Why I love living in New York City

Yesterday I had to go back to work around 6pm (I'm a personal trainer, so i go back and forth to the gym when I have clients). So I hop on a crosstown bus during the height of rush hour. Yesterday it was pouring raining, so people who would normally walk were taking the bus so it was pretty crowded. Luckily I get on the bus before it gets to crowded so I had a front row seat for what was about to happen.

The bus got to Lexington avenue, there's always a lot of people waiting to get on at Lexington avenue because there is also a subway station there. In New York City it's standard public transportation etiquette to have your metrocard (card used to pay the fare) ready when you get on the bus, when you don't have your card ready it just slows everybody down. Knowing this there is still always that one person who isn't ready. So here's what happened:

This lady gets on the bus and she doesn't have her metrocard out. So now she is standing in front of the door digging through her purse looking for the card. While she's doing this at least twenty people are waiting in the rain for her to get out of the way. So the bus driver decides to intervene, "can you please step to the side?" he says in a loud, not yelling, voice.

"Don't yell at me," the lady snaps back as she slowly moves out of the way. So she gets a seat and after a couple of minutes finds her metrocard. She goes to pay and says to the driver, "you shouldn't have yelled at me."

"I didn't yell at you," the driver says.
"Yes you did," she screams back.
"Ma'am it raining outside, I was just trying to get the people on the bus."
"You got no right to yell at me!"

"Listen lady, it raining outside and you were in everybody way. Now sit down and shutup," says some totally random guy on the bus. He totally came out of nowhere and gave his two cents. The person most relieved by this was the driver because now the lady's sights had been set on the random man.

The best part of it was these two were sitting about five feet away from each other and they continued to argue for about ten minutes. She was telling him to mind his own business. He was telling her that she was rude and inconsiderate. All the while I'm just sitting their giggling because I'm basically sitting right in the middle of them.

As the bus continued to make stops people would get on and then get caught right up in the argument. Most people seemed to side with random guy. I mean it was probably true that the lady was being rude, but on the other hand it really wasn't any of his business.

Anyway, it was probably the best bus ride I've had in a long time. It was just another reminder of why New York City is the greatest place in the world. You can't get such entertainment for free anywhere else.

Submitted by D Weezy on May 19, 2006 - 2:22pm.

I've never been to NYC (but I'd love to go one day)... but I can totally relate to being entertained while riding the bus. Whenever I take friends into downtown Seattle, we usually ride the bus from place to place since it's free... and it is ALWAYS an adventure. Sometimes we get to witness a cool argument like the one you described or we meet some interesting out-of-towners and end up having a great conversation... but then there's other times when you have to sit next to a kid who just got done playing soccer and reeks of some strange combination of garlic and sweat (and of course his deodorant stopped working about 4 hours ago) or my all-time favorite - sitting next to a woman who picked the lice out of her hair the entire bus ride... :(

MySpace or Yours

the best is riding the subway and seeing the people who are trying to sing for money. I want to emphasize the word "trying". Half the time they are just making complete fools of themselves.

ah yes, that is the funniest. I was sitting on the subway across a man who all of a sudden starts to sing to the tune on his speakers out loud and was obviously trying to make a big deal out of himself. He was telling us he had some kind of show and "had to" practice. I've seen this guy a couple times before and singing the same tune. He sings offkey and overall sounds bad.
i do like the dancing kids from the bronx though except when they ask for money. I almost want to hand them a schedule to the dance studio i go to for classes so they can get some dance training because the dance world needs more male dancers that can move well.

Quoting you! "The best is riding the subway and seeing the people who are tying to sing for money."

This is the sum toal of your love of New York: is it not? Your thought of bliss is riding a F**$*ed up Subway and sucking energy from the misery of the people that struggle in life.

You little jackass! If we got you out here in California, the sheer beauty would be too much for you to handle.

I have never had one dull moment there. And if we could afford real estate there we would move in a second.

Cool Baby Reviews

Living in New York is not what it's cracked up to be! It's simply a matter of opinion for those of you who live there. Nothing compares to living in Southern California. The smog is an irritant--but what large metropolitan city is without this challenge? We have the performing arts, sports, the mountains, the sea, and the deserts. There is a diversity of life and culture here unmatched by any other place in the world. The weather conditions are near perfect the year round. The economy is equivalent to the 7th largest nation in the world.

No my friend, what you love living is the "illusion" of New York.

