Hello all. I know it’s been a month since I last posted. I’m in the middle of a life transition (all good things, I assure you), so I’ve had a lot on my mind. I’m so excited for what is on the horizon, because I feel like I’m finally on the edge of getting everything I’ve been working for my entire life. It’s only taken 27 years! ;)
Today is my 151st day in NYC. It’s hard to believe, as it feels like I arrived in Astoria just yesterday. I went home a couple weeks ago for the first time to see family and friends, and it seemed surreal. The whole time, it felt like I was watching everything from outside someone else’s body. That’s what is so fascinating about New York. After having been here for just a few months, I already feel like I’m transitioning into a full-fledged New Yorker, my taste buds and expectations changing, not in a bad way, but in a way that is already making me feel like I’m no longer the Clay I was at the beginning of 2021. I’m transforming, which means I probably won’t even recognize myself this time next year.
The weather here has shifted since we last spoke, our mornings significantly cooler, making way for the wardrobe for which I characterize a New York Fall. I always enjoy walking the streets in the morning, to see New Yorkers briskly buzzing from place to place, coffee in hand (mostly Starbuck’s and Dunkin’, but also a few outliers, like Ralph’s Coffee and Gregory’s Coffee), sporting oversized coats (the camel-colored ones are my favorite), Christian Dior bags and Hermes scarves, most likely for a business meeting and/or some other function that would make anyone jealous.
Since the temperatures have dropped, I have found myself traipsing through Central Park more often. A beacon of beauty and refuge, it becomes somewhat more magical in the cooler months, welcoming those of us in need of a little enchantment in our day-to-day lives. It’s so refreshing to walk along its path, if even for a few minutes, to see people lounging on the grass, reading a Tolstoy novel or eating a light lunch before finishing out the day, live music entertainment in the background, provided by New York’s local bagpipe and/or fiddle enthusiast.
The city becomes even more fascinating this time of year. It’s this time that holidays reign supreme, and everyone gets the chance to appreciate themselves and everyone around them. For instance, it’s Spooky Month, and in only a couple of days, the entire city will be dawning costumes, most likely bought at the last-minute from the local Spirit or Abracadabra stores (I was one of these New Yorkers), to parade around the West Village and other areas as fantastical personas. It’s the one day of the year that it’s socially acceptable to be that which we are not. To do it in a place as freeing as New York makes it all the better, because there is literally no limit to what one could do.
I’m looking forward to this upcoming weekend, as it’s packed with an actual Halloween Parade and parties galore. I can’t wait to see what New Yorkers have cooked up. It’s sure to be over-the-top. After all, we have to make up for an entire year of festivities lost, due to Miss Rona. Why not go all the way?
I’ll let everyone know how it goes, and I may even post a few pics. I hope your Halloween is just as spooky as you hope it to be. Until next time, and —
Happy Halloween.
