new york diary part three
Although I've been back in the UK since around 9:30 this morning there's still a lot of my New York trip to cover.
In fact I'm still only partway through the second day.
A couple of everyday images to break up the text this time. Scans of my travel documents and some of the currency I came back with.
As previously edits and omissions in square brackets.
The other parts
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-one.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-two.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-four.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-five.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-six.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-seven.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-eight.html
11/10/10 Evening
Weirdly although I have a non-alcoholic drink I feel massively happier and more relaxed than when I came in.
Perhaps get some photos tomorrow of the kind of things I've noticed. The curb edges and where they run down to the road for crossings. The scaffolding. The metal plates on the roads. The street standpipes. The signs for Siamese standpipes. The crosswalks. The Deli Groceries that often don't have much in them.
Shit. Less than two days and I'm starting to feel at home. I have to do this more. A damn shame I never did it before.
[Omitted]
Check out MoMA and some other exhibitions tomorrow. Look for smaller spaces and try to talk to people.
I thought five days might be a long time but even when I was preparing dinner it seemed like a stupidly short time.
[Omitted]
Going back to the list of firsts - and the things it leaves out - my growing confidence, happiness, love of people and independence - I can't think of a time when I've changed as much in so little time.
Iggy's The Passenger comes on.
I don't have any fear or guilt. Once upon a time it would have worried me to have so much success and happiness. Even more it would have worried me to realise I can't be responsible for [anyone else's] happiness. I can't put myself out for them. They have to figure their own way through.
[Omitted] for the first time since I was 19 or 20 I feel like I can do anything.
Another first was getting shortlisted for the Manchester Blog Awards last year. I was kind of ambivalent since I don't like awards like this on principal. But still pissed when I didn't get shortlisted this time.
All of that and my cold that looked like it might be getting really bad this morning actually seems to be going. My voice should be back for Thursday.
The larger architecture of groups of voices taking turns around a space or all sounding together. Rising and falling in volume. Leaving silences. But on the whole it's quieter here than in a comparable British bar. Something else to consider for the performance.
Another first. It'll be my first unplugged and unscripted performance.
Something I don't think really occurred to me until now. Just doing things is a whole lot easier that I thought. Nothing actually seems to take all that much effort. Certainly a lot less than I imagined when I used to worry about stuff.
The cleanness [of the city] generally means it'll be less easy to get half bricks, bits of metal and bones off the street to make sounds with than it would be in the UK.
Not thinking I'm responsible for people has positive effects. It means I expect less from them so I tend to be pleasantly surprised more. And it means I don't really care about what I think they might be thinking.
[I recently started to feel I'm] more willing to disagree and argue with people without it being a big issue I'm afraid might kill [any] friendship.
I'm not quite sure where I want to be but it's a work in progress.
Tomorrow mail Andrew [Taylor] the latest part of TH /GOOD OLD W~AY, check emails and blog the first day's stuff, and then get to the exhibitions. Pick up a Tribeca programme if you can.
The Jam, A Town Called Malice.
Must start harassing people for workshops and performances when I get back. Apply for more residencies.
I'm trying to remember some of the nice moments there have been so far. The Asian children ineffectually chasing the balls on the riverside pedestrian way near West St. Not so much a nice moment as significant, coming across Ground Zero and realising how small an area it is. Giving up my seat to the Chinese mother with young daughter and baby on the subway and hearing her singing to and kissing the baby. Finding everything on Fulton St. The nice bus driver and the woman here at the bar. The thunderstorm, rain and hail. The sun through the last two days. Facing down a fear twice even though it didn't get easier. Sitting and reading the paper. Sitting by the river in the sun. Steam rising from grates in the road. Riding across the Manhattan Bridge in the subway train and able to look down. Riding the MTA bus yesterday without knowing if it went anywhere near where I was staying and finding it went within two minutes walk. The helpful guy in Barnes & Noble. Getting the street map as helpful as the travel pass. Figuring out the shower this morning. The hopping of sparrows. Song of what might be starlings overhead in many places. Finding three [different] small size packs (450 ml bottle, 414 ml carton and a smaller carton) of fruit juices I've never seen in the UK. Being asked for directions. There's more. I'll remember sometime.
