Why I Love New York (Reason #6,214)

Like many other parents here in New York City, I sometimes contemplate leaving the urban jungle for the greener pastures of the surrounding suburbs. 

I'll admit that there's a small part of me that would LOVE to live on a cozy little cul-de-sac where the Peanut can play freely (and safely) in an enormous backyard while I don an apron, drink beers with the neighbors, and cook up burgers for the PTA.  There's a part of me that would LOVE to come home and not be greeted by the three drunk homeless people permanently camped out on my doorstep.  And honestly, who wouldn't mind having more than 4 cubic feet of closet space?

But then I remember that whenever I'm hanging out in the suburbs for too long, I start freaking out.  Firstly, I'm fucking allergic to grass.  Secondly, I hate beer.  And lastly, my body goes into toxic shock when I can't get any good sushi for a week. 

Truth be told, I love living in Manhattan.  I thrive off the energy here and I love the fact that shit can happen at any time.  I love that instead of seeing "Good Luck Chuck" on one of four screens at the AMC Empire 25, I can catch a midnight showing of "Swordswoman of Huangjiang, VI" at MoMA.  I love that, on a random afternoon, I can run into Arcade Fire on a street corner, panhandling and playing a set of Cure, Pixies, and New Order covers. I love finding cheap $15 tickets to an off-Broadway show and discovering that it's an experimental performance piece starring Mary Louise Parker, Stanley Tucci, and Lorraine Bracco.

Really, where else is a guy like me going to live? 

Look, I'm the first to admit that it's not easy living here or raising a kid here.  You've got to really want it.  New York can kick your ass in a million different ways. 

And while some people in the suburbs can sit comfortably on their back porch, sip some iced tea, gaze out at a gorgeous sunset and peacefully revel in the beautiful quietude of life, I'm the type of guy who sits there thinking, "Shit, I should have bought more Goldman stock when it was at $165!"

Why do I bring this all up?

Because when I was at college at Berkeley, I had a family friend who lived in San Francisco.  He was a corporate attorney and absolutely hated his job.  His only passion in life was taking his little sailboat out on the Bay whenever he had the chance.  So on many gorgeous afternoons, he would call me up, tell me he was ditching work, and ask me to meet him at his boat in the marina.  Together, we'd spend days racing sailboats for beers all over Northern California. 

Those were some of the fondest memories of my life.  Especially after my traumatic experience of being held hostage, I found being on the open water incredibly therapeutic.  I immediately fell in love with the feeling of sailing under the deep blue sky and, even after I moved away from the West Coast, I vowed to one day take up the sport again. It's something I've had on my "life list" for quite some time. 

Knowing this, the lovely and beautiful BossLady signed me up for an intensive sailing course in the New York City harbor as a Father's Day present.  Not only would I be able to revisit a long lost love, I'd be able to do it in my favorite city in the world. God damn, I love this woman! 

This weekend, I spent every single waking moment on the water.  Seeing the Manhattan skyline and circling around the Statue of Liberty while speeding away on a J-24 sailboat now easily ranks as one of my favorite memories of living in this city.  In a strange way, I fell in love with New York all over again.

How could I not?

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
-Mark Twain

What's the one thing YOU'VE always wanted to do during your lifetime?  And when are you going to do it? 

Comments

[Leora]

I've always wanted to learn how to speak French. Of course, I've been saying that for 20 years.

[L.]

I did everything on my list before I was 40.

Um....to be sure, it was a list that many would find unambitious.

The only thing on it I decided NOT to do was, "Write a book." I thought, the world really doesn't need another book.

So I had another baby instead.

[whit]

I've always wanted to play the piano. I even bought one and have a teacher lined up. Baby steps.

[Lois Lane]

thanks for the swift kick in the butt, md. i'm still writing my top 100 things list. i hope to do them all.

[wn]

Sailing! Yes, it is that great...we bought a boat a few years ago...well, to be fair, it was an engagement boat...I got a ring, he got a boat....good deal on my end eh?

There are two things I really REALLY want to do in the next 5 years (and a list full of others for the longhaul). Being pregnant for the first time will put a slight delay on these things...but they are do-able...

