Folded thought of the day:

I had one of those great New York moments on Sunday.  I woke 
up early and headed into Manhattan, doing my usual stroll, 
trying to walk down streets I've never gone down before, 
looking for all signs of the big containment.  Faded 
remnants of a long-forgotten golden age that may or may 
not have ever happened.  

And I wandered into this little hole-in-the-wall dive of 
a diner and it was as if I stepped back in time as soon 
as I crossed the threshold.  The place had a copper tint 
to it, something different was in the air.  And I took 
a seat at the counter, gotta sit at the counter.  Eyeing 
the oversized menu, 37 variations on the omelet, 
sausage, homefries, hot homemade oatmeal.  Dishes clattering 
from all angles.  Ketchup bottles, A-1 Steaksauce, waiters 
barking their orders to the cook -- one dish at a time.  
And bad coffee... superbly bad coffee!  

It's moments like these that make me so happy to live 
in New York City.  And it's a really hard thing to explain.  
If you've been reading Below the Fold for a while now 
then you know I've made a few references to living here.  
And some of you have written me asking what it's like 
and why I chose to move here from beautiful Seattle, 
Washington.  

Let me tell you a little story, which I believe illustrates 
how I think about this city and why I love being a part 
of it. 

The last time I went to Washington I stayed on this island, 
in this great house right on a lake.  Very nice.  One day 
I went to get groceries from the local merchant and on my 
way out of the store there was this dude sitting on the 
porch -- right out of some idea of small-town life.  

So we chat a bit and he asks where I'm from and I tell him 
New York.  Then he says something like, "Do me a favor, 
when you go back don't tell them about this island."  And 
I'm thinking, "Gee, that's not a nice thing to say."  

A New Yorker would never say "Hey, when you go to Washington 
don't tell them about this city."  Everybody is welcome in 
New York.  Living here isn't easy, every day is a struggle, 
but you do it because you're part of something.  Everybody 
is struggling here so there's a big "we're in this thing 
together" vibe to the city. 

And the people are friendlier here than any other place 
I've ever been.  Believe it or not.  

And on any given Sunday morning, you can walk the streets 
of the city and find yourself in a different time, ordering 
eggs and coffee.. and forgetting your wounds for a while.