I am madly, passionately, deeply, in love with New York City.  For weeks I've been attempting to write an entry about this love affair, but somehow every time I start writing I end up off on a tangent of some other sort, and am inspired to write about something else.  Apparently NYC is incredibly inspiring to me...not surprising.

Growing up in Upstate New York, "The City" always meant NYC, and non New-Yorkers assuming that "New York" meant New York City was highly irritating. The assumption that New York is exclusively composed of The City is still a bit irritating, but I get it now.  In the summer between my junior and senior year of college I got a research internship in The City.  For four months I lived there, right in the heart of The Village, worked my unpaid internship during the day, worked at my favorite gelato shop in the world (a branch of my favorite gelato shop in Italy) at night (until about 2 in the morning), and on my infrequent days off, saw a Broadway show or two.  It was the hardest working, but absolute best, summer of my life.

The energy of The City is unparalleled.  People move quickly.  They're constantly striving toward whatever's next.  Never settling for the status quo.  It's a city full of dreamers, hard workers, no-shit-takers, public transportation, and close quarters that force you to confront people you might otherwise avoid.  It's like a well oiled but massive machine-- every person his or her own moving part. When I'm in The City I feel like I'm a part of that machine.  I feel like I'm a part of something bigger than me.  I feel alive, and whole, and like I'm a strong, independent, constantly learning, woman.

But amidst all of the hustle-bustle that I love about NYC lies my very favorite place and experience in the world.  That is, Times Square, the heart of chaos, bright lights, and New York insanity.  Any native NYCer would look at me like I've got lobsters crawling out of my ears if they heard me say this, but hear me out. There's a caveat to my love for Times Square.

Yes, Times Square at most times of the day is pretty awful.  Too many tourists.  Too many taxis.  Too much bobbing and weaving.  But at 6:30AM on a weekend, Times Square is like a different world.

It's quiet.

No one's there.

The streets are clean.

There are still bright lights and billboards, but that's it.

Just that.

Standing in the middle of Times Square at 6:30AM is peaceful.  And standing alone, with just the bright lights and billboards surrounding me--the contrast to what the area normally is so vivid--I feel powerful.  Like I'm the queen of the city and no one could stop me from doing whatever I want.  The world is at my fingertips and at only my fingertips.

And so, while I am madly in love with New York City, my love for NYC at 6:30AM is that love one-hundred fold.  At 6:30AM in Times Square I am the queen of a massive machine.

I am the queen of The City.

Keep on thinking,
Josie