"I love New York!"
That was the third time I'd heard that sentence from as many people in this last week. And everytime I hear it, it brings a grimace to my face.
Not that I have anything against New York in particular. It's about big cities in general. Having lived in Chennai for almost the whole of my 22 years of existence, I've come to detest rush hour traffic, pollution, and crowds. I feel a disctinct sense of sadness when I watch thousands of people being in a hurry all the time. I hate the rat-race existence that city life reduces us to.
Agreed, living in a city does come with its perks - be it great movie theaters, bowling alleys, restaurants, karting tracks, libraries, or whatever things you are into for which you normally wouldn't find the facilities in a smaller town. However, these things apply to India, not the US. Here even the little town of State College, PA, where I am right now, has everything I can think of that I want, leave alone need.
And this comes free of the hustle-bustle and crowds associated with a metropolitan city. The very atmosphere is cool and relaxed in every sense of the words. I can open the french windows and sit on the patio, with a warm cup of chocolate in my hand. Green grass. Pleasant breeze. Squirrels hopping. Fireflies winking. Trees swaying. The poet inside me feels a sense of satisfaction.
Time. It makes a huge difference when people have time to drink in life. Strangers greet you and take a moment to say a friendly sentence or two. I haven't heard a horn honk on the road this whole week. There are no queues longer than 5 minutes anywhere.
Nature. Grass, trees and bushes everywhere. Some small animals and insects as well. And I mean in the middle of the downtown area. The encroachment on nature's pristine beauty is minimal. There is not a single road that is actually flat - you will be either walking uphill or downhill at any given point of time.
Everybody grates on how slow I am at doing anything: be it eating, sleeping, bathing or walking. Well I can only say that I feel sorry for those who cannot relax and enjoy their food or their nap or their stroll. What is the point in being in a hurry all day, and then doing something wild in your free time in a vain attempt at relaxation? Work hard, party harder? Rubbish. Be relaxed and enjoy every single activity you do. It's healthier.
Cheers,
Prashanth.
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11 comments:
hey. I agree. The city holds its charm but there is nothing quite like the quiet, the simple, the country. and yes, we all need to slow down.
what's with all the blog-spammers?
Wow blog-spammers in action.I believe they are relaxed and are taking their own sweet time to spam you.
Sp this post is so slow ... I can almost see you typing in slow motion.:)
Having fun.. hmmmm
Golly Gosh Prashanth,
you took me back to 2001, when I landed here and I called-up my mom and said the very same things:no honking, pristine greenry, fresh air, squirrels hopping, strangers greet you on roads-shops everywhere .... Now to hear almost a verbatim account ...
But I belong to "I love New York" clan and I looove Mumbai too,but most of all I love my city - Chicago - My kind of town!! So beautifully it combines hi-rise building with sprawling parks n awesome lakes! Place where McDonalds and Deep-dish pizza were invented and which preserves the largest complete T-Rex ever discovered! But those terrible-terrible winters! I would go by HP, you yearn for those warmth of contere buildings ...
btw, yesterday I thought about dropping a mail; and I had to sing Elvis style:
return to sender, address unknown
no such person, no such zone
Actually my fault, instead of Yahoo, I typed hotmail! Will drop one today
*Intern
Hmm. Like a lot of people pointed out there are some folks who just love the buzz of the city and its 'liveliness' as they put it. Its funny how my dad puts it: he says it is so inveterate like a fisherwoman who can't sleep without smelling fish!
Yeah just as we like to smell the roses as we go about our stuff, they love to hear the traffic drone and I'll tell you what a lot of our 'rattling' modern day music gets its inspiration from such 'mechanised' sounds...think about it.
I am proud member of "city-dweller-to-core" group. I love cities which are throbbing with life, cities that are melting pot of cultures, ethnicities n socio-economic stratas; cities with ravenous appetite for art, culture, literature, music, dance, drama; cities with state-of-the-art libraries, museums, amusement parks, theatres; cities with energy flowing through its roadways, railways, subways and cities which in their generous folds hold both modern and traditional values.
In New York I find colorful mirror work kurtis and bandhani skirts at Bloomingdales, Palguni Patheks "Dandiya Nites" are sell-out shows n sometimes may even catch up with Satyajit Ray's films in Loews Cineplex. Not to forget the most sumptuous Indian cuisines in resturants spread along streets of NY : Salaam Bombay, Madras Cafe, Jewel Of India, Shaan, to name just a few.
The increased noise level is but a small price to pay for city-life! However NY as well as most metropolitan city dwellers are not constantly bombarded by noise at home, work-place or places of pleasures. There are NOISE CODES limiting noises to certain hours and to certain levels! MOST apartment dwellings have noise rules protecting residents. Even Central Park (NY) have designated centres of "Quite Zones"
When I'm home, I get my quiet n my personal space and when I'm out I see a city pulsating with energy! I Love New York!
But I do undestand that some people love country dwelling; its a matter of personal preference. They have equally strong views about peace n traquility that comes with a life away from city-life.
A respect their choice!
*Phew* Got rid of those spam comments. Wish I could get rid of the spammers as easily.
Natalie,
Thanks for the being the lone person here to agree with me!
Vc,
Ask Kk... she knows that I actually AM slow at typing!
Kaushik,
I just had the opposite realization - that I was never a city dweller at heart.
Hokey,
It's not about the buildings... it's the culture I am talking about.
Kirthi,
I know... there are quite a few people who love the bustle and buzz of the city just as I love my peace and quiet. I guess it is a matter of taste.
Intern,
You just revealed that you live in Chicago... and ... and... you're even thinking about dropping me a mail!!!
(SP faints)
Anon,
Yep. Some people like their eggs poached, others like them fried.
dont worry i am back on wednesday...
hmm..having a university in a small town rocks for other reasons..cheap rent, apartment close to department, peaceful to stroll around in the night...
Hey SP,
I wrote a comment on ur poetry blog.
SP,I think i know who made that comment
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