Yesterday us BYU program kids had our last class of the spring term (and mine forever. Yay!), a class on gender, race, and diversity in the media. We only met once a week, but I really enjoyed the discussions we got into regarding diversity. Dr. Wakefield asked us a lot of tough questions, such as: What makes up a person's culture? Why do stereotypes exist? Are government programs helping or hurting those groups that are oppressed? Is America a melting pot, like it claims to be, or is it more like a salad bowl?
We never really came up with definitive answers to these questions, nor do I think there really is one. But I was impressed how many different opinions and viewpoints this small group of white, Mormon, 20-somethings expressed regarding these issues. It was always a lively debate.
I realize that as a Single White Female I can't exactly push my views onto other cultures or expect them to see things the same way I do. I've never lived in their shoes. I've never experienced the unique pains and joys that come from living in an urban community, or a reservation, or a house full of immigrant families. However, I do believe that we should all accept each other's differences and Love Each Other, as GOB Bluth so eloquently puts it.
The vast array of cultures is probably my favorite thing about living in New York City. What's that old joke? That you know you're in New York when your doorman is Russian, your grocer is Korean, your deli man is Israeli, your building super is Italian, your laundry guy is Chinese, your favorite bartender is Irish, your favorite diner owner is Greek, the watchseller on your corner is Senegalese, your last cabbie was Pakistani, your newsstand guy is Indian and your favorite falafel guy is Egyptian.
I don't think any other city exists like this in the world, and I love interacting with those so different than me on a daily basis. It's the reason Humans of New York is one of my favorite websites. It just shows that no matter how different we are, we all have hopes and dreams. We all want to make it in this crazy world. We all have a story to tell.
It's not hard to be kind. It shouldn't be hard to not be judgmental. No matter the person's race, gender, sexual preference, hair color, size, political party, whatever, there's no excuse for hate. We don't have to agree. We just have to Love Each Other.
Hey look, three posts in a row! This must be some kind of record.
"I still think the same way I thought as a child. I still worry, I'm still frightened...Nothing changes."- Maurice Sendak
In case you either weren't aware or didn't see today's wonderful Google Doodle, today would have been Maurice Sendak's 85th birthday. I'm not sure how many people know this, and it's not that original, but Where the Wild Things Are is one of my favorite books of all time. When I was little I would imagine myself as Max, escaping the duldrums of my life to have adventures with the Wild Things. It's probably the book that made me love fantasy and the ways the imagination can come up with worlds more exciting than our own that we can retreat into every once in a while. So imagine my happiness when I was asked to help pitch the new PBS Digital video at work today. This is why I love PR, because you can help share wonderful things that you love and that inspire you to the rest of the world. This interview, along with every other interview I've watched of Sendak, just made me respect him even more. Sendak's life and views, at least on religion, were very different than mine, but there was something so raw about the way he spoke about children and the regard he has for them that you can't help but admire him and his view of the world. What an inspiring visionary and creative mind, and I hope we can all learn a bit from this wild rumpus. Let's not ever forget Mr. Sendak, and let's not ever forget what it felt like to be a kid.
Also, the interview series he did with Colbert will always remain one of my favorite things ever. I only hope to be as crotchety and carefree as Sendak was so late in life.
"That is the truth of her life. That she must accept her inadequacy and her failure to live up to expectations...but no one really wanted anything more from her."
The other day I was walking through Times Square to transfer to a new subway stop (the trains stopped at 50th and it was this whole big mess, don't ask) and it was loud and bright and crowded and the people were walking as slow as my grandma and I bumped into someone without apologizing. I didn't even feel bad. I was more annoyed at them for getting in my way.
When I finally got to the train, I sat next to this large man who smelled quite horrible, but didn't care, because it was a seat, and thought about what had just happened. I had gotten annoyed at tourists. I hated being in Times Square. When had I become this person?
