I absolutely adore riding the New York Buses. Having recently moved here, I hadn't ridden a bus in years, as I drove everywhere in my former city, Los Angeles. Had to. The Public Transportation in Los Angeles is practically non-existent.
Got on a cross-town bus in the late afternoon yesterday. When I reached to put my card in the money box, there was a little card that said " Free Today." How nice. I said "Thank You," and sat down almost in the front row, closest to the bus driver. It was a busy time for bus users. Everyone got on and went to pay. The reactions on the peoples' faces were incredible.
One lady actually looked angry. Most people didn't ever react; they just put their bus cards quickly back where they'd come from. A couple actually asked, " Free?" and got the driver to nod.
One man asked," Does that meant that I just take my seat?" He was carrying a brief case stuffed with Financial Newspapers.
People continued to get on and off, barely noticing the driver. Then one woman walked to the front of the bus to ask the driver where the bus stopped. The driver asked her to stop yelling. The lady replied that she naturally had a loud voice.
When I finally got up to get off, I thanked the driver for the free ride and wished her a lovely evening. She just smiled, looking so relieved to finally have someone pay attention to her!
Friday, December 6, 2013
New York Taxi Drivers Can Be Amazing!!!
I have taken lots of taxi rides, since I moved to New York four years ago.
Some men... I've only had one female driver!!!... want to have a conversation with me, which I usually welcome and appreciate. I've spoken with drivers from all over the world, who have created better lives for themselves here. Some who came here alone, have married and have raised kids who have gone off to college. These guys are super proud; and well they ought to be. Some leave their families behind and ultimately bring them over. Others come with everyone: their own young families and their parents, the grandparents. Paying attention to my drivers have usually enriched my day and social horizon.
I can imagine having a Giant National 'Reunion' of all the people who came here and became taxi drivers over the past three decades. what a movie that would make! I am sure we would learn lots and be wiser for their stories.
Every taxi driver I've spoken to has a story and has never been sorry they've come here. Some left professions behind, because they were afraid they could not expand their prior lives. Here, they have acquired property and their children are now living the lives they envisioned for themselves.
The grandest story I've heard from heard is about a man who arrived here with no money and started working in gas stations. He soon started buying land around several stations. It took time but he built a small empire which now includes a summer home in Italy. Today his children and grandchildren are living the lives of the Upper Class.
Some men... I've only had one female driver!!!... want to have a conversation with me, which I usually welcome and appreciate. I've spoken with drivers from all over the world, who have created better lives for themselves here. Some who came here alone, have married and have raised kids who have gone off to college. These guys are super proud; and well they ought to be. Some leave their families behind and ultimately bring them over. Others come with everyone: their own young families and their parents, the grandparents. Paying attention to my drivers have usually enriched my day and social horizon.
I can imagine having a Giant National 'Reunion' of all the people who came here and became taxi drivers over the past three decades. what a movie that would make! I am sure we would learn lots and be wiser for their stories.
Every taxi driver I've spoken to has a story and has never been sorry they've come here. Some left professions behind, because they were afraid they could not expand their prior lives. Here, they have acquired property and their children are now living the lives they envisioned for themselves.
The grandest story I've heard from heard is about a man who arrived here with no money and started working in gas stations. He soon started buying land around several stations. It took time but he built a small empire which now includes a summer home in Italy. Today his children and grandchildren are living the lives of the Upper Class.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Taking The Time To Write and To Notice...
I haven't blogged in a very long time, and I've got a myriad of excuses...the most honest one being that I just don't give myself the kind of attention to make a special time to sit down to write.
...that is pretty basic and also major. In order to do the things we enjoy, feel good, passionate and energetic about, we have to give ourselves permission to take the time, to attend to whatever it is, to pay attention to the actual act of doing.
I collect stories and research from mega sources in articles that I add to piles on one of my three 'desks.' When I go back to them, I either like them all over again, can't find part of the article or the date it was printed, or it's out of date. There's lots of drama in that.
I have now decided that I have missed blogging enough that I am going to systemize the whole operation to make it easier, more fun, and more frequent!
I've discovered a new expression, "attention-hogging." I found it in a review of a dance presentation at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival at The Berkshires in Massachusetts, a wondrous place , where every summer marvelous theater, music, dance is performed. The choreographer/dancer, Dorraine Dorrance was able to show in a number about romance her admirable aversion to 'attention-hogging.' While I didn't see the dance, I immediately knew what she meant, as that behavior shows up everywhere...in classrooms, in offices, around dinner tables, in relationships, and on and on. People interrupt, they draw attention to themselves somehow, they make faces using non-verbal ways to distract, they take up the energy in a space. I applaud her showing the physicality of it.
I've been able to see the dimension of attention for ages now, and this is another facet for me to notice!
...that is pretty basic and also major. In order to do the things we enjoy, feel good, passionate and energetic about, we have to give ourselves permission to take the time, to attend to whatever it is, to pay attention to the actual act of doing.
I collect stories and research from mega sources in articles that I add to piles on one of my three 'desks.' When I go back to them, I either like them all over again, can't find part of the article or the date it was printed, or it's out of date. There's lots of drama in that.
I have now decided that I have missed blogging enough that I am going to systemize the whole operation to make it easier, more fun, and more frequent!
I've discovered a new expression, "attention-hogging." I found it in a review of a dance presentation at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival at The Berkshires in Massachusetts, a wondrous place , where every summer marvelous theater, music, dance is performed. The choreographer/dancer, Dorraine Dorrance was able to show in a number about romance her admirable aversion to 'attention-hogging.' While I didn't see the dance, I immediately knew what she meant, as that behavior shows up everywhere...in classrooms, in offices, around dinner tables, in relationships, and on and on. People interrupt, they draw attention to themselves somehow, they make faces using non-verbal ways to distract, they take up the energy in a space. I applaud her showing the physicality of it.
I've been able to see the dimension of attention for ages now, and this is another facet for me to notice!
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