New York

I'm back in New York City. This is my birthplace, and also where I went to college. Not sure how long I'll stay but I'm enjoying it so far.

The other day, I was in Rego Park, Queens, getting some tacos. The place was run by a Chinese family, speaking in a fujian dialect and across the restaurant me sat two west africans conversing excitedly in their language when their food arrived. Russian can be heard up and down the sidewalk on the way to the subway, as the neighborhood is traditionally Russian orthodox jewish. Compared to San Francisco, this is a true melting pot, where each ingredient hasn't fully integrated into the stew yet.

It was Holloween this weekend and I met up with some old friends from SF who moved out here. We went to a party in Williamsburg and then in the village. We saw the parade. Then I took the late night subway ride home to Queens.

Its nice this time being back - not as full of mixed emotions like before. I guess I've changed and the city's changed. An old friend from college suggested that I've mellowed out in the last eight years since I've been gone, as if a certain passion/intensity has gone from me.

I think Mark Twain once remarked,

"Don't stay in New York too long, lest it makes you too hard. Don't stay in San Fracisco too long, lest it makes you too soft."