1PM Sun, Oct 17th MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"Nina's stromboli was an awesome breakfast. NYC here I come! I wished my grandma her happy 90th on the platform waiting for the train. She sounds so incredibly sharp. I wonder if I'll live to 90, and if I'll still be able to wipe my own ass then? She said to enjoy my trip, 'You don't have to be too good, but don't be too bad.' My grandma rocks. She's Irish and proudly reminded me recently that I come from a long line of working drunks. I've never explored NYC before so I find myself actually a little nervous. ... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
1PM Sun, Oct 17th MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"Nina's stromboli was an awesome breakfast. NYC here I come! I wished my grandma her happy 90th on the platform waiting for the train. She sounds so incredibly sharp. I wonder if I'll live to 90, and if I'll still be able to wipe my own ass then? She said to enjoy my trip, 'You don't have to be too good, but don't be too bad.' My grandma rocks. She's Irish and proudly reminded me recently that I come from a long line of working drunks. I've never explored NYC before so I find myself actually a little nervous. ... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
1PM Sun, Oct 17th MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"Nina's stromboli was an awesome breakfast. NYC here I come! I wished my grandma her happy 90th on the platform waiting for the train. She sounds so incredibly sharp. I wonder if I'll live to 90, and if I'll still be able to wipe my own ass then? She said to enjoy my trip, 'You don't have to be too good, but don't be too bad.' My grandma rocks. She's Irish and proudly reminded me recently that I come from a long line of working drunks. I've never explored NYC before so I find myself actually a little nervous. ... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
... Right before I left, MPR mentioned NYC was the fourth biggest city worldwide and London wasn't even in the top 10. I'll be pissed if terrorists kill me because I forgot to leave my post-mortem instructions in my car. A lot of good they'll do here with me. I've been having a lot of luck lately with forcing myself to do things that make me uncomfortable. Like the Beach Boys say: you can't isolate your head and stay in your safety zone. Tuesday before I left I met up with local music label peeps on campus and bumped into old friends who happen to live three blocks away. And to think I almost rolled over and went back to bed that morning." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
... Right before I left, MPR mentioned NYC was the fourth biggest city worldwide and London wasn't even in the top 10. I'll be pissed if terrorists kill me because I forgot to leave my post-mortem instructions in my car. A lot of good they'll do here with me. I've been having a lot of luck lately with forcing myself to do things that make me uncomfortable. Like the Beach Boys say: you can't isolate your head and stay in your safety zone. Tuesday before I left I met up with local music label peeps on campus and bumped into old friends who happen to live three blocks away. And to think I almost rolled over and went back to bed that morning." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
... Right before I left, MPR mentioned NYC was the fourth biggest city worldwide and London wasn't even in the top 10. I'll be pissed if terrorists kill me because I forgot to leave my post-mortem instructions in my car. A lot of good they'll do here with me. I've been having a lot of luck lately with forcing myself to do things that make me uncomfortable. Like the Beach Boys say: you can't isolate your head and stay in your safety zone. Tuesday before I left I met up with local music label peeps on campus and bumped into old friends who happen to live three blocks away. And to think I almost rolled over and went back to bed that morning." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
2:16PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"It was stupidly simple to get going on my train to NYC. I forget how easy these things can be because flying is such a pain in my ass. I punched in my reservation number, it printed my ticket, and I boarded the train. It departed while I was still walking down the aisle looking for two empty seats-- right on time. Hartford was fun. ... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
2:16PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"It was stupidly simple to get going on my train to NYC. I forget how easy these things can be because flying is such a pain in my ass. I punched in my reservation number, it printed my ticket, and I boarded the train. It departed while I was still walking down the aisle looking for two empty seats-- right on time. Hartford was fun. ... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
2:16PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"It was stupidly simple to get going on my train to NYC. I forget how easy these things can be because flying is such a pain in my ass. I punched in my reservation number, it printed my ticket, and I boarded the train. It departed while I was still walking down the aisle looking for two empty seats-- right on time. Hartford was fun. ... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
