Weblogs: September 2004 Archives

Chronicling my new life in the city has been on my mind since I moved to New York more than a year ago. But then--like now, as I type and delete, type and delete--I came up with excuses for not writing.  Most of them centered on fear. Fear of not being able to write the way I wanted to. Fear of not being able to capture my experiences eloquently. Fear of creating a "dear diary" that people read in much the same spirit as they watch reality TV.  Much of it centered on focus, as well, something I've never been particularly good at when it comes to ideas.  Would it be the story of my life? Would it be some sort of esoteric comment on the urban condition?  Would I take absolutely amazing photos that perfectly juxtaposed all the people and places and crazy experiences that tumble into each other on the sidewalks, on the subway and in the streets?  Instead of just letting it happen, I've let it languish. And so here it is. Perhaps it will be a bit like reality TV (but without the carefully crafted melodrama), but hopefully it will capture just a bit of the beauty--real or imagined--that I catch glimpses of every day.

I leave you with this, a poem, courtesy of Frank O'Hara.

TODAY
Oh! kangaroos, sequins, chocolate sodas!
You really are beautiful! Pearls,
harmonicas, jujubes, aspirins! all
the stuff they've always talked about

still makes a poem a surprise!
These things are with us every day
even on beachheads and biers. They
do have meaning. They're strong as rocks.