Every day it’s good to learn something new. Well, newyorkitude isn’t something I learned about today, but I did see my fair share of it. (sidenote: I did learn the phrase ‘ears are hustlin’ today. i guess it’s the same as eavesdropping.)
Exhibit A:
on the train this morning we were solicited by a beggar. he claimed to be homeless and in need of ANYTHING we had to give. ‘we all need to help each other’ he said.
Well, one woman decided she just couldn’t handle this.
“Why don’t you give me money? I’m homeless! I’ve been without power and water! Give ME money!”
“He’s just going to spend it on drugs.”
To which the poor man defended himself saying, “I don’t do drugs.”
“Well you LOOK like it! God bless you.”
Her rant lasted the whole time that it took the beggar to walk the length of the car.
And the man next to me laughed (almost out loud) as she called after our homeless beggar.
Exhibit B:
On my train home the conductor announces:
“LISTEN UP ladies and gentlemen. The long island railroad is NOT running right now because of the snow. There is NO long island railroad. I would suggest you…..”
To put this in perspective. Usually the conductor says, “Thenextstopiscalnsdlfiahfhlastreet. Stand clear of the closing doors.” And somehow we are supposed to figure out what they are saying.
And in other news:
New York is still recovering from Sandy. I have friends living not in their homes as their homes are still without power and were flooded. The trains, while running, are not running according to schedule, making everyone’s commute twice as long (partially because not all the stations are open so we (I) have to make different transfers than normal and partially because the trains are not running as frequently as before, creating longer waits and fuller cars).
And in breaking news:
It is snowing. Lots and lots. On my walk home I was on the phone, sloshing through snow and rain that threatened to spill into my socks when I glanced up and realized my path was obstructed by a branch. Odd. And a little farther down the block, a whole tree had fallen onto the road. Not what I was expecting when I left home this morning. Here are some pictures.
My first steps out into the snow, near campus.
I love that my platform is outside. That way I can see and feel the winter alllllll winter long. 
And here’s the tree that surprised me. 
I can tell we’ve had a lot of snow because how high it piles. (obviously)
Can you see that? It’s the snow on our fire escape. 
Well. This much snow on November 7th? I wonder if the mayans thought we’d die in an avalanche on Ridgewood Avenue? Looks like the end of the world to me.