I want to run a marathon...for some this might be relatively easy...but my body really does HATE running...but it's something I want to accomplish...to cross the finish line.

And I want to go to Africa...I want visit the Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa in particular. I've always been drawn to those countries. I know this isn't an easy trip...but then again, most worthwhile things don't come easy.

Good question to start with week with! Have a good one Pierre!

[Barry]

I've been carrying 15 extra pounds for about 5 years. I always say I'n going to lose it but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Rachel E.]

Travel, travel, travel. Get my masters. Open a bakery. (I bake something FIERCE.)Live in New York City. And to have lived enough to have enough to say to write a book that people would actually want to read.

[HapaPapa]

That's so cool that you spent the weekend sailing in NYC harbor. I've always wanted to do that. Which sailing class did you go to?

[Tom G, ballssticksstuff.com]

I don't know a lot about it, but sailing really is such a treat. Back in January, I got to sail on the Stars & Stripes in the Caribbean, it was a blast racing that thing around. Back in July (I've mentioned this to you before), I got to ride the Yankee Clipper up the East River to a Yankees game. No, it's not "sailing" per se, but the view was great. (pictures here:
http://flickr.com/photos/trgoyne/sets/72157600904098190/).

[METRODAD]

HapaPapa...Lost your e-mail address. Anyway, I took the course at Manhattan Sailing School. Located downtown at the North Cove Harbor. Great instructors. Great boats. E-mail me if you want more info.

[Jamie E.]

I've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. I bought an acoustic one about 10 years ago at a yard sale and haven't touched it since. My husband keeps threatening to throw it out so I better get moving on it soon.

[mr. big dubya]

I learned to sail on the Charles River when I was 12 through Community Boating - it was (and still is) one of the best things I've ever done. Haven't sailed in a long ass time, but I have been told that it's just like riding a bike. Except with water. And, no wheels. Come to think of it, it's nothing like riding a bike. I don't know what the hell that guy was talking about.

For some unknown reason, I've always wanted to play bass guitar and keyboards at the same time. No one's done that, right?

[Clifford]

Thanks to the Bionic Man, I've always had a desire to take a trip into space.

Next year, thanks to Space Adventures I'm going to do it.

This is good stuff. Keep writing!

[halfmama]

This reminds me of living in Boston one summer during college. I had a friend who interned at Sailing Mag. He borrowed a company boat and took a few of us on a nighttime sail. Good times. I always wanted to learn how to sail too -- I'm jealous. Great gift, BL!

I just want to travel. Hopefully when the kids are older, we'll do it.

[Bradley]

I've always wanted to take flying lessons. I think I'm going to get off my lazy ass and start doing it---right after I win the lottery!

[Holmes]

I'm working on one of my big ones now, which is getting a Master's degree. Beyond that, I want to travel.

[Paige Jennifer]

I lurv that last quote. Just perfect. It reminds me of the one that is clipped to my board at work:

It's never too late to be what you might have been.

[Geoffrey]

I've always wanted to take off a year off and just travel by myself around the world. Doesn't look like I'll be able to do it anytime soon (at least, not if my wife and kids have any say in the matter.)

[Phoenix]

Sailing, who knew? You are a man of many surprises.

I'd love to travel the world. I've only ever been to Mexico. I just got my first Passport, so hopefully I'll go somewhere soon.

[Annabel]

Bonjour Sexydad, vous comprenez le français, n'est-ce pas ?

moi j'ai quitté Paris, métropole modeste, mais métropole quand même, parce que j'en avais marre de courir tout le temps après le temps... je suis revenue m'installer dans mon île natale, sous les Tropiques il y a 6 mois, et ma fille a fêté ses 3 ans ici.

Je suis ravie ! Je pense y rester une petite dizaine d'années...

Nous habitons un appartement, en ville... la capitale de l'île... ce n'est pas exactement la banlieue... mais je suis très contente de retrouver la chaleur, les fruits frais, la montagne, la forêt, la mer, et le ciel bleu !

J'appréciais l'anonymat des grandes ville, j'apprécie aujourd'hui le confort de vivre dans une ville à taille humaine.

Mais mon rêve, c'est de vivre et travailler à l'étranger, quand je serai prête. Et quand ma fille sera un peu plus grande.

