2007
hearing nature talking
maura @ 1:51 pm
So I’m on my school break between summer sessions. Which means that the LAST class of my WHOLE library degree will start in a few days. Yipes, this program has zipped on by! Which means that I’m looking for jobs now. Right now. This very moment, in fact, in another tab in firefox.
(Which means that if you know of any reference/instruction jobs in academic libraries in NYC, please send ’em my way.)
Which, of course, makes me think about other places. Non-Brooklyn places. Usually my thinking goes something like this: “I should really check to see if there might be jobs I’d like coming open in other places. But I love Brooklyn, I don’t want to leave! So I won’t look for jobs in other places. Well, maybe just this once I will look. Hey, look at that, we could move to [insert name-of-a-small-town-somewhere-far-away-from-everyone-we-know here]! Or not.”
So here are some reasons (in no particular order) why I love where we live and don’t want to leave:
1. The Subway.
The subway is awesome. It goes almost everywhere, usually in a reasonable amount of time. It’s fairly weather-independent. Sometimes it’s elevated and has nice views. It runs 24/7. And I hate driving — honestly I would much rather spend a bit more time on the subway than spend less time driving a car.
2. Our Neighborhood.
We live right near the park, central library (see below), museum, botanic gardens, a small zoo, and 4 good subway lines (see above). We’re not too far from the food coop and there’s a great farmer’s market on Saturdays. The neighborhood is a smidge playground-poor, but a new one should be opening soon. The sidewalks are wide and uncrowded for easy walking, kid-chasing, scootering, and biking. And we finally have a yummy coffee shop + bakery a few blocks away.
3. The Library.
I cannot overstate how spoiled we are to live near the central branch of the library. The collections (for all ages) are fantastic. It’s enabled me to impose my dictatorial Try Before You Buy strategy for book readership and home organization on my family (down with overcrowded shelves!). Plus they have rotating art exhibits in the lobby, often show kids movies on weekends, and let you place a hold on a book from the comfort of your own home.
4. Our Building.
I think most people think that New Yorkers don’t know their neighbors, but we do! We have a courtyard in our building which is a natural meeting place for kids, parents, and gardeners, among others. It’s nice to know that there’s always someone around to borrow a cup of sugar from, or for spontaneous playing after school. We even have a small library, in the basement, of books that folks have discarded. And the apartments are nice, too.
5. Gus’s School.
I could go on and on, as I have before. It’s a great school. Devoted teachers, progressive ideals, active learning, lots of field trips, no homework in kindergarten. Also a beautiful old building in a quiet pretty neighborhood. And a philosophically similar middle/high school on the top 2 floors. We totally lucked out, and we are all really happy.
All that, and I didn’t even mention all the other fun stuff to do in the city. Moving? I’m not moving!
3 comments on “hearing nature talking”
I completely agree! :)
wiiiii!
I vote you stay where you are! The people have everything to do with everything, whether it’s a neighborhood, school, job, etc.
Good luck!!!