Wow, so another week has flown by. Don't mean to be so lame with the updates, but I have been really busy! I got a rather large and intense case dropped on my desk this last week, so I have spent a lot of time working on that after-hours, so it leads to not so much time to blog. As always, unfortunately, I cannot discuss the details. Security clearance, and all. Suffice it to say, I often thought Hollywood made up a lot of stuff about urban New York criminal elements. Um, nope. All I need is some popcorn and a couch, and I am perpetually watching/living in one of those crime shows on like, USA or TNT or something.
After a busy, busy week at work, Friday was a welcomed sight. It was particularly nice because I got to see one of my friends from college. She is a year older than me, and ended up also going to law school, at George Washington. And is apparently working at the Manhattan DA's office. Side note: the Law & Order courthouse steps actually do exist! Like, it wasn't just a set-- the show shows the actual front of the state courthouse. It's pretty cool. I half expect to see Sam Watterson pop out any minute... And, it is surprisingly close to where I live. And by surprisingly close, I mean like, 4-5 blocks directly south. Who knew?
So anyway, we met up and exchanged work stories, at least to the extent we could. She apparently had just helped convict a guy on trial (she was working on the trial team, basically doing everything but the actual oral argument). So, ya know, that's pretty BAMF. We went to Little Italy, because it is near where she works/I live, and she had never gone. I took her to the Italian place I went to last week (exactly a week from when I took my friend, in fact). I tried the pasta, and as the last time I went, the food did not disappoint. Also, ridiculously cheap for NYC: I think our meals each were like $23 post-tax, pre-tip. And generous portions. We gabbed about our law school experience, and exchanged horror stories about applying to law school (I was applying to law school at the same time she was applying to transfer from the school in Chicago where she went for a year. Honestly, I feel like this blog would have been a lot more interesting if I had started it like eighteen months before I did; senior year was nuts, like sitcom-level ridiculousness. Oh well). But it was nice to see a familiar face from "the old country," as I like to say, and to have someone to talk to who can relate to your current life experiences.
My friend wanted to get home early; apparently she is living over by Columbia in Morningside Heights, and last week these three guys were found shot to death in an 88K BWM convertible parked like, right across the street from Columbia, and not too far from where my friend lives. The guys were killed execution-style, so the cops think (or so said the NY Daily News) that it was some kind of pointed drug-related hit, and not random crime. But, they haven't found the guy, and I can't blame my friend for being nervous, and wanting to get home before dark.
I had my own little adventure into new parts of NYC on Friday. After my friend left, at around 8:20PM, I got on the subway line I take to get to work. Except I took it farther into Brooklyn, as my boyfriend's friend who lives on Roosevelt Island, had a "gig" at this lounge club thing. I was so sketched out, because I was having to go into an unknown area of NYC after dark. I probably shouldn't admit this on a public blog, but I spent the last 30 minutes at work researching New York/Brooklyn neighborhoods, because I wanted to know if this club-- or getting to this club-- would require my going through the 'hood. Despite certain parts of it getting more yuppified, apparently there are many parts of Brooklyn that are as shady as shit. Luckily, the club was in Park Slope, which is apparently yuppie land (note: I do no say this disparagingly-- I love yuppie land, because it is clean and safe and mostly insulated from crimes to my person. Yay yuppies!) It was cool-- apparently, my boyfriend's friend is a jazz singer, and she was there with a band. Although jazz is not my favorite music genre, she had quite a good voice, and it was enjoyable. I remember thinking to myself, "looking around, here I am, 10PM on a Friday night, in a intimate lounge, listening to a local live band, in NYC. This is what being a twentyssomething or young adult should be about." For the first time, I actually felt like an "adult," rather than a glorified college student; I felt like I was really *living* my own life, going out and doing and being. It was a nice feeling.
The really nice thing, though, was that by boyfriend showed up! He flew in for the weekend so he could visit his folks for Father's Day. He flew into LaGuardia, and then took the cab directly to Brooklyn so he could make his friend's show. I think she was really happy to see him; it is always nice when old friends can just show up, and infuse some of your old life into the new life you are creating for yourself.
More happened this weekend, but I think I will have to make this a two-part entry, since it is 1:30AM and, yo, I have work tomorrow morning.
But, before I go, a few random thoughts about New York. Namely, ever since I have been here, I really can understand a lot of the references in the songs of one of my favorite singers, Billy Joel. Like, I always knew his songs were very heavily East Coast-driven, but there were references in them- many references- that I did not know were actually a thing. A good example is his song, You May Be Right. In it, he talks about being kind of a reckless person. First, until I came to New York and then listened to the song, I did not know it was New York-specific. It is. And, now I know why the song actually shows him being reckless. Like there is one line in there in particular, "I walked through Bedford-Stuy alone." And know I know: No. No, it is really not a good idea to walk through Bed-Stuy alone. Or in groups. Or just in general. Unless you have a death wish. I didn't even know that Bed-Stuy was a thing before I got here. I am pretty sure that, in the past listening to that song, I totally ignored that line, because it meant nothing to me. Additionally, I know have a kind of geographical point of reference for his songs, particularly The Downeaster Alexa. He sings about going to Montauk and the Long Island Sound, and I actually kind of have an idea of what and where that is! For a point of reference, until I started looking for housing for the summer, I had no idea that part of NYC-- namely, Brooklyn and Queens-- are actually technically on Long Island... Also, did anyone else know that "Mama Leone's" from another Billy Joel song is like, actually a place? Apparently it is a restaurant in Little Italy. I thought it was just some random reference from the singer's past or something, somewhere random. Or made up. Mind = blown.
Finally, did no one tell me AIDA, was a thing???? Seriously, I just discovered this musical exists (I had vaguely heard of its name, but had no clue what it was about). It is an Elton John rock/pop musical...set in ancient Egypt. Seriously, WHY DID I NOT KNOW THIS EXISTED???? This is literally like my daydream, to somehow be transported back in time to live in that society. But the musical combines two hardcore nerd passions of mine-- musical theatre and ancient Egyptian history-- into one thing. Plus has modern, "rock" music. I have to see this show on Broadway or something before I die. *sigh* Honestly, part of the reason I like ancient Egypt so much, and find it so fascinating, is that I really feel sometimes that I should have been born in and lived in that society. It just is so fascinating, and not like anything we can know or experience today. PErhaps this is just me overly-romaticizing things, but I do really wish it were possible to live in that time and society. But, this is a deep psychological post for another day, not tonight.
To be continued...
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