I think I'm finally becoming a New Yorker, you guys. Here are some other indications:
I bucked up the courage and bought a $20 umbrella. Those dinky $5 ones were just not cutting it.
I always move to the middle of the train.
I know which lines go to which area.
I successfully gave a lady directions to the Met.
I don't feel bad about ignoring "homeless" people or hecklers.
I feel no desire to do my hair in the heat.
I fall asleep to sirens, instead of waking up to them.
I successfully avoid eye contact with the people on my train. I know some of them are there on the same car with me everyday, but heck if I've even smiled at them before.
Falafel is my new favorite food.
I know that paying more than $40 for a Broadway show is a fool's errand.
I wanted to give pointers to this poor kid trying to perform on the subway because he was going about it all wrong and had no confidence.
I've jaywalked in front of the cops more than once and they didn't even bat an eye.
I look forward to getting into the subway car because it has air conditioning.
My favorite drink is Snapple.
I have a favorite cheesecake place. And a favorite pizza place. And they're better than yours.
I know. I know. I'm the world's worst blogger. Like, if they were handing out awards for People Who Say They're Going to Post but Never Do, I would win, hands down. To be fair, though, 1) I was out of a computer for two weeks, 2) life has been nonstop craziness, and 3) I've been more worried about getting my life together than keeping up this blog. I'll talk more about that in a future post very soon (I'm serious!) but for now I just wanted to give you all the highlights of these past three? four? weeks.
Also, I've been a little bit better at updating my videos than my blog, so subscribe to my YouTube channel for better updates. I have iMovie now so hopefully they're getting better in quality. Besides, who wouldn't rather watch a five-minute video than read well, anything. Not me, that's for sure. Here's one about my Memorial Day weekend in D.C., for example:
Ok. So. It's been a fun-filled, crazy past few weeks. There's just so much to do here, and no matter how long I'll live here, I don't think I'll be able to do it all. I do think I've gotten most of the touristy stuff out of the way, though. Here are some of my favorite things I've done:
seeing lion king again. probably my favorite musical that i've seen so far.
getting to tour around d.c. with chelsea and alyse.
and brooke.
it was a pretty patriotic weekend. my first time in d.c.! the holocaust museum was probably my favorite thing we visited. i can't stop thinking about it.
seeing jesse tyler ferguson in shakespeare in the park
my all-time favorite painting at the moma
coney island beach
riding roller coasters with these fools
meeting mr. grimaldi at his original restaurant.
the first time i couldn't finish a milkshake. props, serendipity 3
amateur night at the apollo. literally the coolest thing i've been to.
biking for the first time since high school and seeing the city in a whole new way.
That's all for now. There's a lot more to say about my internship and life in New York in general and worries about the future, but I'll save that for another time. Just know that I'm having a blast out here and miss all of you! I have a Mac now, so no excuses not to Skype me! Or FaceTime, as the Apple people call it.
Another week of fun in New York City. My computer just died and the computer lab is only open for another half hour, so I'm gonna do this post quick through pictures. Sorry.
Monday Jenny and I stalked the Arrested Development banana stand and geeked out hard.
Tuesday we became full-on groupies as we found the banana stand again, this time with Terry Crew manning it.
Tuesday night we went to the Yankees game, which was fun, but I have to admit...I was not impressed. They didn't have lids for their drinks or offer ranch for their chicken fingers (which also wasn't super great). And no one came around to peddle frozen lemonades. Very disappointing. Go GABP!
Wednesday was class, and I treated myself to this absolutely delicious waffle from a stand.
Thursday we ate at Gray's Papaya...which was ok. At least is was cheap.
Then we saw CollegeHumor Live at the UCB, which was hilarious. I just love comedy clubs.
Friday I saw Star Trek (Go see it! Now!) And on the Subway ride home I saw this amazing ad. It's kinda blurry, but you may be able to notice that the before and after pictures feature human beings of completely separate genders.
