Thanksgiving at Mike's

Happy Thanksgiving!
There are many things that I am thankful for: my family, my friends, my health, the fact that I have a job, to name a few. Even though the history behind the holiday is morally questionable, I still appreciate the idea of having a day in which to give thanks. I'm a believer that you should be thankful everyday, but hey, not everyone thinks that way. My dinner (which of course was eaten around lunch time) proved rather unconventional, at least for me, but hey, not every year can be picture perfect.
My dad is in town, visiting me, which I am extremely happy about. Today would have been a rather depressing day if I were all alone. I had to work last night until 11:30 and we didn't get back home till around 1am so getting up and cooking really wasn't a practical option. (I'm not a very good cook anyways). Instead I watched the pros cook on "Top Chef" and we walked to 31st to a nice little place called "Mike's Diner." I'll be honest with you, my dad liked the food (or so he said) but I found it to be terrible. Good food is nice on Thanksgiving, but is not a requirement. That is not the point. I had food on my table, and some people don't, so I choked down as much of the food that I could, all the while smiling. Our waitress was a sweet woman who left her three children and husband at home to serve me subpar food. She commented about how cute it was that my dad and I were there together and generally enjoyed our Midwestern cheerfulness in a room full of cranky (and poor tipping) New Yorkers.
We left after paying our bill and tipping like people should on a holiday. My stomach has still not recovered, even though I barely ate my turkey and stuffing (want my leftovers?) but I'm so glad that I got to spend this time with my dad, healthy, safe and overall happy.
For those of you I wasn't with this holiday, I miss you, I love you, and I hope to see you at Christmas :)

In da club ; )

This past Saturday, I went out in Manhattan. It was only my second time going "out," with my first being about a month ago, when my sister and I saw "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist" in Union Square. The movie was fantastic, by the way, but didn't really give me a feel for the social scene in the city except for the mass amount of people (but they are everywhere you go here). Even though I was tired from working all day, I decided I needed to go out and experience New York, because honestly, that's what I am here for.
Now before I describe my night, I want you to close your eyes and imagine a Saturday night out in New York City. Now open them. Whatever you imagined, was pretty much what I experienced. We went to a club in lower midtown called PS 340. It was dark, crowded, loud and full of singles. Men and women huddled together in their groups, with their overpriced drinks, waiting for an attractive man or woman to come up and strike up a conversation. Whether they were looking for a relationship or a one-night stand, I am not sure.
The night was fun though. The club was nicely decorated, although it did seriously lack chairs. I've also never been to a place with a bathroom monitor. I mainly chatted within my group, avoiding eye contact with all males and danced along to the music being djed off of a mac. I was proud of myself for successfully avoiding any awkward encounters.
I enjoyed being outside of Astoria, and if only for one night, behaving like a true New Yorker. The next time I go out, I expect it won't be to another club unless I have out of town visitors. I just dont have the desire to pay a ton of money to stand around and watch people look uncomfortable. Then again, that is one of my favorite activities...

Z-Baig

Seeing as this is my blog and I can do whatever I want to with it....Happy Birthday, Ms. Zairah Baig! I miss you, I love you! I'm sorry I couldn't be there for your birthday but I'll see you in 47 days!

YES WE CAN!

I have no doubt that if I were in Grant Park right now, I'd be sobbing like a little girl. I almost lost it when I saw the Reverend Jesse Jackson crying on tv, along with Oprah and many more across the nation. Tonight is a giant leap forward in American History, and I am glad to be (if just a tiny) part of it. Last February I waited in line for over 3 hours to listen to Senator Barack Obama speak at the Kohl Center in Madison. His speech was not only eloquent, but also inspiring. Listening to Obama speak solidified my support for this man. I saw someone who spoke to the disinfranchised and got people excited in politics again. I think that John McCain is a decent man. I find it unfortunate that McCain had to change so much from his views in order to please the far right. I appreciate his graciousness and the genuine look of disgust that crosses his face when his supporters boo Obama. (I have no comment on Palin, but I have an unfortunate feeling that this won't be the last we see of her.) It is not unpatriotic to believe in the freedom of choice, or talk with our enemies before sending our loved ones into war.
My sister and I spent the night sitting on our living room floor (we still lack a couch), waiting to hear the news of the next president. We watched as Obama gained more and more electoral votes, and as what once seemed impossible, become more and more likely. I always assumed that I would see a female president before a black one, and I never imagined I'd see anyone other than a white male in that position so soon. While I see so much progress from the days of the Civil Rights Movement and the Suffrage Movement, its no secret that Americans still hold many prejudices. It is my hope that with the election of Barack Obama, this nation can continue to move forward and that his election will inspire people to reach for their dreams, because anything is possible. My faith in mankind has been renewed as I see a country that is not as ignorant as I assumed, which is something I will gladly admit.
Congratulations Barack Obama :)

