So, Mom and Dad picked me up at the airport on Wednesday night. Mom says, "Are you hungry?" No. I just got off of a plane. My stomach probably won't like food until tomorrow. BUT I did want some iced tea. So, we went and got tea.
Can I just say that there is one thing that I don't think I could really live without: the opportunity to have iced tea. Maybe I would if I had to (you know, like living in Africa). You don't think about it until it tastes like pooh (like in NY), but it seems to be an essential part of summer life for me (and I'm sure for all of you, too). It's like Diet Dr. Pepper. I like it. Alot. And I always drink it in the summer. It was one thing I craved in NY that I didn't get. So, that's how I celebrated coming home.
For some of you who know my entire story (i.e. the reason that I went), I would like to say that I am moving to NY, I just don't know when. The only thing the Lord told me when in NY was that He needed to put something in place before I could come. I still get to pray that one out! So, we will see how He moves.....
Thanks for the prayers you all sent my way while I was in NYC. It was fun, and I learned a lot. So, thanks. Until the next time the Lord moves.......
Micale
Friday, August 5, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
The Antichrist is not here....I think.
I chickened out on walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. Although it really isn't chickening out when your feet have blisters on them. At least, that's what I say. Too bad because I hear that the best pizza is just over the bridge. So, my blisters forced me to seek out NY pizza elsewhere.
I started out my day as usual, and I began to walk (in flip flops) up 5th Ave. I am soooooo glad I did because I found my favorite NY store. That's right! And do you know what they sell? If you know me, you KNOW the answer to that question right off of the top of your head. HATS! That's not all they sell; I found some awesome stuff to take home there. Prices were better than my favorite store at the mall: The Icing. What?! Cheaper in NY?! I KNOW! They had the rolling carry-ons that I saw a lady with when I first got here. It's the only store that I saw them in. I'll take a picture of it later, but it is super cute. The store is called PrimaDonna's. If you are ever walking up (or down) 5th Ave, you have to stop in. They have TONS of shoes, jewelry, and all sorts of accessories. And yes, my personal NY souvenir is a hat (and it DOES NOT say I heart NY - I still am having a hard time understanding why people buy those shirts and wear them around the city! Quit telling people that you're a tourist.) I did not buy the carry-on during my first trip. I thought: "I do not want to carry that all over the city, so I will come back." And I did later.
I wandered up 5th Ave. until I got tired of it. And that didn't take long since I have already seen it. So, I decided to find the elusive Chrysler Building. When you see it at a distance, for some reason, it doesn't photograph well. I have seen the top of it everyday, but could not get a decent picture. So, I decided to go hunt it down. After all, I found the Empire State Building, so I can go look at the Chrysler Building, too. (But before I leave 5th Ave. all together, I have to tell you that I saw a guy playing his banjo while walking down the street! Hahaha! That's nothing. Yesterday, I saw a guy walking his dog and playing the ukulele! I laughed on the inside so hard at that! Who would think to combine those two? Evidently he did.)
So, I head down Lexington, and all of a sudden, I hear a part of what had to be a good conversation. All I heard was this guy saying, "and all these things happen. And you know what it points to? There's only one Creator." That's all I heard. I think they turned into a building, and I didn't get to hear the rest of it. The one conversation that was worth listening to, and I didn't get to eavesdrop! But, next thing I know, I see the Chrysler Building, so I take a few pics and head for a Starbucks. I wanted something COLD to drink! As I sat there, I remembered that I was going to see the United Nations Building. Actually, I didn't really care if I saw it. I just wanted to know if the Antichrist was there. Not that I really expected God to tell me, but you never know. You would think that if he were standing right in front of you, you'd know. Anyway, I looked up where it was on my phone, and I saw that I was only three blocks away. So, I decided to head over.
I think most of the visitors were foreign. It wasn't that impressive. I didn't care that much for it, but I took pictures anyway. The walk ways were all named after important world figures. And they have the prettiest parks there. I did not take pictures of them because there were so many people in them! They were crowded! So, I walked on towards a little walkway that I had spied earlier. It looked prettyish from across the road, but when I got there, it was not that great. As I came to it, I found an inscription on a wall with a staircase going back up to another part of a building. It read (and I took a picture), "They shall beat their swords into plowshares. And their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. Isaiah" Isaiah who? That's my question. Where you get that little quote from? Huh?
So, I walked on, and I decided that I was done for the day. I went back to PrimaDonna's and got my little carry-on. I headed back to the hotel to drop everything off. The handles started ripping on the bag, and holding it started making my hand sweat! Yuck! I stopped off in Madison Square Park and sat for a while. I saw a grey tailed squirrel. I've never seen one of those before. I tried taking a picture, but he kept moving. How rude! I finally got up and got back to the hotel. I started moving everything into my new carry-on. It's good to know that everything will fit. Oh, and I took great pictures of the street grime on my feet today. If you look closely, you can see the blisters and the rubbed parts of my feet! Um, if you come to NYC, you need to make sure that you have just-broken-in shoes, and not almost-done shoes. I really didn't think that my shoes were that bad. Anyway, I washed my feet and headed out to find dinner.
Because my friend, Karen told me to (haha), I decided that I would have pizza tonight. And I found a little place just to the south of Union Square that was pretty good. The pizza sauce here (assuming that it's all the same), is a little bit more tomatoey than our normal pizza places back in OK. But it actually tasted good. Karen's right. If you're going to eat pizza, eat it in NYC. Afterwards, I got a small bowl of hazelnut gelato, and headed back to Union Square. There were no seats available in the park! Everyone was there! So, I ate it in the park standing up! After that, I walked up to Barnes and Noble. It's huge - four floors. I went around all four, but while they carry a bit more, the store was just as boring as the one back home.
Again, I walked around a bit, but after a while, flip flops just don't feel good. I wanted nothing more than to sit down, put my feet up and be AC'd for a while! So, here it is 8:22pm EST, and I really want to go to bed! That is sad. Tomorrow I leave to go back home, and I am looking forward to getting back into the pool (even if it is over 100 degrees). I will have one more blog post tomorrow or Thursday to tell you about my departure. If it's anything like the arrival, that will be a story to tell. Well, I'm logging off for tonight. I am praying for smooth, and quick flights tomorrow! Praise God.
I started out my day as usual, and I began to walk (in flip flops) up 5th Ave. I am soooooo glad I did because I found my favorite NY store. That's right! And do you know what they sell? If you know me, you KNOW the answer to that question right off of the top of your head. HATS! That's not all they sell; I found some awesome stuff to take home there. Prices were better than my favorite store at the mall: The Icing. What?! Cheaper in NY?! I KNOW! They had the rolling carry-ons that I saw a lady with when I first got here. It's the only store that I saw them in. I'll take a picture of it later, but it is super cute. The store is called PrimaDonna's. If you are ever walking up (or down) 5th Ave, you have to stop in. They have TONS of shoes, jewelry, and all sorts of accessories. And yes, my personal NY souvenir is a hat (and it DOES NOT say I heart NY - I still am having a hard time understanding why people buy those shirts and wear them around the city! Quit telling people that you're a tourist.) I did not buy the carry-on during my first trip. I thought: "I do not want to carry that all over the city, so I will come back." And I did later.
