Ladies and Gent’s The weather is now WET! Please carry a umbrella!
Today we were told it was going to rain, it did, it is, it will. This morning I wore my normal snow jacket, mom her water prof something, Eli wore a down jacket, NOT WATER PROF! so mom packed a small pink umbrella incase of rain cause at 9:45 AM it was not raining so after noon, walk out from lunch starts to rain and wham! IT IS RAINING! because rain is coming fast and doesn’t look like it will stop soon so we buy an umbrella for mom’s purse at the MET then look around there was Egyptian stuff, American stuff, paintings, arms and armor, and musical instruments. And that’s only what we saw, we just dented the museum! My favorite thing at the museum was seeing someone make a copy of one of the paintings(pictures will be up soon)
Looking through my pictures there is a distinct before/after that happened on Thursday. Before I have shots of hidden surprises large and small, pigeons looking down on commoners and royalty alike, intersections at night and other contrasts that caught my eye. But starting with the cab ride on Thursday suddenly these people appear. The places still matter — MOMA, Central Park, FAO Schwarz — but they are no longer alone.
Although I haven’t felt much in the way of loss, my dog didn’t die, none of my grandparents have passed away, my great grandparents passed away before I can remember. I have now felt a loss I didn’t think I would feel, I moved away WITHOUT Cali my favorite, best, and only dog I have had. She is 14 years old, has some back problems and dislikes other dogs. At night tears silently run down my face and I hear Eli’s sobs make my heart crack, every second I don’t even try to comfort her I hurt a little more. I know Cali is fine and happy with my mom’s parents but I still miss laying with her at night, I miss feeling her feet on my ever growing body when I walk in the door from a long day at school. I miss Cali.
So, I’ve been told plenty of times there would be things it never occurred to me I’d have to do and buy when I moved out. I thought they were kidding. After all, I knew about laundry, cooking, cleaning, supplies for all of the above. What else could there be?
What I’ve just now learned is that, while I could list everything I’d have to do and buy, I didn’t know what I’d need to do. I hadn’t fully understood. Now I do! Kind of.
One of the oddest things of the family splitting up has been all the things that I’d never thought of, and which come up with improbable frequency. Most recently, a sewing tool. That little sharp thing you use to rip seams. I would never have one, and have never needed one. This week, I did. I used a friend’s, but had this move never happened, I’d have just walked out to the workroom and said “excuse me may I borrow a seam-ripping-thing” and been done with it.
When I moved out I took a set of sheets I really liked. Once I set up my bed I remembered why I’d not been using that set. They’re twin. I have a full-sized mattress. One of those things that I neglected to snag before it was too late.
If I had to select just one example of how odd this has been, though, I’d point to my dresser. My landlords were kind enough to leave a dresser in one of my rooms, and offer it. I accepted. They haven’t touched it since the last renter used it, and apparently, she used it as a trashcan. So I’ve thrown away the stray wrappers, but as any of my immediate family can tell you, I’m mildly obsessive about cleanliness. I’ll qualify that with “in certain cases” to avoid possible disputes. My clothes are one of those cases. And to preempt another complaint, no, I do not consider holes as an obstacle to cleanliness. Anyway.
I’m looking at these drawers, and the basket of clean clothes. I know I need to do something to the dresser to make it ready, but am unsure what. A sponge would likely cut it. In the past I’d have walked out to the kitchen, grabbed a glass of water, and complained about it. And somebody would offer a suggestion. Now, I’m just staring at them.
Do I need a sponge or a rag? Paper towels? Would my Eco-friendly landlords/housemates object? Water? Cleaning agents? Do I need to buy something for them? Do I need to get something to keep them clean so this doesn’t happen again? Does it even matter? Am I ever going to fold my clothes or just look at this dresser all day?
Like Anton, I thought about the offer to go with everyone else. England has special appeal. The mixture of history, art, accessibility, and less hostility were all appealing. So was the chance to be the new, interesting person. In the end, it may have been inertia which kept me here. I can say I’m more invested here. More of my life is here. This is true. I even have a hard time accepting I’ll have to let go of some friends as they move off and pursue their own lives. But it isn’t as though I couldn’t restart somewhere else. It’s not as though I’d be unable to handle the change.
Still, I chose not to. Hopefully it doesn’t turn out to be the wrong choice.
NY being the sleepless city means that Club Quarters (our hotel room in NY) provides earplugs, and a alarm clock that can play “sleep tunes” I chose sleep tunes, I use the volume thingy to turn up the calm ambiance and tune out the sound for cars and taxis and I only hear the cool calm jazz.
So exciting! The idea of going to New York, and then to London, to live…there’s so much I could do. New beginnings. No one knows you, no one remembers that embarrassing thing you did years ago(except your loving family of course) and you’re free to be who you are. Not who you were.
As tempting as that was…I’ve started my own new life here. A year ago I would’ve gone. 6 months ago I would’ve gone. But not now. Now I have the same comforting scenery as before but the way I’m living is so much different. Possibly even more different than if I’d gone to London with everyone. Life is weird that way. But I will admit, I’m extremely jealous of all the new experiences everyone will have in a new country. I’ll come by and visit, of course, but I won’t be immersed in the new culture. Emeline, if you have an English accent by the new time I see you I will be very amused.
The best part about living on my own? No one wakes me up. And I can choose my own food!
The worst part? …No one wakes me up. And I have to make my own food.
It’s a bit of a mixed blessing. C’est la vie.
Wrong country? Oops. I’m told France is pretty close to England.
Just don’t tell anyone in either country I said that.
It’s my first time to NY today we went to the Empire State building. We went to the top story (102 storys high). We almost went to a Broadway Show, but there was way too long of a line. I bet we would have to wait 3 hours in line. Well that’s it for now.
