It’s a Beautiful Town

We had a great time in New York, mostly because of all our amazing friends there, but the first few days were rough:

I decide to take an afternoon nap while Bryan explores New York. I return to our room, strip down to my skivvies, and climb in bed. Something is amiss. Are the sheets still damp from the wash? I sweep my hands outward to test my theory when I feel something wet soaking through the back of my underwear. I leap up in a panic and see a giant wet spot on the bed just before I tear my underwear off and run to the shower. There I scrub until my skin is gone.

A few hours later, we are in a cab. I am admiring the city lights when I smell vomit. “Bryan,” I say. “I smell vomit.” He sniffs. “I don’t,” he says. I sniff again. “Yeah, it’s pretty distinct. Maybe it’s on my side,” I say. This is when I realize that the vomit is on my seatbelt. The one I’m wearing.

The next morning we are walking along Central Park near the hansome cabs. There are dozens of horses, and all of them are shitting and pissing in the street or in canvas collection tarps attached to their haunches. From the smell, I’d say they’ve been doing this for years, perhaps centuries. The stench of asphalt-baked piss, ammonia, and rotting horse dung is so overpowering that I actually begin to gag in the street. I’m stumbling forward, trying to outpace the stench while doubled over, heaving.

Then we went for lunch.

Where Have I Been?



Originally uploaded by MaggieMason.

First in Skeneatales, NY for The Morning News retreat; then visiting Jen, Jeff and sweet little Arlo in Rhode Island. Now I’m in Brooklyn, but we’ll be off to D.C. tomorrow for Adaptive Path’s User Experience Week. Then I’m going to sleep for two years.

Keep an eye on my Flickr stream if you want to see photos. I have a new camera. It’s so good I have to restrain myself from licking it in public.


THREE MORE THINGS

Three favorite New York Signs:

  • Fight back NY, see a show!
  • Above a winter coat: Caring is giving! $129.99
  • Teen People’s “Jingle Ball” Style Slam 2001

5:24 p.m.


FLY AMERICAN

Three disturbing things about U.S. airports:

  • Guys in camouflage toting semi automatics who smile and nod at you while you’re being frisked.
  • Eerily empty terminals when you disembark.
  • Self-flushing toilets.

3:13 p.m.


OH, WHAT A FEELING

(Guy in car playing string instrument.)

Me: What’s he playing?

Guy 1: Looks like a mandolin or something.

Guy 2: ONE NIGHT ONLY! In my car!

(An hour later, walking back after breakfast.)

Me: What the…? He’s still there.

Guy 1: Hey, some guys have a favorite stairwell, some guys have a favorite street corner, he likes that Nissan.

Me: Please, it’s a Corolla. It’s probably not even his car.

Guy 2: He just trolls the streets looking for empty Corollas.

Guy 1: Corrolla’s got great acoustics, yo.

4:47 p.m.


OVERHEARD

Scenario: Ten college guys waiting at the 2nd Street Station.

Guy 1: (Extending a hunk of beef jerky to his friend.) Bite my big sausage.

Guy 2: No.

Guy 3: Bite it!

Guy 2: No, I’m not gonna.

Guy 4: C’mon, bite it!

Guy 5: Bite it! Bite it.

All: (General bite-it-related jeering).

Guy 2: No way.

Guy 1: C’mon, bite my big sausage.

Guy 2: No, man.

Guy 1: I’ll put in $20 if you bite my big sausage.

Guy3: Me too.

All: Me too.

Guy 1: That’s like a hundred bucks if you bite my big sausage.

Guy4: No way, he has to take two bites for a hundred bucks.

Guy 1: OK, two bites of my big sausage for a hundred bucks.

Guy 2: Cut it out.


DADA ON 58TH

The Hudson is a hip hotel, the kind of place where the bar floor is lit from below and the showers look like they could beam you up. After checking out, I turn to see a firefighter ascending the escalator in full fight-me-some-fire gear. He’s followed by another, and another… and so on. Suddenly, there are five men with oxygen tanks searching for smoke to a saucy Latin beat. No one seems to notice. I think, “Um, the building’s on fire.” I look at the guys in flame-retardant suits, I look at the counter people quacking pleasant counter banter. No one is curious, no one is ruffled, the speakers continue to coo “Oye Como Va.” An Asian woman admires the leopard-skin pillow on a lobby chair, her friend approves. To her right, a firefighter unfastens his pickaxe and peers into a suspect stairwell. I think, “Um, hey? Guys? Is the building on fire?” The firefighters’ search takes on less urgency, and a few guests begin to notice them. These people gather around the firemen with coffee table books on New York… and request autographs.

1:28 p.m.


PACKED ALL MY BLACK CLOTHES

I’m leaving for Internet World in New York tonight. This will be my first time in NY, suggestions welcome. If you’re at the show, please say hi.

1:28 p.m.


LIKE MINDS

More fun with Craigslist. Two recent favorites from the San Francisco general community section:

90 — MOHAWK advice needed (san francisco)

I have a brand new mohawk and need advice on how to look professional when I need to. Any tips on how to look cool on the weeked (sic) would be helpfull (sic) also.

thanks.

35 — Full Moon Circle?

Does anyone know of a full moon circle I could join? I’m female and would love to worship the moon w/ others! Let me know… THANKS!

1:28 p.m.