One thing that is hard to find in NYC is love. It is basically hard to find anywhere, but NYC belongs to the toughest cities of finding love. There are many paradoxes here when it comes to relationships. Everyone is alone here, therefore is looking for the significant other. But when they do start dating, it is difficult for a New Yorker to commit. Why is it, when you don't want to be alone? So people are making themselves alone here. It is understandable that with such an amount of people here, you have choices. You meet someone and you think he or she is the One and the next day you meet someone else who has the same or greater potential. People here can't choose because they have too many choices.
I think that New Yorkers have a lack of knowledge when it comes to love. They are damaged and wrecked from previous relationships and have their hearts sealed in ice. I even dare to say that most did not experience love due to the huge amount of heartbreaks. So my beloved New Yorkers, I have developed after years of experience with love and heartbreak a theory that is easily understandable and to all. This applies to people that are falling in love and are afraid or not used to the feeling. When a person is not used to it or fears it, he or she ends it. And runs away. Isn't that a waste? That way you'll never find someone or you'll be cheated on.
I describe love as a swimming pool. First you enter the area = meet the person. You observe the pool, walk around it and if feeling comfortable, you sit by it = attraction to person. Now it depends what type of person you are. If you like love, you jump into the pool carelessly and see what happens. Usually these relationships end up in catastrophes because the water (love) is either too cold, too dirty or the pool is too deep (other person too clingy or controlling). What people usually do is that before jumping into the pool, they try it out. First, you stick your toes in, then your knees, then comes the body and then you jump. You either swim or you start to drown. But drowning isn't a bad thing. It's the first time you get into the water and experience it's feeling. And this applies to love as well. You try out the waters, you see who the person is. You're cautious because you don't want to get hurt. You control you feelings or you develop them because some people don't fall in love right away.
Once you're drowning, you are in love. It's the first few seconds that you're finding yourself, you're adjusting to the feeling and you're trying to breathe. Most people start to freak out in this phase. They start to become defensive, look for mistakes in the others. It's the phase where you think it's too good to be true. Don't resist it. Enjoy it. You'll start swimming soon. Or even better, you'll start floating. Which is the best feeling ever. That means that your love is true and comfortable. It has no issues. Once you start to swim, you are in a serious relationship and you take care of it. You manage it.
It's ok to be in love. Don't be afraid. Heartbreak will always come. If it's either a couple breaking up or death of your spouse later on in life. One day you will be heartbroken. It's life. So enjoy the swim. :)
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Day 39 - The Story of Michael/Mohammed
I met Michael online ... again. I am really bad at introducing myself live so I hide behind the "safe" curtains of virtual reality. We decided to go for drinks and a hookah, which I didn't have in years. We sat down and he told me his story, which fascinated me.
Michael, originally called Mohammed (you can guess why he changed his name) was born and raised in Egypt and lived a part of his life in U.A.E. He received a fancy schmancy university degree in Engineering and got a great job. A job most Egyptians would die for. He worked in the telecommunications business and had a happy life. Rented an apartment downtown in one of those high-rise buildings surrounded by pools, palm trees, sand and gold. But Michael needed to get away from his family. Apparently his father spoiled him. He gave him whatever he wanted as a child and made life "easy" for him. Michael was driven by challenge. He wanted to show the world he wasn't a spoiled brat. Even though self-achieved in the dunes of gold and quite the success, Michael packed his bags and went to America, the land where dreams come true. And the land of freedom.
And so young Michael came to NYC. It was a harsh cold winter. He found himself a shared apartment in Harlem and a job. A quite fabulous one actually - a food delivery guy on a bike. For the first couple of months Michael delivered pizza in snow and sleet. He would come home from work completely drenched. So drenched in fact, that he could fill his shower with the water soaked into the clothes. But Michael didn't give up. And so he looked around and decided to pursue a different career.... bar tending. Since Michael was lonely and discrimination against Arabs was at its peak, it was a good and smart way of meeting people. He could mix good drinks and meet friends while making money and tips. Michael the Engineer therefore got a bar tending job at a bar and climbed the ladder. From the bus boy to waiter, he became the manager. And a professional in cosmopolitans and more. And that it what he still does and loves it.
Michael still lives in Harlem and is now planning to go back to school to study more engineering to continue in his previous career.
And now some nice pictures from the bars in Harlem. :)
Michael, originally called Mohammed (you can guess why he changed his name) was born and raised in Egypt and lived a part of his life in U.A.E. He received a fancy schmancy university degree in Engineering and got a great job. A job most Egyptians would die for. He worked in the telecommunications business and had a happy life. Rented an apartment downtown in one of those high-rise buildings surrounded by pools, palm trees, sand and gold. But Michael needed to get away from his family. Apparently his father spoiled him. He gave him whatever he wanted as a child and made life "easy" for him. Michael was driven by challenge. He wanted to show the world he wasn't a spoiled brat. Even though self-achieved in the dunes of gold and quite the success, Michael packed his bags and went to America, the land where dreams come true. And the land of freedom.
And so young Michael came to NYC. It was a harsh cold winter. He found himself a shared apartment in Harlem and a job. A quite fabulous one actually - a food delivery guy on a bike. For the first couple of months Michael delivered pizza in snow and sleet. He would come home from work completely drenched. So drenched in fact, that he could fill his shower with the water soaked into the clothes. But Michael didn't give up. And so he looked around and decided to pursue a different career.... bar tending. Since Michael was lonely and discrimination against Arabs was at its peak, it was a good and smart way of meeting people. He could mix good drinks and meet friends while making money and tips. Michael the Engineer therefore got a bar tending job at a bar and climbed the ladder. From the bus boy to waiter, he became the manager. And a professional in cosmopolitans and more. And that it what he still does and loves it.
Michael still lives in Harlem and is now planning to go back to school to study more engineering to continue in his previous career.
And now some nice pictures from the bars in Harlem. :)
