In the Future

As I am currently procrastinating writing a paper and I have been asked the question of what I am planning to do upon graduation approximatley 2000 times, I thought I would answer it here.

1)Go abroad. I'll never again be so rootless that I'll be able to pick up and move to a foreign country.
a) UK, I love Britain even though I've only spent one week there. (Ridiculous? Possibly.) I would love to experience a culture whose language I can understand (mostly) but is so different from the US. Although London is prohibitively expensive, it manages to feel more cosmopolitan and smaller than New York simultaneously. It would be interesting to experience a culture that values (requires?) self-deprecation and regimentation as it is so opposite of the US, although that could possibly be stifling.
b) Paris, once again, a place I have only spent a week in that I love. I think with a few months I could be fluent in French, which would be very nice. Plus, Paris is so beautiful and I miss how delicious food in Europe is. I love how in Europe vestiges of the "old" way of life have survived despite industrialization. In America this old way of life never really existed.
c) Tokyo (or an large city in Japan.) I've never been, but I would love to go. What I've seen/ read about Japanese culture fascinates me. This would be the most difficult experience of the three so far. I don't any Japanese and I think navigating the cities/ culture would be exceedingly different but I'm up for a challenge.
d) Hong Kong, Like Japan it would be a difficult transition, but the I think the hectic pace of Hong Kong would be exhilirating and a challenge.


2) Stay in New York
a) Work for the city/ state. I like politics, theoretically. Could I like them practically?
b) PR, I have some experience in PR-y things. It's fast-paced, relatively creative and can get you into some pretty nice parties. The sleaze factor is pretty high, though.
c) non-profit, It's basically what all my internships have been in. My current one I love, but I've been in several that have been miserable experiences. The mission/ work environment is so important, although it always is and it's hard to weed out the good places from the bad. Also the pay can be exceedingly low. I don't know if I have the time to find a good place and pay rent in New York.
d) teach, I love the idea of molding young minds and improving their lives. It would be really rewarding, but on the other hand, it is a huge responsibility and a huge committment. I don't know if I'm ready for such a "settled" down job yet.

There it is. Does it sound too much like a report for career planning day. Well, I have three months to decide and make it happen.

Right to Privacy? What Right to Privacy

OR

Reason #361 why I am never leaving New York:

Or not going to South Dakota at any rate

My favorite part of the article? There's only one abortion clinic to shut down.

Coffee

What I miss most about Italy is the cappuccinos (cappuccini?) New York coffee, even and especially Starbucks, is bitter, burnt and well, bad. An early morning cappuccino in Italy is like being awoken by angels. It doesn't need sugar; the steamed milk is sweet, not sugary and smooth, foamy not bubbly. The shot of espresso is never bitter, but dark, earthy, complex. It's the perfect size. It's small enough that it can be drank before the milk gets cold, but large enough to be savoured. Italians don't take their coffee "to go;" they drink it at the bar with a coronetto. As an aside my last night in Florence, we went to the bakery that makes the pastries for all the bars in the city. Our only directions were to follow "the smell and the light." We found it.
Since coming back to New York, I haven't been able to find a decent cappuccino. That's wrong I have found ok cappuccino. The espresso wasn't bitter; the foam wasn't stale, but something was missing. It didn't help that they are universally sold in paper cups and drank through plastic lids. There's just something special about drinking it from a cup and saucer. Most of them are just too big, too much milk, not enough coffee. I was despondent, but settled for drinking what I could get.
Until today. There is a little cafe near Washington Square that I have walked past thousands of times. The outside is unassuming, white stucco surrounding gigantic windowsm but the name, the name is promising. Caffe pane e cioccolato. Coffee bread and chocolate. Today I finally had a reason to go in and it was just like being back in Italy.

The "F"reak Train

Monday. 4:55 pm. F Train at Delancey
Freezer bag. Freezer bag full of brownish-green stuff. Freezer bag full of weed!? Just as I realize what I'm staring, the guy next to me bolts towards it. Before he can grab it, the 19 year old whose pocket it has fallen out of snatches it from the jaws of the door. "Did you see that?" he asks me as he sits back down.

Other things I've seen on the F Train?

A barefoot homeless man covered in motor oil.
A man suffering from NF
A conductor exorting riders to "turn that frown upside down."

Blizzard of 06

Last night (and this morning and currently) New York got the second biggest snowstorm in the city's history.
These are pictures from my neighborhood. I wanted to take pictures from my roof, but by the time I'd made it home my camera was frozen.

The Most Holy Day of the Year

My parents turned down Free tickets to the Super Bowl. I'm so mad. And when did I find out? 15 minutes ago. So angry.