Things I have learned....

I have learned a lot of things while living in the city. 1) This is a fast paced city where if you have to keep up or get out of the way. We have gotten better with being able to keep up a fairly good pace, however we live in a tourist filled area where most people aren't used to walking fast and enjoy stopping every so often to look around. Needless to say there have been instances of running into people and more close calls. I like to think that by the time we leave here I will be an expert in dodging people.
2) Dodging cars isn't a game here. Just because you are a ped and have the signal to walk across the street, it doesn't mean the car is going to slow down and stop for you. If they don't try to hurry and turn without hitting you they will get close to make sure you are aware they are waiting for you and in dire need of getting to their destination fast. One day I was walking home from the post office and as I walked across the street I had 2 cars that turned and narrowly missed me. This leads me to 3.
3) You have to be brave here. I was a law abiding citizen who got so mad with those who crossed the street when it wasn't their turn and so on. It's a norm here to walk across the street when you don't have the right away. You have to be prepared to face cars turning onto your street and coming close to you. I have gotten used to this quite quickly and don't seem to notice them as much anymore.
4) Despite where you go, food is expensive. Fred and I have tried to be good when we go grocery shopping and getting as much of the generic stuff as we can since it does help to save money. A gallon of milk here cost us $3.99 if I remember our last trip correctly. It's a price to pay to live in the city.
5) Coming across areas that have been used in movies or t.v. shows is one thing I don't think will ever get old for me. I hope to run across a filming of Law and Order: SVU. I have become so addicted to that show it is ridiculous. I seen the house from "I Am Legend" which was cool. There are others, but they have fled my memory.
6) Subways are still fun to ride.
7) I will never look or act like a New Yorker. I met some of Fred's co-workers this week and the consistent reaction I heard from them was "Oh how cute!". I don't think I have been called cute so many times in such a short amount of time. When I tried explaining I could be tough they said the smile on my face pretty much was my downfall. You can't be nice here. I told them that sometimes when tourists walk in front of me and are slow or stop without warning I want to push them. They laughed at said it was cute that I thought about that. Apparently here, they don't think about it. If someone is in their way they really don't make an effort to dodge.
And that is just part of what I have learned while living in NYC.