... 'You wouldn't drink that whole bottle. You wouldn't.' Cole's got some cool friends. All the accents are hilarious, too. NYC, Boston-- classic accents. The more I travel the more I experience this phenomena of people looking like other people I know. And, when they look like them they also act like them, which is odd. Lindsey looked and acted like Jenny Vanden Huevel. I asked Lindsey if she was Dutch and she said, 'no I'm Canadian,' as if that excludes her from being Dutch. There was a kid from Boston who looked exactly like Scott from the dorms freshman year. Same blond curly hair, same bad facial hair. And Scott's then roommate Ryan has a Boston doppleganger known here as Doug. Uncanny." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
... 'You wouldn't drink that whole bottle. You wouldn't.' Cole's got some cool friends. All the accents are hilarious, too. NYC, Boston-- classic accents. The more I travel the more I experience this phenomena of people looking like other people I know. And, when they look like them they also act like them, which is odd. Lindsey looked and acted like Jenny Vanden Huevel. I asked Lindsey if she was Dutch and she said, 'no I'm Canadian,' as if that excludes her from being Dutch. There was a kid from Boston who looked exactly like Scott from the dorms freshman year. Same blond curly hair, same bad facial hair. And Scott's then roommate Ryan has a Boston doppleganger known here as Doug. Uncanny." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
... 'You wouldn't drink that whole bottle. You wouldn't.' Cole's got some cool friends. All the accents are hilarious, too. NYC, Boston-- classic accents. The more I travel the more I experience this phenomena of people looking like other people I know. And, when they look like them they also act like them, which is odd. Lindsey looked and acted like Jenny Vanden Huevel. I asked Lindsey if she was Dutch and she said, 'no I'm Canadian,' as if that excludes her from being Dutch. There was a kid from Boston who looked exactly like Scott from the dorms freshman year. Same blond curly hair, same bad facial hair. And Scott's then roommate Ryan has a Boston doppleganger known here as Doug. Uncanny." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
4:03PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"After rolling past the piles of lobster traps in Bridgeport, CT and through a brief tract of countryside, suddenly and without suburbs, high rise apartments marked the edge of NYC. The train also passed seas of run down warehouses in what must have been The Bronx, but I can see Manhattan and the Manhattan bridge now. I'll be arriving at Penn Station very shortly." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
4:03PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"After rolling past the piles of lobster traps in Bridgeport, CT and through a brief tract of countryside, suddenly and without suburbs, high rise apartments marked the edge of NYC. The train also passed seas of run down warehouses in what must have been The Bronx, but I can see Manhattan and the Manhattan bridge now. I'll be arriving at Penn Station very shortly." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
4:03PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"After rolling past the piles of lobster traps in Bridgeport, CT and through a brief tract of countryside, suddenly and without suburbs, high rise apartments marked the edge of NYC. The train also passed seas of run down warehouses in what must have been The Bronx, but I can see Manhattan and the Manhattan bridge now. I'll be arriving at Penn Station very shortly." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
8:01PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"At Toys R Us Times Square, I was glad to see that the kids were crowding the old skool wooden train set rather than the high tech stuff. It made me really smile to see them. So, my hostel is less than one block off Times Square on 45th street. Crazy. I already have been drawn into Fossil and Swatch. Shit is actually cheap here. I can't believe I got a silk screened T-shirt for $16 at Fossil. I'm now sitting on the steps of St. Patrick's about to go inside. It's dark, and I can see the lit up store fronts of H&M and La Coste just across the street... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
8:01PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"At Toys R Us Times Square, I was glad to see that the kids were crowding the old skool wooden train set rather than the high tech stuff. It made me really smile to see them. So, my hostel is less than one block off Times Square on 45th street. Crazy. I already have been drawn into Fossil and Swatch. Shit is actually cheap here. I can't believe I got a silk screened T-shirt for $16 at Fossil. I'm now sitting on the steps of St. Patrick's about to go inside. It's dark, and I can see the lit up store fronts of H&M and La Coste just across the street... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
