A New York state of mind...? - Jay Maynard

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Wednesday, 4 August 2004

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0612 - A New York state of mind...?

The last time I was headed to NYC, Billy Joel's New York State of Mind came on the radio as I was pulling into the airport parking lot. I've been thinking about it ever since.

I know a couple of folks who live in NYC. Both bronxelf_ag001 and michaelmink have lived there for years, one (as her nickname implies) in the Bronx and one on the upper East Side. Both love the place. I've never understood it, myself; to me, New York is crowded, noisy, smelly, expensive, and, worst of all to this Texan, impersonal. I can deal with it, but it's not among my favorite places to be.

New York certainly has its attractions. You really can do almost anything and get almost anything at any hour of the day or night. You can find any kind of food, most of it pretty good. Entertainment options abound. Given sufficient time, you can get anywhere reasonably easily in a lot of different ways. In some businesses, you wouldn't want to be anywhere else if you want to accomplish anything.

Still, I think that it ultimately comes down to the old saying, "home is where the heart is". In this case, anyway, my heart isn't in NYC, so it doesn't break through.

As I prepared to hit the road for Houston, it finally struck me. I lived in Houston for the first 41 years of my life. Even though Fairmont is home now, Houston holds a place in my heart that I doubt most other folks would understand. To them, it's congested, polluted, and sprawling, and impossible to deal with without a car; to me, it's home.

I've never understood bronxelf_ag001's love for NYC. I think I know why, now, and I doubt she'd ever understand my love for Houston, much less share it. That's why there are different cities in the first place.

current mood: [mood icon] thoughtful

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Comments:

[User Picture]
From:rillaspins
Date: - 0000

Houston

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I have a cousin in Houston and I hear that same comment from the relatives that have visited him (haven't been down there myself). You forgot to mention the heat, humidity and flooding from storms coming off the gulf. He and his wife love it. Hope you enjoy your visit.

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