Damn shorty nothin like a Bushwick girl
The city is great, but that ain't me. Not right now at least. Not the parts of the city that people (including myself) think of when they hear "the city" at least. I'm in (but do not pretend to be from) BK right now. I am bound for (but do not pretend to be settling) in Queens. The boroughs are great, different, homey. When I type that, I realize just ridiculous it is to even generalize a single borough. So let's try a different path.
I would love a stint in the Lower East Side (LES) at some point before I leave this ridiculous city. For one, I would actually be living in Manhattan, which would provide SEVERAL perks - easier trips home after long nights out, proximity to food and entertainment, quicker commutes (maybe), more convenient stays for guests (good, yet not cruc) and a whole slew of others. Of course there's always the clout of living in the city. I think that I would walk with a different air, a different swagger. Perhaps this is best juxtaposed with the sense of humility that I have when walking through the streets of Bushwick. Perhaps it would be feeling that I belong a bit more than I currently do in Bushwick.
::Turns steering wheel:: This is starting to sound like a previous post, so let me get back on track. Despite the challenges and downside of my living situation, it's still home. I appreciate my team in this part of BK and the things that I have learned as a result of living there. It's a forgotten part of the city, a place not often mentioned or appreciated (in my opinion). It's not glamorous, that's for sure, but I don't want to fall into the mistake of glorifying the "grit" and "tough" nature of some urban areas. It's a place where families live, where people work to support their kids, where people sometimes struggle.
I really enjoy being in Manhattan but I don't like how the boroughs are often overlooked. I know why it happens, that's pretty intuitive. But there are good things going on outside of the island. There are good folks living outside of the island. There are great things happening outside of the island. Home (for now) is outside of the island.
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