Saturday was a pretty full day. We started off with a Staten Island Ferry ride.
Where we saw a beautiful view of the city.
And the Statue of Liberty.
We ate lunch at Katz's, famous for its mouthwatering pastrami sandwiches, which was so freaking good. And huge.
nomnomnom.
Next was the World Trade Center Memorial, which was beautiful and chilling and now one of my favorite places.
Just so many names. So sad.
The Guggenheim!
From the top.
The lake at Central Park.
That's about it! Work is still going great. I'm applying to all the jobs right now, so we'll see where that goes. I'm starting to hit panic mode.
Another week, more crazy adventures. I'm a little short on time (ok, I took like a four-hour nap and then watched the Survivor finale. (Yay for Cochran!) Sorry not sorry.), so this is mostly just going to be a long string of pictures. Visual appeal!
Monday was fairly uneventful. I went shopping for some needed business clothes and shoes and walked through the streets of Harlem by myself, so that was fun.
Tuesday we ate at the Starlight Diner, a restaurant that turns waiters into Broadway stars. Or something like that. It was cool for the experience, but the food was pretty expensive and honestly not that great. I don't know if I'd recommend it.
Wednesday we had class, so not much to report on that front. We heard from Toni Muzi Falconi, PR extraordinaire and professor at NYU. It was an interesting lecture. Afterward we had Shake Shack and EVERYONE NEEDS TO GET THE PRETZEL CONCRETE. So freaking delicious.
Thursday night Katrina and I attended the LiveWire
series at the Apollo Theater, where these two
awesome speakers led a discussion on the
history of Harlem and its influence on the
music world. It was a fascinating look
into a different culture.
The discussion was sprinkled with performances
from Lady Leah, who had a wonderful voice and
evoked feelings of an older era of jazz.
For work on Friday I got to help out with Grand Central Terminal's Parade of Trains event, particularly the press preview. It was cool to see the old historic trains from the 20th Century Limited and to see train-geek reporters nerd out.
The Parade of Trains.
Why can't trains be all fancy like this today? Transportation is basically just another way to herd cattle these days.
Friday I also got to see The Great Gatsby and I loved it! I totally thought it did the story justice and of course Leo was amazing. We also stopped by the Plaza Hotel before heading to the movie, to see some of the costumes from the film as well as Nick's typewriter (see video). Only in New York can you do something like that. So dang sweet.
We started off Saturday by seeing Ben Stiller direct a movie on our street.
Then we won lottery tickets to Newsies!! My name was the first one called--literally the first time that's ever happened to me.
The show was so good!! The choreography was especially spectacular. I scored pretty good seats, too. Second row in the middle. Not too shabby. The guy next to me could have smelled a little better, though.
Next was the Met, where I finally got to see the Impressionist paintings I love so much. Especially some Van Gogh and Monet.
Washington Crossing the Delaware.
Just chilling with my favorite Founding Father. I got yelled at for standing too close. And for taking pictures. And for being too loud. Basically the Met hates me.
Sunday Mother's Day lunch was celebrated at Sylvia's, Queen of Soul Food.
Where of course I had to get the chicken and waffles. Seriously the best combination known to man.
So that's about it. The video has a bit more footage. It's been another fun yet exhausting week!
These last two weeks have been, without a doubt, some of the two craziest weeks of my life. This is the first time I've had a chance to catch a breath. I'm not complaining (you know me, I like keeping busy), but it is nice to finally have a chance to sit and reflect on everything that's been going on. Yay for Sundays.
So! Recap of my first week in New York City:
Last Sunday I flew in and literally slept through both flights. With graduation and moving and family gatherings, I maybe had seven hours of sleep total the few days before. So I was exhausted. The two-hour time difference didn't help much either. But it's all good now.
