A Job! and some subway observations

Hello again everyone! So, since I have last written, I have secured myself a job! Yes indeed, I am the new 22nd Street Location Manager for the NY Kids Club. The Kids Club is the premiere children's enrichment facility in the city and has 6 locations, one in Brooklyn and 5 in Manhattan. I will be managing the facility at 22nd Street, which is actually a large amount of responsibility and challenge. I have a team of people to manage, along with a facility to keep up and a lot of administrative duties to do as well. My hours are ideal: 8-6 Monday through Thursday and 8-1 on Fridays. YES that means a half day, EVERY FRIDAY! I'm really excited and its a fun and growing company and am really looking forward to a new and different challenge.


In other, much more somber news, my aunt Annie passed away this morning. She was one of my mom's closest friends, and my uncle's long-term partner. She had lung cancer and has been deteriorating in her condition, but it is still incredibly sad. Life is precious, and I am definitely taking this sadness in stride and balancing my crazy emotions, both my general excitement for having this new job and feeling sad that Ann is gone.


And now onto a different topic: the subway. Someone who has lived in the city forever or for a long time probably doesn't notice these odd nuances about the subway, but since I'm so new to the system, there are some funny observations and comments I have about it.
First of all, apparently its a requirement that in order to ride the subway in NYC, you have to act and look annoyed all the time. Even if no one is in your way or pushing you or bothering you, you still have to scowl your way through the ride. Which is funny.
Second of all, commuting hours during week days are actually QUITE unpleasant on the subway. Literally, people will pack themselves into subway cars like there's NO tomorrow, pushing and shoving and sardine-ing themselves in. Its quite odd, actually...so many people all scowling in such close proximity.
Third of all (and I've already found myself doing this), EVERYONE runs for the subway if they're close and they can hear it coming. Even if they know that three minute later, the next train is coming. Its a constant rush I guess?
Fourth of all, express trains rock. So on the West side where I am, there are the 1,2,3 trains. The 1 is local, which means it stops at every stop, and the 2, 3 are express which mean they stop at only special stops. and the express is SO much faster and AWESOME and I really just like the express trains a lot.
Fifth of all, it is completely appropriate to stare. I find that New Yorkers as a bunch stare more than any other group of people I've ever been around, and that includes the Sevillanos who like to point out everything and often do stare. But really, people will just look at you on the subway and unabashedly stare! Unless that's just me?


So coming in the next few days: Harry Potter, a housewarming party, my 23rd birthday, and Bonnie, George and Rob making an appearance in New York City!!