So I'm tired of clicking on my page and being faced with that rather sub par entry regardiing American Idol. And in the effort to return to my introspective self who felt obligated to share everything with you here, I'm back. New York in springtime. I can't recall directly if there's a song about this, but I'm certain there is one. I know about Autumn In New York (and please let us not taint such sublime visions w/ that terrible movie w/ Richard Gere and Winona Ryder), but something must be said for springtime in New York because 'tis fabulous.
The past three nights I've left work late (which is another post entirely!), and while I'd wanted to get home pronto to regroup and rest, I found myself sauntering along each day, breathing in the sights and the sounds at a decidedly slower pace. My! So much that I didn't notice before became apparent to me and I found myself popping in and out of places smiling at locals, using the one and two words of various foreign languages that I know. You'd be surprised how much it makes people smile when you at least try to say hello (yahmasayo - that's phonetically how I said it at least)in Korean.
At the German fast food joint, Gudtfood, I got a complimentary pitcher of beer just for saying Gutern Nicht; Hilfer! I need a napkin (he found this to be v. funny!) as well as Danke, this is really, seriously, gudt food and other silly stuff.
I found myself thrust in the middle of some japanese group leaving a restaurant on my way home one evening, and everyone was bowing at the shopkeeper on their way out, so I just bowed, too. The next morning on my way to work, he knocked on the window and waved me in ... I didn't buy anything, but it was nice just the same :)
One day I bothered to fix my hair I was hustling through the streets on a mad dash for some envelopes and some African man made a point to actually exit his place of employment (a bank) and flag me down as I passed by the doorway to say, "scuze me miss. miss. miss. mwah! you are bootiful." Nothing like having kisses blown atcha when you feel more than flushed and slightly less than verklempt lemme tell ya. That was my Sarah Jessica Parker moment :)
Other men are just straight up forward which is both lovely but bewildering, too. They literally just jump out at you at times to say things like, Gimme your number. Damn let me love you. And some just break into song -- which is really funny. Thankfully stuff like this doesn't happen to me every day though because I find it too hard not to laugh hysterically down the street which really makes me look crazy to passers-by I'm sure.
At any rate, I work hard and slowly, I'm getting the idea of how to play hard and still manage my time effectively. Time management is no longer one of my strengths I've realized, but thankfully a solid work ethic and enthusiasm never cease to amaze me. But looking back at past entries and seeing how many posts were full of "gawd, i hate my job so much" makes me feel so grateful now -- and grown.
I really do feel extremely blessed to be working with people who do not hesistate to tell me how much they appreciate my work, my effort, my enthusiasm and my willingness to try anything at least once. I work in a group of really tough, forward thinking, fast moving people, and it's hard to keep up sometimes, but I can't tell you enough how exhilarating it is to jump in and have people help you along just because you were willing to jump in. I didn't know what to expect coming here. Of course I was anxious that they wouldn't like me, that maybe I wouldn't be smart enough to cut it, or I'd just plain suck. And there are days when I do suck. Royally. On the whole though, just the fact that I'm willing to fail and I do it somewhat gracefully -- even though I apologize for things way too much -- seems to really have made a good impact with my group.
It's the weekend. Hurrah! It's a lovely gorgeous day, and why am I inside you ask? Because I'm sleepy as hell since for the past week and a half I haven't gotten any sleep hardly. And daylight savings time is one silent bitch.
I'm sitting here wanting to see so much of NYC, but really feeling like at this rate, I won't be leaving anytime soon so what's the rush? I've got a couple of good books, a fantastic borrowed gift of SATC's 1st season to fall in love with and the bed -- my current one and only love with whom I'm about to have one cozy affair ...
So peace and love chi'ren ... and wherever you are, I'm wishing you pollen free love, a cool breeze to kiss your cheeks and some sunshine for having been mine for so long :)