I was taking the subway around 10pm. I was sitting down, resting, listening to some Ayu. Across from me was a young couple, probably around the same age as me. They were dressed like trendy punk rockers. The girl was wearing some black converse with a gray/black toned outfit. The boy had on a baggy shirt with a backwards hat. They seemed very relaxed, the girl with her feet up on the chair in front of her and the boy had his arm around his girl. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I knew they were having a grand old lovey-dovey time.
Eventually the girl reached into her bag, and pulled out a packet of gum. I was mildly surprised to see that it was the exact same brand of gum that I had in my bag at the time - Orbit Spearmint Spritzer. The girl grabbed a piece, and dropped the wrapper on the floor. She then dropped the empty gum packet on the floor.
This caught my attention.
Naturally I started to over-analyze the situation. I start thinking, "Why would somebody purposely drop a piece of trash on the ground, and not pick it up?" I couldn't grasp this concept. If it were me, I would immediately pick up the garbage, and store it somewhere until I could toss it in a trash bin. I personally prefer a clean environment. A clean city to me is a comfortable city. If I litter, then not only am I being hypocritical, but I'm contributing to the filth which founders New York.
Does this girl not want a clean city? Does she enjoy looking at garbage on the train, having old newspaper scraps and used McDonald's cups attack her feet? I certainly don't, and that's why I make sure I put my garbage in the garbage can.
No matter how much I tried to understand why she littered, I just couldn't. If you make a conscious decision to throw a piece of garbage on the ground, then you make a conscious decision to make the city that much more dirty, that much more smelly, and that much more unsanitary. I'm sure this girl doesn't necessarily want a dirty, smelly, unsanitary city. But if doesn't then she certainly made a contradictory decision just now.
So I kept watching, wondering when she would pick up her trash, if she would pick up her trash. I waited, waited and waited some more. Eventually her and her boy got up, and off boarded at Woodhaven Blvd.
The gum pack was still on the floor.
I didn't know what to do. I felt like this girl had put me in an unfair position. I'm the person who wants a cleaner New York, but thanks to her, I had just witnessed a litter offense in person. It's not my responsibility to clean up after anybody... but it's also not fair for me to wish for change, and not actively make change.
I would love it if New York were clean - end of sentence.
If I want a cleaner city, than maybe not contributing to the filth isn't enough. Maybe I need to pitch in just a tiny amount, to clean things up. Maybe seeing someone litter, and not doing anything about it, is just as bad as littering in the first place.
I picked up her empty gum box, and threw it in the garbage when I got to my station. I don't expect to go along, picking up all the trash I see on the streets from now on. Hell if I did that it would take me hours just to walk from home to my station. But maybe just a little help here and there will make New York just that much cleaner, that much more sanitary, and that much more comfortable to live in.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Spontaneity Strikes Again!
Yesterday I was at work. Life was normal, business was average, nothing was out of the ordinary. So when things got slow I took a bathroom break, and checked my phone messages. I noticed an old friend from Japan texted me a flight itinerary. She told me that was flying to NYC in less than a week to visit. The text read, "Is this okay? Should i get the ticket?"
Now that I look back on it, my first impression seems odd. When I read this I immediately thought, "Hell no, I need to work and save up money. I wont have time to take you around. I wont have my own place yet. The timing is all off!" I texted this to her and asked her to come later on, sometime in May. It turned out that she couldn't. I didn't know what to tell her.
As I left the bathroom and returned to my shift, I thought more about my reaction.
Okay, so the timing isn't so great...but it's the only time she's able to visit, I haven't seen her in years, and she really wants to visit New York. So why am I making excuses for her not to come? Where did Kyle's spontaneous attitude about life go? And when the hell did I become so responsible?
Fearing that I was becoming a middle aged professional too soon, I texted her, telling her "Sure, buy the ticket, come to New York!" I knew this wasn't a wise decision at all, but I couldn't let myself feel boring and predictable.
The next day (today) I found myself thinking back to my initial thoughts when she texted me. They worry me. Have I lost some of that free spirit that brought me to New York in the first place? Why didn't I want her to visit? What was I scared of? Am i starting to crave a more stable, mature lifestyle?
