Grocery Day, NYC style

I'm slowly becoming a lazy New Yorker. This week, after much convincing by my classmates and the ads in the subway, I decided to order my groceries online. The last time that I did grocery shopping, the fruit was old, the cheese was molded, and I was fed up. A friend told me that if you order from Fresh Direct, the produce and other products are guaranteed to be of good quality. At first I thought it would be ridiculously priced, but the delivery fee was only 4.95 and most of the products cost about the same as what I would have paid at a supermarket here. Plus, since my main transportation is the heel-toe express, it saved me carrying my goods for a half mile in the summer heat and humidity. Needless to say, I am very happy with my online shopping experience.

However, if I start paying for other people to do my laundry, I won't be able to look myself in the eye anymore. That's too far.

Movie Theater Conspiracy

Last night, Sean and I decided to go see a movie at the local UA Cinema. At first we said Spiderman 2, then thought it might be better to see at an IMAX theater, so we settled on Anchorman, for a night of light comedy.

We got to the theater and they said that Anchorman was sold out. I looked around at the other 4 people in the whole theater, and said, "Are you sure?" I mean, we weren't at a theater in Manhattan, which is where people usually go, so I've never heard of a single movie actually selling out, especially not on a Thursday night. The man confirmed it, the people in line muttered about it, and we bought tickets for Spiderman 2 instead.

As soon as we got inside, I said to Sean, "Let's just go in to Anchorman anyways. Nobody is going to notice." We gave the ticket taker our tickets, and directed us towards Spiderman 2, the last theater on the right. Just before that was the theater for Anchorman.

The first odd thing was that the doorway to Anchorman has a barracade in front of it, like the pull out strap things they use for lines at the airport. So, we slipped underneath it. We opened the door, went inside, and realized that something was already playing on the screen. At first, I thought it was maybe the previews. We walked out, discussed it, and then went back in. The same thing was still playing... and it was NOT Anchorman!!!!

Since Spiderman didnt start for another 20 minutes, we went and played a couple of video games, trying to figure out what was going on. One last time, on our way to the Spiderman theater, we slipped inside again, and still realized that Anchorman was not playing at all!! The sign outside said Anchorman.... the time was right... but it was definetly not it. And there were only about five or ten people in there.

So I have no idea what this theater was trying to pull, or what movie was showing, but it totally weirded me out. There was some sort of conspiracy going on. I told Sean I wanted to write to the company and complain, but he said a complaint with me sneaking into a theater may not go over well. I'm still debating. I want answers!!!

Math Test

I got an 82 on my math test!! Yay!!  My last test I got a 49, so I was scared for awhile.  It looks like if I pass the final, which is 50% of the whole grade, I will pass the class.  Yippee!!!

TB?

This is just surprising... I just got a prayer request from my church about this guy in one of the worship bands that just found out he has tuberculosis.  I was just talking to someone about how we had to get the TB test to teach here and it didn't seem that important.  I didn't even realize people still get it. 

How being Screwed by ACI may have been good

Approximately 6 months before graduating, after working like crazy for three and a half years, LaDonne and I found out that instead of receiving a BA and a BS, we would only be receiving one or the other.  LaDonne was set to graduate that month (after fall semester) and had not been informed, which I told the registrar women, and they asked me to "let her know that they had chosen for her." 

We pushed the issue, meeting with the Dean, researching other schools' policies, appealing to the academic council, trying to lobby the members of the council.... all to no avail.  We were told it was "student lore" that we would be receiving both degrees and very outlandish that we would think it possible to earn two degrees in only 4 years. Thanks, registrar.  (I won't name any names)

Well, I began looking at the salary differential forms.  I never bothered filling them out since I didn't have any credits besides my bachelor's degree. Then I saw a small clause that said that any credits taken that were not required for your degree could also be counted.  "Wait a second," I thought.  "I wonder if that means all of my music credits could be considered not counting for my Bachelor of Science degree..."

So I emailed the aforementioned registrar and asked for a letter stating the number of excess credits I had taken that were not required for my degree.  She actually PROMPTLY mailed and faxed me a letter, stating that the amount was 52.5!!!  Well, 60 credits extra is considered the equivalent of a master's degree, so with the classes Ive taken here, I was there. 

