Dearest MTA…

You suck.

No really you do.

I was warned prior to moving to New York that they like to do a lot of construction and basically mess up your whole life schedule. I thought everyone was exaggerating. I mean, I only have to take one train back and forth everyday. It shouldn’t be a problem right? WRONG!  It is a problem because they like to do things on nights and weekends. I like to do things on nights and weekends. I mean isn’t that the point of living in NYC and not having to worry about class or school? The other night, I had to take 3 trains to go 200 blocks. I know you’re asking why I had to go 200 blocks anyways but that’s not the point!

Traveling sucks enough already. Why MTA? Why do you have to make it worse?

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Budgeting 100: Solving the Food Problem

I was going to title this Budgeting 101, but then I realized I don’t know enough yet to start at the beginning level. I need an additional course. So in my struggle to save money I’ve noticed that the biggest budgeting issue is food. You can’t go without food. Fall clothes maybe for a few weeks, but not food. So I started to pick up tricks to save on meals and thought I would share. You’re welcome.

Welcome to the Stages

So I did something really terrible last week. I honestly didn’t mean to but with the way I’ve been feeling and amongst everything going on it just kind of slipped my mind. I forgot to write a blog to celebrate my three months in New York. I know. I’m a horrible person and should be ashamed of myself. But truthfully, I was too busy trying not to die, celebrating and then packing. (Like right now I should be packing but I have to write this darn blog post sheesh!) Making it 3 whole months in New York is definitely a milestone, but I honestly don’t feel as excited about it as I did making it my first full month. After some reflection, I noticed something very important…I’ve gone through similar emotions before. I always have a cycle that I go through with each move.

TIMES A Wastin’

I’ve never had a car so I’ve never truly understood the luxury of going from point A to point B with little to no hassle. At least not as an adult. When I was growing up of course I had my mother and once I went to college I had friends who would offer rides. But even then I would feel bad asking, and then I’d have to wait on them or be ready at a certain and blah blah blah. It still was never as easy and getting in a vehicle and going where I needed to go. I did use public transportation but I did very rarely when venturing outside of the huge area surrounding my school. I picked my housing for the last two years almost solely on the proximity to campus. Every place I needed to get to on a daily basis was either within walking distance or required a less than 20 minute bus ride. And that’s only if the buses were late and there was a ton of traffic and they hit every single traffic light. That’s not so much the case now.

My Life on Apps

Moving to a new city is hard. Apps make it easier. Thanks to my iPhone, (Apple, please feel free to send me a new computer for this promotion), I have downloaded a billion apps just to navigate through the city and learn how to live as an adult. Some…most…I have deleted but these four have proven to stand the test of time*.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

New York City is full of people. Lots and lots of people. Totally shocking right? The absolutely wonderful part of living with all of these people is not having them touch you on the subway, but the abundance of diversity. I grew up in a pretty ethnically diverse city…it was kind of the definition of a “melting pot”. The people I grew up with were mostly biracial and multiracial. My childhood friends definitely looked like the rainbow coalition. I went to college in a not so diverse city. In fact my school had a very small percentage of people of color which was kind of a culture shock for me. As a result, I surrounded myself with people who looked like me. My circle of friends looked less like Fruity Pebbles and more like Coco Pebbles.

I was excited about moving to a more diverse place again to expand the color of my friendships. What I love about the diversity in NYC is that everyone is PROUD to be who they are. They don’t try to blend in, (or assimilate). They are out and out proud that they are different than you. Not just in culture but style as well. It’s so amazing to see. and soak in. I even planned to go to the West Indian Day Parade just to soak up the awesome, but unfortunately it was raining and I didn’t want to soak up the water.

Although all of this cultural diversity is great, I didn’t really comprehend the existence of ethnic enclaves. Of course I heard of China Town and Little Italy, and Spanish Harlem but I guess I honestly thought they were more of a myth. I quickly got over this naive thought during the first time I was searching for apartments.

Yes, New Friends

A couple months ago I began writing a post. It was going to start with a pun about Drake and DJ Khaled not wanting new friends while that’s all I wanted. As you can tell, I never posted that blog entry and I never finished writing it. Now, I wish I had because I am in a completely different space. But the story is still just as important.

Please Excuse Your Flesh

I have a problem.

And the problem is people.

It really shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Especially since I’ve expressed several times how I am having a hard time living with one person, (a cat and a dog). It’s also not a secret that the subway provides me with the bulk of my writing material. There is one thing, (okay I’m lying, there are tons of things), that has really been bothering me about people on the subway. Why must they touch me?

This is AfroPunk

This post is also a day late and a dollar short, (ironically “Too Little, Too Late” just began playing on my iTunes), but oh well.

Last weekend, I made the journey to Brooklyn for AfroPunk 2013. I had been excited for the festival for a whole month. My outfit, hairstyle and outfit had already been planned. I had no idea what to expect, I was just excited to attend rocking a AfroPunk-fitting outfit and possible spot a celeb or two. I was even more excited that my bestie in my head Questlove was one of the scheduled performers.

Crotches and Poles

No, no, I did not go to a strip club in the city…although that is on my bucket list. In fact, I think there’s one not far from where I work. I wouldn’t give them any money though. I’m a broke college student grad. I’m sure they would prefer to have hundred dollar bills rain on them instead of the roll of nickels my grandmother gave me before I left for New York. (Hey Drake, I think I just came up with a new song for you; strippers, a sentimental story about throwing nickels at her, and then something about you falling in love with the imprint of Jefferson’s face on her right cheek. Feel free to put my Grammy in the mail).

This story is about my favorite form of transportation…THE SUBWAY! The subway has given me so many hilarious stories already it’s ridiculous. But, hopefully it’s also entertaining. *joke sound effect inserted here*