NY Sojourn, à la Boswell

So begins a summer, an adventure, a 12-week pursuit of happiness of sorts, à la James Boswell. He went out into London at the fresh young age of 22, living on an allowance but otherwise on his own, naïve and full of hopes and expectations, learning about people and about himself through experience—and that is the best way to learn, is it not? Pia and I have established that I will in some manner try to follow vaguely in his footsteps, though by no means literally (ie. I will not meet Senor Gonorrhea), and make the most out of being in this huge and wonderful city called New York. I can only hope it doesn't overwhelm me, the sights and sounds and intense diversity that only fully struck me two days ago as I sat in Madison Square Park, people- and squirrel-watching and eating a gyro from a food truck.

My meaning of happiness may be different from Boswell's (after all, he was an 18^th century white male in England, I a 21^st century Chinese female in the US), but it is with his enthusiasm and optimism that I begin this journey. I hope to learn—not through his writing nor necessarily through other people's lives (though I will no doubt be influenced by what I hear)—how to make my "choice of life", or to get closer to doing so during the course of the summer. After all, the summer after Junior year is essentially a prep session for the real world… and so it will be. And where better to do it than in NYC—formerly the city of my dreams, now a(n albeit brief) reality.

Boswell's purpose of keeping a journal had been to "know himself better…by attending to the feelings of his heart and to his external actions", and though I do not expect to "know myself" by the time the summer is done (or ever?), I do believe that the journal—both writing and reading it—is an immensely useful tool for learning, remembering, planning. It records events, captures thoughts at a given time, things that will otherwise fade from memory. It is very individualistic and pretty solipsistic and narcissistic perhaps, but often contact with others increases the desire to be in contact with oneself, especially mentally and emotionally… and that is where the journal comes in. Expect more Boswell quotes as this journal progresses.

But enough of introductions. This is my third official day in New York and I am leaving in about half an hour to go up to the Upper West Side to meet the kid and mother of the kid I will be babysitting. I have been doing some intense shopping the past two days, both for clothes and for household stuff. I have already spent too much money, but I am hoping this babysitting gig will relieve of some of my financial woes.

Not having my passport with me has been of utmost inconvenience. I can't open a bank account with Bank of America. Damned Patriot Act.

More later.