07.27.04
24904
it amazes me how much of a change i feel coming over me lately. i worked until 6:00 or so today and i won’t be home until nearly 8:30, but i don’t mind. i was in a meeting with some coworkers and the time didn’t even really concern me. i looked at my watch and determined that catching the earlier train didn’t even matter that much to me because i was having an important conversation about a job that i really care about.
since i wasn’t running to catch the train i took the time to observe the scenery that i pass on my way to the station at 33rd st. and i realized how lucky i really am. i strolled out of the office and saw the chrysler building towering above me, and walked past the new york public library (and every time i pass it i think about the flying books in ghostbusters). as i got closer to the station i looked up and was startled to see that i had been passing right by a clear view of the empire state building every day and hadn’t even noticed it. i crossed broadway, walked past macy’s at herald square and rushed to reach my train. it’s easy to take these things for granted, but this is the stuff that movies are made of.
today was a good day at work. every day i feel closer to my co-workers. we had our weekly meeting this afternoon and our vice president brought cupcakes for us to decorate. the meeting ran over, but it didn’t really feel like a meeting — more like a gathering of friends. if we had martinis it would have been perfect.
at lunch today, i went and took a tour of the bally sports club that’s one block from my office, because i’m considering working out during my lunch hour during the week. however, based on how long it would take me to shower and get dressed and get back to work, i figure it may be more like 75 minutes from start to finish.
so, i decided to take the chance and talked to my manager about the possibility of taking a longer lunch to accomdate my workout. he told me in no uncertain terms that it’s important to him that i have a life outside of work and if part of it needs to happen during lunch, it’s no problem because he knows the work will get done.
oh, and i got my business cards today. yay!! 
i will post a scan.
anyway, it’s clear to me that i’m in the most accomodating work environment that i’ve ever seen. so far, this really seems like it may be my dream job. i know i’m loving what i’m doing when i look forward to going to work every day, and when the 3 hours i spend on the train each day doesn’t even get to me.
* * *
there are a few fixtures in new york that are as common as honda civics in the suburbs (or hummers in kingwood). one of them is the street flier distributor. i feel really bad for these people. they spend their time in angst trying to hand out pieces of paper to people passing by who wave them away and rarely take them. after all, who wants to carry around a piece of paper?
today, i saw this woman who looked genuinely distressed. she was trying to hand out sheets of paper advertising $1 internet access. i don’t need $1 internet access, but i could tell from the look in her eyes that this is her livelihood.
what’s worse, she was wearing one of those big cardboard fixtures — a sign on her front and one on her back, connected with two pieces of rope — and she looked humiliated.
so i did my good deed for the day. i took one. i stepped up to her, and she looked away as though she knew i didn’t want one (since most people don’t) so i asked her for one.
i didn’t stop to look at her reaction. i just placed the piece of paper in my pocket and walked on, hoping that she would feel better having been able to give away one of her fliers through means other than force.
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