Seven Years in New York City

Bad attitude. Five more days to RELISH, kicky.

Make a holiday of it. You have five days to cram as much of NYC into as possible. Make some memories.

I know, I know...it just gets to me sometimes. I'm trying to just enjoy this time that I have left, but that big ending is looming so close now, it's hard to not think about it sometimes. Trust me, relishing is what I'm trying to do, and I'm doing it successfully most of the time, but I have my bad moments too. Can't help it.

Go for a run in the morning one of the mornings, kicky.

Good idea, ehBeth! He can see more that way!

You know how people sometimes say things with such conviction, and then later it turns out that they were completely full of **** and they look like complete dicks? Well, let's hope this isn't one of those times.

I ain't leavin'. I love NYC, and I ain't f*ckin' leaving, no matter how much money I have to spend to stay here and find another job.

As some of you know, even though the truck was reserved, and half of my stuff was already packed for the trip to Rochester, NY, I decided at the last minute not to leave New York. Since that decision, I have had what might have been the most stressful and aggravating week of my life, but somehow I made it through it, and managed to get myself a new place in Queens. I am now sharing a one bedroom apartment with a friend's sister-in-law, and paying half of what I used to in rent. I signed up with a bunch of staffing agencies, and on Monday, I will be starting a three-day trial at a very big ad agency. If that goes okay, I should be well on my way to getting back on my feet.

I really feel like I have turned a corner here. Somehow everything here seems more...mine than it used to be. Like, for the first time, I really live here, and it really is my city.

Tonight, after going out and watching some greatness at the Bitter End, in the person of Frank McComb, who burned the place up one side and down the other, and checking out the cute waitress who I've had a crush on forever--the one who I've also never had the courage to ever even talk to, incidentally--I got a slice of pizza at the Pizza Booth on Bleecker Street, and for the first time in my life, in some sort of symbolic rite of passage that I guess some part of me had unconsciously decided that I'm finally ready for, I actually folded my pizza while I ate it, like a real New Yorker. How cool is that.

Ever since I made my decision last week to stay here, the city has looked brighter, the smell of the filthy, unbathed homeless people has seemed just a little less pungent and offensive...even the little river of polluted gunk that flows down the subway tracks on the 6 train line at the 34th Street station looks like I could actually cup my hands and take a drink from it. Not that I'm going to do that, mind you.

Anyway, all I wanted to say, really, is that I ain't leavin'. I ain't leavin' my city, no matter what.

Maybe next weekend I'll even grow a pair and actually talk to that cute waitress at the Bitter End. Lately, anything seems possible.

I hope everything goes well for you Kicky. I love NY too, it's stinky streets, and trains, it's bad, but it has good things too. Go speak to the girl already, go get her, before someone else does.

I finished the first edit of my New York pix yesterday.
There was a pic of the awning for the Bitter End.
I was wondering if it was still someplace people went, or if its good days were 40 years in the past.
Good to hear they're not.

Kicky, talk to her.

I knew you loved that damn city.

<mmmmmmm folded pizza - doesn't everyone do that?>

What was on the pizza?

Kicky, you do have a pair! That's what it took to decide to stay, even after all the plans had been make to move. I can't tell you how thrilled I am for you. Yes, you do own the City now, you made a commitment that has changed your life--you've owned yourself and your future. WOW!

And yup, go tell that waitress that you have been interested for years. Even if she's married, you'll be glad you finally found the grit to just walk up to her and introduce yourself. If she's even half sane, she'll be sooooo flattered. I know I would and I'd bet every woman here will agree with me.

Yay for kicky!

details, man, details!
ya know -- sleeping arrangements, is she hot, ect...

In the late 60s I stayed in Manhattan a while and then rented a place on 31st Street in Brooklyn. By walking a mere three blocks, one could see the statue. I had a few friends and a nowhere job. And, I loved it there and have missed it all these years. I only got to go back for a visit in about the mid 70s. I hope you succeed Kicky. I envy you for sticking it out.

Thanks, Edgar, and thanks to the rest of you guys too.

Region, she is sort of hot actually, but I've heard through the grapevine that she is playing for the other team, if you know what I'm sayin'.

The pizza had pepperoni, and sausage on it, Osso. Oh, and lots of grease. Thanks for asking. I'll probably want to remember that detail when I'm an old man telling my brother's grandchildren the one about the exact moment when I became a real New Yorker.

By the way, ehBeth, I also found the BEST place for a grilled cheese sandwich. It's a little place on MacDougal Street that is open late. I got a pressed grilled swiss cheese sandwich at Three AM for only three bucks. Sweet.

I just wanted to add one more thing that I have decided to take as a sign of the fact that I have made the right decision.

Tonight I talked to my mother and she told me that my brother had gone and gotten himself baptized in the holy spirit tonight, and then she told me I should get baptized...hahahahahahahahahahaha!!! Wow, my family has really gone off the deep end. Thank Jemima or Jebediah or Popeye or whoever it is an anti-religious guy like me should thank, that I don't live with these f*cking wackos.

Congratulations on your decision, Kicky. Congratulations to your brother too. :-)

Nice to see you back, Mr K.

I really hope it all works out for you.

I do hope this means you won't be getting baptized?

Well, , this is news. I must have missed something cause I thought you were going to move to Florida. Now that would be gay.

You know how to put a new focus on this revival of your love affair with NYC? Go out and buy a nice double breasted grey suit and a coupla great ties.

Its soon to be the holiday season. The lights, the music, the cops using festive reds and greens on the chalk outline people.

Kicky - good news all around! Good job!

This is so fantastic, Kicky! Good for you! And good luck with the job!

How did you get out of the basement?

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