As I reflect upon my lifestyle here for the past month, I feel disturbed by my standards of living. I can’t seem to get anything done and, what does get done, is rarely done right. It all adds up to a trinity of dysfunction:
The Clothes
After a month plus of living here, I still haven’t done laundry. I have many pairs of underwear, but eventually the well has to run dry. I’m wearing my very last pair as we speak. The question is: will today be the day I hit up that Asian laundromat around the corner? Or will I just go out and buy a pack of $4.99 Hanes (aka Heinous) Her Way cotton boy briefs from KMart? I’m desperately brainstorming a third alternative. Suggestions welcome.
The Food
As a new resident of New York City, I find myself in a perpetual state of trying to lose weight and save money. Thus, rather than spend five bucks on an order of fried rice, I decided this was a craving I could settle myself--and do it healthier. What evolved was an original recipe: brown basmati rice, reduced sodium soy sauce, egg whites, and canned corn. While the project wasn’t a complete failure--in other words, I was famished enough to eat it--I wouldn’t subject anyone else to such a meal. Fake Chinese food--it was like trying to quell a yearning for candy by eating an apple. What was I thinking?
The Holy Internet
As hard as I might try, I just can’t get the internet. I ordered it, but the modem was sent to the wrong apartment. Then it didn’t work. I spent hours with Verizon tech support. I had a repair man banging on my door at 8:30 on a Saturday morning. An installation technician stood me up. For the past month, I’ve had to rely entirely on Mark, the only wireless network around that doesn’t require a password. This unhealthy reliance on Mark has digressed to the most dysfunctional relationship that I’ve ever been in. For example, just minutes ago, Mark disappeared. Just up and left.
“Mark!” I cried despondently. “Mark! You can’t just leave me like that!”
And then he comes waltzing back into my life and it’s like nothing ever happened. The whole affair is turning me into an emotional basket case.
Between the lack of hygiene, the inability to cook, and my on-again-off-again relationship with the internet, I can’t help but feel incompetent. And as much as I keep telling myself to “Get it together!” I always reply, “Get what together?” I don’t even know where to start. Well, that’s not entirely true—I should start by doing laundry.
3 comments:
Laundromats aren't so bad. You get to choose from many varieties of colorful boxes of detergent.
As for food, try this: brown rice, fat-free greek yogurt, and chicken, either teriyaki or lemon grilled. Vegetarian meatballs are also great. Throw some dill, honey or paprika in there - but not all at once ;)
Hey, your blog is kind of becoming my bible. I just moved to New York to, somehow i've stumbledinto (literally, long story but i almost flattened an agent) the modeling industry. It seems like the same people who are telling me to lose a little weight are the same people who are giving me wine and free dinners. I can eat healthy, but how do you manage the drinking, your body, and still write lucid and entertaining dispatches from the NYC club scene? Other than cocaine, how do you and all the other models do it? I would greatly appreciate your advice. And yeah, i have a tight budget. personal trainers are not yet a viable option
jonathan - Great advice; I need all of the help I can get in the cooking department, so it's much appreciated.
anonymous - Thanks for reading! It's thrilling to hear that someone is out there relating to the site. MMB, my sister, would probably have more useful advice to give in terms of the modeling industry--she got the tall gene in the family. BUT, as a regular girl new to the city, I know I do feel a constant pressure to stay in shape AND party hard. It's difficult to feel healthy when you are caught in a tug of war between these two extremes.
One small thing that has helped: I joined Crunch Gym AND they gave me two free sessions with a personal trainer. Those two sessions were enough to give me an idea of a well rounded workout.
If you don't have time for that, just WALK everywhere. It's easy to do in New York, and it's always more exercise than you think.
In terms of the partying...I do what I did in college, I guess--go all out on the weekends. It gives me time to rest and recover if necessary. If I ever go out during the week (I try not to too often, again due to my budget), I practice moderation.
Good luck! If you ever want to commiserate about being new to NYC, I'm always available at stunnedinthecity@gmail.com.
Post a Comment