Monday, December 12, 2011

LIVING IN A NEW CITY CHANGES YOU

Disclaimer: While Tim is enjoying a quick trip home to Australia, the blog will be highly
Bek-centric.  I promise to provide a more rounded perspective once he returns. 

Moving to a new city involves significant change. New home, new jobs, new local bar, new breakfast spot, new coffee place and if you’re lucky... great new friends.­
   

Clockwise from WPA, our apartment, Kabin: our local watering hole,
Nolita Mart where they serve the best coffee in Chinatown and
Fiat Cafe where an eggs benedict and coffee brekky only costs $12.


Great new friends: the lovely ladies of NYC


With all these external changes it’s not that surprising that one may experience some personal transformations as well.  Lately I’ve recognized a few changes in myself:

  1. I’m more aggressive on the road.  In Australia I was a very conservative driver and pedestrian.  I rarely jay walked and I typically erred on the side of caution when it came to crossing the street.  Living in New York has changed all of that.  Last week whilst crossing the main intersection in Soho, I got into a verbal stoush with a cab driver.  As a pedestrian going straight, I had right of way over the traffic making a turn in front of me.  However a particularly reckless cab driver thought otherwise and cut me off.  Normally I wouldn't have reacted but he came within one foot of hitting me so I extended my hand and slapped the boot.  He then stopped his cab in the middle of the intersection, got out and we exchanged heated words.  I knew I was in the right so I smiled smugly, turned around and continued on my way -- my baptism as a surly New Yorker now complete.

Aerial view of the intersection
of Broadway and Houston

Me channelling Dustin Hoffman


2.   I’m a little less Dad and a bit more Mum in New York.  Having never lived anywhere with extended cold periods, I’ve always been exposed to constant sun and therefore my skin has remained olive in color.  Lately I’ve noticed that my face is getting noticeably fairer.  Last week I had to buy a lighter shade of foundation because my old color was so starkly different to my actual skin color.  I'm sad to admit it, but I'm now “beige” (according to the Clinique color chart).


Me and Sal at Splendour 2010.
Despite being winter I showed no signs of pastiness.


Me and my sallow skin now.  Winter hasn't
even started, but I am looking downright pasty!



JUST BECAUSE...
Anyone who knows me also knows that I am obsessed with all things vampire fiction. I know it's lame, predictable and my commitment to the genre is inappropriate for someone my age. However I am not alone and I do not apologize for my enthusiasm. For all those girls (and guys) who share my passion for True Blood, checkout the ad they are running this Christmas to market the DVD box sets. Brilliant!!!


Okay Grandma, it's this show about a crazy town in
Louisiana filled with sex-crazed vampires and they all want
Sookie's blood... yarda yarda yarda and the whole town has
 a huge orgy.  Merry Christmas Grandma, I love you so much!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p91VTAFsBoc&feature=related