NYC: Love it or Leave It

New York City: It’s more than just a city, it’s a state of mind.

Not the most original thought, but over the years, I’ve come to appreciate/realize that you don’t have to be a native New Yorker to be a New Yorker. Some transplants come here already more of a New Yorker than many of those who’ve spent their entire lives here; others come with wild illusions and assumptions that are quickly dispelled, and they either adjust to reality or skip town a year or two later with complaints about how tough it is to live here. Some natives, on the other hand, can’t wait to get the hell out of dodge from the minute they take their first subway ride.

IMO, being a New Yorker is about being able to live in the moment; to appreciate the now while keeping a wary but unobsessive eye out for the later. It’s about appreciating craving diversity in every aspect of your life and not settling for less.

Unless you’re a millionaire, New York may not be a terribly friendly place, but it’s not an adversarial one, either, except perhaps for the truly weak of heart. I’d say it’s neutral, aloof, even; but tameable, for sure. And for those willing to make the effort, there’s no more rewarding place I can think of to live. I’ve moved away a number of times — from just over the River in New Jersey, to as far away as Virginia, Florida and Tennessee — but no matter how much I thought I had left for good, I’ve always found my way back.

You ask me what I am without specifying ethnicity or nationality, and I’ll say a New Yorker. Not American, or half-Black, half-Puerto Rican, but a New Yorker; for better or worse, good times and bad, and proud of it.

It’s a random thought that popped into my head in reference to a couple of things I’ve been thinking about recently, including the most recent version of Plan: World Domination, in a “think globally, act locally” kind of way. 

More later, as I continue to think it through and assemble my army. Stay tuned…

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Written by Guy LeCharles Gonzalez

Guy LeCharles Gonzalez is the Chief Content Officer for LibraryPass, and former publisher & marketing director for Writer’s Digest. Previously, he was also project lead for the Panorama Project; director, content strategy & audience development for Library Journal & School Library Journal; and founding director of programming & business development for the original Digital Book World.