Noisy City, Quiet Queens

After a long day of finding the Post Office, shopping, and filling out more job applications, I am home again to quiet Queens. Well, not so much that is a silent town - there's some much stuff going on here, a ton of places to eat and shop, and lots and lots of families - but it is a reprieve from the city, especially Midtown, and all its hustle and bustle. Taxicabs, cars, trucks, and buses peeling down the road, street vendors everywhere, and lots and lot of people, all in a hurry to get somewhere else. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the city, especially this city, but it takes its toll after a while. The noise, the confusion, the constant trafficking of people and things, gives the city its amazing color and vibrancy, but also assaults the individual, wearing you down as you fight your way through the masses. Today, I saw a (supposedly) homeless man questioning the ladies at the Post Office counter (protected by a clear partition, of course) about why he could not get a PO box without an address, a Long Island City (actually in Queens, not Long Island) street full of auto shops and car washes catering to the legions of taxi cabs and private cars, a huge Green Market full of discerning shoppers, one dollar slices of pizza fresh from the oven, an army of commuters approaching the train on their return from work, and lots of restaurants, eager for me to come fill an empty table, and somewhat disappointed to hear me asking for work. A few of them did seem enthusiastic, so we'll see. I am very excited to begin work at Locale this weekend, partly for the money, partly to establish some kind of routine (I'm also planning on taking the plunge and joining the nearby gym once I get a job). After a long, busy day in the city, I am looking forward to staying in tonight, reading a new play, and skimming Backstage for the coming weeks' auditions. This will of course be happening with a glass (or two) of wine. My roommate is planning to get up at 4:30 tomorrow morning to work as a temp for an upcoming election. 15 hours of unexpected pay is not something to be pushed away. As for me, I am content to continue working on my sense of balance: my city life / country life, my subway riding skills, dance class, Queens vs. Manhattan, water vs. wine, and of course my check book (if that's not a rude awakening every morning!). XO - BW