I wandered up 5th Ave. until I got tired of it. And that didn't take long since I have already seen it. So, I decided to find the elusive Chrysler Building. When you see it at a distance, for some reason, it doesn't photograph well. I have seen the top of it everyday, but could not get a decent picture. So, I decided to go hunt it down. After all, I found the Empire State Building, so I can go look at the Chrysler Building, too. (But before I leave 5th Ave. all together, I have to tell you that I saw a guy playing his banjo while walking down the street! Hahaha! That's nothing. Yesterday, I saw a guy walking his dog and playing the ukulele! I laughed on the inside so hard at that! Who would think to combine those two? Evidently he did.)
So, I head down Lexington, and all of a sudden, I hear a part of what had to be a good conversation. All I heard was this guy saying, "and all these things happen. And you know what it points to? There's only one Creator." That's all I heard. I think they turned into a building, and I didn't get to hear the rest of it. The one conversation that was worth listening to, and I didn't get to eavesdrop! But, next thing I know, I see the Chrysler Building, so I take a few pics and head for a Starbucks. I wanted something COLD to drink! As I sat there, I remembered that I was going to see the United Nations Building. Actually, I didn't really care if I saw it. I just wanted to know if the Antichrist was there. Not that I really expected God to tell me, but you never know. You would think that if he were standing right in front of you, you'd know. Anyway, I looked up where it was on my phone, and I saw that I was only three blocks away. So, I decided to head over.
I think most of the visitors were foreign. It wasn't that impressive. I didn't care that much for it, but I took pictures anyway. The walk ways were all named after important world figures. And they have the prettiest parks there. I did not take pictures of them because there were so many people in them! They were crowded! So, I walked on towards a little walkway that I had spied earlier. It looked prettyish from across the road, but when I got there, it was not that great. As I came to it, I found an inscription on a wall with a staircase going back up to another part of a building. It read (and I took a picture), "They shall beat their swords into plowshares. And their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. Isaiah" Isaiah who? That's my question. Where you get that little quote from? Huh?
So, I walked on, and I decided that I was done for the day. I went back to PrimaDonna's and got my little carry-on. I headed back to the hotel to drop everything off. The handles started ripping on the bag, and holding it started making my hand sweat! Yuck! I stopped off in Madison Square Park and sat for a while. I saw a grey tailed squirrel. I've never seen one of those before. I tried taking a picture, but he kept moving. How rude! I finally got up and got back to the hotel. I started moving everything into my new carry-on. It's good to know that everything will fit. Oh, and I took great pictures of the street grime on my feet today. If you look closely, you can see the blisters and the rubbed parts of my feet! Um, if you come to NYC, you need to make sure that you have just-broken-in shoes, and not almost-done shoes. I really didn't think that my shoes were that bad. Anyway, I washed my feet and headed out to find dinner.
Because my friend, Karen told me to (haha), I decided that I would have pizza tonight. And I found a little place just to the south of Union Square that was pretty good. The pizza sauce here (assuming that it's all the same), is a little bit more tomatoey than our normal pizza places back in OK. But it actually tasted good. Karen's right. If you're going to eat pizza, eat it in NYC. Afterwards, I got a small bowl of hazelnut gelato, and headed back to Union Square. There were no seats available in the park! Everyone was there! So, I ate it in the park standing up! After that, I walked up to Barnes and Noble. It's huge - four floors. I went around all four, but while they carry a bit more, the store was just as boring as the one back home.
Again, I walked around a bit, but after a while, flip flops just don't feel good. I wanted nothing more than to sit down, put my feet up and be AC'd for a while! So, here it is 8:22pm EST, and I really want to go to bed! That is sad. Tomorrow I leave to go back home, and I am looking forward to getting back into the pool (even if it is over 100 degrees). I will have one more blog post tomorrow or Thursday to tell you about my departure. If it's anything like the arrival, that will be a story to tell. Well, I'm logging off for tonight. I am praying for smooth, and quick flights tomorrow! Praise God.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Here Comes the Sun....Well, the Sunburn Anyway
Last night at church, I lost my sunglasses. And I had to buy a new pair this morning. I didn't mind because my old pair had this strange habit of falling and popping the lenses out of the frame. To whomever has my sunglasses, careful. You might pop a lens!!!! Hahaha.
Today I decided to go see The Statue of Liberty. I think that all Americans should see it in person some time in their life, and this was my opportunity. However, I will get to that in a bit. I started my day off normally - I went to the local Dunkin Donuts to eat breakfast. Yes, I have eaten breakfast there everyday, and yes, I will do it again for the next two days. Why? Because I can, and I don't WANT to drive all the way to 39th and Meridian to eat breakfast there in OKC when I get back! Besides, when I'm back in OKC, I'm back in my truck and that means no more doughnuts for me! In NYC, you can eat a doughnut every morning with no problem because NYC is its own weight loss plan. You walk EVERYWHERE! And I walked everywhere I should have taken a taxi! Haha (for real). Stefanie, your pants don't fit anymore, but thanks again for letting me borrow them.
Okay, so I left Dunkin and set off to find a Kinko's so that I could print off my voucher. I got there, and my card didn't work in their machine. Really? The lady that helped me was super nice, and she did it on her computer for free because she didn't want to break my 5.00 bill for a .15 copy. She was extremely helpful, which I have to point out here that NYer's are painted completely different. When I first got here, I thought I would be like everyone else and not be polite (not that they are rude, they just don't say things like, "Excuse me" or "Thank you". And NO ONE held a door for me until today. I'm just saying. I like OK for that reason. You go anywhere, and someone will hold the door for you whether they are doing it FOR you or not. We just do it. It's who we are. Well, in NY, they don't. It's just who they are. Anyway, after the first day of not saying the polite phrases that I am used to hearing and saying, I decided that I am NOT a NYer, and I never will be. So, I started saying my normal stuff and smiling at people....making eye contact when I should (and NOT when I shouldn't - I'll tell you that story later). It's funny how they react. At first, they don't smile or show any emotion, but when you do, they do. It's like a bright spot comes into their day. I really don't know how to explain it. But when you say, "Excuse me" and smile, they will, too. But if you don't, you may not get a glare - you won't get anything! I have even found that if they are the ones that all of a sudden STOP in front of me (which is annoying, by the way), if I say "Excuse me" as I go around, they'll still say it back. I don't know why I got off on that, but I find it interesting.
I also find styles of clothing interesting. I past a girl today that looked like a street walker, and another lady that I could not believe that she tried her outfit on in front of a mirror! I can't even describe it to you. I wanted to take a picture, but I knew that I would be making fun of her, so I didn't. But it was bad. And what is up with the girls wearing their black bras under see through shirts?! WHO SAID THAT WAS IN STYLE? It just looks gross. Wear a tank top. Please. Okay, enough of the clothing issues I have with NY.
