Who You Know Knows

There are a lot of *special* things about living in New York.  Some are great, others are downright revolting - at least, when you remember that they aren't normal.  And that's the key; recognizing and celebrating the facets that make life in NYC awesome, and ignoring the elements which, were they to occur in any other major US city, you would find utterly unacceptable and shockingly uncivilized.

Being still a relatively recent arrival, I'm fascinated by the latter category - the aweful parts of city life that most New Yorkers are willing to accept without a second thought.  This leads to the belief that NYC is the best place anyone could ever live - and to them it is, because they only see the good side, having forcibly blocked out or normalized the other side of the coin.

But perhaps I need to work on my bias a bit too.  New York does certainly have a wealth of characteristics which are both very exciting, advantageous, and perhaps even unique.

One example would be the rabid system of social connections permeating from the lowest to highest strata of local and national society.  I'm sure LA can boast something comparable within 

the entertainment industry, but in NY it is all-pervasive: entertainment, fashion, business, politics, international politics, even academia.

I am lucky to have several very good college friends living in NY and we even get to see eachother regularly, not the norm around here.  While neither I, nor to be honest any of my direct college buds, have yet achieved ridiculous social status or entree to elite circles, a few odd instances have emerged.  Let's take a look at the Feb 19, 2009 issue of Rolling Stone.  

I'm not in it.

No shock there, but if you turn to the profile of always-very-talented and suddenly-very-popular folk/indie violinist Andrew Bird, you will see the following:

On the left of Andrew Bird is Alisha Richards (in her white furry cap).

On the right of Andrew Bird is Emily Davis (in her red cap w/ears).

And I know both of them.  

Proof?  

From our inauguration-watching/Harlem-walking tour, Jan 20, 2009.  This time, Emily on left, Alisha (plus hat) on the right.

There's more to this story than simple coincidence.  Alisha is dating one Peter Yang, who in addition to being a very cool guy, happens to also be a ridiculously good, and now much in demand, photographer for Rolling Stone and other major magazines.  You can (and should) check out some of his other work here:  www.peteryang.com 

Likewise, I might as well give a plug for Andew Bird, whose latest albums pretty freakin' amazing:  www.myspace.com/andrewbird

so am I suddenly cool?

No, but I do know somebody who's in Rolling Stone, and if that's no longer cred enough to at least claim some glom-on cool-factor, then I really am out of touch.

or maybe just (lame).

Weber

::(lame) Texpatriot.