New York City Blogging – Chelsea Surprise Launch Party

06/06/2022 ~ Mel

got lost in Central Park (again)
accidentally Balto Statue
burned some of my last mobile data for call for help in group chat
warum zur Hölle ich nur 60 MB bekomme und danach untergehen darf ist unbekannt
sizzled in the sun for 1 hour on the rocks, waiting for help
read The Stardust Thief and can highly recommend
got collected by Em (thanks Grama PLEAD)
joined group
tried not to feel awkward → failed
tried to catch and remember all names → failed
but I’m pretty good at just being there, so I did that
Chelsea arrived and hubbub ensued
so many pictures to be taken

CAKE! (delicious AND sparkly)
actual socialising happens 😱

_{me, George Jreije, Chelsea Abdullah, Jaclyn Hart}

detour because stupid period, can’t wait for those to stop
it’s fun, awkward, awkward fun but the awkward is on me
everybody talking fast an not leaving opening to chime in
das ist aber nicht sehr deutsch, meine Lieben
half-melted buckeye – but good
not really from the kind of buck I expected, ngl
moving on to empanadamama
no wifi
it is very loud → Mel.exe stopped working
menu via QR code on mobile like – ha ha ha ha, no
water tastes like pool again
overwhelmed and bale to bare minimum, hoping to coast by
the wave
bill posted in groupchat for calculating your cost like – ha ha ha ha, no
want my mobile data back
walking back to a train station we can all use
everybody boarding a different train
police accumulating behind me 😬
macht mich zu Hause auch nicht glücklich, aber eure Polizei ist echt creepy 🤷‍♀️
glad to leave them behind
Obligatory Group Chat Tee Pics

New York City Blogging – Empire State Building

05/06/2022 ~ Mel

tl’dr

if you can pay the entrance from leftover peanuts and bring a friend? By all means, go for it
if you think tickets are fckn expensive for a view? Don’t. It’s exactly what you get – a very expensive view, not worth it SHRUG

Mel from shoulders up, slightly sunburnt and smiling. They're on the viewing platform on level 86 and Manhattan stretches behind them towards the ocean. — _{Is this view worth 40 bucks? You decide.}

long version

missed my station going there
extremely confused by the lack of helpful signs telling me where to go, starting with the best exit from the station to which way to go topside
tf if anybody knows where the ESB is
- can’t I just look up? bby, dude, luv, there be big-ass houses all around. I see nothing
had a chili-cheese hot dog and regretted it immediately
can’t recommend but at least no longer starving
found the entrance, was admitted 1 hour early
why is nobody wearing a mask?!?!?!?!
it’s French Day (ich spreche noch immer kein Französisch)
wtf is the floor made of? (scratches gently)
feels like an airport, but you can keep your drink
picture point at the entrance, I de-mask and wonder if that goes extra
fun little tour about the building’s history
- is it worth 40 bucks? I think not
elevator ceiling show to distract from how fckn fast this thing goes
schade eigentlich, ich liebe Aufzüge die HUIII!!!! machen 😔
a floor for views, people are not looking as they leave (not to self for later)
I spy with my bleary eye: the Statue of Liberty – hm, hab ich mir größer vorgestellt, maybe it’s the distance
nice enough views, bric-a-brac to look at, long queue out
10 mins into the wait a surge forwards
I claim the windows alongside the queue and thread my way back in later
another 10 mins into the wait the announcement that we do not have to wait for the elevator in this queue, we can also take the stairs for the last 6 floors (cue another rush)
coming to the conclusion that NYC can do with some more directive signs, arrows and such
stairs – huff puff, so many fckn stairs
why does floor 85 exist twice? 🤨
short existential crisis of having another 5 floor 85s
nah, we’re up
can’t sit on the shiny broad stairs 😔
bench miraculously becomes free enough for my ass as I approach. Yay
outside it fuckin wimdy
not as packed as feared
nice views, worth 40 bucks? I think not
walk around once, stare into the distance and down
good sir, are you sure you wanna hold the mobile over the edge for taking pics?
Need the number of mobiles dropped each year ASAP
going down the stairs is easier
once again Very Bad Beschriftung strikes
ESB: has gift shop out the back
me: that’s the guy I’m after
time to pic up that pic shot at the entrance – for 26 BUCKS?

