Umbrellas

In a city of millions of people on a normal day you may find it difficult to maneuver the sidewalks. There are those people who are walking so fast that they are almost running, then there are those who waddle along.  It makes life interesting everyday.  Yesterday things got even more interesting when the rain drops started to fall from the sky and the umbrellas started to go up.  The already narrow and crowded sidewalks on 8th ave were now ever more crowded.  Umbrellas spiked edges had to be dodged to maneuver sidewalks and you basically had to fear for your life.  Whereas elbows could normally be thrown, people now had metal weapons.  It was crazy. My umbrella got bumped many times as I walked past Madison Square Garden on the way back from my meeting.  But i almost got really stabbed when i was walking to the bus at the end of the day.  The best part of it was the fact that at that point it hadn't rained for 2 hours.  I have now decided that while umbrellas keep you dry and that can be helpful...they can be deadly too.  (besides the fact that they also can serve as lightning rods).  

I also saw an interesting sight that has not left me.  On my way to work, i think it is on 37th street and 8th Ave there are people lined up outside the dunkin donuts.   At first i thought it was for the walk up window but i later realized that they were waiting for something.  The women were always on one corner lined up, most of them of latino descent, and the men were on the opposite corner.  They all are about the same height and many of them look similar. I figured maybe they were waiting for a clothing manufacturer or textile company to open up.  Working in the Fashion District, there are all sorts of fabric shops and clothing companies so this is not an out there notion.  However, yesterday i learned what goes on at the corner.  A man comes down 37th St to the corner and says how many people he needs and what for.  He then chooses (i don't know how) who he will take for the day.  The women scramble to get picked.  The Korean man took just one yesterday when I was passing by.  I am not sure why this so astounded me.  But as i have thought about it, I am surrounded by people who dont necessarily have to struggle to earn money everyday.  And yet these women and men stand at the corner everyday in hope that they will be able to make a few dollars.   They probably don't get paid what they are supposed too, but to them it is work.   When i walk past that corner everyday i feel like i have left the united states even though i am not usually there more than 2 minutes.  This corner represents the reality of some of the lives of immigrants in this country. I would say that for me it was a culture shock, but i cant say that because at this point, after seeing so much in New Orleans, I am not surprised that this occurs everyday.   The government is not to blame for either case.  

I also wanted to share about the book that I am reading.  I have this sudden thirst for knowledge....I think it is because I know i won't get tested on it.  But, I came across this book called The Unthinkable: Who Survives when disaster strikes and why.  It is by Amanda Ripley.  You should definitely check it out.  The statistics and stories are fascinating.  I am not going to give it away but I can tell you that it is along the lines of the work that I am currently doing in a way.  If you want to know more about that.  I would love to share.   For now I have to eat dinner and do some laundry.