Biting The Big Apple

I was only there for about a week. Yet that was all it took. I have fallen in love with New York.

Admittedly, I did find it a bit difficult to look past the countless bags of trash that are amassed on the city sidewalks at night. And yes, there are very unique scents that seem to be characteristic to New York in its entirety. And yes, descending into the subway tunnels felt a lot like walking down the first flight of stairs that lead to Hell. And yes, the humidity there makes me feel gross. And yes, some of the people do seem to be uber standoffish. And yes, I did fear that someone was going to either snatch my wallet or touch my butt when riding on crowded subway cars. And yes, I did wish that getting around was as easy as hopping into someone’s personal vehicle at times. And yes, it does appear that New York could very well be America’s most expensive city. And yes, I do think that the air there was potent enough to shave about 7.4 years off of my life.
Yet, once you look beyond these minor complaints, you’ll be able to see that I LOVE NEW YORK!

The greatest thing about life on the Eastern seashore is the close proximity to Europe. And I do not love this simply because tickets to London are cheaper in New York than they are in Los Angeles. Instead, it is the visible importation of European city design and architecture that pleased me so. The congestion of the city, which is a curse to some cities, is instead a gift from New York to its visitors. Step foot in Manhattan. Aimlessly walk with your head down. If you should manage to avoid being hit by an angry cab driver, I guarantee that you will stumble upon some noteworthy building, statue or other cultural artifact.

Actually taking up residence there would be no easy task. Nevertheless, the trip to New York is one that should be made by all lovers of city life and those who are intrigued by cultural melting pots. In essence, New York is one massive cultural experiment. Name a type of person. Name a type of food. Conjure up imagery of the most ridiculous circumstances capable of existing under the loose thresholds of reality, and you’ll likely be able to find it in New York.

Although the city did manage to force me into relieving my account of about a grand, it was the activities accompanied by no cost of admission that hooked me the most. It was standing in Times Squares as a tourist and being approached and then chastised by others tourists for being a tourist incapable of assisting them in the pursuit for further tourist activity. It was the ride on the subway. It was sitting between a Blackberry-addicted businessman on one side, and an avant garde student from the fashion institute on the other side. It was the police force in front of Radio City Music Hall with their assault rifles. It was the NYSE and the daily buzz along and around Wall Street. It was the unsafe driving of foreign taxi drivers. It was the two 30+ Italian guys and the Dutch courage that accompanied their alcohol consumption which led them to want to quarrel. It was the odd guy behind the counter in Starbucks. It was getting off of the train and overlooking the plight of Jamaica, Queens. It was getting back on the train and transporting to one of the comfy cottages in Long Island. It was the ride into Brooklyn Heights to live life like The Huxtables. It was the taxi ride across the Brooklyn Bridge that ended at Wall Street and immersed me in the lifestyle of investment bankers. It was running into Alex Rodriguez and then people watching while eating at Serafina. It was flirting with the waitress at the pizza place. It was the scores upon scores of beautiful women that paraded around the streets of NY, showcasing beauty unparalleled by most forms of beauty that I had seen up to that point in my life. It was sitting on the subway and realizing that the seat next to me would not be taken because I am a perceived by many as an intimidating Black man. It was leaving NY and being able to say that I ate at a place that serves nothing but rice pudding. It was taking the tour through the UN and hearing Jay Z receive multiple shout outs for his humanitarian efforts in Africa. It was the countless number of events and activities and images that are now embedded in my mind that knocked me off of my feet and made me fall face-flat in love with New York.

I rolled all of things little things into a ball. I flavored this ball with both the good and the bad. I painted the ball red and added a stem on top. And last, but not least, I took a bite out of the city. I took a bite out the Big Apple. And much to my surprise, I loved the taste.

My thirst for the adverse.

I think that some of the smallest challenges in life are capable of filling me with the motivation to tackle some of the world’s larger ills.

When I was a child,  I would do foolish, innocent things. For instance, while in a swimming pool I would push the limits of holding my breath under water. Sometimes I would fail and suffer the burn of inhaling chlorine-laced water through my noise. Other times, I would emerge from the water triumphant. 

Later in life, I would find joy in challenging myself academically. My teachers would rave about my potential and cause me to wonder just how well I could perform scholastically. At first it was a matter of transitioning to honors classes. After that, it was an internal drive to dominate every subject. No matter what the course, I wanted to prove to myself that I could master it.

These days, an assortment of challenges brings me joy and helps me measure my worth via my willingness to take risks. Be it approaching the prettiest girl in the club. Wooing her with my personality and charm. And if I’m lucky, ultimately fooling her into liking me – even if it is only for a brief moment in time. Because it’s better to have loved and lost than to not have loved at all – right? 

As I write this passage, I sit with my newly purchased guitar staring at me. No. I don’t know a damn thing about music. I can’t read music. I can’t write music. I can’t sing (unless you love a poorly done falsetto). I’ve never had any formal exposure to musical instruments. Yet, I’m mentally preparing myself to tackle this challenge, just as I have tackled other challenges in the past.

There is something motivating about being the underdog. There is something exciting about taking on the unknown. And there is nothing more fulfilling that achieving what you set out to achieve. And if you aim for the stars, as they say, even failure will lead you to the clouds. 

These small feats are rather underwhelming unto themselves. Yet, when you piece them together, they emerge as a mosaic of success capable of inspiring even the most feeble of hearts. They remind me that there will be stepping stones leading to every major accomplishment. No matter how daunting the task may appear, if I attack the problem piece by piece. There is no magic bullet that’ll change the world. But in my quest to change the world, I’m going to start with myself. By fully understanding who I am, I’ll better understand how I can approach life and work in a manner to leave a positive mark on the world.

It’s more than just a saying used by Gilbert Arenas, Reggie Bush and the rest of the ADIDAS gang. It’s a way of life. It’s what forces me to discard my shells of fears and go after the unknown. To make the foreign familiar. To make the wild tame. To climb Everest – just because it’s there. 

Impossible is nothing!