embracing serendipity

Well, here I am, in my new room which overlooks the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 24th street in Manhattan. It's a little hard to believe that something I've worked so hard for and waited for so long for has finally come to fruition.

My mom and I took the red-eye from Sacramento to JFK nearly a week ago, and as New York loomed closer, I admit to feelings of mild anxiety about meeting people, about that getting-to-know-you process that can miraculously turn acquaintances into friends. I've learned from my numerous past college experiences that the extent to which you can uninhibit yourself socially the happier you may become, the less you will miss what was, and look forward to what is to come. This notion was reaffirmed in an introductory speech by the president of the School of Visual Arts last Thursday, when all incoming students were encouraged to embrace serendipity.

I'm thrilled to report that I have done just that. The day following the aforementioned speech, I accompanied a group of roughly a dozen SVA kids to the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art). Standing in the sea-serpentine line for the coat check, I struck up conversation with two of the school's orientation leaders, Chelsea Austin and Kate Sweeney, and learned that Chelsea had grown up in Portland (she later directed me to 71 Irving Place, a lovely coffee house near Gramercy Park, after me lamenting my inability to find good espresso in the city). I met up with my momma and we toured MoMA's permanent collection (the third floor, representing from (roughly) the 1950s to the early 80s). After two and a half hours, I re-met up with the SVA group, though most of them had splintered off, leaving only the four or five orientation leaders, as well as Chelsea's good friend Casey Flanegan. I walked with them to the subway which would take us back downtown. They let me share in their reward for their orientation efforts: a cheese pizza.

Fed, we all walked to the SVA's administrative building on 23rd street, and met up with a new group of kids congregated there for the final orientation event, the viewing of film at a local theatre. Scarved, hatted, bundled, and fighting a strong northerly wind, we made our way up 2nd Avenue. Seating was limited for the two films that most of the group wanted to see (Avatar and Daybreakers), so I opted to see the film "Nine." Casey and Chelsea, as well as Chelsea's roommate Lisa chose to join me. Now, I was expecting, as were most of the others, to be seeing the animated film "9" by Shane Acker. "Nine," however, is essentially a lesser version of "Chicago." We bonded over the absurdity. After the film I was invited to go have a beer with Casey and Chelsea.

There I was, my third day at SVA, hanging out with a senior photography major (Casey), and several film kids (Chelsea, Kate, and a guy named Jordan). All because I chose to strike up conversation while waiting to check my coat. Consider serendipity embraced.

I told the group of my grand love with Juli Anna; I showed them my art; I saw some of theirs. We talked, laughed, and made plans to see each other again soon.

On Saturday I spent the day with my mom, discovering the Strand Bookstore (I found a first edition copy of e.e. cummings' Eimi, his longest work written in his mature style). The two of us ate dinner at Rossini's, an Italian restaurant where you are served by a fleet of tuxedoed Mexicans; we drank a bottle of Simi, and could not hold in our laughter when the restaurant's famous "entertainment" started: a man and a woman singing opera, accompanied by a pianist who'd had too much to drink. The interior of Rossini's frighteningly resembled an event hall in a Reno casino: very bad art on the walls, ugly carpeting, and a low, white particle board tiled ceiling. It was a dinner to remember.

I love my mother. She has been my strongest advocate for my entire life, and one of my very best friends. Saying goodbye to her yesterday morning was hard, but only for the nostalgic upwelling of love for her presence in my life; I will miss her, but our goodbye was ultimately good: I've made friends here, and so far it's clear that I am exactly where I need to be.

Following my mom's departure for the airport, I read some Taoist literature at 71 Irving, the coffee place introduced to me by Chelsea; serendipitously, Casey happened by a while later and we decided to go to IKEA. Here she is, looking somewhat concerned, as we waited for the IKEA ferry:


The ferry, departing from the southern tip of Manhattan, goes past Governors Island and Staten Island, to southern Brooklyn, and goes directly to IKEA. I bought some hangers, a cushion for the very very hard wooden chair in my room, and some cooking utensils (my building, the George Washington Residence, has a communal kitchen for all of its residents (17 floors worth), but only appliances are furnished - you must use your own pots, pans, plates, etc.). Before Casey and I were through shopping, the sun set:


My day concluded by meeting up with most of my new friends at the Apple Store, walking across the city to get back to their dorm(s), where I made us all dinner (baked chicken breast with garlic, olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella). More talking, laughing, and drawing in sharpie over advertisements from the New York Times, then mounting our additions to the paper's photos to their kitchen wall with gaffer's tape. Then a very cold walk back to my dorm to sleep; woke up at 4:30 am, and started a poem.

I woke up for the second time around 11, took two of my favorite pairs of shoes to a nearby cobbler (being my favorites, they were both in dire need of cobbling), then walked to Stumptown. Yes, Stumptown Coffee Roasters. If Starbucks is Jesus, Stumptown is Buddha. I had the best shot I've tasted in years. I told the barista that I used to live in Portland, and that I used to frequent the Stumptown on Belmont, so he gave me my espresso for free, and with a smile said he'd see me soon; I did the same.

I went to the Housing Works Thrift Shop on 23rd and found a floor lamp. Slowly but surely, my tiny little home in this massive city is coming together. A delicious and cheap bowl of soup for lunch, and a delicious and expensive licorice truffle for dessert. I now plan to help make dinner again for my new friends, and I have my first class tomorrow at 3 (art history, Renaissance to Impressionism). I can't wait to start...