Lonely City
In a city of 8 million people, you would think it would be hard to feel lonely. With so many people all around me everyday, it dawns on me that most of them are strangers. About 7,999,950, I would say, maybe a little less. The chances of me running into someone I know is slim to none, because people in this city have things to do and places to go. That is why making plans is so essential in this town.
New Yorkers are definitely on a different schedule than any other people in this world. And they are very difficult to get a hold of. I have left so many messages in the past weeks with no responses. That makes me feel lonely. What else can I do but leave messages? If these people were to answer, I would talk to them, but they don't, so I'm forced to leave my information with their digital secretaries.
Being in New York is an excuse not to get back to people, too. I've used it. "Sorry, I never got back to you last year, I live in New York now." It's understandable. I still haven't gotten back to people who called me months ago. But if you are getting called by people who are also in New York, you should have some sort of obligation to get back to them. After all, this person is going through at least some of the same things as you, and this person is trying to reach out to you, which is something you should not take for granted in this city, in which it is so easy to drown amongst the people, if you don't have strong hind legs.
Being lonely is different than being a loner, however, which New York also makes it very easy to do. It's very easy to enjoy being by yourself, walking around, very independently, iPod abuzz, with a real sense of purpose. That is, after all, why a lot of people came here, to make it on his or her own. I find myself often going to movies by myself, which, before I moved here, was unheard of in my mind. I never went to a movie by myself before I moved here. Now, half the movies I go to are by myself. It is a very humbling experience.
On the other hand, though, going to see movies in New York is often a great hassle to coordinate. If you want to see a movie with a group of people, you had better plan ahead on spending a lot of time, because when you go with people, you have to compete with other people for seats, and if you are going to do that, you better plan on getting there really early, and possibly even waiting in line. Unless you want to wait a few weeks, but then you're just out of the pop culture loop.
Seeing a movie by yourself can be an enjoyable experience; ultimately when you see a movie with people you aren't actually watching it with them, anyway. It's dark and, if you are intent on getting your eleven dollars worth, your eyes are focused on the screen in front of you, you're not interacting with the people you came with anyway. That's another reason seeing movies with people is difficult to coordinate in New York; movies cost eleven dollars here. If you want to see a movie that somebody else has already seen, what are the chances that they are going to go and see it again? Not likely. I would rather wait three months for it to come out on DVD. Then you're in the rental pop culture loop, which is a different loop altogether.
Going to a movie by yourself does emphasize your own loneliness, though, which was my original point. Because most people still go to see movies with their friends and family, sitting by oneself in a crowded theater loses its edge. Especially afterwards, when you have nothing to look forward to except your walk home with your iPod. iPods may actually replace dogs as man's best friend. Don't credit me now, but you'll read about it later, I'm sure. You don't have to feed iPods, though you do have to recharge them, which is kind of like feeding them. But look, they made it ok not to capitalize the first letter of a proper noun or even a sentence. Just look!
As nice as they are to have, iPods are merely material possessions and compare not to the interactions of other human beings, or even canines. I can totally understand why hermits go crazy and do rash things. Human interaction is a natural need, I feel. When I haven't interacted with other human beings for hours at a time, or days, I get really irritable. This is especially emphasized by the number of beautiful women I see walking around New York daily. I lose count of how many I've seen in the day and they really just make me feel frustrated and angry. Inexcusably angry. And I can feel myself go on the verge of paranoia and insanity.
Thankfully, though, that only happens every once in a while, and actually, this last time, seeing a movie by myself and listening to my iPod really lifted my spirits. It gave me an inspiration to write this! So maybe ignoring the deranged lunatic in your life is not so bad, after all, just remember to love him or her every once in a while, to get them back on track.
New Yorkers are definitely on a different schedule than any other people in this world. And they are very difficult to get a hold of. I have left so many messages in the past weeks with no responses. That makes me feel lonely. What else can I do but leave messages? If these people were to answer, I would talk to them, but they don't, so I'm forced to leave my information with their digital secretaries.
Being in New York is an excuse not to get back to people, too. I've used it. "Sorry, I never got back to you last year, I live in New York now." It's understandable. I still haven't gotten back to people who called me months ago. But if you are getting called by people who are also in New York, you should have some sort of obligation to get back to them. After all, this person is going through at least some of the same things as you, and this person is trying to reach out to you, which is something you should not take for granted in this city, in which it is so easy to drown amongst the people, if you don't have strong hind legs.
Being lonely is different than being a loner, however, which New York also makes it very easy to do. It's very easy to enjoy being by yourself, walking around, very independently, iPod abuzz, with a real sense of purpose. That is, after all, why a lot of people came here, to make it on his or her own. I find myself often going to movies by myself, which, before I moved here, was unheard of in my mind. I never went to a movie by myself before I moved here. Now, half the movies I go to are by myself. It is a very humbling experience.
On the other hand, though, going to see movies in New York is often a great hassle to coordinate. If you want to see a movie with a group of people, you had better plan ahead on spending a lot of time, because when you go with people, you have to compete with other people for seats, and if you are going to do that, you better plan on getting there really early, and possibly even waiting in line. Unless you want to wait a few weeks, but then you're just out of the pop culture loop.
Seeing a movie by yourself can be an enjoyable experience; ultimately when you see a movie with people you aren't actually watching it with them, anyway. It's dark and, if you are intent on getting your eleven dollars worth, your eyes are focused on the screen in front of you, you're not interacting with the people you came with anyway. That's another reason seeing movies with people is difficult to coordinate in New York; movies cost eleven dollars here. If you want to see a movie that somebody else has already seen, what are the chances that they are going to go and see it again? Not likely. I would rather wait three months for it to come out on DVD. Then you're in the rental pop culture loop, which is a different loop altogether.
Going to a movie by yourself does emphasize your own loneliness, though, which was my original point. Because most people still go to see movies with their friends and family, sitting by oneself in a crowded theater loses its edge. Especially afterwards, when you have nothing to look forward to except your walk home with your iPod. iPods may actually replace dogs as man's best friend. Don't credit me now, but you'll read about it later, I'm sure. You don't have to feed iPods, though you do have to recharge them, which is kind of like feeding them. But look, they made it ok not to capitalize the first letter of a proper noun or even a sentence. Just look!
As nice as they are to have, iPods are merely material possessions and compare not to the interactions of other human beings, or even canines. I can totally understand why hermits go crazy and do rash things. Human interaction is a natural need, I feel. When I haven't interacted with other human beings for hours at a time, or days, I get really irritable. This is especially emphasized by the number of beautiful women I see walking around New York daily. I lose count of how many I've seen in the day and they really just make me feel frustrated and angry. Inexcusably angry. And I can feel myself go on the verge of paranoia and insanity.
Thankfully, though, that only happens every once in a while, and actually, this last time, seeing a movie by myself and listening to my iPod really lifted my spirits. It gave me an inspiration to write this! So maybe ignoring the deranged lunatic in your life is not so bad, after all, just remember to love him or her every once in a while, to get them back on track.
posted by Leland J. Fischer at 10:04 PM
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