In October of 2013 I spent seven days driving from California to New York State, a couple days upstate gathering reserves of energy, and then drove a few hours south to New York City, where I've been these 77 months. I got a job at a language center two days after arriving, and I still work for them. I just wanted to increase my communication skills while working on my writing. After two months on my friend's couch, I had enough money to get a small room in Harlem, which commenced yet another living experience in New York, New York.
I will admit that for all the times I've spent writing about truly blessed gifts of discovering wonder again and again amidst amazing various scenes, I must apologize, city, as I have, very often in this small room, yelled in anger from impatience and stress, fits where I swear at this noisy smelly cramped crowded crazy city. Since I'd spent the better part of four years roaming the world and the country, I often felt locked up here. Having lived outside in the snow and had periods where I changed apartments month after month, I guess I really appreciated having a stable home, because although I loved that I'd found a month-to-month lease, I spent more time living here than I have anywhere since I left my parents' home after high school.
Of course, this wasn't my first time in the city. I'd moved here shortly after graduation in 2006, and lived in Brooklyn and Queens until the recession of 2009, where I read about Joseph Campbell's hero journey and chose to have some new adventures. I worked in Manhattan, but it was in office positions. The past six years have been spent teaching, and I know why I have worked for the same place for the duration even though I'd never spent more than a year with the same company when I arrived.
Now we're facing another recession, with more uncertainty than usual in our future. My company had a meeting about the situation a couple weeks ago, but we were starting a new session and had more students than ever. Spring blossoms abound, new faces smile, laughs, learning, even some kind of something called love? Yet we were watching the news, and the future looked dark. We went from Monday being told that we weren't as large as the colleges that were closing, to Thursday telling students that we weren't sure we'd see them Monday or not. On Saturday we were informed that students were going to be given the option of taking online classes from home, but that they could still come in and we'd be teaching online and in class. On Sunday they closed New York City schools, so we were informed that all students would learn online. After a day where I got to ponder how long it would be until I returned to a foreign language classroom, or if I ever would, I wished the (once sixteen and now) ten morning learners and three afternoon women well and told the first group I would see them online and the next group that I still wasn't sure. I wished them luck either way. Teachers received video conference training online the next day, and I taught my first video class the day after. I must admit, I think it's really fun and definitely worthwhile if they can't be there with you that day, week, month or so on. Even so, they say you shouldn't work in the same room where you sleep, and I've been having difficulty sleeping thanks to that and other things. Our first plan was to re-evaluate/re-open in two weeks, even though NYC schools were optimistically hoping for late April. We're taking it week by week, so we have replaced original improvised plans with a tentative resume date a week later. We will see. I understand the financial situation, and our school isn't the only one dealing with the effects.
After days of multiple contingency plans, I have chosen to reside in the countryside and reconnect with nature. There has been a frequently changing cast of characters comprising the four roommates around here, and for far too many years I've been the veteran resident. I think it's time I explore writing, teaching and getting to know fellow humans somewhere else. New York City will be here, and some day it will be itself again, although who knows when.
Thankfully, I will use the miracle of the internet to continue instruction and communication with smiley travelers from various locales, at least for the near future. I know I will have to make plenty of new choices as I journey, which is the way I've usually enjoyed new adventures.
Night rain is the scene as of writing, yet I look forward to pleasant memories of this small room where I wrote so much of what I continue to say, admiring the way the sun bathes the only in New York City pre-war apartment buildings, with those humans they call "New Yorkers" of all colors shapes, styles, rhythms and smiles strolling by as I enjoy the rustling of the leaves in the concrete laced park trees with myriad words whispering sex behind the lingerie displays which play under the sign which says Broadway, all while the lampposts guide winding paths of snow, raindrops, birds, humans and whatever else journeys along, the easy access to our Hudson River, a wild and steady reminder of upstate lakes, mountains, canoes, hiking shoes, pine trees, spring breeze, new backpacks and steady kayaks (go forth!) a simple turn of the head north.
A swivel of the neck to one's left, and one's given the most rewarding glow of skyline' show, telling timeless tales of how many puzzle piece books... who knows? Always new clues celebrating what to do, in between explorations of magic jazz shows and new musical tunes. Amazing avenues awash in art, but now I embrace a new start where I will abide by the natural rhythms vibrating in the countryside. New York City, I thank you for this opportunity to meet so many new vessels of dreams, hearts, and uniquely experienced informed minds. I salute round two, and someday, if we please, New York City will welcome a Round Three.