I checked the salary schedule for NYC teachers and I think  that means that I will be making 7,000 more a year!! I submitted the paperwork, and it seems to all be in order, except that I am supposed to have a letter with the school seal on it, and my registrar letter was just on letterhead, but hopefully nobody will notice. 

So, maybe this time I am actually grateful that ACI rarely held up what it promised.  And for the staffing choices in certain key departments. 

Republican National Convention

Bill brought up a good point that I think is worth entertaining - I live in the city where the Republican National convention is going to be held very soon.  It's funny how things like this that seem so come and go are actually issues that create problems and outrage for months and months previously with people actually in the city. 

First of all there is the security issue.  I am sure that if this were held anywhere, security would be a concern to some extent, but I believe that since September 11, that New York City is probably the most concerned about security of events held here.  Since 9-11 affected so many people here personally, the Joe-schmos of the city who normally wouldn't think twice about issues of political concerns will riot, protest, or run and hide at the mention of a terrorist threat or a lack of security, regardless of the source of the information.  Last week there was something on the evening news about a likely terrorist threat to New York that had not been substantiated by anyone who would know anything, but had "been discovered" by one of the newspapers (the New York Post to be exact, which I hear isn't always known for credibility).  But, information about security risks don't really need to be factual in order to make it on the news here because after 9-11 people want to hear anything... just in case.

In an effort to ensure security, officials turned towards the homeless and independent salespeople of the city and realized that they may have a problem.  Now, as every subway passenger knows, part of the problem (that went unemphasized) is that if allowed, every 6-75 year old with some talent (or not), candy, bootleg DVDs, jewelry, or homemade tamales will set up camp around the convention trying to make some cash off of the rich out of towners.  (This list will include umbrella salesmen too if it is raining)   First, it could be annoying, and second, it could be a security risk.  So... it was proposed to block off an area to all people of these sorts.  (and probably the general public too, but that didn't raise a concern).

But then the complaining came.  I find a little irony in this argument, and I may come off a bit cold, so please forgive.  The homesless advocacy got involved, and said that since many homeless people reside in the area, the city would need to figure out something to do about their inconvenience.   So there were proposals for shelters and places for them to go for the time of the RNC, which I thought was considerate since if they are really being inconvenienced, that would insinuate that they normally are living on the streets where the RNC is being held.  But, that made the homeless advocacy mad because they say its a temporary solution to a bigger problem

Well... yeah....  of course it is.

At that point I either tuned out or changed the channel... I don't remember which.  Since they I've sort of ignored any news of the RNC, since it generally doesn't have anything to do with the convention itself, but more with what group is more annoyed that day.

The only other thing that I heard is that since a ton of protests are being planned, a gentleman has formed a "pro-republican" group which will be protesting the protestors.  Literally.  He said that he wants to show the people associated with the RNC that the protestors do not represent the opinions of everyone... or something like that.

 
*disclaimer - all of my information comes from local news which I only half listen to.  If anything is wrong or skewed, it's to be expected.

Water taxi

Now here is the REAL taxi of New York. Please take note of the serene brownish green tint to the water. As I reflect on this picture, I feel my love for the city growing. Maybe the New Yorkers, with all of their pride, are correct and the city really DOES have everything that a person could ever need... no reason to ever even consider going anywhere else.

Well, unless, of course... you believe that there still exists a land where water is clear, or of a blueish green hue.  Honestly, if you believe that, you probably are one of the radicals that buys all that crap about us landing on the moon too.  

Did I mention that my apartment building isnt even wired for cable yet... As in... no hookups, no connections running into the building... nothing.  New York is SOOO cutting edge.  

Peeping Toms

I was warned to watch out for peeping toms in New York. I just assumed there were some people you could trust... Batman, Superman, Wonderwoman... but apparently you really never can tell... 

Sizing him up 

My new pet

My New Pet 

Well, here he is... the newest addition to my home.  Sorry the picture isnt clearer, but there isnt a lot of light near the drain in my bathtub... Which leads me to the story..

