the first few days

Day One:
arrive at 7a.m. after red-eye flight from LAX (surrounded by overflowing-own-seat-er, incessant talk-ers, cough-er), a little short on sleep. Shoot lookbook in Fried Chicken Outlet Central (sketch area of Brooklyn). Get settled in the room I am subletting which is in a less-sketchy-ish area of Brooklyn, relatively clean to most apartments I've stayed in, sunny, spacious, and NOT infested with pallid creatures who gawk at me whenever I eat. Get connected to the internet with help of roommate at 11pm only to discover that I am scheduled to attend castings the next day beginning at 9.30 a.m. although I don't even have cards or a portfolio on me.

Day Two:
9.30 a.m.: agency. Compile book with booker and new yorker extraordinaire and new acquaintance Kerry. 6 castings. LOTS of walking. Farmer's Market at Union Square. NYU buildings and students around University Place.

Day Three: casting. casting. casting. casting. library. library. casting. casting.

Day Four (tomorrow): casting. casting. repeat.

So, I do a LOT of walking. Sometimes because I'm early and killing time, other times because the subway just isn't that convenient for where I'm going. What this translates into is a LOT of sightseeing. and loving. Many of the people who live here came from somewhere else, which means they had to work incredibly hard to get here. I've met countless people abroad whose dream is NY and that gave me incredible insight into how special it is to be spending time here. People are driven and the population is diverse-not only in the race and class senses, but the background, perspective, and life experience senses. And by walking around it so much I get to see a lot of it (I'd say 'see it all,' but with New York that's probably humanly impossible).

I know most people who are born and raised in your typical north american city might not take in all the 'touristy' sights the city has to offer, such as the main NYPL branch. It's probably true and there must be some new yorkers who haven't explored the city for all it's worth, but the thought is still hard to imagine. So, if there's anyone out there living near 42nd and 5th ave. who doesn't really care about that library, give me a shout! If you don't want to take new york for all it's worth, let me know! I love nyc because it looks to me exactly how I feel-brimming with potential, energy and possibility.

I think that hacking woman next to me on the plane might have infested me with some throat-abusing germ, so I'm going to get some rest. There will be much, much more to come.