I Am My Own New York

6:45am and we're on the train to NYC when my boyfriend gets a text from my mother, "She left her phone and textbook at the house." Damnit. 

Thus began a cellphone-free day through New York, bothering strangers for the time and being completely disconnected from the world outside of my immediate surroundings. My boyfriend and I conferred on a place and time to meet (5:50pm at my school), but after I left him at his job, our communication ended, dependent upon both of our abilities to be at the right place at the right time at the end of the day so that we could commute home together.

As I bought my nth latte, I was glad that it was at least my phone and not my wallet that I had forgotten. The day would have been much different, then. Unable to do my imminent homework (for today's class, of course) and unable to distract myself with absurd-nothing texts to my mother, boyfriend, and various friends (as you do when passing time), I found myself with eight hours to pass before I needed to be in class. What to do??

I started the day by pulling out my camera and continuing to work on two different photography series I had started, one on urban architecture and one newer one on abstract textures. Visiting the High Line for my second time, I got a bunch of shots that I think I'll be able to turn into something. I ended up later at Union Square, working on a reflection to a performance I'm creating for a class, then working line-by-line (now that I have the damn thing finally memorized) on a monologue I have to perform for another class. All this and it's only noon! What a productive life one can lead when they're not constantly trying to distract themselves. And I even took a break here and there, browsing Crate & Barrel and a few clothing stores (not that I have the money to spend) and walking down to Soho. It really puts into perspective how much time I spend doing nothing when it ends up taking so little time to achieve something. 

A Thought: Have a cellphone-free day. No really. "Forget" it at home and enjoy going off the radar. All the texts and phone calls will be waiting for you when you get back to it, I promise. Not only does it stop you from obsessively checking the damn thing and focusing more on people who are absent from you, but it also directs your attention more towards your immediate surroundings. In a weird way, it's like taking off a pair of sunglasses and just breathing for a minute. Yes, I know we all have iPhones now and need the weather/email/internet/maps/what-have-you apps, but there once was a day when you existed without these things. What better way to remember those days than by going outside and finding out the weather for yourself?

A Find: As I continue to meander the city, I keep stumbling across awesome coffee shops. Two such shops, each having several locations, include Think (one on 14th and 8th, one by NYU) and Gregory's (one by 31st and 6th...I think, another up in midtown somewhere). Gregory's has one of the best chai's I've ever had, full of flavor and really good if you get it dirty (with a shot of espresso). Think I tried out for the first time today, stopping in two of their locations. In each instance, I was waited on by exceptionally friendly people and really dug the openness of their cafes. The one by NYU even offers beer and wine! How cool!