Two days ago, I was leaving my apartment and I saw a huge cockroach on the sidewalk.  I commented on its size to Sean, and debated whether to kill it or not.  I try to kill as few of bugs as possible, generally preferring to invoke a mindset of not disturbing something that is not disturbing me.  Plus, it would have made an awful crunching noise/feeling that I didn't want to deal with.

The next morning I was showering.  I heard something drop, but I figured it was just the lid to my razor or something.  I finished up, turned off the water, grabbed my towel and began to dry off.  I felt something in my hair though, so I sort of shook it out.  Granted, I can barely see when I am taking a shower because I don't have my glasses or contacts in, but when this huge brown thing landed on my foot, I knew exactly who it was.  It was none other than my new neighbor from the day before, coming to pay me a visit. In my hair.  In the shower.

So the moral of the story is that even if something SEEMS like it won't come attack you in your most private of times, the shower, you better kill it just in case. 

(Seriously.... the shower?!  Why does the weird stuff always happen to me?)

Coming Soon...

Later today....

A picture of the biggest cockroach I have ever seen, and the horrifying story of how I found it. 

Stay Tuned!

Bourne Supremacy/Nightlife

For probably the first time since I have lived here, I actually went out EVERY night of my weekend.  Honestly, I don't understand how people do it.

Thursday night (which begins my weekends) was just a casual night of watching some street ball in Harlem, going to a park and talking with friends after class.  I didn't want to be out too late or too tired on Friday, so I began to head home between 12 and 12:30, arriving home around 2:15 am.

Friday night, because of the massive amount of rain, Sean and I went to a nearby diner (greek, as is most of the neighborhood), drank coffee and played board games.  Not too eventful.

Tonight Sean and I went and saw the Bourne Supremacy with my new friend Abbie and her boyfriend Neil.  They are great fun people.  The movie was good.  I am still of the impression that very few movies will be good enough to justify my paying 10.50 to see it.  I don't think I would mind if I was in a theater with like 20 other people and they only showed the movie three times a day, but I sat there looking around at a theater of probably at least 200 people, completely full, and realized they must be making between two and three THOUSAND dollars every hour, just on the show alone.  Plus, you add in the outrageous cost of popcorn, sodas, and candy, and its a cash machine.  The seats are more crammed than ever, making the constant jab in the back from the person behind you unavoidable. 

However, New York does at times have its advantages.  The last movie that I went to see was "Super Size Me," the documentary about McDonald's.  I loved the movie, so I wasn't as disgruntled about my 10.50, but what really made it worth it was that when the movie was over, the man who underwent ther McDonalds adventure, Morgan Spurlock, was standing at a microphone in the front of the theater, ready to answer questions.  The movie is a must see.

So while there may be a wider variety of thrift stores, coffee shops, and bars, I still find something drifting towards the same activities that I enjoyed during my small town days; eating and playing games with good friends.  The only difference is that now I have to pass by a lot more weirdos and take a few trains to do it. 

For anyone who doesn't know Arzhang or read his blogs, go read his My Generation entry. He does a very good job of explaining that feeling of being immersed in a society where everyone seems so in love with themselves and their lives, both of which I could never imagine even enjoying on a simplistic level.  Last year I asked and craved to  understand what it was that I was missing.  But, as all noteworthy philosophers at some point decide, it's not me, it's them.

New York City News

Now that I live in New York, and am actually settled here, I figure that I owe it to the world to share my stories in as close to real time as possible.  Over the last year, the problem was that I only shared with people maybe 2 or 3 times a year, and by then had such a buildup of material that only the most horrifying or ludicrous stories were told as some of the daily grind type of things had drifted into the background. 

Of noteworthy news... it is now raining... again.... There have been more days of rain than anything else.  The humorous part about the rain though is that everytime it begins to sprinkle, the Flood Warning comes on, and what I like to call the umbrella phenomena occurs.  This phenomena is when suddenly within minutes every street corner has an umbrella vendor.  The umbrellas range in cost from usually 3-10 dollars.  So that means there must be at least a 100 to 500 people in New York City, sitting at home with 40 umbrellas, "just in case."