So, after the nice lady at Kinko's, I went on my search for sunglasses. I wanted my morning DDP, so I stepped into a ... yep, you guessed it....Duane Reade Pharmacy! I think I have now hit just about every single one in Gramercy, Union Square, and lower Manhattan. And guess what they sell? Sunglasses. So, I found a decent pair that wound up being half price. Cute and half price. Great! Praise God for good deals! That's when I looked at the time, and went, "uh oh!" I had an hour to get from 20th to Battery Park. That just would never happen! I knew it. I thought, "I'll just walk far enough to get closer and then take a taxi the rest of the way." Yeah, right. At 12:35, I decided that I would just walk the rest of the way for the sake of exercise. If I had to, I could just get another ticket for the 2:00 ferry. It was cheap enough. I'm glad I did. And here's why:
First of all, I took the oddest route because of where I started (21st and Park Ave. S.). I just headed straight south, and went through a neighborhood that I did not particularly want to pass through again on my way back. It wasn't bad during the day...I just didn't think that it would be as nice after 5:00 or later if that was what happened. I will just input here that is why the Lord gives us wisdom. Okay, moving on. I actually hit Tribeca, which is the DUMBEST name for the phrase "Triangle Below Canal St." And it really is a triangle. I had to take the long side of the triangle to get back on track because Park does not go all the way to Battery Park. When I finally got on the new road and I have travelled a bit, I look ahead, and I see a swarm of people! And for the second day in a row, someone stopped me and asked me for directions. Yes, I did direct them properly....you see, that is what you all get for taking taxis all the time. When you walk, you learn your way around! Ha. Okay, but the swarm of people.....guess where I was?!
World Trade Center/Ground Zero. Really. I had no idea it was going to be on my way. I wasn't looking for it, and I didn't even have it on my list of "must sees", but I ran smack into it. I seem to keep doing this.....running into things that I wasn't looking for....for all the ones that are praying for divine appointments and for me being in the right place at the right time, could you be more specific and use the word, "PEOPLE", please? Because I really think your prayers are working, but I'm being moved to see places, not really people. Hahaha! In case you want to know, they are currently working on a new tower and the memorial. You can't see the work on the memorial because the street is blocked by signs. I didn't stay long, I was still trying to make the 1:00 ferry. I knew I'd just come back by.
Okay, so Battery Park is really pretty. And that is where you go to get on the Statue Ferry. I have to tell this story. A lady was telling her kid that they were on a ferry, and the little girl (maybe 3 or 4) says, "A fairy?" The lady then had to explain that it wasn't a flying FAIRY, it was a people FERRY. Hahaha! That made me laugh. Speaking of funny stories (this just happened in my room - I am playing some classical music because I wasn't really feeling the rock tonight. Actually, I started with a little bit of guitar music - that's right, Dad. I was listening to Chet Atkins; Sails and Smokey Mountain Lullaby. Anyway, I looked over at the classical music, and I read what was playing: "Air on a G String"! WHAT?! That's awful!!!!! Even as I type it, I am laughing hysterically. Those poor musicians had no idea what their titles would mean all these years later! No, wait. I'm still laughing.......oh, okay, where was I?)
So, I get on the ferry, and can I just say that today was H-O-T hot? Really, I got slightly sunburned in NY. (What?! Micale, aren't you already tan from the pool?! See what I mean? H-O-T hot! Actually, it was yucky humid.) Getting on the ferry was wonderful. There was the breeze off of the water, and I think everyone started to feel better. The only AC we ever experienced in the entire line was in the security checkpoint. Yes, there is a security checkpoint. It's like going through airport security except that they don't take your picture....I don't think. Hmmmm......But I didn't get to go to the crown or the base of the statue. All of those tickets were sold out. Oh well. Once we got off of the ferry, I went into the bathroom because well, you know. For the second time today, I found soap dispensers that didn't work. I am so glad that I decided to bring hand sanitizer with me! (Really, you should fix your soap dispensers!) I was disappointed because they had the fun hand dryers that you put your hands down, palm toward your legs and you slowly pull out (like a car wash dryer), and I didn't get to use that.
The restrooms were in the gift shop. And it was PACKED. I looked at stuff, but I just kept thinking, "Why in the world would I want to keep a 6" replica of the Statue of Liberty anywhere in my house?" I know that sounds terrible. But while I think every American should see it in their lifetime, I do not think that I should have to buy a mini statue to remember the big one. I don't need the 1" Christmas ornaments either. Actually, I wouldn't have minded picking up a copy of the poem that is inscribed on the base of the monument, but did they sell that? NO. So, I didn't buy anything. Sorry if anyone was expecting a souvenir from the Statue of Liberty. I can tell you right now that you will be disappointed when I get back. (Sorry. You really should have told me. Those 1" Christmas ornaments were cheap!)
Next, I went out to take a look (and lots of pictures) of Lady Liberty. And I have to say that it was a little boring. She just stands there. And she looks just like she does on TV (and in the movies). But just because you have seen her on TV, you still have to see her in person. Yes, you do. Yes, you do. Stop it. You do....but only if you're an American. Actually, I found this rather interesting. I eavesdropped on a lot of french people. One said that her son should have brought a hat. A bunch of little girls said something that was actually hard to follow because they were giggling the entire time. And a lot of other french I couldn't catch because I was walking past them and my french isn't that good. And I have to say I find it interesting that they would come all the way to NY and see the original of the statue that sits near the Eiffel Tower (I don't remember where exactly). If I could speak french well enough, I would have asked if it looked identical (although I already know the answer) or why did they come see it (conversationally, not meanly because I am curious to know - is it the size that attracts them? Maybe they aren't from Paris.). Most everyone around was speaking in another language. There wasn't a lot of English speaking except by the captains of the boats (there was one family of NYer's on the way back to Battery Park, of which the father said that the skyline of Manhattan was a miracle. I disagreed, but I didn't say anything.)
I did not stop at Ellis Island because it was getting later than I wanted it to be, and I knew the walk back was going to take some kind of energy! I did take a few pictures of it, but the boat obscured most of the opportunities. In case you didn't know, the building on Ellis Island is now a museum (I did not buy a ticket to that, although I hear you can try to trace your families immigration status there).
Finally, we got back to Battery Park. I look up and saw the clouds anviling out, and the OK girl in me went, "Aw, man! There's going to be storms on the walk back." But then I quickly realized that I was in NY, and that's not as serious as it is in OK. (The skies were amazingly clear after I came out of the hotel later.) So, I made my way back through Battery Park and back toward Ground Zero. When I came close, I look to my right, and what was there? A staircase leading to one of my places of interest...it actually made my Facebook countdown....Trinity Church. I went up the staircase and into a really old cemetary. I mean really old. The closest gravestone to the staircase was very worn, but you could still see that the person died in 1770. Still, for a graveyard, it is beautiful. The church was pretty, too. There's lots of pictures that I will load later. I didn't spend a lot of time there (although it was as beautiful as any park I've ever seen) because it was getting late. Maybe next time I can go inside and take a look in their basement to see if there are graves that lead to a huge pit under the church that has buried treasure in it.
I came back down the stairs and took a few more steps to Ground Zero. Took a few pics, but like I said, the site is laden with advertisements announcing the new "One World Tower" (I do NOT like that name! Whose idea was that?! I don't think they were Christian!) I headed north again to find a decent connection street to Broadway - which is to the east of where I was (because surely Broadway would be MUCH better than the way I came! Snort!)
