Friday, March 6, 2009

My New York City Pedestrian Traffic Rules

1. Keep right, Pass left. Slow moving traffic please put on your hazard lights.

2. Signal when changing lanes.

3. Look left and right before crossing street or turning.

4. Do not stop in the middle of the sidewalk. If you need to carry a conversation, step to the side. 

5. Do not make sudden stops.

6. Do not make u-turns in the middle of the sidewalk. Pull over to the side, look, and proceed  with about-face.

7. Do not cut people off. But if you must, then maintain passing speed when attempting to cut off. 

8. If you must smoke, please walk in the street. That is where tar belongs. 

9. Look both ways when attempting to cross the street. If there are no cars, cross. There is no need to wait for the pedestrian signal to tell you to "walk."

10. Jay-walking is permitted and is encouraged when you are late for work. 

11. In the event that someone is running in your direction, please clear the way. They are either in a really big rush, or attending to an emergency. 

12. Please look in all directions before you spit out your gum. 

13. If a taxicab beeps at you, give them the finger and tell them "you're walking here." Pedestrians always have the right of way. 

14. In the event that you see a very attractive person, proceed with caution. Slowly manuever to the right and stop on the side, turn, and gawk. 

15. Please keep a safe following distance. 



Learn these and you're golden when walking the streets of NY...

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Life After College - the Quarter Life Crisis

From the day we were born, we were given goals to meet, standards to live up to, and a future to look forward to. Our parents, family, friends, and teachers have all had their sights set on our achievement.

When we were in elementary school, we learned the basics to everything in life, and the goal was to make it to high school. In high school, we buckled up for a competitive 4 years all with the determination to go to college. Upon arrival to college, we remained poised to prep ourselves for a future career, all while becoming accustomed to a new social dynamic. And on our commencement day, we were inaugurated into that so-called "real world."

Now here we are, past the social high-life of 21 year olds, reaching the quarter-life, and have logged more than a few thousand hours of experience in our chosen careers. We've achieved all of our previously set goals. Now what's next?

There are no certainties going forward. We have not set any mandates for ourselves. The major life necessities have all been acquired. Do we go to grad school? Do we buy a house or rent an apartment? Do we stay in our comfort zone or do we move to new frontiers? Do we continue to date or do we get married? Do we have kids? How do we afford this? How do we get that? Who can we seek advice from? Is this true? Can this be? Are you sure? Is it necessary? What if...? A crisis, indeed.

There is an abundance of options and roads to take. We have the colorful imaginations to dream the best and the power to make those dreams come to fruition.

I suppose that the best way to summarize this all is from an excerpt from a movie I recently watched (again).

In the closing scene of Back to the Future III, Jennifer appeals to Doc Brown on the disappearance of a fax she brought back from the future.

Jennifer: I brought this note back from the future and...now it's erased!
Doc:
Of course it's erased!
Jennifer: But what does that mean?
Doc: It means that your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is
whatever you make it. So make it a good one. Both of ya!
Marty: We will, Doc!


Good luck to us all in our future endeavors!