Comments for Patell and Waterman’s History of New York http://ahistoryofnewyork.com Being a ... course, companion, blog, and book. Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:54:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on How to Be a New Yorker by Bryan http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2011/11/how-to-be-a-new-yorker/comment-page-1/#comment-4961 Bryan Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:54:22 +0000 http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/?p=3552#comment-4961 Actually, the SATC version, crying over bedbugs, roaches, and high rents doesn't describe the student I'm talking about (or the general type of student I'm thinking of w/r/t our WNY course). I think she saw some of her aspirations & desire to let the city reshape her in Jen's narrative, esp the conclusion. But I'm just guessing. Actually, the SATC version, crying over bedbugs, roaches, and high rents doesn’t describe the student I’m talking about (or the general type of student I’m thinking of w/r/t our WNY course). I think she saw some of her aspirations & desire to let the city reshape her in Jen’s narrative, esp the conclusion. But I’m just guessing.

]]> Comment on How to Be a New Yorker by esquared http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2011/11/how-to-be-a-new-yorker/comment-page-1/#comment-4959 esquared Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:33:23 +0000 http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/?p=3552#comment-4959 *they're ( i meant to say their idea of being a New Yorker is misguided -- stream of consciousness [sure ee]) i think that's the problem with the new arrivals -- they have pre-dispose idea of what NYC would be like, whether living the SATC, Gossip Girl, whatever lifestyle they've seen in tv or movies. back then, people who moved to NYC were just trying to get away where they're from, and most moved here to be accepted and not be marginalized from their hometown or to create art, music, i.e. to be creative, but not to be fabulous. one would cry over that article since now they are finding the the real truth about what it's like to live in NYC or be a New Yorker and can relate and find they are not alone in their SATC polluted idea of living in NYC and that being a New Yorker does not mean living a fabulous lifestyle with fabulous jobs. that article basically burst their SATC bubble and have waken them in the reality that they are living in a closet space on 5 floor walk-up sleeping on air mattress in a closet space room on a five floor walk-up thus a not so fabulous lifestyle. and the article basically just said to them -- hey, that's ok, that's what NYC or being a New Yorker is all about, you're not alone. *they’re ( i meant to say their idea of being a New Yorker is misguided — stream of consciousness [sure ee])

i think that’s the problem with the new arrivals — they have pre-dispose idea of what NYC would be like, whether living the SATC, Gossip Girl, whatever lifestyle they’ve seen in tv or movies. back then, people who moved to NYC were just trying to get away where they’re from, and most moved here to be accepted and not be marginalized from their hometown or to create art, music, i.e. to be creative, but not to be fabulous.

one would cry over that article since now they are finding the the real truth about what it’s like to live in NYC or be a New Yorker and can relate and find they are not alone in their SATC polluted idea of living in NYC and that being a New Yorker does not mean living a fabulous lifestyle with fabulous jobs. that article basically burst their SATC bubble and have waken them in the reality that they are living in a closet space on 5 floor walk-up sleeping on air mattress in a closet space room on a five floor walk-up thus a not so fabulous lifestyle. and the article basically just said to them — hey, that’s ok, that’s what NYC or being a New Yorker is all about, you’re not alone.

]]> Comment on How to Be a New Yorker by Bryan http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2011/11/how-to-be-a-new-yorker/comment-page-1/#comment-4958 Bryan Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:56:09 +0000 http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/?p=3552#comment-4958 Hey, Cire -- Thanks for the comment. Yeah, you get where my suspicions come from. I think crying over the article is a fair response, especially if you're young and have just arrived. I think it's consistent with Jen's own narrative & with a long tradition of "coming to the city" narratives. We all arrive (unless we were born here) with a head full of stories and expectations & emotions attached to them. more soon -- bw Hey, Cire — Thanks for the comment. Yeah, you get where my suspicions come from.

I think crying over the article is a fair response, especially if you’re young and have just arrived. I think it’s consistent with Jen’s own narrative & with a long tradition of “coming to the city” narratives. We all arrive (unless we were born here) with a head full of stories and expectations & emotions attached to them.

more soon — bw

]]> Comment on How to Be a New Yorker by esquared http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2011/11/how-to-be-a-new-yorker/comment-page-1/#comment-4957 esquared Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:16:21 +0000 http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/?p=3552#comment-4957 i've tweeted this before, and i say that if one starts a sentence "like any normal new yorker..." tells me that they aren't a new yorker and <a href="http://www.nycmagicgarden.com/PassforaNative.html" rel="nofollow">New Yorkers</a>: "never waits on line for a cupcake." "do not identify a subway line by its color" "say 6th Avenue," not "Avenue of the Americas" "order chicken wings and fries from any chinese restaurant" "get lost in the Brambles of Central Park for a few hours (or days)" "know the 5 boroughs, and appreciate that NYC goes far beyond Manhattan and nouveau-hip Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods" ... and When someone begins a story by saying, "I was walking along Broadway..." a New Yorker will stop and ask, "What borough?" (Yes, each borough has a Broadway.) i wouldn't call this "high ground for the New York Romantics". i'd call this pride of being a New Yorker. and i'm sorry to say this but if one cries over that article, then their not a New Yorker, just someone who romanticizes New York from afar i’ve tweeted this before, and i say that if one starts a sentence “like any normal new yorker…” tells me that they aren’t a new yorker

and New Yorkers:

“never waits on line for a cupcake.”