When I first hit Broadway, it was really nice. As I walked on, I discovered that I was in Chinatown. It happened all of a sudden. No, I took no pictures because it was dirty. It was awful. I moved on as fast as I could because I thought, "Broadway will get pretty again soon." No. I walked smack into Soho. For anyone that thinks Soho is great, you're wrong. There were tons of crowds (shopping, you know), and it was just as dirty as Chinatown. I did not like it, but I will admit that at this point, my energy was dragging. I just wanted to get back to Union Square (where it's pretty and mostly clean). I was fully aware (and I kept thinking that everyone else was, too) at this point that the bottom of my hair was soaked through and it was dripping down the back of my shirt. That is disgusting, and I know it, but I say it to illustrate how hot I was.
Union Square suddenly loomed before me like Jesus will split open the sky one day soon. I'm not joking. It's kind of all of a sudden. Either that, or I was just REALLY tired. And I asked myself, "Chipotle or McD's?" Now, there was no way on earth that I was going to walk into Chipotle looking like I just stepped out of the Amazon. Sorry, I picked McD's. Don't judge me. I just wanted something cold to drink and a TON of AC (and Chipotle is small. I learned that last night after church.) Finally cooled down, I headed back to the hotel where I immediately pulled off my shoes and discovered new blisters on my feet. (Um, you would think that my running shoes would be completely appropriate foot gear for walking around town, but I think they might be old now....I'm going shoe shopping when I get home. The ones I found here are 100.00, and I know I got mine for 55.00 back in OK.)
Oh! I forgot to tell you about the weird guy that stopped me in the street. Have no fear. He wasn't creepy....just stupid. I'm walking up Broadway, and this guy out of no where gives me this look like, "Hello?" I wish I could tell you how he was standing because he looked like a total moron. I thought for a second he was looking at me, but I thought by the way he was standing that he was looking behind me. I was wrong because as I passed, he said, "Hello? We made eye contact a long time ago!" in that annoyed voice with a smile. I looked at him like he was crazy. I know I did. And then I put him flat in his place when he stuck out his hand. (Hahaha. DON'T talk to me like that!) I said, "Excuse me?" with the same attitude he did. I guess it was just a tactic to get me stop (and it worked). So, he's talking to people about sponsoring kids through... well, now I don't remember. I recognized the name, so the organization was legit. So, he tells me that he wants just a little bit of my time. I'm still holding the "Excuse me" look with the eyebrows UP. My sunglasses were on, by the way, and I did not take them off. He holds out his hand and says, "Hi. I'm Matt." I DID NOT take his hand, and I said, "I'm Micale." So, he starts in, and he ends up with, "Don't you think you could sponsor a child?" And I smiled and said, "I already do." He was surprised; I could tell (haha). So he asks about the organization, and he's never heard of it (that's because it's CHRISTIAN). And so I felt better after his plan fell flat (Yes, I know. That's hardly Christian of me, but I was tired, and the only time I was rude was when I didn't shake his hand at first). Anyway, he let me go, and he held out his hand. This time I shook it, but he probably wished I hadn't because my hands were so sweaty - really, it was just nasty hot today. Hope he brought the hand sanitizer with him!
The only words to describe how I felt when I got back to the hotel and sat down on the bed are these: I feel like I've been at the OKAG campgrounds all day. And as you all very well know, when it gets to that point, it's time to take a shower. So, I did. And that was my day. Hope you all enjoyed it.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Sunday = God's Day
So, I got up this morning to go to church...at Hillsong NYC. It was great, and I enjoyed it very much. I stood in the balcony (yes, stood) the entire service. Yes, it was great even though my back hurt by the end of the service (switching legs back and forth did NOT help). I didn't have much opportunity to look around on the floor section because I was standing in the back with just enough of a gap between people's heads to read the words on the screens! The first service was a bit like every first service; it's the one where all of the reserved, tired people go. Haha. I only say this because there was a huge difference between the first and the last service!
So, yes, the worship was good. Yes, the preaching was good, and yes, I liked it. After church, I was going to go to Ground Zero, but the Lord brought me back to Union Square. I'm not sure why except that I wasn't actually planning on going back to church, but that is how the day went. I went back. But before I get there, I will tell you this: I spent most of the afternoon in Union Square because I wasn't sure exactly what the Lord brought me back for. There were bands playing, one of which I got video of. Now, I have been in Union Square for two days now, and this is the first time that I looked up. What did I see? The national debt. You know, the one that keeps calculating and oh my! It's big. And I don't know WHAT is next to that, but it's some sort of weird picture that has smoke coming out of it. I think someone was putting some kind of smoke IN when they came up with that picture. Really, go look at it. WEIRD!
You know what else I saw? Whole Foods. Yeah, I risked my life (okay, not really) going into Chelsea to get to that one, when there was one less than 4 blocks from me! There was a Trader Joe's, too. And I won't lie, but I don't see what is so special about Trader Joe's. But that is another blog entirely. I sat down on the benches in the square to listen to the music, and then I decided to take some pictures. My favorite (and you have to go look at it) is the one of the man sitting and waiting for someone to play chess with him. That is the best picture that I have ever taken; I'm quite proud of that one.
So, after a phone call from a friend, I decided to go back to church that night. I thought I could just squeak into the 5pm service, but they had already shut the doors and started the line for the next service. Yes, I said line. So, I went back to Union Square and sat for about 20 minutes, knowing that when I went back to wait in line, I would in fact be standing for an hour! So, I headed back about 6ish and got in line. It was about halfway down the block. I didn't check the time when I finally looked behind me, but it wrapped around the corner. I wondered how far back it went, but I wasn't about to give up my spot to go look! So, I started in on my favorite past time here in NYC, which is listening to other people's conversations (but only when they sound interesting). For instance, the guy and his sister had evidently been to a cupcake store, eaten half of their cupcakes, squished them together....and he actually offered it to his sister's friend! Gross. Well, maybe it wasn't quite squished like it was mashed, but really? Did you bite off of that? Don't offer it to anyone else. <<shudder>>> One of my other favorites was that this girl was mad at this other girl and she didn't know why and it was just ridiculous because she didn't do anything and all this happened before her and do you know why she is mad at me? This conversation made me giggle because I'm not sure if she breathed the entire time she spoke that. The people behind me were discussing the line and the church and well, everything about the church (nothing offensive - just chit chat). One of the girls blurts out, "Oh! Is Joel Houston going to be there?!" (He was, by the way).
Soon, people came out to talk to the people in line. So I got to hear all about how she wound up in NYC. She was from Australia, but lived in Vancouver for a long while...anyway, she wasn't talking to me, so I didn't catch everything she said. Finally, we got to go in. And it was different than the first service. The crowd was younger and more awake. So, they entered in a lot more. The speaker taught on burning the bridges behind you (in a good way).
That was my Sunday. I suppose it's a bit boring, but I enjoyed it. Talk to you tomorrow!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
My New York Funny Stories
I didn't go very far today because of my feet. Rest assured, I did find some new socks, and I think they will work out just brilliantly when my feet heal. Anyway, on my short circuit today, I saw some funny things. Well, I thought they were funny.
First, I strolled into Madison Square Park. This is the park I told you about yesterday....you know, "You've Got Mail". Anyway, of all things, two guys were in the park doing martial arts. I guess they should have been dancing, because the dancing draws crowds. This just attracted two giggling girls standing off to the side taking pictures. Everyone else was in line for the burger place in the park. It must have been a good burger. It had a long line.
