My trip to New York

[hkellick]

Warning! This is a looooong blow by blow account of my trip to New York, written mostly on my Palm Pilot...

2/4/02
3:38 PM
Here I am, waiting for my flight and screwing with my Visor. I think it took more time to find long-term parking then to go through security!
Honestly, I *CAN* tell the difference, but I have to wonder if it's enough. Let me tell y'all what the pixie-boy went through as far as "security".
OK, let's start with check-in. Checked my overnight bag in (my suit for the conference is inside along with some essentials (deoderant, brush, razor etc.)). They take the bag, ask the usual questions (was the bag with me the entire time etc.), checked my photo ID and then, lucky me!, I was "selected" to have my bag checked. So they take me to some "walled-off" room and go throuh it, taking my brush out, feeling up my underwear (and me not in it! Damn! ;) ) and, eventually declare it OK.
Next step, they check out my boarding pass and send me to the metal detector, which is all old news to me, except that they actually LOOKED at the x-rays of my bag and jacket. Then they had me remove my sneaker ( stupid Richard Reid) and sent me on my weigh. A couple military outfits around, but not much.
Honestly, I expect more from JFK. That airport is a TAD bit bigger. I'll probably actually need to be THERE 2 hours in advance to get boarded on time. We'll see tommorow!
OK, I think I'll put this down for now and go back to reading LotR.
More later!

6:29
In NYC.
Damn cellphone has "No Service"
I KNOW NYC should be "Roaming service"
Remind me why I have this phone?
Dammit!
Waiting for Freddie still...
Jesus, this airport is HUGE. It looks like Jet Blue itself has 2 buildings...
Well, I made it safe and sound. Now to get picked up and get dinner.

7:50
Waiting For Subway.
At least I found Freddie...

2/5/02
3:11 AM
Can't sleep. Partly because my nose is running like a faucet. Probably in part because I'm in someone else's bed too. I EXPECT to be exhausted, given I didn't sleep too well last night either.
I'm sure I'll feel it later at the conference.
So Freddie and I went out to dinner at some cute little (VERY little) italian bistro near his office at NYU. The food was good, if a smaller portion than I'm used to. Not that I was starving. An odd and, to me, unexplainable fact is that when I'm sick, I don't get hungry. I EAT... but only because I tell myself I have to.
That said... no more denying it. I'm not fighting something off. I lost. Now I'm just plain old sick.
Damn Buffalo weather.
So, anyways... I saw NYU (I helped Freddie bring like 20 cases of Mountain Dew into his office) and I must say, what a (lack of) campus. It strongly reminded me of MIT, but evem MIT had a campus... all the buildings at NYU are next to a STREET. Not too much green space.
Then we drove to Freddie's home and got to SEE alpt of New York. Wow! I'm honestly impressed with this city! I saw... not sure which bridge... something Washington all lit up. It was very pretty. Saw the Manhattan skyline from afar. Saw the east side and Harlem and... forget what else. I'll try to take some pics today.
Got home, had some OFFICIAL New York Cheesecake, wemt to bed... and here I am !
Now to try to get back to sleep...

9:21
Woke up late. Freddie woke me up at 6:00. Needed the extra half hour sleep, though. Still pretty tired...
Had a less than spectacular breakfast of pop-tarts, eggs and sprite (so much for the diet :p)... ah well...
Sitting in the Lobby of the Marriot Marquis (8th floor!) just because it's somewhere to sit. This place is HUGE! That's not a real shock, given I'm in Times Square. Saw even more of New York on the trip up, Saw Grand Central Station (Nice ceiling!), the projects (where Bill Clinton's new office is) and, of course, Times Square. No surprise, I am the first person from UB here. Went and wandered around, looking at the various ehibits (and being reigned in to participate in one demonstration...) and, boy, am I gonna bring alot of crap home :)
Guess I should go wander a bit more.
Fancy luncheon at noon. I can't wait! :)

