Living in a Land of Extremes

Coming from Texas, where for the most part life seemed steady and each day was about as normal as the day before.... to New York City, a land of possibilities, where everything changes as quickly as the taxicab drivers race down 6th Avenue, has been(needless to say) quite an adjustment.

I am living in a land of extremes. That is the best way that I can describe it. The seasons, the weather, the moods, the people, the division of the haves and the have nots...every end of the spectrum is covered in New York.

A rainy day, for example. In Texas, people have umbrellas but don't really need them because they drive cars. Let's face it: no one actually walks anywhere unless they're intentionally exercising in Dallas. New York, au contraire. I stepped out from my marble steps this week into the pouring rain sans rain boots. First mistake. Note to self: get rubber boots, and get them quickly. I popped open my stylish umbrella, and within two seconds, it was flipped inside out, my hair was whipping violently across my face and the pelting rain was stinging my squinting eyes. Rainy days are a bit more difficult to manage here, I've found.

I hopped onto the subway and plopped down across the way from none other than... you got it: Mr. and Mrs. Claus. They come up for a few months each year from Florida (oh so cliche) to work in their retirement years. Sitting next to them was a Snoop Dog wannabe with so much gold bling around his neck, he could sell it to a dentist's office. Extremes: Exhibit A.

The extremes are thrilling to me -- they make everyday a new world of exploration. Although each day holds new surprises, I know it will also hold a few constants: interesting, Lady Gaga-like fashion walking the streets, massive amounts of profanity when a rushed New Yorker just misses his subway connection, and the delectable aroma of those roasted nuts sold at stands all across the city in the wintertime.

And, it will hold some little things that I love: a beautiful cup of coffee from Joes on my neighboring Street, Waverly; a precious little girl on the subway with her larger-than-life backpack; and, fabulous clothes that I crave on each and every street corner. Oh New York... I love you.