Now that is a winter sky the way one is supposed to look - cold, crisp, fresh. From the wilds of New York City baby.Well, the boro of Queens which is not "the city" proper, but is still the city. With me so far? Good. But what I like about it is that we're not surrounded by "skyscrapers and everythang" just our own little slice of heaven. And if we were so inclined, we could hop into the car or onto the subway and be in the city in 20 minutes (on the weekend that is). Actually my daughter commutes to the city for school Monday to Friday. The school bus picks her up bright and early. Sometimes I feel badly for her having to get up and out so early. But I think I'd feel worse if she didn't get a quality education. Considering she won a scholarship to a private school, we all put in an effort to get her out the door with a minimum amount of stress for all.
So on any given day, we can choose to be either the city mice or the country mice. I think I am a city mouse for the diversity inspired creativity but a country mouse for the solitude. It seems I need both in my life to thrive.
Ah, don't we all?
20 comments:
Congrats to Tali for winning the scholarship!
I grew up in a small town that was small but had a thriving cultural life. Now I live in an overgrown town that has football and a Super Wal*Mart. I don't think I'm a city person, but I can't agree with those who find this idyllic. If we were closer to Atlanta it would be nicer, more like what you have.
I want to live in the middle of a big city and in the middle of nowhere at the same time. I need a house in the country and an apartment in the city. Instead, I rent a house in the burbs. I have NEITHER! Pity me.
I could never live in NYC, but I love to visit. I wish I could live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, but I might get bored... could I ever be satisfied? Probably not.
i'm with you partly, my dear NBFF, for i, too, love the diversity, the energy, and the chaos of the city, but i can only take it in small doses. solitude is what i crave most, so if i had to choose, i'd take the country every time -- expecially if the "country" has mountains, and views of the ocean.
choosey? me? yeah, especially since i'd also need to know i could sprinkle in the "city", here and there. (manicures/pedicures, Starbucks, shopping. you know, just a few niceties once in awhile...)
In London a luxury I will never afford would be a beautiful house overlooking Regents Park... the best of both worlds... someone to share it with wouldn't go amiss, but now I'm just being greedy.
Like grumblemurray I just live in a brickbuilt suburb with no redeeming features other than it is merely half an hour into town in one direction or half an hour into the country in the other... I'm stuck in the middle :>(
Diversity is ok for those people.
I was born and raised a country mouse and dreamed of being a city mouse. I got to live in one of the biggest cities in the world for a year and lived the life of a city mouse. I fell in love with a city mouse and moved to yet another city.... eventually we compromised and live in the burbs. Oddly enough all that time dreaming of big city life - its not what I need. I can't sleep unless its dark. Street lights seem like an odd feature to me. I think its because I know what it looks like at night and can't figure out why anyone would want to ruin it with a dumb light. I also know what silence is supposed to sound like. :)
Sometimes we all need to be bi-habitatual, city life vs. country living. Like playing a harmonica, sometimes you have to suck and sometimes you blow. Roll with the flow.
Weirsdo: Yes, thank you. That was an extreme highpoint when she got that scholarship. Well, I think the key is "thriving cultural life". I grew up in a small town whose version of one was the fact that it had a library. I guess that's how our imaginations developed and we learned how to amuse ourselves. Although learning about classical music through Bugs Bunny cartoons is not what I would recommend.
Grumblemurray: Well if you had either of those scenarios, you wouldn't be able to call yourself "grumblemurray". Happymurray doesn't have the same ring. Nice to meet you just the same.
Claire: Tis human nature I suppose. Although I do know of some who are content. Imagine :)
Neva: Can I come visit you in your country with the mountains and ocean views? We'll be good guests. Yes we do need our niceties now don't we. XOX
Ann: That's precisely why we have dreams. By town - do you mean London? Love getting the visualizations.
Doug: Yeah, those people.
cj: Ah the fine art of compromise. The light is to keep the monsters at bay of course. Yes there is something to be said for the sounds of silence.
Tom&Icy: Just missed you in there. Leave it to you to come up with the definitve statement. Indeed, like playing a harmonica!
I've done both and, like many people, I can't either, depending on my mood.
Congrats on the Scholarship!!! That's great...
I spent most of the last 10 years alternating between city & country every day. I liked both, but the in between part sucked. I'm happy to be stuck in the country now.
holy cow! What was I thinking when I wrote that? I meant to say that I can "do either" depending on my mood.
sheesh...
Why you don't block me, I don't understand.
Pavel: I couldn't live in the burbs although it is a nice place to visit. Although never say never. Thanks, it was one of the happiest days of my life when we got the call that her test scores had qualified her for the scholarship.
Diesel: Having your own barn raising. You lumberjack you.
Pavel, See you made perfect sense to me.
I also did the private school scholarship thing. Good education, but can be tough socially when all the other kids head for the Bahamas for spring break.
My happiest years in NY were on Staten Island - best of both worlds.
We live in the wilds and there are times I really just HAVE to get to downtown, but I know if we lived closer in I would be dying to get OUT, a touch of discontent you say?
Aye, well, I am human after all.
I am a city mouse....live in the country....suburb of Philadelphia 45min and NYC one and a half hour.....really...many people commute to one or the other.
My little town here in the cuntry-burb, has a Starbucks ;> and ten minutes away a strip mall or a mall every couple of blocks....LOL....can you tell I am a city mouse....I always equate distances with city blocks.
I have only lived in the burbs twice in my 35 years of marriage and 10 moves....now that is an accomplishment.
Congratulations to Tali....smart girl :)
The best of both worlds.
Weirsdo: Tali's already rolling her eyes at one classmate who is a bit of a penthouse dwelling braggart.
Somewhere Joe: Similar setup indeed.
Logo: So when you get bored, you just hop on your bike. I get it now.
Mo'a: Wow Mo'a that is an accomplishment indeed! Yes, I laughed at your use of blocks which is totally how I equate distances. I'm familiar with your roundabout area. And thanks for the congrats.
Actonbell: It is. As is your new avatar.
Goldennib: It is in many ways.
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