8:01PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"At Toys R Us Times Square, I was glad to see that the kids were crowding the old skool wooden train set rather than the high tech stuff. It made me really smile to see them. So, my hostel is less than one block off Times Square on 45th street. Crazy. I already have been drawn into Fossil and Swatch. Shit is actually cheap here. I can't believe I got a silk screened T-shirt for $16 at Fossil. I'm now sitting on the steps of St. Patrick's about to go inside. It's dark, and I can see the lit up store fronts of H&M and La Coste just across the street... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
...as well as high fashion in these buildings with very impressive facades. I need to remember to take a picture of the entrance to the NYC underworld. It is disturbing me how outwardly friendly the store staff is here. And why do all these random girls keep giving me that look? Are they flirting or do I look that out of place? My impression was that in both Fossil and Swatch they were tailing me -- thinking I was gonna steal something. Hoodies for hoodlums? Then I opened my mouth and they realised I wasn't some Jersey kid. I think the Fossil sales girl thought I was from NYC though, as she didn't seem to understand me when I said I was from Wisconsin." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
...as well as high fashion in these buildings with very impressive facades. I need to remember to take a picture of the entrance to the NYC underworld. It is disturbing me how outwardly friendly the store staff is here. And why do all these random girls keep giving me that look? Are they flirting or do I look that out of place? My impression was that in both Fossil and Swatch they were tailing me -- thinking I was gonna steal something. Hoodies for hoodlums? Then I opened my mouth and they realised I wasn't some Jersey kid. I think the Fossil sales girl thought I was from NYC though, as she didn't seem to understand me when I said I was from Wisconsin." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
...as well as high fashion in these buildings with very impressive facades. I need to remember to take a picture of the entrance to the NYC underworld. It is disturbing me how outwardly friendly the store staff is here. And why do all these random girls keep giving me that look? Are they flirting or do I look that out of place? My impression was that in both Fossil and Swatch they were tailing me -- thinking I was gonna steal something. Hoodies for hoodlums? Then I opened my mouth and they realised I wasn't some Jersey kid. I think the Fossil sales girl thought I was from NYC though, as she didn't seem to understand me when I said I was from Wisconsin." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
9:27PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"Well I lost a contact somewhere on 5th avenue and then locked myself out of my hostel room, but by some miracle a japanese tourist named Uki was there to let me in. I was nervous about coming alone, but now here I am walking Manhattan streets alone-- I'm already comfortable. It feels safe. Well, new eyeball in place, time to try to find the library for the third time and finally go underground. I need to find somewhere to eat." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
9:27PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"Well I lost a contact somewhere on 5th avenue and then locked myself out of my hostel room, but by some miracle a japanese tourist named Uki was there to let me in. I was nervous about coming alone, but now here I am walking Manhattan streets alone-- I'm already comfortable. It feels safe. Well, new eyeball in place, time to try to find the library for the third time and finally go underground. I need to find somewhere to eat." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
9:27PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"Well I lost a contact somewhere on 5th avenue and then locked myself out of my hostel room, but by some miracle a japanese tourist named Uki was there to let me in. I was nervous about coming alone, but now here I am walking Manhattan streets alone-- I'm already comfortable. It feels safe. Well, new eyeball in place, time to try to find the library for the third time and finally go underground. I need to find somewhere to eat." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
11:09PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"I think I got a firm grasp on 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and Broadway. I saw the library, Rockefeller center and its ice skating rink, rode the subway south a bit and walked back up on Broadway. The plan for tomorrow is to get up at the ass crack of dawn, get down to the Brooklyn Bridge and walk across it into Manhattan. ... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
