I'm down with NYC! Yeah, you know me. [Le premier jour]

Morning.

Get it out of your head. It's not as big as you think. Or crowded. Or shiny. Or dirty. Or scary. Or stylish. Or mean.

The gayborhood isn't even as gay as you would think [You probably have to go to The Castro for balls out pride, and that is clear across the country], though I have seen quite a few homosexual men with whom I would like to be friends.

The people here are, get this, it's going to blow your mind, normal. You just lost your shit, I'm sure. The average person on the street, tourist or not, is just as average as any Oklahoman [though there is a notable decrease in obesity among the natives.

One guy did stop the Pegster to ask where she was from. When sshe replied "Oklahoma" he said, "I didn't know people lived there." [Many not by choice, mister, I assure you.] He also told her he'd "never seen 'one of those' before."

Day 1:
Wake: 4 AM. Not pleased
Flight departure: 6ish
Mehphis: around 8 or so
NYC: near noon

Tiniest room known to man, but it is on Manhattan. [Chelsea. Street-view window. I want a Brownstone.] I'm pretty sure my suitcase takes up a third of the space in here, though that says more about the size of my suitcase and less about the smallness of the room.

Bus tours most of the day. Uptown and the night- route. Yes, it is lame. Yes, it is less lame than you'd think. [Especially when you have a sweet night-tour driver named Russell who'll slow and stop for photos whenever the hell you want, and gives free rides to working stiffs who need a lift to Brooklyn.] It's a good way to get your bearings in the city and see a little bit of everything. [If you're going to be here for only one week, seeing as you are a tourist, you might as well.]

Sammie-type eateries for both lunch and dinner [we were tired and unimaginative last night]. Delish. And no more expensive than Panera, really. [I ate for $21 yesterday. You and your "yumm-o" can suck it, Rachel Ray.]

Movies and television may have ruined NYC for most people. It's cleaner, the people are prettier, and the camera angles make everything look big as hell. It's not that big [coming from a tiny individual such as myself, that's saying quite a bit]. I mean, it's big, don't get me wrong, but so is Chicago, and LA, and Houston. Maybe living in one of those cities virtually my entire life leaves this place less overwhelming.

Still, I think I love this place. It remains to be seen. As I told MLP yesterday, I could totally love living here, but I could also totally love living in Austin. [Probably more. It's that whole Texas Pride thing [not the crazy conservative, gun-toting, redneck kind]. I know you don't understand. Trust me when I say, Texas Pride is built in. It's in our genetic code, I swear. Texans can recognize other Texans, and no other place truly feels like home.]

[Shower opened up. Apologies for the quick closing.]

Downtown today. Then SoHo for MLP and me. In The Heights tonight [yes, I AM the only one dressing the hell up]. Hopefully some local fare throughout the day.

More to follow, don't you worry, little babies.