12/10/10 Morning
A good night's sleep last night. Around 1 am to 7:45 am. Woken by someone showering. Up and out with a large cappuccino (lot of sugar, not great) and the poem mailed before 9:30.
Managed to be next in shower and didn't take too long. Internet cafe seemed to be closed so I'll have to look elsewhere.
Last night even though it was warm when I headed home from the bar and around two hours since the hailstorm there were still [small] drifts of ice in some places.
Pavements and yards everywhere are covered in shredded leaves. More cloud and a little cooler today but still a nice day. On leave in Manchester I'd take a cycle ride on a day like today.
Going to have a lot of New York diary to blog when I get back.
12/10/10 Afternoon
Around 13:35 the first cat I've seen in New York.
Found the gallery earlier on no trouble. Didn't go to MoMA although it was easy to find - think I'd have to pay in[*].
See if I can find internet cafe I passed earlier around 41 & 9. Then take a ride to Central Park.
Although I'm getting places faster there's an awful lot of sitting around on subway cars. Still can't get to grips with the age of things and how narrow a lot of Manhattan streets are.
Sounds for performance - shk-shk of someone sweeping, high pitched rattling clatter if I can find metal pieces on ground to shake, low growling hiss, full throated roar, soft nonsensical singing, kissing sounds, circular scraping. Plus maybe one or two things from signs - Air Conditioned Car Please close windows, SIAMESE CONNECTION FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT and more.
Central Park. Not really a lot of space. There's a real lack of park space and urban trees or other planting here compared to the UK.
Occurs to me that maybe relatively [more numerous and wider roads] combined with risk of rabies might account for lack of cats here. I could just be wrong though.
Generally less to write about today. Sky clearing out a little. Two kids left the path to follow after a squirrel. Then set up by a tree. One went chasing after another squirrel while the second climbed a tree.
At the end of today I'm going to be about halfway through my trip. That's weird. But there's a lot of cool stuff to come. Getting to see the exhibition and meet the people who run the gallery. Performing. The flight back to the UK - although it could be anywhere†. Have an idea it might be cool to go to Iceland[**].
12/10/10 6:25 Early evening
High high grey blue ruffled clouds catch orange of setting sun like silk.
If what I had of Sunday and the whole of Monday were open air peripatetic days then today has felt more enclosed. Notwithstanding at least an hour around Central Park and a couple of additional hours walking.
I think it come from having too definite plans. Rather like I do now. Or perhaps not so much plans as intentions not really plotted out.
I have started to get a better grip on the geography of the city and how long it takes to travel between places.
There have been a few interesting moments today.
The two that stand out are seeing the high clouds highlighted in orange like fabric as described earlier. Then there was the earlier banging sound from a bin in Central Park. I thought it was a squirrel trapped in there at first. But when I checked there was a raccoon with a coffee cup in its mouth.
I was nice to find an internet cafe even though I didn't in. It was also nice to find the AC Institute. Saw both cycle-rickshaws and horse-drawn carriages. Also saw 42nd & Broadway, Penn Station and other places I've read about.
Brought a copy of The New York Times. The standard of journalism is as high as they say and with a distinct liberal flavour but it's a little restrained [by which I mean square] for me. The arts coverage is more or less what I'd expect from a broadsheet [i.e. unadventurous]. But the science coverage is a lot better.
Spent a lot of time reading today. Mainly Junichiro Tanizaki's Some Prefer Nettles and The New York Times. But also a considerable amount of time listening to the sounds of the city and the people.
I think - I may be wrong - but I think the tyres of American vehicles make less noise on the road. Maybe something in the composition of the tyres or the way they're inflated or the road surface. Or perhaps just and artefact of seeing a sign early on advertising inflation with nitrogen and that seeding the idea of a difference.
[* I would have had to pay in. And at $20 they can fuck right off. I was on a budget.]
† It's the flight more than the destination I'm looking for[ward to].
[** Not at all influenced by the posters for breaks in Iceland all over the New York Subway. Nope. Not one bit. Okay, totally influenced by them.]