I have seen dogs everywhere in NYC, but they always seem a little depressed. I think it's because all there is around is concrete. While I was in the park, a girl came in with a gorgeous golden retriever. He was super excited and dragged her everywhere! I could just hear his doggy voice saying, "FREEDOM!" That was funny to watch.
But not as funny as this story. I went to get something to eat, and there were people standing in line. A lady had her kid behind her in a stroller when all of a sudden, it just went backwards with the kid in it! Too many bags on the stroller lady! Word to the wise: Don't put more weight on the back of the stroller than in the stroller (don't shop more than your kid weighs). Poor kid, I can still see his eyes! They got SO HUGE. I was trying to hide that I wanted to laugh, but the girl in the line next to me caught my eye, and we both burst out laughing! FYI - the kid was fine, but the mom was really steamed that she lost her place in line.
The day I went past Madison Square Gardens, I overheard the Police talking to a man that was protesting. I don't remember what he was protesting, but it was a bit shocking (that's all I remember). I was surprised he was there. Anyway, the Police walked up and said, "Can I see your permit?" To which he replied, "Hey, my lawyers said I could be here." Um, I think your lawyers forgot to tell you that you needed a permit. I thought, "That is sooooooo not going to end well." Now that I look back on it, I really wished I had pulled up a seat and watched that show. Broadway nothing!
Sorry the post isn't super huge tonight, but like I said, I didn't go very far. I walked through the Farmer's Market in Union Square. That was kind of interesting. I'm sure I'll have something to say tomorrow. First, it's church, and we'll see what else God has for me to do after that!
First, I strolled into Madison Square Park. This is the park I told you about yesterday....you know, "You've Got Mail". Anyway, of all things, two guys were in the park doing martial arts. I guess they should have been dancing, because the dancing draws crowds. This just attracted two giggling girls standing off to the side taking pictures. Everyone else was in line for the burger place in the park. It must have been a good burger. It had a long line.
I have seen dogs everywhere in NYC, but they always seem a little depressed. I think it's because all there is around is concrete. While I was in the park, a girl came in with a gorgeous golden retriever. He was super excited and dragged her everywhere! I could just hear his doggy voice saying, "FREEDOM!" That was funny to watch.
But not as funny as this story. I went to get something to eat, and there were people standing in line. A lady had her kid behind her in a stroller when all of a sudden, it just went backwards with the kid in it! Too many bags on the stroller lady! Word to the wise: Don't put more weight on the back of the stroller than in the stroller (don't shop more than your kid weighs). Poor kid, I can still see his eyes! They got SO HUGE. I was trying to hide that I wanted to laugh, but the girl in the line next to me caught my eye, and we both burst out laughing! FYI - the kid was fine, but the mom was really steamed that she lost her place in line.
The day I went past Madison Square Gardens, I overheard the Police talking to a man that was protesting. I don't remember what he was protesting, but it was a bit shocking (that's all I remember). I was surprised he was there. Anyway, the Police walked up and said, "Can I see your permit?" To which he replied, "Hey, my lawyers said I could be here." Um, I think your lawyers forgot to tell you that you needed a permit. I thought, "That is sooooooo not going to end well." Now that I look back on it, I really wished I had pulled up a seat and watched that show. Broadway nothing!
Sorry the post isn't super huge tonight, but like I said, I didn't go very far. I walked through the Farmer's Market in Union Square. That was kind of interesting. I'm sure I'll have something to say tomorrow. First, it's church, and we'll see what else God has for me to do after that!
Friday, July 29, 2011
New York in the Rain
I spent the entire day wet. First, it was from sweatiness (gross), and then soaking from the rain! It was a light sprinkle all the way down 5th Ave, until I reached Union Square. One block from the hotel, and it was POURING! Wow!
So, I made a discovery: I like NY in the rain. Running into the hotel soaking wet, laughing because people just stared! It was great. They looked at me like I was crazy. What they didn't know is that I can't do that at home. Any rain we get in OK is mostly accompanied by massive tornadoes or big flashes of lightning! Here, it's just rain (and a teeny tiny rumble of thunder)! So, there you go. OK girl has one up on the NYer's. I'm not kidding. As soon as they felt the drops of rain, they moved indoors. The streets started clearing of pedestrians.
So, here I am in dry clothes again, and I'm really wishing for a Diet Dr. Pepper. Unfortunately, it's still pouring, and I didn't pack my umbrella. (Pause for a quick look outside - clear. I'm going for a drink. Be right back......okay, I'm back.) OH MY! I just discovered my favorite store. It's Duane Reade Pharmacy. They have Diet Dr. Pepper! Hallelujah! God does provide. Seriously, this afternoon, I prayed for a DDP, and I FOUND IT. God really DOES work in mysterious ways, and one of them is DDP (dancing a little jig in the hotel room)!
I decided to walk all the way to the American Museum of Natural History. I wanted to know if the animals really did come to life after dark (although I was there during the day. But you know, rumors and all that). So, I look at my phone to get a look at the map, and I started up Park Ave. South. That's a very businessy part of town. I felt a little odd walking up that way...I was tired from yesterday, and that part of town is just plain boring. The other tourists that hit that street quickly left (you know, the ones with the suitcases)! Anyway, on my way there, I was praying for a pharmacy because I needed something to put on my heels. They are rubbed raw, and they hurt. So, I come to the end of Park Ave. South, and what did I run into? Grand Central Station. Hmmmm....I thought: "Detour!" So, I went in. It doesn't look anything like what I thought. I walked in and took one of the exits looking for the way to the other street that I needed to get to: Madison. They have all sorts of shops underneath with the exits. I look to my right, and what is there? RITE AID! A pharmacy. Oh blessed band-aids and waterproof tape! (Neither one worked by the end of the day because of the constant walking and sweatiness.)
Out of Grand Central and onto Madison. I walked all the way up Madison and stopped. I looked to my left, and what did I see? FAO Schwartz. So, I went in. It was fun. The LEGO section had a lot of fun statues completely made of LEGOS. And this huge candy section. It wasn't as impressive as the M&M store, but it did have two ginormous soldiers made entirely of jelly beans. That was cool. I saw a lot of fun stuff for kids ministry there actually. And of course, the big piano! It was annoying because all the kids were jumping on it, and it just made a lot of noise. They should do demonstrations on it....or piano lessons.
I come out of FAO and ran smack into The Plaza. I did not go in. I did not take a picture. I only mention it because it made me think of the movie "Bride Wars". Then I walked all the way up Central Park West until I came to the American Museum of Natural History. I sat down many times. And during one of these sit down times, I watched a Honda try to parallel park. Oooops. He hit the car behind him. Did he do anything about it? I don't think so. By this time, my feet were throbbing on the toes. I think it is my socks. Maybe I should get different socks because these that I just bought stink (love my shoes though mom and dad). I seriously thought about taking the socks off...I was really wanting some flip flops on the way back down 5th Ave due to annoying toes.