I used to live in Socal and it definitely doesn't compare to NYC. Its a different way of life. I prefer the New York lifestyle because it has the going going productivity, creativity energy about it. Not to mention the most diverse people ever. I do miss the awesome weather in Socal though but the rush hour traffic jams on the 405 were just not my thing. I do miss the beach, my car (which I sold before i moved last year), and a few of my friends but Socal and New York cannot be compared.

I was born and raised in Santa Monica (LA area) and I can tell you from life experience that So Cal is sheer illusion. I love and hate it there. But honestly there is more fakeness there than anywhere else I have ever lived, and I have lived pretty much everywhere. There is a lot of opportunity there but there are also just a lot of pipe dreams. NY has a crazy neurotic energy, yes....but it is beautiful in its insanity and aliveness. In So Cal people just act as if they are laid back.....Weather is good, yes, beaches are better elsewhere. If you want to break into the movie/TV industry, then there is no better place, you are right. But when it comes to culture and access to everything NY beats Cali hands down. In Cali you HAVE to drive everywhere. I'd rather walk and feel that urban vibe all around me.

Jack Kerouac said it best:

"LA is the loneliest and most brutal of American cities; New York gets god-awful cold in the winter but there's a feeling of wacky comradeship somewhere in some streets. LA is a jungle."

Cool Baby Reviews

i love new york its always interesting.

I always enjoyed the ebb and flow of the transients there ;eager for a quick dollar, a free meal and the inevitable cold and shallow grave...although Venice Beach has provided some of the same fodder...I lean towards SoCal only because of the ready supply of house-boy wannabe canidates and the smog of...course.

Evil_Bob

This is what I'm talkin' about my man! If you notice, no one can talk about the inherent beauty of New York---there is none! The lure of New York becomes a 'perceived' value in the minds of those who live there. New York becomes a way of life for the folks who can never make it out. I'm not trying to bury the state undergound my man, but it becomes evident that the first thing out of everyone's mouth that lives in the state is, "There's no place like New York." You cats talk about the transients, another woman talks about the bus rides and watching someone get pissed off on a street corner. Another joker talks about some pizza joint he and his ol' lady used to visit!

Is this living oh great one?! Where is the beauty beyond the cold grey stone of ancient buildings? You folks talk about "Central Park". California has a thousand such parks to enjoy the year round. There are mountain hide-aways, weekend excursions, and a balance of cultural diversity that is found no in other place in the world.

You cats don't want to get me started on the short comings of New York.

Here, the beauty and culture is accessible to all! In New York, peace of mind (if it even exists) comes with a price tag.

LAWD let me stop!

If you've lived in California, the fact that you've moved says it all! Some people may need the energy and synergy of the crowd. I've always been the kind of cat that could create my own. The opportunities in California for success are endless.

The energy flow you feel in New York is pure nervousness. New York is old man! California is the land of the living.

I have not lived in NYC but I used to go there everyday for school and work and I used to stay there at least 2 weekends out of the month. I now live in the most Southern part of California in San Diego. I have not been here that long, but as far as I can tell I could not live here for the rest of my life. I love NY because you can be on almost any street and you will find what you need on that street or close by. When I worked in NY I would go outside to the fruit stand and get a fresh fruit salad or go to 5th avenue and browse, of course. Everything is just a subway ride away. And you don't have to pay a cover to get in bars!

I suspect that when I start making money and I can cruise the streets with the top down while the palm trees whiz by, my thoughts may change a bit. Until then...The weather is great here.

I did not realize my little rant about loving NYC would generate so much debate. I'm from NYC, I've been to SoCal once for a few days. At this point in my life I prefer the hustle & bustle of NYC over the laid back style of SoCal.

As for the natural beauty that my man the Prince refers to in SoCal, well he's right it is beautiful. I'd just like to point out to him that if he simply drive about a half hour north of NYC he would run into NY's natural beauty like the Catskills and the Hudson River Valley. I don't think he would mind the half hour drive since that is how long it takes to get everywhere in SoCal.

I could go on and on suggesting why NYC is at least equal to if not better than SoCal, but instead I will end with something the Prince said himself: "Living in New York is not what it's cracked up to be! It's simply a matter of opinion for those of you who live there. Nothing compares to living in Southern California."

My reply to that is living in SoCal is not what it's cracked up to be! It's simply a matter of opinion for those of you who live there. Nothing compares to living in New York. You tell me what the difference is.

Blogger Party

Why I love living in New York City

Comment viewing options

Comment viewing options

Main Menu

User login

Promotions

Who's online

Online users:

Popular content

Today's:

Last viewed:

Related Content

About Me

Similar Entries

Partners

Recent blog posts

Recent comments

Sponsor

Syndicate