then the sky opened. I had nothing to protect my hair, I had nothing to keep me warm on the train, I had nothing. Again, back to that "too cute to commute" tenet. Ima learn, lil mama, Ima learn. There is NOTHING cute about a skinny black girl shivering on the train looking like a drenched kitten.

7. Personal Space

I'm African. There is no such thing as personal space. We leave all doors open and damn you to nigeria if you think you're going to close/lock the door while you're taking a shower (that's what shower curtains are for). I've told you years ago, the first time I slept with a door closed was my first night at Hampton. This issue doesn't bother me at all. I just want to get on the train. Let my ass in. I missed the last one trying to be cute, remember?

I have even thought of asking guys if they would mind me sitting on their laps. I would never EVER do that but this has crossed my mind:

I wonder if he would mind me sitting on his lap. My feet are killing me in these damn pumps. I should just sit and see if he would object, yeah...

Not only that, but if you do happen to get a seat on a crowded train, be prepared to have someone's junk in your face. Yep. The seats are that low. Full.frontal.

8. Up/Downtown

It makes so much sense to me now. I was truly confused for the longest time and it's because I'm not used to the word 'uptown'. We have a Downtown. It's where City Place is. Oh yeah, the courthouse but more importantly, City Place. Here, uptown is going... up! Downtown is... down! I used to think all of Man was 'Downtown' just based on my schemata (where the action and business take place) but many many train rides and begging MTA officials to let me in cause "I know I just swiped my card but that was across the street and that was the wrong way", I got it all figured out. If I want to go home, I go Downtown and keep going till I'm not even in Man anymore but in BK, across the water. If I want to go to the System, I go Uptown till I'm damn near in The BX.

9. Cabs.

I've taken two. I'm not there yet. If I can't get there by bus or train, I don't need to be there. I'm kidding. That's a stupid way to think but I need to wrap my head around using cash and then I think I'll be more open to them. Lord knows, I could've used one last night.

9. Personal Entertainment.

There was a point in time when I didn't charge my itouch until I was going on a trip. I used it that infrequently. Now, I am PISSED if I didn't charge it the night before. Music... shit, just the headphones alone give you personal space. I know you see my earbuds in, don't talk to me about my superman tattoo it's not that big of a deal. It's a tat. I'm in NY and VERY mild compared to the population.

I do like reading the AM NY (or something like that) just to get a heads up on what's going but what usually happens is i play bejeweled and listen to itoons on shuffle. I've been hearing some songs I didn't even know I have and I like them!

10. Be present

Yo, this came to me as I was walking home from the train station. BE PRESENT. As I was swimming home and thinking about the wonderful shower I was about to take in BLEACH, I thought, "Yo. I just left freakin Manhattan after a night with some girlfriends. I am walking in the rain in Brooklyn, New York. I am walking HOME in BK. I am here. It rains. So what?

Enjoy each moment as they come b/c it could've been a totally different ball game. TOTALLY different. I don't have that much money. Buying plane tickets with less than 48 hours turn around (and checked bag fees, grrr) is pricey. Trying to make your new place as comfy as possible and freaking transportation costs money. My MTA card def had $0.50 and I knew if I used my card I would be left with the negative absolute value of that in my account (FRIDAY, I NEED YOU HERE LIKE I'VE NEVER NEEDED A FRIDAY BEFORE) but whatever, I am freaking HERE.

and there is my first week in New York! LOLOL i'm loving every moment of it!