I don't know how to answer those questions. I mentioned this to Rebeca when I spoke with her later that night. We realized something interesting that both of us had in common. We both had three goals to accomplish upon graduation. Mine were:
A) Find a job
B) Find an apartment
C) Find a career
Rebeca's were:
A) Find a job
B) Find an apartment
C) Find a man
Both of these are fine plans...but they both lack something EXTREMELY vital to a 22 year old's lifestyle - a social life. Nowhere on my list did I put, "Network in New York," or "Meet new people."
So what does that mean?
Maybe I'm thinking about this in a little too much depth, but the more I do think about it, the more I realize how much a social life has been lacking from my life here. I do have a job, I'm getting a place, but I don't really have friends yet, and I don't socialize very often.
So I started asking myself why I don't socialize, and there was only one answer: Because socializing is expensive, and takes a lot of time that I could be using to make money.
Again this brings us back to the "being responsible" theme that I seem to be focusing on. There is nothing wrong with being responsible, but when does being responsible lead to a decrease in one's quality of life? And when does voluntary responsibility take us farther away from the lifestyle we want to live?
I'm glad I told Rebeca to come visit despite my initial reaction. I think I need some stressful spontaneity to shake things up in my life. Although I am determined to reach my goals...I'm also determined to live up my 20's as much as I can. Plus this will give Rebeca and I time to re-think our long term goals. Somewhere in that list, there needs to be a, "be an irresponsible, spontaneous, free spirited 22 year old."
I can probably sandwich that in between the "Work for a wealthy corporate travel agency" step and the "Save up for an apartment in the East Village" step.
Now that I look back on it, my first impression seems odd. When I read this I immediately thought, "Hell no, I need to work and save up money. I wont have time to take you around. I wont have my own place yet. The timing is all off!" I texted this to her and asked her to come later on, sometime in May. It turned out that she couldn't. I didn't know what to tell her.
As I left the bathroom and returned to my shift, I thought more about my reaction.
Okay, so the timing isn't so great...but it's the only time she's able to visit, I haven't seen her in years, and she really wants to visit New York. So why am I making excuses for her not to come? Where did Kyle's spontaneous attitude about life go? And when the hell did I become so responsible?
Fearing that I was becoming a middle aged professional too soon, I texted her, telling her "Sure, buy the ticket, come to New York!" I knew this wasn't a wise decision at all, but I couldn't let myself feel boring and predictable.
The next day (today) I found myself thinking back to my initial thoughts when she texted me. They worry me. Have I lost some of that free spirit that brought me to New York in the first place? Why didn't I want her to visit? What was I scared of? Am i starting to crave a more stable, mature lifestyle?
I don't know how to answer those questions. I mentioned this to Rebeca when I spoke with her later that night. We realized something interesting that both of us had in common. We both had three goals to accomplish upon graduation. Mine were:
A) Find a job
B) Find an apartment
C) Find a career
Rebeca's were:
A) Find a job
B) Find an apartment
C) Find a man
Both of these are fine plans...but they both lack something EXTREMELY vital to a 22 year old's lifestyle - a social life. Nowhere on my list did I put, "Network in New York," or "Meet new people."
So what does that mean?
Maybe I'm thinking about this in a little too much depth, but the more I do think about it, the more I realize how much a social life has been lacking from my life here. I do have a job, I'm getting a place, but I don't really have friends yet, and I don't socialize very often.
So I started asking myself why I don't socialize, and there was only one answer: Because socializing is expensive, and takes a lot of time that I could be using to make money.
Again this brings us back to the "being responsible" theme that I seem to be focusing on. There is nothing wrong with being responsible, but when does being responsible lead to a decrease in one's quality of life? And when does voluntary responsibility take us farther away from the lifestyle we want to live?
I'm glad I told Rebeca to come visit despite my initial reaction. I think I need some stressful spontaneity to shake things up in my life. Although I am determined to reach my goals...I'm also determined to live up my 20's as much as I can. Plus this will give Rebeca and I time to re-think our long term goals. Somewhere in that list, there needs to be a, "be an irresponsible, spontaneous, free spirited 22 year old."
I can probably sandwich that in between the "Work for a wealthy corporate travel agency" step and the "Save up for an apartment in the East Village" step.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Little Tokyo, Big New York
New York is warming up to me, little by little. When I first arrived, it greeted me by revealing only it's outer face. New York said to me, "look at me! I'm wonderful! Enjoy me from afar, and pine to be one with me!"
I observed from afar, and yes, I did pine to be a part of this city. Since I've arrived, two months ago, New York has been giving me small doses of what I want, need, and what I didn't even know would matter to me.