We took a taxi from the airport to the International House, where I'm staying these next two months. It's not as bad as I had imagined. It's one of those buildings that was really majestic back in its day, it's just that it's day was 100 or so years ago. Here are some pictures:
tiny, tiny. and easily messy.
one of the lounge areas. old, but i like it.
the subway station i take to work. right in the middle of harlem. i think it's actually quite beautiful.
The communal bathrooms are an adjustment. Last night I was showering and the lights turned off midway through. Thoughts of Psycho ran through my head. Luckily I did not end up like poor old Marion and I]m safe to see another day.
Monday I started my internship at Goodman Media. I took the subway and didn't get too lost. I mean, I made it there on time. Also, first rule about being a New Yorker, DO NOT make eye contact with anyone on the subway. I accidentally looked at this one girl, smiled, and received a death glare. Oops. I did find that most people are nice one-on-one, but commuting to and fro they just don't want to be bothered. It makes sense. There are a lot of people. Don't want to get too cozy.
Anyway, about Goodman ... I love it here! Right away they placed me on several accounts and put me right to work. Real work too, not grunt stuff. And I'm happy to say that all that schooling paid off; I at least have a basic knowledge of everything that's been asked of me. I hope I'm doing a good job. Everyone's been super nice and helpful. They have a ton of interns throughout the years, but they still treat us as one of the gang. It's really comforting.
Oh and did I mention the view??
view from the times square conference room
the "diner"--coolest break room ever, or coolest break room ever?
standing outside the office building
That night my dad was actually in the city for a business meeting, so he took me out to eat and to pick up some supplies, which I was so grateful for. I was starving, and we ate at this delicious Italian restaurant, Carmines, where the family-style portions were much more than I could handle. I'm really glad Dad was there to help me out on my first day; it was such a blessing.
Tuesday some of us went to eat at Dallas BBQ, which was good, but Fluffy's cheesecake was even better, a place I remembered from last time I was here. Basically I want cheesecake all the time. Number one reason I came to New York. (I'm only slightly kidding)
mmm.mmm.mmm
We also walked around Times Square, where the costumed men kept making Jessie scream. It was hysterical.
Wednesday was the NYC Great Gatsby premiere, so we wandered over to the Lincoln Center to see if we could spot Leo and the gang on the red carpet. It was pretty crazy, there were a ton of people and lots of screaming girls. But we got to see him! Along with Tobey Maguire, Amitabh Bachchan, Carey Mulligan, Jay Z, Nina Dobrev, and others. I couldn't get that great of pictures, but here they are:
jay z
amitabh! the indian crowd behind us was going nuts.
tobey
so sexy.
Thursday we tried to get lottery tickets to a Broadway show and failed, so we ended up eating at Shake Shack and wandering around Times Square instead. We bought tickets to a stand-up comedy show, which hopefully we will go to sometime this week.
Friday I went to the Met! I only really had time to explore the first floor--this place is huge! I'm going to go back several times, especially to see all the Impressionist paintings I missed. The first floor contained some pretty rad things, such as Greek statues, Egyptian tombs, medieval art and armor, OLD French furniture, and Native American clothing. I felt so cultured walking around there. It's amazing that humanity has lasted this long and there are still artifacts left over from those eras. It sometimes boggles the mind to think about how they came up with all this stuff with their ancient tools and knowledge. Craziness.
more cheesecake. obviously.
Saturday was a pretty long day. I got to sleep in, which was nice. We went to Central Park, Canal Street, Chinatown, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Wall Street. I actually took the time to make a video of our Saturday adventures, which I need to be more proactive on in general. It's hard trying to balance not looking like a tourist in your business clothes while wanting to video everything you see. But Saturday was casual, and I had no shame. Enjoy!
Overall, it was an exhausting, but thoroughly enjoyable, first week at New York! It flew by so fast, much like I'm sure the whole two months is going to. There are a million things I want to do and I hope I have time to do them all. I'll continue to keep you updated. It's weird that I haven't had much time for social media, I've just been so busy! I'll try to keep in touch as best I can. But feel free to text and call me!
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