In fact I'm still only partway through the second day.
A couple of everyday images to break up the text this time. Scans of my travel documents and some of the currency I came back with.
As previously edits and omissions in square brackets.
The other parts
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-one.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-two.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-four.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-five.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-six.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-seven.html
http://santiagosdeadwasp.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-diary-part-eight.html
11/10/10 Evening
Weirdly although I have a non-alcoholic drink I feel massively happier and more relaxed than when I came in.
Perhaps get some photos tomorrow of the kind of things I've noticed. The curb edges and where they run down to the road for crossings. The scaffolding. The metal plates on the roads. The street standpipes. The signs for Siamese standpipes. The crosswalks. The Deli Groceries that often don't have much in them.
Shit. Less than two days and I'm starting to feel at home. I have to do this more. A damn shame I never did it before.
[Omitted]
Check out MoMA and some other exhibitions tomorrow. Look for smaller spaces and try to talk to people.
I thought five days might be a long time but even when I was preparing dinner it seemed like a stupidly short time.
[Omitted]
Going back to the list of firsts - and the things it leaves out - my growing confidence, happiness, love of people and independence - I can't think of a time when I've changed as much in so little time.
Iggy's The Passenger comes on.
I don't have any fear or guilt. Once upon a time it would have worried me to have so much success and happiness. Even more it would have worried me to realise I can't be responsible for [anyone else's] happiness. I can't put myself out for them. They have to figure their own way through.
[Omitted] for the first time since I was 19 or 20 I feel like I can do anything.
Another first was getting shortlisted for the Manchester Blog Awards last year. I was kind of ambivalent since I don't like awards like this on principal. But still pissed when I didn't get shortlisted this time.
All of that and my cold that looked like it might be getting really bad this morning actually seems to be going. My voice should be back for Thursday.
The larger architecture of groups of voices taking turns around a space or all sounding together. Rising and falling in volume. Leaving silences. But on the whole it's quieter here than in a comparable British bar. Something else to consider for the performance.
Another first. It'll be my first unplugged and unscripted performance.
Something I don't think really occurred to me until now. Just doing things is a whole lot easier that I thought. Nothing actually seems to take all that much effort. Certainly a lot less than I imagined when I used to worry about stuff.
The cleanness [of the city] generally means it'll be less easy to get half bricks, bits of metal and bones off the street to make sounds with than it would be in the UK.
Not thinking I'm responsible for people has positive effects. It means I expect less from them so I tend to be pleasantly surprised more. And it means I don't really care about what I think they might be thinking.
[I recently started to feel I'm] more willing to disagree and argue with people without it being a big issue I'm afraid might kill [any] friendship.
I'm not quite sure where I want to be but it's a work in progress.
Tomorrow mail Andrew [Taylor] the latest part of TH /GOOD OLD W~AY, check emails and blog the first day's stuff, and then get to the exhibitions. Pick up a Tribeca programme if you can.
The Jam, A Town Called Malice.
Must start harassing people for workshops and performances when I get back. Apply for more residencies.
I'm trying to remember some of the nice moments there have been so far. The Asian children ineffectually chasing the balls on the riverside pedestrian way near West St. Not so much a nice moment as significant, coming across Ground Zero and realising how small an area it is. Giving up my seat to the Chinese mother with young daughter and baby on the subway and hearing her singing to and kissing the baby. Finding everything on Fulton St. The nice bus driver and the woman here at the bar. The thunderstorm, rain and hail. The sun through the last two days. Facing down a fear twice even though it didn't get easier. Sitting and reading the paper. Sitting by the river in the sun. Steam rising from grates in the road. Riding across the Manhattan Bridge in the subway train and able to look down. Riding the MTA bus yesterday without knowing if it went anywhere near where I was staying and finding it went within two minutes walk. The helpful guy in Barnes & Noble. Getting the street map as helpful as the travel pass. Figuring out the shower this morning. The hopping of sparrows. Song of what might be starlings overhead in many places. Finding three [different] small size packs (450 ml bottle, 414 ml carton and a smaller carton) of fruit juices I've never seen in the UK. Being asked for directions. There's more. I'll remember sometime.