Still, I went into the museum where I tried to hit all the animals from the movie, "Night at the Museum". That was the only reason I wanted to go there. I skipped anything that had to do with evolution because it's a crock. My favorite part was the ocean life. THAT was a neat exhibit. They had videos playing on the top floor, while a lot of the still life was on the bottom. As you walk in, you see the massive blue whale hanging from the ceiling. It's virtually impossible to get a picture because it's so big (and also everyone would walk in front of your picture). However, I tried to take the picture, and I got called a bad name when I turned to leave (I think....maybe she was saying she had an itch?) Still, as you walk in looking at the whale, there is a staircase right in front of you. As you go down, it takes you to the side of the whale. Under the whale, there are a lot of chairs to sit in to watch the video presentation. After that, I ate lunch because I was REALLY hungry and tired (and my feet hurt). They had knives, forks, and spoons on the floor leading you to the food court. I was SO glad they had a place to eat on site (it was expensive, but I did not care). I watched as the lady and her granddaughter sat down next to me. The granddaughter gets up, and the grandma steals a fry. She shoves the whole thing in her mouth; it's one of those really thick french fries. Anyway, as her granddaughter comes back, the grandmother grabs her own plate, reaches for the knife and fork. She proceeds to cut up her food into tiny pieces - this was the woman who crammed an entire fry in her mouth a few seconds earlier! Hahaha. After I ate, I went into the gift shop because it was right there. I found a great kids book called, "Larry Gets Lost in NY". It's about a dog that is visiting with his kid (his owner) and gets lost. It was so cute. I had to get it. I looked down at the register and saw this blanket. I know, what in the world would she want a blanket for? It's summer. That's right, and so it was on clearance 70% off. And I thought to myself, "Oh, I DO need a blanket because I froze last night in my hotel room even after I turned the AC down. Earlier this morning, I thought, "I need to find a blanket." Answered prayers!!!!!
Not too long after, I left. I went across the street into Central Park. Can I insert here that it was REALLY muggy today (not hot, just humid - I'd say I felt right at home except that I was walking everywhere and back home I just drive), and I was pouring sweat? Okay, pouring isn't the right word, but my neck was very wet, and I had already given up wearing my hair down two blocks up Park Ave. South. Still, the bottom of my hair was soaked! So, I am walking around the west side of Central Park, pep talking myself into keeping going. I can make it to the south side of the park. I do NOT need a pedicab. I do NOT need a pedicab. (I really wanted a pedicab.)
I got some very pretty pictures of the park. I am glad for that reason that I did not get a pedicab. What I really would have like would have been the carriage ride. Don't ask me why. I just thought it was cool. It could have just been my feet talking though. Well, the rubbed raw parts of my feet. So, I finally come out on the south side of the park, right in front of The Plaza, and I hear this kid say, "OMG! It smells like poop here!" I started laughing as he grabbed his nose. The dad tells him to hush, but really, who is he going to offend - the horse? The driver? The driver was probably thinking, "Yeah, I have to smell it all day, kid." I cross the street to hear another great conversation. It made me laugh, too. A girl and her mom are sitting on the steps of The Plaza, and the girl asks, "Mom, why is it so hard to find a cab?" Another lady and her daughter walking next to me overhear the girl, and the lady asks her daughter, "Why does she think it's hard to find a cat?" And the daughter says, "She said CAB, mom." I really wanted to laugh because it was so funny! But they were right next to me, and I thought it would be rude. I laughed hysterically in my head though.
At this point, I was thinking, "Maybe I should get a taxi" (okay, that was my feet talking again). And I kept telling myself, I just want to get a little closer so it doesn't cost as much. And I started walking down 5th Ave. For the third day in a row, I went to McD's. I just wanted an AC'd place to sit down. But I don't like doing that without ordering something, so I bought a shake (and a cheeseburger. That was my dinner, by the way). Can I just say that was the best shake I've had in a while....it's also the ONLY one I've had in a while, but I think it's why I am pretty excited to get walking around again right now at 9:00pm (although I won't - it's shower time...as soon as I'm done with this blog). That's odd though. I had it around 6:30pm...maybe 7pm. I reluctantly got up out of my seat at McD's (I saw it was getting darker....I didn't realize that it was rain.) I get back out onto the street, and that's when the drops started. It was glorious! It felt wonderful. It felt like Heaven! As I look across the street, I see this sign that reads, "Empire State Building" with an arrow up! I looked up and there it was! Ha! That was cool. Now I realize why Deborah Kerr's character got hit by the car. "It was the closest thing to Heaven...." Okay, sorry. It was hard to get a good picture standing right under it. Still, I did. The next block or two brought the NY Public Library. I took a pic of that, too. But I wanted to get back to the hotel, and so I kept going.
I kept walking, and what do I see on my left but the benches that Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan sat on in "You've Got Mail". It's at the end of the movie when they become friends, and they start hanging out because he's messing with her head. I took a picture. Go look. It's on Facebook. I hope it's not blurry. I look over at the corner of 5th Ave. and Broadway, and I see that building that's really narrow. I don't remember what it's called, but I took a picture of that, too. That is the oddest building ever. And a few blocks further south, I see it. Union Square. Well, look at that. No point in taking a taxi now. The hotel isn't that far away. Shut up rubbed heels and toes; I'm walking the rest of the way. I get within 2 blocks of the hotel, and the rain picks up. I'm already wet from sweat and sprinkling rain. I get to the corner right before my hotel, and it starts pouring! I almost made the crossing light, but it turned right as I got there. I went back under the very tiny eve of the corner building and waited for the next light. Did I mention this entire time I was carrying a paper bag? It didn't make it. My book fell out, and so I had to grab it and make a mad dash for the hotel stairs. Haha! That was fun.
All in all, this was my favorite day so far (okay, I've only been here 2 1/2 days, but still). It was all because of the rain....and the Diet Dr. Pepper....and the pharmacies (really, my feet hurt. Praise God for Band-Aids and Neosporin)....and all the answered prayers that Jesus gave me today.
So, I made a discovery: I like NY in the rain. Running into the hotel soaking wet, laughing because people just stared! It was great. They looked at me like I was crazy. What they didn't know is that I can't do that at home. Any rain we get in OK is mostly accompanied by massive tornadoes or big flashes of lightning! Here, it's just rain (and a teeny tiny rumble of thunder)! So, there you go. OK girl has one up on the NYer's. I'm not kidding. As soon as they felt the drops of rain, they moved indoors. The streets started clearing of pedestrians.
So, here I am in dry clothes again, and I'm really wishing for a Diet Dr. Pepper. Unfortunately, it's still pouring, and I didn't pack my umbrella. (Pause for a quick look outside - clear. I'm going for a drink. Be right back......okay, I'm back.) OH MY! I just discovered my favorite store. It's Duane Reade Pharmacy. They have Diet Dr. Pepper! Hallelujah! God does provide. Seriously, this afternoon, I prayed for a DDP, and I FOUND IT. God really DOES work in mysterious ways, and one of them is DDP (dancing a little jig in the hotel room)!
