Today was a fun day of new things.
This afternoon I went with a roommate to a cafe that is close to my job. I bought my first true indulgence of my JVC year: espresso (a "mochachino," to be specific). I don't what about it added the "chino" to the mocha, but it was delicious and the perfect little treat.
I stayed in the cafe for a little, and talked to some friends from high school on the phone for the first time in about 3 years. Two of them were actually hanging out together, AND I found out that they both live in the NYC area (which is so exciting, it means there's a chance we'll have a mini-reunion of sorts when my closest friend from HS comes to visit in a few weeks).
Once another roommate came to meet us at the cafe, we ventured down Broadway on the 1 train to window shop for a little bit. It is amazing how living in this new volunteer lifestyle totally turns me off to the consumerism that runs rampant in America. I could go into a long tangent about this, but I won't - let's just say that the window shopping did not last long.
After discussions about feeling deprived in such a big city, we made our way East to Central Park, where at every turn there was activity and life. It was absolutely wonderful for me to discover a new area of the park, sometimes it is a challenge to realize exactly how BIG the park really is. I was bowled over at one point when I realized that a certain fountain that we were walking by was in a scene from one of my favorite mini-series/movie ever: Angels in America. How special to accidentally come across a fountain and statue that was such an important image in a production that really moved me. Super-special.
Once we decided it was time to come home, the three of us decided that our little jaunt into the park was just what we needed to refocus us for the week. There was a little slap back into the reality of our neighborhood when we stopped in the grocery store, but the "park high" was enough to sustain us back to the apartment.
Even at home this evening, there was a solid amount of "good times" to be had with the roomies. The night featured an ironing "lesson," a tasty dinner of grilled cheese and tomato soup, an episode of our new mini-obsession: Law and Order: SVU, journaling time, and some sharing of new music.
To be honest, the music was my favorite part of the evening. I love learning about the existence of great bands, and I especially love being introduced to new genres of music. (I also occasionally enjoy sharing some of my finds with others.) If you have read past posts, it is obvious that new bands excite me greatly- but when the discovery is through a friend it is that much more awesome. Music is definitely something that I use as a form of expression (much to the chagrin of my roommates, I am normally singing or humming something around the apartment), but it is also a way I connect with others. Sometimes saying something just doesn't do it for me. Occasionally, the best way to tell my mood is to hear what music I am listening to or humming (I guess you could say that music is my metaphorical mood ring). In the same regard, I think that no amount of conversation would tell me what that one favorite song would say. Just think about it, what does your all-time-favorite song say? Is it hopelessly romantic? Is it an epic song that takes the listener on a journey? Is it an upbeat song that makes you smile every time?
I realize I have just gone on a bit of a tangent, but this is my blog and it goes with my mind. Somehow music is the one thing I can talk a lot about (even with my severe lack of knowledge about various genres or about what's "hip" these days). You'd think I have some sort of inner-musician that is growing frustrated or something. Hmm... I wonder why I didn't do more music in college... maybe I should listen to my favorite song again and see what it tells me. Maybe not... I don't think I need to get into that.
ps- I would be entertained if my roommates ever got around to reading this. ("So this is what she does with her time after we've gone to bed? Sheesh, who knew she really thought this much about such mundane topics?") Poor Harlem JVs, stuck with a music nut.
