NYC bLoG [PortaL]

Welcome to the NYC bLoG portal for DAYSCRIBBER’S SCREENWRITING JOURNEY; a series of entries describing a week spent in NYC with no money, but a free place to stay.

This page contains the links to each documented journal entry for my stay in NYC.  Following those links is the back story  to that entire stay.

• Day 1: Uptown via Port Authority
• Day 2: Shakespeare in the Park
• Day 3: Summer Stages

THE BACK STORY:

Occasionally, I get the privilege of house sitting on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, in a tiny little apartment just blocks away from the world.  Within walking distance is the MET which is of course situated right next to the 79th st entrance to CENTRAL PARK.  In exchange for watching two calm, friendly cats, I get to experience what life would be like if I had an established residence in the city…  and for an aspiring creative soul, not much compares.

The problem in my case, is that I haven’t had a steady job in over a year.  Sure I have gotten some landscaping gigs and a decent painting job here or there, but for the most part, its been couch surfing and temporary pockets of cash.  I was here a few weeks ago for just two days.  I had very little cash then, but I got to experience some great events in that short amount of time.  Read my upcoming entry about the SUMMER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL, which is essentially a journal and a prelude to the trip I am currently on.  Those two days changed my perspective on everything as I am sure the next week will do for me now.

A little background on my state of affairs as of this writing, to better give you an understanding of how I am going to handle this experience.  I grew up in NY and NJ and have spent most of the years after high school in other places.  Whereas I have had some success in my adult life, much of it has been a confusing roller coaster of mixed emotions and insecure meanderings.  I have made lots of friends along the way, and have had luxuries at times, but I have not had a specific career nor have I had the funds to do the things that I really would like to be doing.

Growing up in this area, NYC was always an intimidating locale, a far away world existing just around the corner.  As I got older, discovered the arts, and opened my mind, I began to realize the complexities of NY are designed to ward off those who don’t understand its nature.  I do understand, and therefore, I keep coming back.  And every time I do re-visit, I get a new sensation, and an unmatched feeling that this place appreciates that I appreciate it.  To have an ongoing romance with a big city is in some ways superior to any relationship you could have with another person.  I for one, am in love with NYC and for the many reasons that I will share with you throughout the week.

I come into this experience, with this love, but with very little else.  I have virtually no money, a very small amount of food, a digital camera which resides within the confines of my cellular telephone, and the laptop from which these words are appearing.  I have been staying with family over the past few months, and for me, a person in their mid 30′s, that is not always the proper place for finding relaxation nor finding themselves.  They are great, but they are not on the same page, and this is why they do not understand how I could watch someone’s place for a week and not get paid for it.  I guess when you have resided in this area for so long as they have, that it becomes  so much of a home that the appreciation runs out.  Mine has not and in fact, it grows stronger every time I visit;  this visit should be no exception.  My mind and imagination thrive in this environment, and I would like to share some of mind with you this week, if you would like to know what its like to exist in NYC for a week with a free room but without money.

For anyone who has visited this city, feel free to share similar stories with myself and my 3 readers.  For anyone who lives here, recommendations on other places to see while here are surely appreciated.  Please enjoy my journey.

Here are the things I have going into this week, other than expectations.  It may be a challenge, but if I can come out at the end of the week having had a nice time, then it would have been a challenge worth taking:

I arrived here with the following items on Monday, July 26, 2010, at around 8:00 p.m.

• 1 bag of apples
• 4 avocados
• 1 bag of mung beans(I’ve never cooked them before!)
• 7 bananas
• 1.5 boxes of vegetable crackers
• 1 bag of dry oatmeal
• 1 dish of cooked vegetables (which spoiled on the way)
• 1 new container of soy milk
• 5 hard-boiled eggs
• 4 pieces of pizza
• $25 which I had put away over a year ago for just in case time.
• One free apartment to stay in from 26th-aug 1

Each journal entry features highlighted links to select locations, events, or artists (including actors and musicians.)  Utilize these links as they are mostly related to free events that you can explore if you are visiting this great city.

And away we go…