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where to start . . . .

What a cop-out, city boy. I feel you know more about the nitty-gritty of Manhattan life than I do. I’m sure your bike, roller blades and friends took you to places I know nothing about. But, okay, since you buttered me up, I’ll give it a whirl. Where to start? It’s not gonna be easy, but here goes. Lots to do here. You can’t really go wrong, because just standing outside people watching is pure entertainment. I suggest that your friends buy a copy of New York www.nymag.com and Time-Out New York www.timeout.com/newyork magazines before coming to the Big Apple. Both are excellent and will have current listings of galleries, museums, plays, restaurant, clubs, special events – there’s enough in those pages to keep your friends busy for weeks, if not months.

I’ve got to put a quote here, because that’s what I do, “I don’t want to hurry it. That itself is a twentieth century attitude. When you want to hurry something, that means you no longer care about it and want to get on with other things.” – Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” – Robert Pirsig www.robertpirsig.org

Part of the Manhattan experience is to get out and mingle. And there are many ways of doing this. The weather’s been sunny and warm. It’s perfect for walking and to get the pulse of the Big Apple, you have to walk. If you want, take taxis late at night, but use public transportation and your feet other times. First buy a weekly Metro pass from a subway clerk. It’s a real bargain at $24 (ask the clerk for subway and bus maps too). A monthly pass is available if staying longer.

Next, your friends have to decide what they want to cover in the time they’re here. What’s important to them? Do they want to focus on museums and galleries and go clubbing at night? Are they interested in zeroing in on a particular Manhattan area becoming thoroughly familiar with it? Do they want to take the tourist route and visit the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Stock Exchange, Times Square, the department stores, Fifth Avenue, SoHo, Tribeca, meet Patience and Fortitude, (the NYC library lions), play the restaurant game for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night snacks? Shop til they drop? Perhaps sign up for a few mini courses at the Learning Annex? Which way to go? That’s the question.

Tell me more about your friends, Michael. We can custom make their trip. But, ah, their experiences – that’s something entirely different. We don’t want to interfere with that. Once they get to the big Apple, spend a few hours walking, step into its rhythm, the excitement and fun begins entirely on its own.

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strangers passing by

When walking along the streets of a big city or small town, you notice, if you’re not in a hurry, the expressions on the faces of the people you pass. The many different expressions are sweet, sad, determined, peaceful, tense, angry, kind, happy, depressed, compassionate, anxious, strong, tormented, loving, etc. Sometimes someone will pass whose energy shifts yours. It takes only a few seconds. When this happens you feel happier. It’s wonderful to experience. These people are special.

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a new yorker’s new york

Wow! Mom this blog looks amazing. You have really got some great things going on here. I am really enjoying the writings.

Ok, here’s the deal. I have several friends visiting NYC from the south and they asked me, “hey city boy, give us some inside scoop on the concrete jungle. What should we do during our free time…? We want something different to do while we’re up there”. Errr well as you know I have been out of the loop for several years so I told them I would find some interesting and unique stuff to do. HELP! We all know how much New York City changes and grows. So lemme have it. Some new & interesting things to check out. Not the typical Korean town or midnight Chinatown run but some other goods. I know you’ve got some NYC wisdom to share! I will check back and send them back here when you’ve responded Thanks!!!

-Michael

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A dialogue

In the movie Last Holiday, Queen Latifah www.queenlatifah.com is getting ready to bungy jump. She’s right there on the edge. That scene caught my attention because in the back of my mind I assumed it was something I could do. When I saw that scene the trip down looked mighty steep. So I asked myself, “Would you ever try bungy jumping?” Ah, a hesitation. “Why the pause?” I asked. “Hmm! Just the thought of it is a bit scary. It’s a long way down attached only to a thin cord.” I answered. Those words came rushing out. No doubt about it. Scared was the answer. That surprised me. I thought about it a little longer, and asked myself, “Would you do it even though you’re afraid?” Could I? Would I? “I suppose.” I answered, noticing a lack of enthusiasm, and continued, “I would be scared until it was over.” But I want to know, “Is that a yes?” This is getting tricky. “Okay. Yes, I could do it because after it was over, the feeling of exhileration would be absolutely wonderful.” I wasn’t so sure about this response. I kept asking, “Is that the truth?” “All right. All right. This is the final answer, no more questions, please. I”m not sure until I’m actually there.” Amen

Well! Good to know. I guess.

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A hamburger and french fries

It was very, very cold on Sunday in Manhattan. I dressed in layers-six to be exact, to get to French Roast on 85th and Broadway to meet a friend for dinner. Six layers of clothing tends to restructure a body. I didn’t care what I looked like. All I wanted was to be warm. How do those hardy souls who belong to the polar bear club in Brooklyn go out in the middle of winter for a dip in the ocean? That would be called torture to some of us. It was warm, crowded and comfortable at French Roast. We had a window seat and could watch the different ways people dress to ward off the cold. We thought the one way to ward off the cold was to have a hamburger and french fries. Salads and vegetables are usually the order of the day, but this just didn’t feel like a salad and veggie day. When dinner was finished and it was time to leave, well, we weren’t ready. So, we had to order dessert. Anything to prolong the stay.

Yes, it was very, very cold on Sunday.

