Farewell

July 3. Today I woke up “early” to finish packing and restore order to what I have called home for the last 40 odd days. I lugged about 120 pounds of life aka luggage down five flights of stairs. It was harder going than coming. I caught a cab to Laguardia. The driver was nice. Was explaining stuff, but I couldn’t hear so I was like “uh huh.” At the ticket counter I had to adjust my bags because it was a few pounds over and I was not really ready to pay $100 for a heavy bag fee. As I was walking away the ass hole that checked my bag was like “excuse me.” Pointed to a sign that said “gratuity not included.” I thought to myself, “are you on crack?” You just dumped and I mean dumped my luggage down a conveyer belt, and you are asking me to tip you, and you think I’m going to tip you? I think tips are meant for people that earn them, not just assume they get them. Tipping is meant for going above and beyond, or doing something outstanding. Not for when you do something less than piss poor. Please you get paid to do your job. And I get paid to do mine. And if you did a good job and I was grateful for your help I would then “include gratuity.” After being really pissed off at the ass hole that I walked away from after saying nothing. I then went through possibly the fastest security checkpoint in my life. I then watched Weeds for about two hours on my laptop. I then went to grab a drink for the flight since they always give such small portions. Boarded the plane like a pro. With a large drink in one hand pulling my luggage in the other including my personal item, and praying that my pretzel nuggets wouldn’t fall out of my pocket as I boarded the plane. I stashed my carry-on. Went to my seat and realized that I was a window. Had to crawl over a couple with a personal item heavier somehow than the bag I checked it felt like. Set my drink down on the ground, and while trying to stow my personal item knocked over my drink. FUCK! Right? Well then I had to stash my personal item in front of the lady next to me so it wouldn’t get all wet. Then I realized all of my stuff to entertain me was in that bag. But I didn’t want to bother her so I just sat there. I had no headphones to listen to the on flight movie. I had no book. No magazine. Just me and a window. After that flight I considered skydiving. I also realized that I am some sort of disciple. I figure it this way. Patience is a virtue. Thus making me virtuous. This and me being me makes me a disciple status. I will be working on the book of John Z soon. For the next edition of the Bible. Once I finally got off the plane I felt a little New Yorker in me say. “Stop walking so slow and get the hell out of my way!” Ah I may just miss being able to say that and no one looking up. I made it to baggage claim after walking to east and west baggage claims. I now have blisters. I finally got to sit down to wait for my ride. I was picked up and escorted home. I realized the thing I was surprised most to see, other than a speedometer reading higher than 15mph, was not the mountains. But the sky. You hardly see it in the city. In a city that I am sure I will see again, I made these conclusions. In my personal opinion, which is the only one that matters, I have selected places and things in New York that receive my seal of approval. A very hard thing to obtain. For best park I select High Line, for it’s innovation, design, and layout. For bringing something unexpected into a city where nothing is surprising. The best view of the city would be the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s roof top garden. While Top of the Rock is beautiful, the Met is breathtaking and an unconventional view of a “familiar” city. For best window displays, because I really did search, Bergdorf Goodman’s. For best museum, good old Frank brings it home for the Guggenheim, but the Museum of Modern Art was a close second. For best-unexpected adventure New York Trapeze Class would take the cake. For best adventure overall, I would have to say the experience itself. While individual adventures may protrude more than others, the overall experience was life changing and significant. And for that reason I stand by my decision. In the grand scheme of things when time is measured in billions of years and if time were to be transposed into a song. I would be possibly a note in that song, and this adventure would perhaps be a few dots of ink that makes my note visible on the page of time. But without those dots, I would potentially be a different note and thus time would be a different song. Gandhi said something to the affect that what you do in your life is insignificant, but it is important that you do it. After a long, and in all reality very short adventure I have come to this. In the journey of life expect the unexpected, always look ahead, and always take advantage of opportunities.

Thank You Mr. Becker

July 2. Today I considered of taking advantage of my last day by doing the last few things on my list. Then I remembered a teacher I had in high school that had a list of 100 things to do before he died, and he did everything but one. He said he liked the idea of not doing everything, as opposed to doing everything. And I realized I wanted to do the same thing, for a different but similar reason. I realized that New York was not the city I wanted to live in, but visiting is a different matter. And while I want to see the city at Christmas time I want to have things that I have not done yet. Thus I want to save a few things for my next visit. After this realization I decided to do some laundry and start some packing while knocking out another few seasons of Weeds. Tomorrow I head home. But tomorrow will also will be my last post on J.Z. Empire State of Mind. No worries countless fans, I am considering starting a new blog The Devil's Advocate Wears Prada. Until Tomorrow.

Is This Packing Priority Over Night Or Express? Um...