Welcome to Astoria

I am finally beginning to feel more like a resident of New York and less like a vacationer. The change from tourist to semi-New Yorker is thanks to my new apartment in Astoria (Queens). We do not have any furniture except for our beds, so I find myself sitting on a pillow in the middle of the living room watching "Gossip Girl." (Unintentionally hilarious show, by the way). My sister and I moved in last Wednesday and as of today have accumulated one pot, two bowls, and four plates. My mom will be sending us silverware this week, but until then all of our knives, spoons and forks will be made of plastic.
Although this may not seem ideal, I am ten-folds happier than I was in Brooklyn. I have my own room (that nobody has to walk-through) and a free living room that I can watch all the crappy tv I want to in. My sister is slowly trying to teach me how to use DVR which I find to be the world's greatest invention. The walk to the subway is longer but the actual subway ride is shorter and mostly above ground. Those of you who don't have to ride the subway regularly will not understand how amazing being above ground is, at least for me. Waiting in the dark, stale underground may be nice in the winter, or if you're homeless (no joke), but I'd much rather be in the fresh air and looking at buildings than the repetitious black walls.
In the upcoming weeks we hope to purchase (with the assistance of my dad) a sofa for our living room. As much as I love the simplicity of our place (complete with a tv stand made of boxes), I can't wait to have a comfortable place to sit on off of the floor.

Un mes

I have officially been in New York City for 4 whole weeks! Although I miss everyone a ton, I'm adjusting to life here pretty well. I have a bed of my own to sleep in and a full-time job that will hopefully get me a position in this year's Thanksgiving Day parade! I'm becoming fairly good at subway travel. I no longer almost topple over when standing on the train(although some lady did tonight on the commute home which was rather hilarious). I also figured out which directions the numbers run on the streets which is extremely helpful. The only things I am lacking that would make me a true New Yorker is a bitchy demeanor and an uninterested facial expression (but I guess that would come with the demeanor). I think I'll stick with my midwestern wholesomeness if I can help it though.
I have seen some pretty crazy stuff living here that actually remind me of Madison, such as the man swimming in the fountain outside the Chase building in his shorts and sneakers. After a nice workout he managed to evade the police and security guards by running down 6th Avenue in the middle of rush hour. Damn hippies! I've also seen more people wearing sunglasses indoors (on the subway and in stores) than I ever thought possible. Why these people think they look good is beyond me. It must be some cool thing that I just don't get because I'm not nearly hipster or rich enough to understand.
The pictures attached to this post are of the happy fountain-swimming man, David Blaine's extremely lame "stunt" (seriously, is it even a stunt when you stop for coffee whenever you feel like it and sit up all the time?), and the Empire State Building with its green lights for Eid. Enjoy! I miss you!

A star shines in Brooklyn

I was riding the subway on the way to work this morning when I saw a quote in a train advertisement. The quote, by George Eliot, is this, “We do not expect to be deeply moved by what is not unusual… If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel’s heart beat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence.”
Maybe on a 7:45 am train is not the most common place to gain insight about life, but maybe when we reexamine those usual moments, we can learn the most about ourselves and those around us. I'd like to hear that roar, at least some of it, and I think I'm finding that here in the city.
This post is not a quirky story but it sums up what I realize this journey is becoming to me. I moved here expecting a new life full of exciting new adventures each day. The scenery has changed, but that's not the part that is moving me. Life here is not all that different than my life in Madison, but with more strangers and taller buildings. I find myself being moved by the woman reading her Hebrew prayer book on the subway ride home; by the nanny who spends more time with her charges than the parents ever will; by the former punk teenager now wearing a suit as the enlarged hole in his ear struggles to close up. These are the people who are defining my time here. The praying woman, the nanny and the grown up former punk were all there in Madison, but I when I gave them a second glance, it was only to complain about them, never to see who they really are, nor how similar I find them to me.

A walk in the park (and other places)

My favorite place in New York City thus far is, hands down, Central Park. In Madison, my refuge was always the Terrace and I've found a place close to that haven in the park. I love how I can sit there, in nature and glimpse the city through the trees. There are always tons of people around and almost everyone in this part of the city is in a good mood. I love people-watching the couples, the playing children, and the runners as they all go by smiling.
I think I give away the fact that I am a small town girl every time I walk down the street staring up at the gorgeous architecture towering above me. So far, I've managed to walk rather far on my own. I've enjoyed parts of the Upper East Side, so-soed my way through the Upper West Side, and cowered my way down the streets of Greenwich Village. I know everyone just loves that area, but inthe parts I walked through as the sun was setting, I just couldn't get past all the sex shops and stores selling fish-net stockings.
Some days I find myself monologuing like Carrie Bradshaw in my head. I'll wonder about what makes the people of this city tick and contemplate on how easy it is to feel alone surrounded by so many people all the time. This city tests my patience with its long lines and thick New Yorker accents but I'm slowly learning to appreciate every unique experience as something I'll look back upon and remember fondly as the time I spent living in New York City...

Now where is Wisconsin again?

