Welcome to Before the Bell Rings! While temporarily living with Sheila and meandering throughout New York City, I was inspired to create my own sort of spin off of Sheila's ever-famous "Morning Meandering" posts (which I LOVE — I look forward to them everyday).
While I don't have a famous Coffee Cup like Sheila, I do have a very fun blue water bottle and my current read: "The Paradox of Choice" by Barry Schwartz.
As previously mentioned, I am in NYC for BEA.
For those of you who that don't know, I spent my freshmen year of college (four years ago) at San Diego State University before I transferred to Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. After rushing Alpha Epsilon Phi and "adjusting" to So. Cal life, I quickly found that city living wasn't for me.
Now that you know this, I hope that you can begin to realize how scary it is for me to be in NYC. I'm not afraid of getting lost, mugged, kidnapped, or abducted by aliens but there is something about being surrounded by strangers that tends to induce an anxiety reflex instantaneously in the core of my being. While trekking through Times Square with Sheila I began to wish I could squeeze my body into almost nothingness in order to let the other tourists and locals run by to wherever they were so desperate to be.
As a more laid back traveler taking in the sights (and smells) of NYC, I'm perfectly okay with letting everyone who needs to run, run past me. But the pushing, shoving, and complete disregard for another person's (even if it a stranger) well being is something I haven't quite gotten used to it yet. I began to miss the grass, the clean air, the clean(er) streets, and the friendly faces of the Heartland. (I was actually looking for someone I knew — ANYONE — in Times Square). Despite being lost in Central Park with Sheila and walking an INSANE amount, Central Park is where I'm meant to be if I'm meant to be in NYC. I could see grass, trees, and I wasn't being trampled by the population of Manhattan.
Despite this semi-rocky emotional start, late last night I began to think of BEA and all that it holds! The Strand Trip and Teen Author Carnival tomorrow and the conference and party on Wednesday! Life is good in NYC when surrounded by books and good friends. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the week and I think that by sort of "losing" myself in books and friends the stress and anxiety I've been feeling will disappear and I'll feel at home in no time.
To me a book from home in an unknown place is safe haven — almost like a safety blanket (embarrassing!). What about you? Any anxiety about traveling to NYC? If you're from NYC, any advice for a hick like me? Anyone else use books to escape from the anxiety of travels?
Before the Bell Rings was inspired by Sheila 's Morning Meandering posts.