From E.B. White’s Here is New York:
There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born there, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size, its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter–the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. Of these trembling cities the greatest is the last–the city of final destination, the city that is a goal. It is this third city that accounts for New York’s high strung disposition, its poetical deportment, its dedication to the arts, and its incomparable achievements. Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness, natives give it solidity and continuity, but the settlers give it passion. And whether it is a farmer arriving from a small town in Mississippi to escape the indignity of being observed by her neighbors, or a boy arriving from the Corn Belt with a manuscript in his suitcase and a pain in his heart, it makes no difference: each embraces New York with the intense excitement of first love, each absorbs New York with the fresh yes of an adventurer, each generates heat and light to dwarf the Consolidated Edison Company. . . .
The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. A single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal chambers, cremate the millions. The intimation of mortality is part of New York now; in the sounds of jets overhead, in the black headlines of the latest editions.
All dwellers in cities must live with the stubborn fact of annihilation; in New York the fact is somewhat more concentrated because of the concentration of the city itself, and because, of all targets, New York has a certain clear priority. In the mind of whatever perverted dreamer might loose the lightning, New York must hold a steady, irresistible charm.
From high to low, the one and only Christopher Cross with Dudley Moore:
excuse me, but its ACADEMY AWARD WINNER Christopher Cross
ya know...like Academy Award Winners Three-6 Mafia
[1] You better step off with the Christopher Cross put-down..he's an all-time great!
New York..had I not been born and raised there I would no doubt be there now, greatest city in the world!
[2] All time great what?
As a New Yorker of the third type I've always loved this passage. Eerie 9/11 foreshadowing aside. The entire essay is gorgeous. Really more a poem than prose. Great stuff, Alex.
One thing about growing up in NYC, I am now appreciating it more than ever. I definitely fit the mold of not not appreciating NYC because I grew up here. It's crazy that it took so long for me to realize that just because I know where places (landmarks) are located then that doesn't mean I know anything about htem, I actually have to step inside them in order to appreciate them.
BTW, that song reminds me of going to grammar school during the 80s and my mom having the alarm tuned to lite FM, 106.7.
ARod odds-and-ends:
Last September, ARod had his 791st AB as a Yankee, which is more AB then he had for Seattle.
.933 147
.965 147
6) What are those numbers you put up?
[6] Crud - premature click
ARod odds-and-ends:
Last September, ARod had his 791st AB as a Yankee, which is more AB then he had for Seattle.
Year:::: OPS. OPS+
2003::: .995 147
2009::: .933 147
Career: .965 147
ARod's OPS+ as a Yankee (.300 .400 .572 .972) of 152 is better then his carrer line of 147.
ARod's 3 years in Texas were ages 27-29, where his 'steroid inflated' OPS+ was 155.
ARod has 3 MVPs, finish 2nd twice and 3rd once.
Bonds has 762 HRs in 12606 PA (1 per 16.54 PA)
ARod has 583 HRs in 9611 (1 per 16.49 PA)
Over the next 6 years, baring injury, if ARod hits HRs at 80% of his career rate, he will need 3,690 PA to tie Bonds....I'm guessing late 2016. ARod is signed thru 2017.
I'm with Dimelo on this one. I love looking at NYC through fresh eyes. It' still love after all these years.
When I was growing up, I wanted what my cousins' had; house in the burbs, pool, friends cruising by on their bikes. I begged, but my parents said, "Never!" They were urban, they both had careers, their passion was culture. That was that.
Flash forward, all roads led me back here. Although, if I didn't live in NYC, I would probably take more advantage of what the city has to offer, I never tire walking around with my kids, taking in the energy, the vitality, the choices, the opportunities.
I could use another bathroom though...a closet....another bedroom. Oh well.
Here, here. One of the greatest things about living in the city is that there is still so much to explore and discover. Especially some of the obvious things that tourists take in, like Ellis Island.
Man, long time since I've posted on here (formerly AbbyNormal821).
Great EB White passage.
I've lived in Queens for the last 5 years, work in midtown NYC, work out at a gym on the upper west side - I can't imagine living in suburbia anymore...even if I could actually afford to. Come to think of it, if I could afford it, I'd be living IN New York City as opposed to one of its outer boroughs. Can't complain too much - Forest Hills is a beautiful neighborhood and I must boast - the apartment I'm renting is awesome!
I absolutely adore the city - don't mind the noise, love the energy and the diversity confess that one of my favorite hobbies is taking long walks through Central Park on a crisp fall day (any day actually). I laugh at my suburban friends when they ask me "aren't you scared to go on the subways so late at night?" (me, a book and my iPod and I'm totally fine) Clearly some people think it's still 1977 and the Son of Sam is still out there. I'm more leary of being on the Long Island Railroad going back to the city at night with all the 20-somethings coming on board heading INTO the city with their homemade alcohol concoctions being purposely loud and obnoxious even before the buzz kicks in.