New York, New York
06 Aug 2021A word to the wise wise - don’t start your New York lease on July 1st. And if you do, just don’t move in on the first weekend of the month like everyone else.
As I learned the hard way, July 1st leases just cost more than any other lease. I’m not going to disclose exactly how much I’m paying for rent, but I will say that my dad described it as “similar in size to a mortgage”.
All in all though, I can’t complain. We found a dream apartment with an enormous patio, two whole bathrooms and a washer/dryer in unit! We’re living in luxury over here.
Tempus gave a generous relocation subsidy that covered movers, a U-haul, and most of my rent for the month. So, on the second weekend of July, Bugg and I drove up with all of our possessions and moved in.
A U-haul full of our stuff. 80% Bugg’s stuff, however 75% of the bikes were mine.
The Move
In a past life I must have been a tuk-tuk driver in Bangkok, or so I was told by Bugg’s dad who sat shotgun. Knuckles white, I relentlessly cut people off, love-tapped the wall in the Holland tunnel, and turned on red with reckless abandon. Secretly, I loved the rush and chaos of driving a large truck in the crowded New York streets.
We spent a week in the city before making our way back down to DC. When I returned to the District, my old roommate Lucy and I did some catching up - we both thought I had already been gone several weeks, but it had only been 6 days.
DC was pleasant. I got in one last ride with Grayson, finally sold my car, and said a few more goodbyes. Bugg and I drove up early the next Sunday.
Driving back up from DC.
My initial thoughts on New York
Everything you hear about the concrete jungle is mostly true. The smell of garbage is overpowering, everyone around you is rushing like their life depends on it, and it only takes a few weeks before your jaywalking becomes borderline dangerous. Finally, expect to run into every single person you know that lives in New York, as well as a few friends you thought still lived elsewhere. As Bugg says, “this is just further evidence that we live in a simulation”.
Some stereotypes have proven to be false. The people are busy, but they aren’t unkind. My interpretation is that everyone has low grade anxiety from lack of nature, and is generally in a bad mood from standing in lines at all hours of the day (seriously! Trader Joe’s had a line at 1:30pm on a Thursday). But, more often than getting screamed at, I encounter instances of a strangers humanity shining through the grime. An amiable cashier at Trader Joe’s passionately describes his favorite taco stand, a small shop in Brooklyn that’s run out of an Air Stream trailer. An elderly italian man cheers me on every Tuesday during my track workouts on the East River, giving fist bumps and praise. The bike shop owner who hands Bugg and I delicious homemade breakfast burritos for free while we’re bonking on our way back from the 9W ride.
My resolution is to not become one of NYCs jaded residents, but rather another excellent stranger. On the free burrito ride, Bugg and I struck up a conversation with another cyclist named Ilya. Calm and good natured, Ilya has lived in the 5 boroughs for 31 years. He talked about his hobbies and passions - PingPod, a NYC ping-pong startup where he’s the CTO, and bringing friends along on his bike rides.
The first thing Ilya said to us was “You probably shouldn’t run that red light in the future, that bus nearly took you out”, which was true. But the more memorable thing he said was on the subject of not needing a bell on his bike. “I personally don’t use a bell when I ride”, Ilya said. “My bell is my voice and a friendly smile, that usually seems to do the trick”.
View from the West Side Highway bike path.
New York is an interesting place. So far the highs have been high, and the lows low. With an overwhelming amount to do, it’s easy to get lost (geographically, spiritually, existentially). To survive, I’m finding that you must be purposeful. In a way, that’s one of my favorite parts about the city. It forces you to uncover what exactly it is you want from your job, your friends, your life. You can float endlessly, unintentionally, but somewhere along the line you’re going to need to figure out which of the infinite activities you actually want to devote time to.
Bugg and I with the Financial District Skyline in the back (also known as FiDi)
Long time friend Sophia, helping make me look taller than I actually am. Sophia has been my NYC guide, my rock, my closest friend this past month.
Excellent sandwich, excellent company. At my favorite local restaurant, Sao Mai, with Maria.
I almost cried while eating this. This sandwich marked the turn-around point of New York - I finally got a hold on my asthma, and remembered that I exercise too much to forget to eat (I will continue forgetting this in subsequent months)