“do not identify a subway line by its color”

“say 6th Avenue,” not “Avenue of the Americas”

“order chicken wings and fries from any chinese restaurant”

“get lost in the Brambles of Central Park for a few hours (or days)”

“know the 5 boroughs, and appreciate that NYC goes far beyond Manhattan and nouveau-hip Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods”

…

and When someone begins a story by saying, “I was walking along Broadway…” a New Yorker will stop and ask, “What borough?” (Yes, each borough has a Broadway.)

i wouldn’t call this “high ground for the New York Romantics”. i’d call this pride of being a New Yorker. and i’m sorry to say this but if one cries over that article, then their not a New Yorker, just someone who romanticizes New York from afar

]]> Comment on Ragged Dick probably wouldn’t have occupied Wall Street by Matthew http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2011/11/ragged-dick-probably-wouldnt-have-occupied-wall-street/comment-page-1/#comment-4929 Matthew Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:57:10 +0000 http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/?p=3489#comment-4929 I've always loved how the paragon of bootstrapping rags-to-riches was chased out of Boston for sanduskying his choir boys. Another grand moralist: he should have run as a Republican. I’ve always loved how the paragon of bootstrapping rags-to-riches was chased out of Boston for sanduskying his choir boys. Another grand moralist: he should have run as a Republican.

]]> Comment on Dreeming about Ailanthus by Bryan http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2011/11/dreeming/comment-page-1/#comment-4905 Bryan Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:09:08 +0000 http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/?p=3453#comment-4905 Jinx! Jinx!

]]> Comment on Melville’s Manhattan by Bryan http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2011/10/melvilles-manhattan/comment-page-1/#comment-4886 Bryan Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:05:12 +0000 http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/?p=3446#comment-4886 Matthew: Or you can think of New York City as a floating America, I guess. OWTD: I'm not sure we can make time, but we can offer another excuse: McNally Jackson and ToNY are hosting a Moby-Dick book club discussion on November 29. I'm going to be one of the people on hand to offer my two cents about why it's so great and some tips on how to get through it for those who've bogged down somewhere around the Cetology chapter. <a href="http://mcnallyjackson.com/event/mcnally-jackson-and-time-out-new-york-present-ask-me-aboutmoby-dick" rel="nofollow">Details here</a>. Matthew: Or you can think of New York City as a floating America, I guess.

OWTD: I’m not sure we can make time, but we can offer another excuse: McNally Jackson and ToNY are hosting a Moby-Dick book club discussion on November 29. I’m going to be one of the people on hand to offer my two cents about why it’s so great and some tips on how to get through it for those who’ve bogged down somewhere around the Cetology chapter. Details here.

]]> Comment on Melville’s Manhattan by Matthew http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2011/10/melvilles-manhattan/comment-page-1/#comment-4882 Matthew Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:38:34 +0000 http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/?p=3446#comment-4882 You can think of the Pequod as essentially a floating New York City. Except, of course, for its notable lack of half of humanity. You can think of the Pequod as essentially a floating New York City. Except, of course, for its notable lack of half of humanity.

]]> Comment on Melville’s Manhattan by Out Walking the Dog http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2011/10/melvilles-manhattan/comment-page-1/#comment-4881 Out Walking the Dog Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:09:25 +0000 http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/?p=3446#comment-4881 Your article gives me a hunger to re-read Melville. Can you also give me the time? Your article gives me a hunger to re-read Melville. Can you also give me the time?

]]> Comment on Introducing vWNY by Patell and Waterman’s History of New York · vWNY Mid-term Contest http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2011/09/introducing-vwny/comment-page-1/#comment-4774 Patell and Waterman’s History of New York · vWNY Mid-term Contest Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:56:55 +0000 http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/?p=3220#comment-4774 [...] half-way through our first semester of vWNY and, as promised at the outset, we’re holding a mid-term — contest, that is. Send an email to bryan.waterman@nyu.edu [...] [...] half-way through our first semester of vWNY and, as promised at the outset, we’re holding a mid-term — contest, that is. Send an email to bryan.waterman@nyu.edu [...]

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