2:08
Back in the lobby. Boy, I'm TIRED. Probably gonna sleep on the plane. I SHOULD be at another set of presentatons but I'm sick of presentations and meetings (and plain old sick, too. The decongestant seems to work...3 or 4 of the 6 hours it's SUPPOSED to work... the rest of the time, I suffer...). Anyways, most of the other UB students are there...
The "fancy" lunch was not so fancy... and was an excuse for more meeting.
On the plus side, I'm loaded down with crap (pens, pads, bags, rulers etc.) which IS about half the reason I'm here...
New member meet 'n' greet at 2:30 for an hour... then we'll leave about 4:30 which I am very glad for... I've enjyed visiting New York and I'd really like toncome back to see the sites... but I'm ready to go home now...

4:03
The meet 'n' greet was OK. Not great, but not terrible either.
Instead of going back up to meetings, we all sort of split up and explored. I went up and down Broadway from 42nd to 50th, seeing the sites and going into the tourist trap shops (not that I got anything). I saw Times Squ re and MTV's building (where I THINK TRL was being shot (wouldn't it be funny if I was ON TRL?))
New York, a larger-than-life city. At least here on Broadway. The buildings are HUGE and a constant stream of images from TV screens, ads and what I can only call atmosphere.
I LIKE it! Not that I'd want to live here, but it's really cool to visit and I think I'd like to come back. Maybe with some friends...
I guess I'll get the rest of my stuff now and go meet the othes...

5:35
On the subway now. On our way to JFK. We lost Samuela and Valarie. long story... but I have time, so I'll tell you.
So the 10 of us from UB meet on the first floor by the elevator. Jean SWEARS she knows the way to the 42nd Avenue subway entrance (Well... one of them) so we walk this long circuitous route that ends up in us going in a big circle but... getting thernonetheless. Meanhile, I have Freddie's directions to get to the one on 42nd and 7th.
So everyone but Samuela and Valarie (who apparently never bought one) get out our Metro Cards and get in... meanwhile, there's an entrance across the street that sells them. So, Sam and Val head that way. We wait...and wait...and wait. Nothing. Finally we decide we HAVE to get going. So, 8 of us are on the subway. Hopefully Val and Sam get to the airport on time... one hopes....

5:55
On the bus to JFK now.
They were in the subway with us. We were in the front, they in the back...dorks.

2/6/01
So, I'm home. This is the part of the post NOT written on my Palm Pilot. It was a good trip. I definately still want to visit NYC again. Maybe bring some friends (Hey kareila, wanna go to NYC with me? ;) ) and see more of the sites and experience more of the city. I really did enjoy it there. NYC really was a larger-than-life city.
Still sick. I'm going to take it easy today., The plan is to go to class, come home and just rest the day. No gym, no work, just sleep and rest and, hopefully, feel "normal" tommorow.
That's it.

Hasta, folksies!

Comments

[phinnia.livejournal.com]

tallin and I went to New York on our honeymoon. Is cool. Where did you get the cheesecake? The definitive New York Cheesecake is at the Carnegie Deli at 7th and 55th.

[lite.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I dunno. Freddie had it at home and said it was the best cheesecake he knew of. It was good stuff.

[kareila]

Dude, you either need to think about lj-cut or make several smaller posts. This is two mondo-posts in a row for you. :)

I'm glad you had a good time though. I'll probably go back in July for Macworld. I see a little more of the city every time I go.

Feel better soon!

[lite.livejournal.com]

Just for you, I put the post under an lj cut.

[kareila]

Yay, I feel loved!!! *bounce*

[lite.livejournal.com]

Of course you're loved, dorkus ;)

NYC

[lawchicky.livejournal.com]

Hey.. next time you're headed my way you might want to try letting me know! I could have met up with you or something!

Re: NYC

[lite.livejournal.com]

*shakes his head*
I didn't think I had the time to hook up with anyone. It's why I didn't make a big deal. If I thought I'd have a night or something, I'd have at least asked for your phone # :)
Perhaps next time :)