While my sister is at work, and I am jobless, I am being used as a personal assistant. Today's job was to bring her two garbage bags of clothes to Beacon's Closet in Brooklyn. The bags were heavy and annoying to carry. I was especially excited about being put to this task after I first got on the subway going the wrong direction in Brooklyn. Eventually I made it to the correct stop, but realized I had to walk really far to reach my destination, and I did not know which direction to start off in. Luckily, I had the moleskin New York guide that Julie had given me for my birthday. Thanks to that thing, I made an educated guess, and walked 12 blocks in the right direction, while looking like a homeless person. Now this is where my story got interesting...
A man walking a dog comes up and asks me if I wanted help caring the bags. I told him no thank you so he went ahead, but was waiting at the next light and asked me again if I wanted help. I was struggling and it was only another block so I said ok. As we walk the two blocks to the resale store, he tells me how he makes bags for dogs and was walking his dog to the park when he saw me. He decided to run up to catch up with me to help. I was grateful to have a good samaritan and we parted ways.
The people at the resale store said it would be 35-40 minutes so I decided to walk around the neighborhood. My good friend Sam, the man from before, was suddenly behind me. Apparently he saw me walking around again and ran out of his apartment to find me. He's pretty much the typical native New Yorker who's never flown in a plane and had no idea where Wisconsin was (northeast of here maybe?). I told him a little about the Midwest and then he proceeded to tell me all the secrets of religion and how to live a happy life. Did I mention this was after he told me that if he hadn't seen me walking by, he'd probably be smoking a joint? Well, the next 15 min of our walk were dedicated to The Secret, you know, the one that Oprah talks about. He even offered me a copy of The Secret video. I told him thanks but no thanks, I'm more of a reader....

I gave my regards to Broadway

When I was a little girl, my dream was to be on Broadway. I was in community theater and sang solos throughout elementary school. I even wrote about it for school assignments. Unfortunately, after a horrible audition, I developed stage fright and now hate even talking in front of people. Though my childhood dream to be on Broadway will never be realized, I still (with a tad bit of jealousy) love watching other people perform. I had seen signs yesterday (on my 12-mile walk of the city) for the Tony Award winning musical "Spring Awakening" and decided this was the show for me. I ordered a ticket for myself in the 8th row and away I went.
I must say, "Spring Awakening" deserved the Best Musical Award it won. It was absolutely fantastic. (It may sound somewhat familiar to the 90210 fans out there *cough* Danielle *cough* as this is the musical that one skinny girl is performing in at school). I laughed, I cried, and the most exciting part (at least for me) was meeting Hunter Parrish, who stars in it, after the show. He was amazing in it, and I surprisingly good singer, which you would never guess from his character on "Weeds". I don't care if this makes me a loser, because he is adorable and really nice and Meredith appreciates my feelings on the subject :)
On the subway train back home to reality, I had an interesting encounter with a woman. She stared at me for most of the ride and then decided to pull out a piece of paper and a pencil and start drawing. I'd like to think she was drawing the guy sitting next to me, but nevertheless it was extremely awkward. When I got off the train, I got harassed by a group of teenage boys, probably around 14 who shouted at me and blew me kisses. I guess odd and annoying people from the subway is something I have to get used to. Gotta love New York....

Flying high

Midwest airlines may tell you that they are sorry for your loss. They will be exceptionally nice to you and waive the $100 fee (but still make you pay any difference between the costs of your old and new flights). You think, gee, maybe not all airlines are awful. And then you get on the plane. And you realize you are seated in the back row, with the small, but still leather (what a plus!), seats. Without a window, of any kind, in the window seat. If I would of known there would be no window next to me, I would not have chosen the "window seat." Way to take advantage of a grieving customer, Midwest. The best part of the flight was when they announced that passengers on the left side of the plane would have an amazing view of the city. Hey, I was on the left side! Oh, wait. Boy, that view of the tan wall was pretty.
I did arrive though, safely to New York City, and am currently sitting on my sister's bed. My first adventure to make copies of Jeni's keys started off a little shaky (I went the wrong direction for several blocks then after being reoriented with a phone call to my sister, missed the locksmith and had to turn around) but I made it back! High five!
I may venture out again tonight for dinner, but otherwise this weekend I have big plans. Tomorrow I'm going to get a new bank account, ride the subway, and hopefully find myself a way to monetarily survive the next 6 months. Whether this will be by working in a store, or the streets, only time will tell...

Nope, that's not my doppleganger, that's still me

My plans for New York City have once again changed. First, my program that was supposed to begin in November got canceled and now I have to wait until June to start training. I was still supposed to leave September 10th, now yesterday morning, I received unfortunate news that my grandma who has been battling cancer, will be leaving us soon. Hearing this news is bittersweet, as now I am certain that I can be there for my family and to be there for the funeral. I will be staying in Madison until further notice.
This just reminds me how unpredictable life can be. I am extremely grateful for the time I have spent with my grandma, one of the sweetest people I have ever known, and although it is sad, I am glad that soon she will no longer be in pain.
I hope (insh'Allah for my Muslim friends) that this will be the only sad post I write, but I figured people would want to know what's going on.