One of my favorite people in the world, Michelle, visited New York last week. I think New York felt more comfortable revealing it's true self to me when Michelle was here. With her by my side, New York showed me tons more unique shops, some kick-ass neighborhoods, and even helped me get closer to some of the people I've met here. Most importantly though, New York showed me it's Japanese side.
I think it's just fate that Japan would follow me, even to New York. When spending time with Michelle we found ourselves seeking out, and stumbling upon little remnants and reminders of our lives together in Tokyo. One night we bought tickets to see a show on Broadway. We spent the day walking around Manhattan, and of course, the showtime crept up on us faster than planned. We grabbed a taxi and directed to driver to time square. On the way there, we just happened to pass Book Off (a major Japanese used book/CD/DVD store). We immediately wrote down the location and visited it later that week.
It's fate that as Michelle and I were aimlessly wandering through the East Village, and just happened to stumble upon a Japanese karaoke bar. We got a private room, just like in Japan, and sung all Japanese songs, including some extremely new ones. What's more, we paid just as much as we would have paid in Tokyo.
Maybe the fact that I'm introducing new people to New York made it think that I'm serious about staying here. Maybe the more comfortable this city gets with me, the more wonderful places it's going to show me.
Today New York yet again gave me a little reminder that I'm on the right "life" track. I was working, and chatting with one of the new girls. We were making the usual small talk - where are you from? How long have you been here? blah blah. I mentioned that I moved here from Tokyo, and arrived with just a backpack of clothing and $100 in my pocket. The girl was a little taken back. She made a comment along the lines of, "Wow you're only 22? That's so adventurous...good for you."
Adventurous...I guess it is, isn't it?
With Michelle here I naturally fell back into the "Let's move back to Japan," mindset. But after hearing how "adventurous" I was, I was for being so free-spirited, my ass was kicked back into shape. I do miss Japan...yes. I do want to move back to Tokyo...yes. But right now, Tokyo is not for me. New York is Kyle's new adventure, and I wont stop until I've climbed to the top of the tallest building, defeated the boss, saved the princess, and beat New York.
Only then will I recieve the key to move onto the next stage.
I observed from afar, and yes, I did pine to be a part of this city. Since I've arrived, two months ago, New York has been giving me small doses of what I want, need, and what I didn't even know would matter to me.
One of my favorite people in the world, Michelle, visited New York last week. I think New York felt more comfortable revealing it's true self to me when Michelle was here. With her by my side, New York showed me tons more unique shops, some kick-ass neighborhoods, and even helped me get closer to some of the people I've met here. Most importantly though, New York showed me it's Japanese side.
I think it's just fate that Japan would follow me, even to New York. When spending time with Michelle we found ourselves seeking out, and stumbling upon little remnants and reminders of our lives together in Tokyo. One night we bought tickets to see a show on Broadway. We spent the day walking around Manhattan, and of course, the showtime crept up on us faster than planned. We grabbed a taxi and directed to driver to time square. On the way there, we just happened to pass Book Off (a major Japanese used book/CD/DVD store). We immediately wrote down the location and visited it later that week.
It's fate that as Michelle and I were aimlessly wandering through the East Village, and just happened to stumble upon a Japanese karaoke bar. We got a private room, just like in Japan, and sung all Japanese songs, including some extremely new ones. What's more, we paid just as much as we would have paid in Tokyo.
Maybe the fact that I'm introducing new people to New York made it think that I'm serious about staying here. Maybe the more comfortable this city gets with me, the more wonderful places it's going to show me.
Today New York yet again gave me a little reminder that I'm on the right "life" track. I was working, and chatting with one of the new girls. We were making the usual small talk - where are you from? How long have you been here? blah blah. I mentioned that I moved here from Tokyo, and arrived with just a backpack of clothing and $100 in my pocket. The girl was a little taken back. She made a comment along the lines of, "Wow you're only 22? That's so adventurous...good for you."
Adventurous...I guess it is, isn't it?
With Michelle here I naturally fell back into the "Let's move back to Japan," mindset. But after hearing how "adventurous" I was, I was for being so free-spirited, my ass was kicked back into shape. I do miss Japan...yes. I do want to move back to Tokyo...yes. But right now, Tokyo is not for me. New York is Kyle's new adventure, and I wont stop until I've climbed to the top of the tallest building, defeated the boss, saved the princess, and beat New York.
Only then will I recieve the key to move onto the next stage.
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