[METRODAD]

Congrats to Annabel for leaving the first ever MetroDad comment in a foreign language! That is so cool. Maybe once a month, I'll write a post in a different langauge.

Annabel...C'a été un long temps puisque j'ai employé mon français. Je le parle mal. Pardon.

Alor...quand votre fille est plus âgée, il n'y aura pas autant l'heure de travailler à l'étranger. Prenez votre fille avec vous.

Il rendra la vie (et elle) plus intéressante, n'est-ce pas? Où habitez-vous dans les tropiques ?

[Michael]

Being a total dork, I've been writing my favorite quotes in a little journal for the past 5 years. It's almost like a diary. You'd be surprised to look back 5 years ago and see what quotes you found inspirational at the time. It changes constantly.

Just wanted to say that I really liked that Mark Twain quote and just put in the book. Thanks!

[Anna]

We belong to Community Boating here in Boston. Next to our BSO membership, it's the best thing we've done since moving here. Once our 7 month old son is 10 years old, he can spend the entire summer on the water for a buck!

We will never not live in a major city for the reasons you describe. I even appreciate the 3 homeless guys who live in front of OUR building. I miss living in NY something fierce, but Boston will have to do for now. It lacks the randomness and the energy of NY, but it sure beats the 'burbs.

As for what I've always wanted to do, I'm covering those things pretty well. I started a Russian language class this fall, so hopefully I can cross "read Tolstoy in original language" off the list in a couple of years. Then it's just doing that Ironman triathlon (I've done a half-Ironman). Time to go order that jogging stroller...

[p-man]

My initial response: nothing. I am content. Then I thought, fuck it, I have an extensive list of things I have yet to do. Tnakfully, none of these tasks has an effect on who I think I am.

Or much of an effect... oh, who am I kidding? I hate myself. You bastard.

[Boppe]

Fuck, I'm so lazy that I don't even have the time or energy to write a life list. Maybe I'll start small. During this lifetime, I would like to be able to afford a maid so my apartment wouldn't smell like such a pig sty.

[Audubon Ron]

I've done most of mine to include a scholarship at American Ballet Theater. I was born in the city. While at ABT I loved the city. If I won the extreme Lotto jackpot I would be hard pressed not to get a flat on central park west. Of course, I'd probably need to win two extreme Lotto jackpots to afford it.

[Twizzle]

I'd like to spend a few days in a rustic cabin in Montana (near Glacier National Park) w/ the husband and daughter. When am I gonna do it? I 'unno; maybe next summer? Thanks for reminding me to think outside of the cubicle.

[pnuts mama]

hey MD- if you're serious about sailing, my husband has a laser and would love someone to sail with. that is, unless queens is too suburban for you. just kidding.

he learned how to sail as a kid and saved up his $ mowing lawns and shoveling driveways til he could buy it when he was 12 years old (why does this feel like it needs a soundtrack all of a sudden?) anyway since i dragged him down here we really haven't been able to find a place to easily drop it in the water- do you have any idea how tight NYC is with their waterfront? i understand the environmental impact of letting any idiot drop their jetski in the water whenever they want but jesus, this thing is a racing sailboat and doesn't have a motor! we can't get the permit for kayaks/canoes launches, either. stupid bureaucracy.

we think we found two places to drop this weekend (it needs to go in on a trailer). this is the time of year to get out there, man! consider this an open invite- email me if you're interested. seriously.

[Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah]

Wait a minute - you hate beer?

[Deanna]

I have always wanted to be a published author... so far, my freelance journalism and my blog are as far as I've gotten. Someday, I want to write a really big fat novel and get it published.

The other thing I wanted was to get married and have kids. Done and done. Now I have to live with it. ;)

[christina]

I always wanted to see Florence, Italy. I know that it's quite easy, hop on a plane and there you are, but the story is much longer and complex than that. I wanted to study art there, for a long time I harbored dreams of spending a year there but we couldn't afford it, then I married another fellow artist and we couldn't afford it, then we moved to NY and then really couldn't afford it. But when we moved back to N. Cal west coast and found ourselves on the verge of being parents I finally got my ass there. By.myself.fulfilling.my.very.own.long.dream.