11:09PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"I think I got a firm grasp on 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and Broadway. I saw the library, Rockefeller center and its ice skating rink, rode the subway south a bit and walked back up on Broadway. The plan for tomorrow is to get up at the ass crack of dawn, get down to the Brooklyn Bridge and walk across it into Manhattan. ... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
11:09PM on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"I think I got a firm grasp on 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and Broadway. I saw the library, Rockefeller center and its ice skating rink, rode the subway south a bit and walked back up on Broadway. The plan for tomorrow is to get up at the ass crack of dawn, get down to the Brooklyn Bridge and walk across it into Manhattan. ... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
...Then, find a place to sit down and get breakfast and make a list of all the places I want to find: theaters, pubs, the stock exchange, bars in the East Village, 5 Corners, Hell's Kitchen, shops in SoHo. Oh, and I need to think about visiting Chinatown or museums or exploring inside the library. Those could be done tomorrow or Tuesday before Tara gets in from Philly. But I'm forgetting to mention the best story so far today. Some Scientologists wanted me to talk to them under the guise of a stress test (but they were trying to sell L. Ron Hubbard books). I said, 'Scientology sucks ass,' and some random guy says, 'Say that again!' So I yell, 'Scientology sucks ass,' and the random says, 'You ain't never been wrong!!' Nice." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
...Then, find a place to sit down and get breakfast and make a list of all the places I want to find: theaters, pubs, the stock exchange, bars in the East Village, 5 Corners, Hell's Kitchen, shops in SoHo. Oh, and I need to think about visiting Chinatown or museums or exploring inside the library. Those could be done tomorrow or Tuesday before Tara gets in from Philly. But I'm forgetting to mention the best story so far today. Some Scientologists wanted me to talk to them under the guise of a stress test (but they were trying to sell L. Ron Hubbard books). I said, 'Scientology sucks ass,' and some random guy says, 'Say that again!' So I yell, 'Scientology sucks ass,' and the random says, 'You ain't never been wrong!!' Nice." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
...Then, find a place to sit down and get breakfast and make a list of all the places I want to find: theaters, pubs, the stock exchange, bars in the East Village, 5 Corners, Hell's Kitchen, shops in SoHo. Oh, and I need to think about visiting Chinatown or museums or exploring inside the library. Those could be done tomorrow or Tuesday before Tara gets in from Philly. But I'm forgetting to mention the best story so far today. Some Scientologists wanted me to talk to them under the guise of a stress test (but they were trying to sell L. Ron Hubbard books). I said, 'Scientology sucks ass,' and some random guy says, 'Say that again!' So I yell, 'Scientology sucks ass,' and the random says, 'You ain't never been wrong!!' Nice." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Late on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"I stopped for a drink at this pub by my hostel. The Red Sox game was on, but somehow this loud Bush / Kerry political discussion breaks out between this guy and girl. It's heated but they are laughing and hugging afterwards. I wish I could do that but I take it too seriously. I guess I just hate Bush that much. Well, eventually this guy invites me over when the girls leave. I meet him, Gene, and this crazy fucking Irishman named Mark. I wish I could talk like that-- best accent ever. I think I want to move to the Irish countryside and run a farm." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Late on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"I stopped for a drink at this pub by my hostel. The Red Sox game was on, but somehow this loud Bush / Kerry political discussion breaks out between this guy and girl. It's heated but they are laughing and hugging afterwards. I wish I could do that but I take it too seriously. I guess I just hate Bush that much. Well, eventually this guy invites me over when the girls leave. I meet him, Gene, and this crazy fucking Irishman named Mark. I wish I could talk like that-- best accent ever. I think I want to move to the Irish countryside and run a farm." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Late on Sunday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"I stopped for a drink at this pub by my hostel. The Red Sox game was on, but somehow this loud Bush / Kerry political discussion breaks out between this guy and girl. It's heated but they are laughing and hugging afterwards. I wish I could do that but I take it too seriously. I guess I just hate Bush that much. Well, eventually this guy invites me over when the girls leave. I meet him, Gene, and this crazy fucking Irishman named Mark. I wish I could talk like that-- best accent ever. I think I want to move to the Irish countryside and run a farm." MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM