I decided to try an experiment today with human connection. I would try to look people in the eyes more, smile at strangers, simply acknowledge others when they were in my presence. What an interesting experience. For the majority of the day I was looked at like an alien or a crazy person. It rarely ended well. A very small group smiled back or gave a nod of recognition that I was addressing them but for the rest it was just uncomfortable. Looks of, Don't look at me! What do you want? What are you looking at!? Or those men who thought I was hitting on them and then proceeded to stare at me the rest of the subway ride. Of course causing me to disconnect and go into my own world. A smile does not mean I want to sleep with you people!!! And staring at me is not a turn on, it's creepy!!! Anyways, this got me thinking...
Now I don't expect NYC to be Pleasantville where everyone smiles and says "Hello, how's your day?" in a Disney happy kind of way! I don't want that and I know we are all different. I saw this quote in an O magazine I was reading on the train while trying to avoid a creepy starer. "It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy; it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others." Now we are not talking intimate relationships here but what I see in this is, we all have different ways of connecting, but why in this city must we be so singular? Why must I be an alien for wanting to acknowledge another human and let them know "Yes I see you!"
Which leads to my next question, Do cities have there own dispositions? I would have to say yes! If I had money to travel I would go city to city and find how people connect and what the cities distinctive qualities are. Find out what defines the disposition of that location. I can say from my experience, connecting with fellow humans is not a priority in NYC. However there is an amazing strength here, power, drive, New Yorkers are fighters. It is a kind of I am in it for me city. I am not putting this down, these are great qualities and this is an amazing place. I get why you must have strength to be here. And when New Yorkers do unite it is powerful. I just wish it didn't take a horrible tragedy to bring this about. After 9/11 we all looked each other in the eyes on the train, we saw humanity sitting across from us, we saw each other. I wish we could have a mix of the strength and that kind of connection.
But back to the dispositions. As much as I love NYC- I dislike it for this lack of connection and I am curious if it is different in other cities. Do they see each other more in Chicago? Do they smile more in Atlanta? Are they happier in Portland? I so wish I could study the personalities of cities. I wish we could travel the country, better yet the world and find that place that matched our own disposition. But here we are! What I can say is NYC doesn't quite match mine and it's time to start exploring. However, I also must remember it's amazing to meet other dispositions and learn from them. I truly am learning from this very strong, very fast, very individual city!
P.s. If you have had another experience here, Please share. Or if you know about other cities please share! Enlighten me on the personalities of far off places or even places just a few hours away! :)
Monday, May 3, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Nukes
I didn't expect to write so quickly but after writing my first post I walked outside into a protest against Nuclear Weapons. I was handed a little bag that included two paper Origami Doves and a flyer with a dove on it that had peace written in many different languages in it's feathers. Underneath the dove it read "Keep fighting for liberty, justice & peace with love & respect!" Mrs Shirai Yoko from Aichi-ken, Japan and Mr. Shirai Haluyoshi. The other side had a portion of the constitution of Japan renouncing war. I was thankful to have connected with this couple and share their beliefs.
I watched this protest for much of my lunch break. Of course I am against Nuclear war, talk about destroying human connection!! A friend of mine made a good point, in the past in war people had to look the victims in the eye, (still wrong) but talk about hard and now someone in another country pushes a button and far above something is dropped and lives are destroyed. We just blow each other up from a far. We don't have to see or connect with our victims in war as much, it is detached. Making it some how easier however I can't see how it could ever be easy. It is so very daunting to me. I feel my views on this are shared with many others but what stuck me as strange was the lack of human connection among the Anti war/Nuclear Weapon protesters.
People were packed together from 42nd street down to 38th Street with intelligent, fascinating, inspiring, touching speakers approaching the podium one after the other, trying to connect with the crowd. The speakers would conclude on high notes, trying to raise the passion and energy of the group and light claps were heard. A women who survived the A-Bomb spoke and a patter of hands acknowledged her when she finished. They stood side by side with their signs staring off into space, not acknowledging each other! How could they not even connect with the speaker at a protest they were attending!? Did they care? Why were they there? I don't believe just being there is enough, be seen and heard, they should be there to connect with the passers by, grab one person who might not quite understand the gravity of the situation. Instead they stood there, staring off into space, passionless, disconnected. No one was truly "fighting for liberty, justice and peace with love and respect" as my little note said. It was strange to see.
On the other hand yesterday I passed a march against the immigration laws and these people were united, they were seen and heard! People from all over the world celebrating their communities and demanding to be recognized as fellow Citizens of this country. It was not angry, they weren't closed off, they were connecting with each other and those of us that watched and to me that made all the difference.
So to conclude, one sign that struck me said "War for peace is like F*!king for Virginity!" Agreed and in response I say "Make Love not War" and as we share this message be sure you are seen and heard. Sadly not so easily done and should be. However, that's for another post! :) PEACE and LOVE!! We can find it!!!
I watched this protest for much of my lunch break. Of course I am against Nuclear war, talk about destroying human connection!! A friend of mine made a good point, in the past in war people had to look the victims in the eye, (still wrong) but talk about hard and now someone in another country pushes a button and far above something is dropped and lives are destroyed. We just blow each other up from a far. We don't have to see or connect with our victims in war as much, it is detached. Making it some how easier however I can't see how it could ever be easy. It is so very daunting to me. I feel my views on this are shared with many others but what stuck me as strange was the lack of human connection among the Anti war/Nuclear Weapon protesters.
People were packed together from 42nd street down to 38th Street with intelligent, fascinating, inspiring, touching speakers approaching the podium one after the other, trying to connect with the crowd. The speakers would conclude on high notes, trying to raise the passion and energy of the group and light claps were heard. A women who survived the A-Bomb spoke and a patter of hands acknowledged her when she finished. They stood side by side with their signs staring off into space, not acknowledging each other! How could they not even connect with the speaker at a protest they were attending!? Did they care? Why were they there? I don't believe just being there is enough, be seen and heard, they should be there to connect with the passers by, grab one person who might not quite understand the gravity of the situation. Instead they stood there, staring off into space, passionless, disconnected. No one was truly "fighting for liberty, justice and peace with love and respect" as my little note said. It was strange to see.
On the other hand yesterday I passed a march against the immigration laws and these people were united, they were seen and heard! People from all over the world celebrating their communities and demanding to be recognized as fellow Citizens of this country. It was not angry, they weren't closed off, they were connecting with each other and those of us that watched and to me that made all the difference.
So to conclude, one sign that struck me said "War for peace is like F*!king for Virginity!" Agreed and in response I say "Make Love not War" and as we share this message be sure you are seen and heard. Sadly not so easily done and should be. However, that's for another post! :) PEACE and LOVE!! We can find it!!!
Lets try this again....
So I attempted this blog about a year ago and quite honestly forgot about it. So here's try number 2!
As a person who struggles with the electronic age I thought I would try to embrace the reality of it in my own way. I have been called a Gypsy most of my life. The only year I won the Halloween Costume parade as a kid was when I was a Gypsy. :) Being part Hungarian and an actor I embrace the Gypsy in me. I also Love eyes, they are fascinating and as cheesy as it sounds truly are the windows to the soul. Thus the name Gypsy Eyes!
Funny enough the name came to me written on the wall of a restroom in a coffee shop downtown near NYU, so thanks random stranger who decided to share the phrase in magic marker one day after having too many coffees.
Which leads me to my next thought, human connections. These random or not so random encounters with our fellow humans. That person who wrote Gypsy Eyes on the bathroom wall had no idea that it would hit me and soon be the name of my blog. Some of our connections are unknown, or passing with strangers and some are much larger connections with friends, family, nature...etc. All, to me, worthy of exploration.
I am living in a city highly populated and most of the time feel absolutely alone. That seems wrong to me. So many opportunities to connect, meet people, learn and it's amazing how little we actually do. I could go on and on but please if you have thoughts connect!
If you come upon this blog and have insights, discoveries...etc. please do share. I would love for a community of seekers to bloom out of this blog. That is one of the amazing things about the electronic age we can connect with people we never would have dreamed of knowing. I know I must embrace that. However, lets still continue to meet on mountain tops, by rivers, oceans and lakes, in cafes, parks, theatres, stadiums...etc. and not just on the computer screen. This Gypsy would love to see more Eyes as I open mine wider!
Namaste- "the light in me recognizes and honors the light in you!!"
As a person who struggles with the electronic age I thought I would try to embrace the reality of it in my own way. I have been called a Gypsy most of my life. The only year I won the Halloween Costume parade as a kid was when I was a Gypsy. :) Being part Hungarian and an actor I embrace the Gypsy in me. I also Love eyes, they are fascinating and as cheesy as it sounds truly are the windows to the soul. Thus the name Gypsy Eyes!
Funny enough the name came to me written on the wall of a restroom in a coffee shop downtown near NYU, so thanks random stranger who decided to share the phrase in magic marker one day after having too many coffees.
Which leads me to my next thought, human connections. These random or not so random encounters with our fellow humans. That person who wrote Gypsy Eyes on the bathroom wall had no idea that it would hit me and soon be the name of my blog. Some of our connections are unknown, or passing with strangers and some are much larger connections with friends, family, nature...etc. All, to me, worthy of exploration.
I am living in a city highly populated and most of the time feel absolutely alone. That seems wrong to me. So many opportunities to connect, meet people, learn and it's amazing how little we actually do. I could go on and on but please if you have thoughts connect!
If you come upon this blog and have insights, discoveries...etc. please do share. I would love for a community of seekers to bloom out of this blog. That is one of the amazing things about the electronic age we can connect with people we never would have dreamed of knowing. I know I must embrace that. However, lets still continue to meet on mountain tops, by rivers, oceans and lakes, in cafes, parks, theatres, stadiums...etc. and not just on the computer screen. This Gypsy would love to see more Eyes as I open mine wider!
Namaste- "the light in me recognizes and honors the light in you!!"
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