Gee, Think.

I had to take this discrete snap because these women looked like
opposites. Now I just said looked like because who knows, maybe they
have some real inner similarities when it comes to personality or
values. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, right?
Well the one on the left had all kinds of tattoos. She had then on her
arms, fingers, and feet. All over I’m sure. She was sitting by herself
at first. Who should decicde to sit down next to her at the next stop
other than miss traditional conservative style. They just looked so
didfferent. One wearing light pastels and a white belt, the other
wearing dark clothes and tattoos.
It’s a good illustration that all kinds of people ride this train and
you never know who will sit down next to you.

This is another of the folk dances we saw during filipino culture
night. It is reminiscent of double dutch jump rope. There are two
people who hold two bamboo poles. They hold the poles on the ground
about 2 feet a part. The poles are tapped twice on the ground and then
smashed together. There is another couple who must dance between the
poles and avoid getting their feet smooshed by the crack of the bamboo.
We were instructed by Gary the cast member that this dance is from the
central area of the islands.

This shot shows one of several folk dances that were laced theoughout
the performance. These dances were transporting. It was really
refreshing to see a live performance of something so exotic. This
particular shot shows the candle dance. It was performed by two
filopino women in traditional dress. The dance was performed while they
balanced candles on top of their heads. The purpose of the dance was to
signal their fisher husband’s to return from the sea.

This weekend we enjoyed a performance of filipino culture in a cozy
midtown theater. It was a production with a crew of about 40 people.
The whole thing came from scratch. It was produced mainly by two
dedicated and passionate women.

A man of wordly dress. This man has thirty bracelets on each arm. Each
bracelet had several dozen beads of mixed colors. He was looking
colorful. I love seeing people like him. Maybe it shows that I’m new
to the area, but I can’t help it. People looking like that are
intriguing. There’s something about a person that chooses to dress
dramatically different than the crowd.
Is it a conscious choice to stand out? Is it a reaction to the pressure
to conform? Ot is it just an outward expression of an individual mind?
I used to think that I couldn’t be original without defying conventional
style, but I was even more a slave to “judging a book by it’s cover.”
There was a time in my adolescence wheni wanted to dress differently
just to see what people would think. I even went so far as to dye my
hair a range of colors. It was deep blue for a while, which I rwally
liked. It attracted a lot of attention when it was blue, but the extra
attention grew old. There were times when I didn’t want to hear what
other people thought about my hair color. Of course I was looking for a
reaction when I first did it, but it got old.
I’ve now swung to the opposite extreme of embracing the “uniform” of the
financial district. I like the ability to slip into the crowd as just
another face. It’s not so bad to have a camoflage. It provides a
certain anonymity that allows for some precious “alone in the crowd”
time. Of course, the blue shirt is getting a bit old. I see at least
five other people wearing blue shirts when I do. It’s some kind of
unspoken dress code.
Independence, anonymity and self knowledge. It’s all on the inside.

Street Performer and Crowd in Union Square
Originally uploaded by Emily Hambige.

The ride from Jersey is a long one. 90 minutes from locking the outside door to my apartment I am swiping my access card at the inner door to the office. I travel for 3 hours a day.

The trains are usually full with commuters. There are hardly any empty seats, and so I choose to stand in the front of the train. I’ve learned to read on the moving train. I still get a little nauseated from time to time, but its all right. Reading has recently come back into my life, and I’m loving it. There’s nothing like getting lost in a book. I couldn’t remember how nice that feeling was until I experienced it during the week of October 3rd, my first week at work.

Usually I am the first person to step onto Newark Penn Station. That’s the halway point in my commute, exactly when my foot hits the Newark concrete. From there its a hurried walk to the PATH train. It leaves every five minutes, but that doesn’t mean the commuters are willing to wait for the next one. There are some days that I am packed literally shoulder to shoulder with the other riders. Those days are trying.

So why would I bother with all of that? Why bother to travel for 3 hours a day? Why not get a job in Jersey with a 30 minute commute and spend the extra hours at home? That’s certainly an option, but there are a lot of good reasons why I work in New York City.

Street Performer and Crowd in Union Square
Originally uploaded by I Copy That.

The biggest reason is the daily excitement of the crowds. To understand that you have to look at my life in context. I’ve grown up in a small New England town. There’s more diversity in the PATH train I ride every morning that there was in any of the towns I experienced in Maine. There are people from every kind of background on that train. It’s as diverse as a UN summit.

35-photogs Originally uploaded by Romulusnr.

That leads to my second reason, the culture. The immigrants brought their culture with them in their food, clothing, and language. The crowds here are so vibrant. The selection of restaurants boggles the mind. I can choose from literally dozens of different restaurants for lunch, all within walking distance. Many of those restaurants will serve a different cuisine as well. It’s so incredible. I think people who have grown up here may not realize how good they have it.

The crowds and the culture are largely what keep me coming back. I love the prospect of talking to someone who has come from a distant country while I order my morning bagel. I like learning spanish from people at the deli.

There’s just so much, and by and large I love it.