July 1. Today I stated the day off with a movie. Got ready and went to the post office. When I found out that they didn't think they could ship my goods I went to UPS. When UPS was like "oh yeah no problem. That will be $209." I was like are you fucking kidding me? So then I went back to the post office to see if they would ship a box that I made. Then went back to UPS to buy the box for the package. That only cost me $15 for cardboard. Then went back to the post office to ship my package for $38. After that adventure I came home to start packing. I put on Weeds season one for some background noise. I've never watched the show really. I am officially addicted. Knocked out a season and a half in an afternoon. That's what they call a champion. Oh I only have my shoes and socks packed. Damn. After my adventure yesterday, I rested and watched movies, most of them were centered around cooking or baking. I now want to take cooking classes or pastry classes. So a friend is looking into it. I plan on being the jack of all trades with some form of formal training, not just being a jack of all trades like I am now.

A Real Adventure

June 30. After sleeping a collective 30 minutes last night from being so excited, and being so nervous about missing my alarm I headed off to my first ever trapeze class. It took three trains and about an hour to get there, but I made it. Unfortunately, or fortunately I made it there an hour early, but either way at least I avoided my big concern of being late. We started right on time. The class was ten students, ranging in age. Most of the people had taken at least one class before, or had been doing it for years. Me and a girl were the only beginners. I wasn't worried. I'm a natural at most things I do. My first time up the ladder wasn't bad. Not sure what I was expecting. I was so caught up in the moment I wasn't listening to the guy yelling at me telling me what to do. So I fumbled a little but not bad for a first time. Then my second time I was "impressive," which included a back flip. My third time my heart was in my stomach. Got discombobulated in the air and did a trick that was totally unintended. And strained a muscle in my shoulder. My fourth time I got to do a catch with grace. My fifth time I was packing my bags getting ready to join Cirque Du Soleil. It was an amazing experience. Not necessarily a hobby I want to take up. But a great once in a lifetime opportunity/adventure. I could only upload pictures, but I have a video that I am using as my application video for Cirque Du Soleil.

Twilight Experience

June 29. Today I made my way down to Time Square for the Twilight Experience. Ate a fast lunch at Olive Garden. Then walked over to the theater. At first I thought I was not going to be first in line. It turned out there was no line, just a bunch of people that sat down in any old order. They let us all in at the same time and I ended up with a great seat. Chilled for two hours in the theater and then it all began. I tried to keep an ongoing status via Facebook, but my phone had horrible service thus leading to it's death during New Moon. The experience was enjoyable to say the least. Eclipse was very well done. Changed only a few things, but hardly noticeable. When I read the series it was the most forgettable for me, but this was the best movie so far hands down. I look forward to Breaking Dawn. In Eclipse there was a great quote during Jess' Valedictorian speech. It was very similar to one that I had been thinking of. When I find it, or can think of something close enough I will post it. After the movie I walked over to the train station to find out that that stop was closed and do to the time and the area I decided to just take a cab. Tomorrow I need to wake up "early" for Trapeze class! Until tomorrow.

My Burning Loins

June 28. Today I did my laundry at my usual place, but for some reason it was so hot I sweated like I was in a steam room or sauna. Not okay! After that I went down to the Meat Packing District for a few stores that I wanted to see and such. I attempted to go into Balenciaga, but they were closed, but looked open so after a few failed attempts I gave up. Then I took the High Line Park trail down to the Margiela store. It was cool, but not that great. Then I had a late lunch/early dinner at the Spotted Pig. It was very small, had an interesting menu. A little too different for me, but at least I tried it. Then I walked over to the apartment building that Monica, Rachel, Joey and Chandler from FRIENDS "lived" in. It was exactly the way I had seen it in the hundreds of episodes, but the surrounding area was not so much. After that I walked back to the train to head home. Tomorrow I go to an all day Twilight day. AKA a perfect day. Later this week I want to go to the planetarium, and the site in Central Park from Home Alone 2 but other than that just packing up and getting ready to go. Final days bring final thoughts. Until tomorrow.

Coma Condition

June 27. Started the day off with a movie. Thought that was going to be all I did all day, but decided to go out and get my ticket for the Twilight movie experience on Tuesday. Bought some cupcakes, because it wouldn't be a day without Grand Central, Time Square, or something sweet. I also went into the Forever 21 store that they opened on Friday in Time Square. It is massive, good displays, but most of the clothes displayed are vintage or not theirs, probably why I like them. The merchandising was horrible though, there is a reason corporate usually does merchandising because a 20 year old without a visual eye is not capable of creating worthy displays. After being disappointed in what I saw, but surprised that I was actually impressed by a few things I came home to watch some more movies. My situation reminded me of the chapter Grey Gardens from Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. But I didn't eat eight Lean Pockets, I just ate Top Ramen. I have also started a new book. Wuthering Heights, it's a classic and I look forward to reading it. I was supposed to read it in high school, but clearly I didn't do that, so here I am five years later doing what I was supposed to do five years earlier. Teachers just need to give us time, we'll get around to it when we find the time.