I've been some friends in Manhattan for the past week. As my visit draws to a close, I really feel like I've learned a lot about myself and life in general from my trip. Here is a brief summary of the evidence I saw and the insightful conclusions I've drawn:
On Sports and Endowment:
Evidence:
This trip, I saw various different New Yorkers at leisure: some unemployed youth shooting hoops in Harlem, a working father playing soccer with his two sons in Queens, some ladies of leisure playing tennis in the upper-west side and a few, graying businessmen loading their golf clubs into a Maserati on Madison Avenue.
Conclusion: Your paycheck is inversely proportional to the size of your balls.
Lessons from the Past and the Importance of the Historical Record:
Evidence:
This afternoon I spent two-and-a-half hours at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There, we covered a few different exhibits including the Ancient Egyptian Art. Before long, I was enthralled in reading one of plaques describing the life of Hatshepsut, Egypt's only female Pharaoh. I then looked up, and saw a small, broken piece of pottery.
Conclusion: Beware of ancient women, you just might end up with one cup.
On the New York Philharmonic:
Evidence:
Manhattan is known for its incredible richness and quality of its performing arts. I've had the opportunity to see two performances at Carnegie Hall, and three Broadway shows including the Phantom of the Opera and Rock of Ages. But overall, there is only one soundtrack that will stick with me for the rest of my life: the robust horns of and potent sirens of the 5th Avenue Cabal.
Conclusion: It's not what you play, but how you play it.
On Categorization
Evidence:
Having just come off a management consulting internship, I've yet to shake the tenancy to classify every interesting phenomenon that occurs around me into convenient buckets from which I will later draw. I have done the same thing for this most enlightening city:
Conclusion: Everything in Manhattan can be placed into one of two broad categories: "stuff I can't afford" and "stinky".
Ps. Anybody trying out for the Somdara Thanatos essay giveaway? lol