Until then, au revoir, I will write next in a larger room, a privilege, an honor. I will live as well as I've magically gained knowledge how to do whether with others or occasional solitude. I thank you, New York, New York. Somewhere north until we gather in such a neon town as ours again
I will admit that for all the times I've spent writing about truly blessed gifts of discovering wonder again and again amidst amazing various scenes, I must apologize, city, as I have, very often in this small room, yelled in anger from impatience and stress, fits where I swear at this noisy smelly cramped crowded crazy city. Since I'd spent the better part of four years roaming the world and the country, I often felt locked up here. Having lived outside in the snow and had periods where I changed apartments month after month, I guess I really appreciated having a stable home, because although I loved that I'd found a month-to-month lease, I spent more time living here than I have anywhere since I left my parents' home after high school.
Of course, this wasn't my first time in the city. I'd moved here shortly after graduation in 2006, and lived in Brooklyn and Queens until the recession of 2009, where I read about Joseph Campbell's hero journey and chose to have some new adventures. I worked in Manhattan, but it was in office positions. The past six years have been spent teaching, and I know why I have worked for the same place for the duration even though I'd never spent more than a year with the same company when I arrived.
Now we're facing another recession, with more uncertainty than usual in our future. My company had a meeting about the situation a couple weeks ago, but we were starting a new session and had more students than ever. Spring blossoms abound, new faces smile, laughs, learning, even some kind of something called love? Yet we were watching the news, and the future looked dark. We went from Monday being told that we weren't as large as the colleges that were closing, to Thursday telling students that we weren't sure we'd see them Monday or not. On Saturday we were informed that students were going to be given the option of taking online classes from home, but that they could still come in and we'd be teaching online and in class. On Sunday they closed New York City schools, so we were informed that all students would learn online. After a day where I got to ponder how long it would be until I returned to a foreign language classroom, or if I ever would, I wished the (once sixteen and now) ten morning learners and three afternoon women well and told the first group I would see them online and the next group that I still wasn't sure. I wished them luck either way. Teachers received video conference training online the next day, and I taught my first video class the day after. I must admit, I think it's really fun and definitely worthwhile if they can't be there with you that day, week, month or so on. Even so, they say you shouldn't work in the same room where you sleep, and I've been having difficulty sleeping thanks to that and other things. Our first plan was to re-evaluate/re-open in two weeks, even though NYC schools were optimistically hoping for late April. We're taking it week by week, so we have replaced original improvised plans with a tentative resume date a week later. We will see. I understand the financial situation, and our school isn't the only one dealing with the effects.
After days of multiple contingency plans, I have chosen to reside in the countryside and reconnect with nature. There has been a frequently changing cast of characters comprising the four roommates around here, and for far too many years I've been the veteran resident. I think it's time I explore writing, teaching and getting to know fellow humans somewhere else. New York City will be here, and some day it will be itself again, although who knows when.
Thankfully, I will use the miracle of the internet to continue instruction and communication with smiley travelers from various locales, at least for the near future. I know I will have to make plenty of new choices as I journey, which is the way I've usually enjoyed new adventures.
Night rain is the scene as of writing, yet I look forward to pleasant memories of this small room where I wrote so much of what I continue to say, admiring the way the sun bathes the only in New York City pre-war apartment buildings, with those humans they call "New Yorkers" of all colors shapes, styles, rhythms and smiles strolling by as I enjoy the rustling of the leaves in the concrete laced park trees with myriad words whispering sex behind the lingerie displays which play under the sign which says Broadway, all while the lampposts guide winding paths of snow, raindrops, birds, humans and whatever else journeys along, the easy access to our Hudson River, a wild and steady reminder of upstate lakes, mountains, canoes, hiking shoes, pine trees, spring breeze, new backpacks and steady kayaks (go forth!) a simple turn of the head north.
A swivel of the neck to one's left, and one's given the most rewarding glow of skyline' show, telling timeless tales of how many puzzle piece books... who knows? Always new clues celebrating what to do, in between explorations of magic jazz shows and new musical tunes. Amazing avenues awash in art, but now I embrace a new start where I will abide by the natural rhythms vibrating in the countryside. New York City, I thank you for this opportunity to meet so many new vessels of dreams, hearts, and uniquely experienced informed minds. I salute round two, and someday, if we please, New York City will welcome a Round Three.
Until then, au revoir, I will write next in a larger room, a privilege, an honor. I will live as well as I've magically gained knowledge how to do whether with others or occasional solitude. I thank you, New York, New York. Somewhere north until we gather in such a neon town as ours again
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