12/10/10 Morning
A good night's sleep last night. Around 1 am to 7:45 am. Woken by someone showering. Up and out with a large cappuccino (lot of sugar, not great) and the poem mailed before 9:30.
Managed to be next in shower and didn't take too long. Internet cafe seemed to be closed so I'll have to look elsewhere.
Last night even though it was warm when I headed home from the bar and around two hours since the hailstorm there were still [small] drifts of ice in some places.
Pavements and yards everywhere are covered in shredded leaves. More cloud and a little cooler today but still a nice day. On leave in Manchester I'd take a cycle ride on a day like today.
Going to have a lot of New York diary to blog when I get back.
12/10/10 Afternoon
Around 13:35 the first cat I've seen in New York.
Found the gallery earlier on no trouble. Didn't go to MoMA although it was easy to find - think I'd have to pay in[*].
See if I can find internet cafe I passed earlier around 41 & 9. Then take a ride to Central Park.
Although I'm getting places faster there's an awful lot of sitting around on subway cars. Still can't get to grips with the age of things and how narrow a lot of Manhattan streets are.
Sounds for performance - shk-shk of someone sweeping, high pitched rattling clatter if I can find metal pieces on ground to shake, low growling hiss, full throated roar, soft nonsensical singing, kissing sounds, circular scraping. Plus maybe one or two things from signs - Air Conditioned Car Please close windows, SIAMESE CONNECTION FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT and more.
Central Park. Not really a lot of space. There's a real lack of park space and urban trees or other planting here compared to the UK.
Occurs to me that maybe relatively [more numerous and wider roads] combined with risk of rabies might account for lack of cats here. I could just be wrong though.
Generally less to write about today. Sky clearing out a little. Two kids left the path to follow after a squirrel. Then set up by a tree. One went chasing after another squirrel while the second climbed a tree.
At the end of today I'm going to be about halfway through my trip. That's weird. But there's a lot of cool stuff to come. Getting to see the exhibition and meet the people who run the gallery. Performing. The flight back to the UK - although it could be anywhere†. Have an idea it might be cool to go to Iceland[**].
12/10/10 6:25 Early evening
High high grey blue ruffled clouds catch orange of setting sun like silk.
If what I had of Sunday and the whole of Monday were open air peripatetic days then today has felt more enclosed. Notwithstanding at least an hour around Central Park and a couple of additional hours walking.
I think it come from having too definite plans. Rather like I do now. Or perhaps not so much plans as intentions not really plotted out.
I have started to get a better grip on the geography of the city and how long it takes to travel between places.
There have been a few interesting moments today.
The two that stand out are seeing the high clouds highlighted in orange like fabric as described earlier. Then there was the earlier banging sound from a bin in Central Park. I thought it was a squirrel trapped in there at first. But when I checked there was a raccoon with a coffee cup in its mouth.
I was nice to find an internet cafe even though I didn't in. It was also nice to find the AC Institute. Saw both cycle-rickshaws and horse-drawn carriages. Also saw 42nd & Broadway, Penn Station and other places I've read about.
Brought a copy of The New York Times. The standard of journalism is as high as they say and with a distinct liberal flavour but it's a little restrained [by which I mean square] for me. The arts coverage is more or less what I'd expect from a broadsheet [i.e. unadventurous]. But the science coverage is a lot better.
Spent a lot of time reading today. Mainly Junichiro Tanizaki's Some Prefer Nettles and The New York Times. But also a considerable amount of time listening to the sounds of the city and the people.
I think - I may be wrong - but I think the tyres of American vehicles make less noise on the road. Maybe something in the composition of the tyres or the way they're inflated or the road surface. Or perhaps just and artefact of seeing a sign early on advertising inflation with nitrogen and that seeding the idea of a difference.
[* I would have had to pay in. And at $20 they can fuck right off. I was on a budget.]
† It's the flight more than the destination I'm looking for[ward to].
[** Not at all influenced by the posters for breaks in Iceland all over the New York Subway. Nope. Not one bit. Okay, totally influenced by them.]
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