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laughing with cyndi

Cyndi is from British Columbia and I met her in Boquete, Panama in the dining room at Marilos Pension. She was game for anything. One morning Cyndi and I were in the town center walking by the street where buses depart for the city of David. It’s about a half -hour car ride, or an hour bus ride, from Boquete to David. From there you can get a plane or bus to Panama City. As we passed a bus leaving for David, two people were waiting by the side of the bus, and when it left they began waving and blowing kisses toward the bus. Cyndi said, “You’ll never catch me doing that. They look so silly.”

About three weeks later, Cyndi and I accompanied a fun-loving couple to the bus stop from the pension. We had lunched and laughed with them often, and they were leaving. When the bus they were on departed Cyndi and I began waving and blowing kisses toward the bus. I looked at Cyndi and she began laughing and couldn’t stop. Cyndi returned eventually to British Columbia after traveling around South America. Just for a short stay. She’s now once again in Japan teaching English, having fun going on auditions, and, I’m sure, keeping people laughing.

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mr. traveling man

I met Mr. Traveling Man in the beautiful mountainous area of Boquete in Panama a few years ago. We where both staying at Pension Marilos www.pension-marilos.com located a few blocks from the town’s center square. We’d go for long walks and long talks. We’d walk up into the mountains, or on a road leading to the pizza place, or to the factory to buy jam and then onward in another direction, or along a main road to a coffee plantation for a cup of Panama’s delicious coffee, or over the bridge to look at the beautiful flowers that are so plentiful in Boquete, esp. the orchids. And when it was time for dinner we’d go to a place in town for the usual tasty $3 dinner. This was the routine for two weeks until it was time for Mr. Traveling Man to leave.

He lived in South Carolina when he wasn’t on the road. His wife died two years earlier, and now he doesn’t want to live in the big, beautiful house he helped build. As we walked and talked he’d give me traveling tips. For instance, I should have a Bucklite knife, 3″ blade, with a plastic handle along with a small sharpening stone. And if I were ever sick to take 1 litre of water, 7 teaspoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt for dehydration. Yes, bits of information that could be very helpful along the way. And as we walked he’d point to different parts of a house explaining, e.g. how a roof should be built in order to withstand Panama’s heavy rains, humidity and sun, and what kind of wood to use, the best draining system for the rains, etc. He had traveled a lot with his family, and, now alone, to what are called exotic places. Not for a second was he boring.

Mr. Traveling Man lives in Thailand now. On his way there he drove to California to finish some repairs on his adult daughter’s house and to spend time with her. Last year he married a beautiful, gracious Thai woman with two children, and has slipped easily into that lifestyle. He’s built a big, beautiful house in Thailand with his new wife, is eating his favorite foods, and enjoying life with his new family.

Mr. Traveling Man is in his seventies and seems to get stronger as he gets older. He’s living and loving it all, and since he has a love affair with Thailand, he’s in the right place. Traveling brings people to you that you’d not necessarily have the pleasure of meeting otherwise. Here’s to you, Mr. Traveling Man. Continue to enjoy it all.

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A new year; a new way?

The holidays are over and 2006 is here. What are we going to do now? Are we capable of leaving the old behind, of not hauling one burdensome past experience or thought into 2006? I’m reading a book called, A NEW EARTH by Eckhart Tolle www.eckharttolle.com . I won’t try to describe the book. Perhaps you have it, perhaps not. If you haven’t read it, the next time you’re in a bookshop, maybe you’ll pick it up and glance at it. We all come away with different viewpoints after reading a good book. A book reaches different parts of us, depending where we are in consciousness. In any event, a good book can show us a new way of looking at ourselves, others, our world. It can teach us a wiser way to be in our world. Something can shift within, and suddenly we see things in a way that can leave us almost breathless.

In Manhattan yesterday the day was delightful. It was a good day to walk without feeling cold. The city’s lights against the light sky at night looked playful. The energy seemed fairly low-keyed and it was easy to see that many of us thoroughly enjoyed the day. “They” said this week would be warm. Maybe they’re right as today is another beautiful day. I’m grateful for this mild, sunny weather in January. And I’m grateful to Eckhart Tolle for writing A NEW EARTH.

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not just another day

Have you ever considered doing something radically different from your daily life when waking and beginning the day? Having an unplanned, freeing and exhilerating one day of doing what you wouldn’t ordinarily do. Okay, I’ll list some ideas that flash through my mind. Going to a city to track Bigfoot with those that are devoting much of their time in this pursuit. Flying to France for the day to see the Chartres Cathedral and walking the labyrinth. Pronounce yourself a food critic, and write about your eating experiences in a restaurant of your choice, then sending the article off to be published. Show up at an airport, train or bus station, and on a gut feeling, buy a ticket on the spot to a new city and go. Do one thing that makes the hair on your arms stand straight up. One thing you tell yourself you’d never do. So many new experiences to have and people to meet. Simply enjoy without hurrying or worrying.

“Walk down as many roads as possible.” – Phil Cousineau www.philcousineau.net
“It’s your destiny to play an infinity of creative roles.” -Deepak Chopra www.chopra.com www.deepakchopra.com

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beauty

A feeling of sadness came over me this week as I watched a TV program. The show was about a few women in their twenties and their passion for plastic surgery. The stories they told about why they needed plastic surgery to enhance their lives was not entertaining. They desperately want to be as beautiful as the beautiful women they see wherever they go. It’s difficult to understand why they choose to accumulate debt for themselves and their families. Why they freely and frequently put themselves under a knife. Why they can’t see themselves as already beautiful. They really were! It’s true that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. But maybe in our society we need to redefine what beauty is. Because somewhere along the line we’ve gotten terribly confused.