NEW YEAR, NEW CITY?

I am definitely one of those New Yorkers who gripes about the city becoming less cool. I've been here for a taste and there are plenty of alarming developments. Rents too damn high to permit new creative types moving in, an epidemic of national chain stores opening which drain the city of it's cherished local color, hospitals closing, unscrupulous landlords, a Disney-fied Times Square and bourgie clubs with bottle service catering to a clientele made up of Sex And The City wannabes--of both female and male varieties.

I travel a lot for work--sometimes to exotic places--yet am still always thrilled to get back home. Lately, I've been catching up with oodles of entertaining people--they still inhabit the area en masse and are chock full of riveting stories both outrageous and poignant. I've caught a few recent films that probably won't be released in the boonies. And my broken arm hasn't prevented me from hooking up with a few of the sexy rascals who have always been one of this permissive, sexually-charged city's premiere attractions for a card-carrying slut like me. When I tenderly reach out my cast to them while singing Mister Mister's "Take these broken wings" with bone-breaking sound effects edited onto my backing track, they bust a gut. And then they bust their nasty nuts. It's far more romantic than any poem by Shelley and you are welcome for that heart-warming imagery to jump-start your mornings. And I didn't even mention the 10 minute, erection-killing odyssey when I clumsily try to put on a condom with my good hand and the numb fingers sticking out the other hand in the cast.

Has the city changed? Yes. Has it changed for the worst? For me, yes. It isn't what it used to be but hell, neither am I! But it's still NYC, baby! When a city starts off with this much razzle dazzle, bohemianism, glamour and funkiness, it can lose some of it's mojo and still rule the US, in my opinion. Especially when we get out from behind our screens and re-connect with the people who made it great. (She noted, while typing on a screen to be read on other folks' screens.) All I'm saying is that I've made a point to enjoy what's still unique about this city while I'm recuperating and it's been richly rewarding and has reaffirmed why I'm here. It's easy to focus on what NYC's lost, or enjoy it as it currently is. Which ain't too shabby when you start to look at other possible destinations--it's still the end of the line for us thrill-seekers! And who knows? Maybe Deblasio will start to turn things around. He'd better hurry up and reduce that Stop And Frisk policy--before the pick up his damn daughter. Whoopsie!