I decided to walk all the way to the American Museum of Natural History. I wanted to know if the animals really did come to life after dark (although I was there during the day. But you know, rumors and all that). So, I look at my phone to get a look at the map, and I started up Park Ave. South. That's a very businessy part of town. I felt a little odd walking up that way...I was tired from yesterday, and that part of town is just plain boring. The other tourists that hit that street quickly left (you know, the ones with the suitcases)! Anyway, on my way there, I was praying for a pharmacy because I needed something to put on my heels. They are rubbed raw, and they hurt. So, I come to the end of Park Ave. South, and what did I run into? Grand Central Station. Hmmmm....I thought: "Detour!" So, I went in. It doesn't look anything like what I thought. I walked in and took one of the exits looking for the way to the other street that I needed to get to: Madison. They have all sorts of shops underneath with the exits. I look to my right, and what is there? RITE AID! A pharmacy. Oh blessed band-aids and waterproof tape! (Neither one worked by the end of the day because of the constant walking and sweatiness.)
Out of Grand Central and onto Madison. I walked all the way up Madison and stopped. I looked to my left, and what did I see? FAO Schwartz. So, I went in. It was fun. The LEGO section had a lot of fun statues completely made of LEGOS. And this huge candy section. It wasn't as impressive as the M&M store, but it did have two ginormous soldiers made entirely of jelly beans. That was cool. I saw a lot of fun stuff for kids ministry there actually. And of course, the big piano! It was annoying because all the kids were jumping on it, and it just made a lot of noise. They should do demonstrations on it....or piano lessons.
I come out of FAO and ran smack into The Plaza. I did not go in. I did not take a picture. I only mention it because it made me think of the movie "Bride Wars". Then I walked all the way up Central Park West until I came to the American Museum of Natural History. I sat down many times. And during one of these sit down times, I watched a Honda try to parallel park. Oooops. He hit the car behind him. Did he do anything about it? I don't think so. By this time, my feet were throbbing on the toes. I think it is my socks. Maybe I should get different socks because these that I just bought stink (love my shoes though mom and dad). I seriously thought about taking the socks off...I was really wanting some flip flops on the way back down 5th Ave due to annoying toes.
Still, I went into the museum where I tried to hit all the animals from the movie, "Night at the Museum". That was the only reason I wanted to go there. I skipped anything that had to do with evolution because it's a crock. My favorite part was the ocean life. THAT was a neat exhibit. They had videos playing on the top floor, while a lot of the still life was on the bottom. As you walk in, you see the massive blue whale hanging from the ceiling. It's virtually impossible to get a picture because it's so big (and also everyone would walk in front of your picture). However, I tried to take the picture, and I got called a bad name when I turned to leave (I think....maybe she was saying she had an itch?) Still, as you walk in looking at the whale, there is a staircase right in front of you. As you go down, it takes you to the side of the whale. Under the whale, there are a lot of chairs to sit in to watch the video presentation. After that, I ate lunch because I was REALLY hungry and tired (and my feet hurt). They had knives, forks, and spoons on the floor leading you to the food court. I was SO glad they had a place to eat on site (it was expensive, but I did not care). I watched as the lady and her granddaughter sat down next to me. The granddaughter gets up, and the grandma steals a fry. She shoves the whole thing in her mouth; it's one of those really thick french fries. Anyway, as her granddaughter comes back, the grandmother grabs her own plate, reaches for the knife and fork. She proceeds to cut up her food into tiny pieces - this was the woman who crammed an entire fry in her mouth a few seconds earlier! Hahaha. After I ate, I went into the gift shop because it was right there. I found a great kids book called, "Larry Gets Lost in NY". It's about a dog that is visiting with his kid (his owner) and gets lost. It was so cute. I had to get it. I looked down at the register and saw this blanket. I know, what in the world would she want a blanket for? It's summer. That's right, and so it was on clearance 70% off. And I thought to myself, "Oh, I DO need a blanket because I froze last night in my hotel room even after I turned the AC down. Earlier this morning, I thought, "I need to find a blanket." Answered prayers!!!!!
Not too long after, I left. I went across the street into Central Park. Can I insert here that it was REALLY muggy today (not hot, just humid - I'd say I felt right at home except that I was walking everywhere and back home I just drive), and I was pouring sweat? Okay, pouring isn't the right word, but my neck was very wet, and I had already given up wearing my hair down two blocks up Park Ave. South. Still, the bottom of my hair was soaked! So, I am walking around the west side of Central Park, pep talking myself into keeping going. I can make it to the south side of the park. I do NOT need a pedicab. I do NOT need a pedicab. (I really wanted a pedicab.)
I got some very pretty pictures of the park. I am glad for that reason that I did not get a pedicab. What I really would have like would have been the carriage ride. Don't ask me why. I just thought it was cool. It could have just been my feet talking though. Well, the rubbed raw parts of my feet. So, I finally come out on the south side of the park, right in front of The Plaza, and I hear this kid say, "OMG! It smells like poop here!" I started laughing as he grabbed his nose. The dad tells him to hush, but really, who is he going to offend - the horse? The driver? The driver was probably thinking, "Yeah, I have to smell it all day, kid." I cross the street to hear another great conversation. It made me laugh, too. A girl and her mom are sitting on the steps of The Plaza, and the girl asks, "Mom, why is it so hard to find a cab?" Another lady and her daughter walking next to me overhear the girl, and the lady asks her daughter, "Why does she think it's hard to find a cat?" And the daughter says, "She said CAB, mom." I really wanted to laugh because it was so funny! But they were right next to me, and I thought it would be rude. I laughed hysterically in my head though.
At this point, I was thinking, "Maybe I should get a taxi" (okay, that was my feet talking again). And I kept telling myself, I just want to get a little closer so it doesn't cost as much. And I started walking down 5th Ave. For the third day in a row, I went to McD's. I just wanted an AC'd place to sit down. But I don't like doing that without ordering something, so I bought a shake (and a cheeseburger. That was my dinner, by the way). Can I just say that was the best shake I've had in a while....it's also the ONLY one I've had in a while, but I think it's why I am pretty excited to get walking around again right now at 9:00pm (although I won't - it's shower time...as soon as I'm done with this blog). That's odd though. I had it around 6:30pm...maybe 7pm. I reluctantly got up out of my seat at McD's (I saw it was getting darker....I didn't realize that it was rain.) I get back out onto the street, and that's when the drops started. It was glorious! It felt wonderful. It felt like Heaven! As I look across the street, I see this sign that reads, "Empire State Building" with an arrow up! I looked up and there it was! Ha! That was cool. Now I realize why Deborah Kerr's character got hit by the car. "It was the closest thing to Heaven...." Okay, sorry. It was hard to get a good picture standing right under it. Still, I did. The next block or two brought the NY Public Library. I took a pic of that, too. But I wanted to get back to the hotel, and so I kept going.
I kept walking, and what do I see on my left but the benches that Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan sat on in "You've Got Mail". It's at the end of the movie when they become friends, and they start hanging out because he's messing with her head. I took a picture. Go look. It's on Facebook. I hope it's not blurry. I look over at the corner of 5th Ave. and Broadway, and I see that building that's really narrow. I don't remember what it's called, but I took a picture of that, too. That is the oddest building ever. And a few blocks further south, I see it. Union Square. Well, look at that. No point in taking a taxi now. The hotel isn't that far away. Shut up rubbed heels and toes; I'm walking the rest of the way. I get within 2 blocks of the hotel, and the rain picks up. I'm already wet from sweat and sprinkling rain. I get to the corner right before my hotel, and it starts pouring! I almost made the crossing light, but it turned right as I got there. I went back under the very tiny eve of the corner building and waited for the next light. Did I mention this entire time I was carrying a paper bag? It didn't make it. My book fell out, and so I had to grab it and make a mad dash for the hotel stairs. Haha! That was fun.
