This is not my love story about NYC. I wish it was. I am headed to the city tomorrow to roam the offices of Random House, my internship, and try to find a small artist community somewhere.I should have a new york state of mind since i am now so close to the city. But i have spent the last days in the arms of Connecticut. I f*cking love that state. I have a lot to post about, but my legs hurt (from all the walking) my head hurts (from lack of sleep) and my eyes hurt (from all the wide eye staring).
I had (have) a dream of living in New Haven and commuting to the city. I concocted this idea after learning that their is a direct line from the city to Connecticut. Though i am a New Yorker at heart, the constant noise, dirt, smell of funk, and concrete buildings...is not appealing. Not for writing any way. I'm a person who needs to be clutter free when writing. That also includes my exterior scenery. There is something about looking out my window, seeing a high rise, hearing a taxi cab and other miscellaneous noise...does not get me in the mood to write.
I don't know much about Connecticut but from online pictures, i envisioned it as a writing haven for me. Lots of greenery. Minimal noise. Near the water and boats. And down right pretty. Though i often exaggerate and create ideals that never pan out the way i want to....Connecticut was just as i dreamed.
My mom and i left for New Haven early in the morning. We had to take the bus to Stamford ($2.50) to catch the train to New Haven ($12.50 round trip/each) and then a cab to Yale University ($7.25). A pricey trip but worth it. Before we even got on the train i got a call from some apartment lady in New Haven. I don't have the money (or job) for an apartment but i wanted to at least get the ball rolling. She asked me what i was looking for, in what price range and about my job (my imaginary job in midtown. I had to make up something). During the conversation i mentioned that i would be commuting from the city to New Haven. There was a long pause on the other end, followed by a "You'll hate the commute". Of course i had to get stuck with the young, bitter Realtor.
She went on, for at least 5 minutes, about the evil commute. She had a dream job in NYC, she said, and figured she could commute from New Haven to the city. She said she quit her dream job because the commute was so unbearable. 2 hours back and forth. Rain.Sleet. Or Snow. "Traveling back and forth all day, early in the morning then late in the evening plus the cost of travel. You'll be spending 700 on rent, plus several hundred on commuting. That right there would be the cost of an apartment in NYC. But I'll be happy to show you some listings." She added at the end.
I was a little discouraged by this conversation. I know the commute is shit. But hearing that the commute is shit is different. We still went to New Haven, because i just wanted to get a sense of the town. As soon as we stepped off the train, i was in love. It's beautiful. There are bookstores on every corner, free museums, a crap load of 20 somethings running around and talking about literature and art. There is a level of pretentiousness (because um...Yale is the middle of downtown) that makes you want to pinch New Haven on the cheek and say "aren't you cute".
If we could have spent all day there, we would have. It was a little crowded due to several exhibitions, but i managed to see a few hiding spots for me in the near future. One being a book trade/coffee shop. It's the store of my dreams. Used books at a cheap price plus coffee plus cute coffee shop boys with tattoos. I almost cried.
It is a clean, friendly city where the girl dress nice and the boys are pretty. I said it..pretty. The whole time we were walking around i kept saying to my mom "i could be one of these girls. Book in hand, cute outfit, and lean legs from all the walking." The whole day was a dream.
As we left, the commute thing stayed with me. It is shit. We were lucky to commute on a nice cool day, with a few passengers and no time schedule. But add a job, a 9-5 work day (or even more if i get this internship), no car, and more than 20 bucks on travel just from New Haven to NYC sounds....ugly.
But New Haven is perfect for me and i don't want a long distance relationship with it. What will i do? i'm glad at this age, this is the only thing i have to worry about =).
1 comment:
i always thought that Italy would be an ideal place to write. If I was going to write a novel, I'd like to move to Venice and get a little apartment. but new haven sounds nice, too, although I've almost had my fill of pretentiousness here. i think english grad programs are chockfull of pretentors.
what's this internship? tell!
also: commuting is one of my nightmares to be avoided. i had a 45-60 minute commute each way when i lived in DC the first year, and it made me miserable. i was always hot and sweaty by the time i got to work, and starving and exhausted by the time i got home. i also discovered i can't read on subway trains :(
but - i think you could do it, if the job was good enough. and if you can read on the train.
keep me posted about your new york adventures, please!
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