It was beautiful, it was fulfilling, it was just what I needed to do before having the kiddo in our lives. And bless the dear huz, he knew that this trip needed to be done alone.

[Morrisquads]

I start my golf lessons tomorrow night - can't wait! I've been wanting to learn for years... Great post! Thank you.

[honglien123]

Truth be told, I've wanted to live in Manhattan since the first time I read 84 Charing Cross Road when I was in 7th grade. One day I'll convince the hubs.

BTW, Sometimes when I think about what God might look like, I think of Mark Twain.

[Kyong]

I'd like to take a year off and eat my way around the world -- travel and take cooking classes. I wouldn't care about my weight and waistline as my mother wouldn't be around to harass me!

[Jason]

Learning how to sail has been at the top of my list of many years too, MD. Thanks for the extra kick in the ass. Maybe this post will finally get me motivated to sign up for a course at the local school!

[Linda Sue]

Is it too cliched to say that I've always wanted to write "The Great American Novel?" It is, isn't it? Oh well...

[kathy]

sailing is definitely on my to-do list. What a great gift! I've always wanted to go to the New Orleans Jazz Festival with enough money to eat right when I'm there.
I want to travel. Everywhere. You are a very lucky man, MD, you've been to some awesome places. If you ever have any spare frequent flier miles I'll take them!

[Christine]

I had to de-lurk for this... did you really see Arcade Fire on the street corner playing covers? I am incredibly jealous.

[honglien123]

Okay, so I'm back, after REALLy thinking about your question. Out of the many many things I want to do, the one thing I REALLY want to do one day is to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and look up and see a field of unblinking stars.

[Chris]

I am allergic to grass as well. I feel your pain. What a pain in the arse.

Chris
http://thesuperdad.blogspot.com

[David]

Well, Metrodad, I could do you the first comment in German but I don't think you'd find it half as sexy. I'll save it up for when Arnie is president.

[brianna]

Good for you. Sounds like you had a blast!

On another note, weird. I know that's a popular quote, but I just sent it to my friend the other day. I like the way you think!

[Annabel]

Eeeeh MD, vous parlez vraiment français, ah ah ! Bravo, quel talent ne possédez-vous donc pas !?

Nous vivons à l'île de la Réunion, qui se trouve dans l'Océan Indien. C'est aussi une "région" française...

Avec notre taux de fécondité effarant, nous devrions bientôt atteindre le million d'habitants !

Je voulais exactement dire que j'attendais que ma fille soit assez grande pour qu'on aille vivre ensemble, ailleurs. Voyager pour le boulot, ça ne m'intéresse pas pour le moment, ce serait bien trop pénible. Pas à cause des séparations, mais plutôt pour des raisons logistiques.

Enfin voilà, nous, on a les ananas et le fromage, avec ça, impossible d'être malheureux !

[Alan]

Funny, MD. Two of the things that I had on MY life list were to learn sailing and to speak French. Looks like you beat me to the punch on both of them!

[KC]

GREAT present.

Voice lessons. One day, I'm going to take voice lessons.

(I will, however, point out that great sushi can be had in the pseudo-suburbs, I live on zyrtec, and sangria and margaritas are fine substitutes for beer.)

[hapasc]

Props for the Arcade Fire visual.

[PFC]

How appropriate that you mentioned "Good Luck Chuck." My soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend dragged me to see that piece of crap last night. Worst. Movie. Ever. Horrifically awful. Nothing even remotely redeeming or funny about it.

Sadly, my girlfriend loved it. That's why I think I need to break up with her.

[Waya]

I can surely say that I'm not a city person at all (I'd constantly look over my shoulders for freaks), but I'll live vicariously through you! I love my cul-de-sac, my sister next store and sitting on my front porch drinking beers and whipping up delicious dishes with my neighbors.

There's only one drawback...it's not diverse at all. You remember my post about Tyler bringing his rice and nori to school for lunch?

[Maureen]

Wait... you hate beer?
I have a love-hate relationship with the large suburb I live in. We do have a great sushi restaurant within walking distance of our house, but that is where the hipness ends.
One thing on my list to do someday is visit your fine city.

[creative-type dad]

One of these days, I'm going to learn breakdance.