All in all, this was my favorite day so far (okay, I've only been here 2 1/2 days, but still). It was all because of the rain....and the Diet Dr. Pepper....and the pharmacies (really, my feet hurt. Praise God for Band-Aids and Neosporin)....and all the answered prayers that Jesus gave me today.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday, My First Full Day
I woke up later than I meant to today. I left the hotel around 11, and came back around 5:30. Believe it or not, I saw everything I set out to see - and so much more. I quickly ate my doughnut and set off. I should have eaten 12. It was gone before I got to Times Square. In Dunkin Donuts, I noticed these guys in suits with duffel bags. It said something on the side, but I couldn't read it. When I finished eating, I went outside, and here comes another group of suit people with their duffels (same writing on the outside of the duffel). I walk a block further, and here they come again. Oddly enough, they all dressed alike, too. I started thinking that they might be the NY branch of the Mormons? But the part of the duffel writing that I caught said, "The Department of". I only mention the suit people because I saw them again just a few minutes ago walking down the street. Now, I have my mystery to solve for the week.
After my tiny breakfast, I headed north. I wound up on 34th St, where Macy's is. Since my friend, Karen suggested that I go there, I went in. THAT is a store. The Macy's we all know and complain about their prices....THAT is not Macy's. This is 8 floors of stuff that you will never see because all you have is the watered down mall version of the real thing. First floor was cosmetics and frangrances. I look off to my right, and there is Starbucks in what they call a balcony. On the other side, opposite of Starbucks, is the Metropolitan Museum of Art Store (where I bought my nephew's birthday gift - it's not boring, I promise). On to the 2nd floor, which was clothing and a bit more cosmetics. 3rd floor - more clothes - but this was the one that was familiar. This is the floor that looked like what we see in our mall. 4th floor - clothes and shoes. I will take a moment right here to tell you that their store is actually in two buildings that are close enough together that they just punched holes in the walls and you can walk through. Imagine a shoe section that takes up almost an entire floor. It starts halfway in the first building and goes all the way back into the other building. And they had styles and designers that I had never heard of before. Moving on to the 5th floor, kids clothes. I look up at the sign for this floor, and I notice they have a McDonald's on this floor. They really did! It was genius. 6th floor was the teen clothes, and I skipped walking through that one because the only person that I know that can fit in them is my friend, Brianna. 7th floor was bedding. 8th floor was china, crystal, and the wedding stuff. Now, on the 8th floor is a big restaurant also. It's called Au Bon Pain, and it looked good, but I was too intrigued with the wooden escalator that I just rode on to really think, "Oh, it's time to eat." (It was time to eat, by the way - the donut was looooong gone.) So, I went back downstairs. Down the wooden escalators....those were really fascinating. Before I stop talking about Macy's, I have to mention this. There were three Starbucks in that place. If I read the signs right, there was an ice cream place on the skinny people floor. THAT is a store.
Then I went off towards Times Square. You actually see it before you get there, the signs are so big. I have to say it isn't as impressive from the ground as it is in all the cool pics you see. Those are taken from a building or something. The first thing you notice is the hordes of people that are coming toward you as you cross the street. Times Square is not the place for claustrophobes. I take my pics, and realize, "I AM SOOOOO HUNGRY." Enter McD's once again. I just wanted something to tide me over until I found a real place to eat. So, I ordered a cheese burger and a large Dr. Pepper (believe me, I walked it off long before I ordered it). She looks at me, and says, "You want a cheeseburger and a DIET Dr. Pepper? I mean, Dr. Pepper?" I said, "YOU HAVE DIET DR. PEPPER?" "No, but we have Diet Coke." I said, "That's gross." She laughed. This McD's was packed with people, and it had a second floor. I went upstairs to sit down, and praise God that there just happened to be a small booth to sit in, because this McD's could have used a third floor.
Next, I look over and see a huge billboard for "Cowboys Verses Aliens". I took a picture of it for a certain someone who will remain nameless. You know who you are. I look ahead and see Mickey Mouse leaning from a building. It was the Disney Store. I went in because I thought, it would be something to tell my friend, Stef. But I was wrong. It was something to tell everyone because THAT Disney Store is awesome! I know, it's all about tourism, but really....they did a great job with the whole imagination thing. There were white trees, which they projected images on. There were different images, but they were all scenes from Disney movies. I took a lot of pictures here because well, you have to see it to believe it. Again, the Disney stores in our malls.....watered down mall versions.
I went into the M&M's store. Not much to brag about there, except their NY color mixes. After I came out, I look to my right, and what did I see? Radio City Music Hall. So, that is where I went next. Took my pics of it, and looked again to my right, and there are the NBC Studios. Take my pic of that, and walked on, finally coming to Rockefeller Center. Took lots of pics here. Check out my LEGO store pics. They are amazing. They built all of the Rockefeller Center statues out of LEGOS. Really, it was cool.
After that, I went down 5th Avenue. Um....that was not my favorite although the churches were neat. Saks 5th Ave. is a little blah. I didn't like it. 5th Ave. did not hold my attention long. I went back to Times Square and headed back to the hotel. At this point, I have to add that I had slowed way down. BUT I pretty much walked right into my last planned stop. It was Whole Foods, and I hit that one in Chelsea (not an area that I cared for all that much - I am sooooo glad that I didn't book the hotel there). Just goes to show you that you should always follow the peace of God when making decisions.
So that is my day. AND I AM POOPED! It is 9:00 here, and I was back here by 5:30 (okay, I did take a stroll down to 11th St. around 6:15. That was a mistake. My legs did not like it.) Still, here is what I learned today:
1) Everyone goes to Times Square. I can't tell you how many languages I heard passing by me.
2) When you walk that far, your legs hurt in places that you didn't know that they could hurt.
3) There is a Starbucks on every corner here.
4) There is also a McD's everywhere - but if you do eat there, just eat there. Don't order the cheeseburger thinking that it will tide you over. You will forget that you're hungry again and wind up wanting to buy everything at Whole Foods Market.
5) The people running around with suitcases are actually smarter than they look. They are shopping. How else are you going to carry all your stuff? Hook it to your bag like me? That hurts after an hour or two of it hitting you in the knees.
6) Showers are best after you are covered in NY street grime. If you don't believe me, it's okay, but this street grime was worse than being outside at camp. When I came back to the hotel, I looked down, and my ankles were covered in black.
7) There are cars everywhere, but no gas stations (where are they getting this invisible gas?)
8) The best music I heard all day came out of BB King's restaurant. For real.
9) NYer's walk. Not only do they walk, but they walk fast. At the beginning of the day, I could keep up with them. It's my normal pace - but to keep it up that long is amazing. That's why you don't see that many overweight people here.
10) NYer's have this uncanny sense of timing when it comes to crosswalk lights. I can't tell if they are watching traffic, the lights, or what....they just KNOW when it's about to turn, and they go.
Well, I have a Bible to read. I am praying that I can keep my eyes open for it. No 12:00 bedtimes for me tonight! Ha!
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