Half body shot of David Tennant as Benedic from Much Ado About nothing. He is wearing a superman tee and holds a can of soda with a curly straw while he says: I think not.

another gift shop that hasn’t grasped the concept that I have burned all my money on the ticket already, smh
buying absolutely nothing again
ah, NOW we get to the pretty marble-y part
the hall is rather ostentatious
still, I am disappoint
do not recommend
heading to Starbucks for liquid pick-me-up

Close up of Mel looking underwhelmed and sucking matcha latte frappuccino through a straw from their cup. — _{The face of one underwhelmed Mel.}

New York City Blogging – Chelsea’s Official Book Launch

04/06/202205/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ 2 Comments

nervous af because do I know anybody at the event? no
but do I feel we’re friends because twitter? also no
but do I believe they’ll be as happy to see me as I’m scared to meet them? definitely no
my people-ing skills strike before I even leave my hotel *le sigh*
but ready or not, here I come, people will have to endure my presence for the evening
should probably have had dinner before the event
swimming to the station, high-humidity to the max 😔
can’t see much when crossing the river 😔
arrive at destination station in Brooklyn, start walking in the right direction before uncertainly bumbling about in the rain like a drunk bee for 10 mins before getting back on the right track
now this looks like a place where people actually live, I like it
street food guy on the corner but I am to nervous to stop, what if I’m late
Probleme die man als Deutsche nie los wird – Überpünktlichkeit 🤷‍♀️
find the bookshop, enter – get recognised? welp
recognise Chelsea, Jen & Gabe
talk a little to Chelsea, bought another copy of the book, stand around awkwardly, trying to look as if I belong
failed at small talk 101
the reading was good, wished the fooking birds had shown some respect for my hearing problems and shut tf u *le sigh*
also: CHELSEA HOW DARE? 😭
- book starts my fave way with the introductory adventure going right
- will it also be the cause of all problems in the book? Too early to tell, will love finding out
got book signed
tried to socialise
probably failed
had pics taken that will hopefully surface somewhere
managed to actually talk to people because OFMD cosplay
awkward goodbyes
prolly spoiled the surprise event the next day somewhat *oop*
this area really doesn’t look as if I need to be walked to the station, it’s a people area, people live here?!?
hungry enough for courage to get chicken burrito from street food guy
it was a very good burrito
also: BUY THE BOOK! (it is very good, is2g)

New York City Blogging – Brekkers with Gates & Em + Central park Zoo

03/06/202205/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ 2 Comments

getting up early like, no problem (it’s already 11am at home)
load omny card with the wrong package
run card through reader twice, because why not?
Arrive at Union Square
surprisingly no wifi at station
go out again
send Em pic of location I’m waiting (read before arriving)

send Em pic of myself (didn’t read before arrival)

wait for Em and sweat by just standing in the shadow (fckn humidity)
successfully meeting with Em
not so successful ticket-buying on her side, pay for her instead
dragging her out of the subway one station early
try to keep up with 1 very fast Grama
find brekkers place (Bonjour Crepes & Wine) but they’re closed yet
wait for Gates
place not open even after Gates arrives after opening time
- turns out they have problems with the stove and won’t open up for quite a while
Gates says there’s another place nearby, so we move there
turns out this is a chain and they were meaning an actually same cafe
had wondered why we go so far when there’s food all over everywhere in Manhattan
the mortifying ordeal of choosing only one dish
can’t go wrong with 3-cheese-omlette and huge smoothie
hand out chocolate
water doesn’t taste the badly of pool, still glad for smoothie
food is really good, fried potatoes are a surprise

next stop: coffee for Em
next stop: Central Park (guess who didn’t get lost this time 😁)
meandering around until we hit the zoo
getting tickets, Em gets mine to get even
zoo is kinda small but hey
likely cause of death: petting extremely fluffy bear ears
can’t find the snow leopards 😔
tropics zone – in this weather? 😬

E, E! Do you really think going into the tropical house is a good idea in this weather?
- Too late, she’s already inside
- dissolving into goo in 3.. 2.. 1.. splootch
- rarely did I want to leave a place so urgently
not even bat can keep me in this place
outside feels cool afterwards, not sure that’s worth it *sweats like an undignified pig*
split up because Em wants to look for Balto statue, Gates hat a foot and I desire to be cool

The Song of the Sun

02/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ 4 Comments

I cannot hear the song of the sun anymore
all stones are wrapped in iron chains
turning and churning
but captured.

I cannot hear the song of the sun anymore
deserted silver sands
freezing with blank indescription
nor hot nor cold not dry nor damp
not even the chafing of sand.

I cannot hear the song of the sun anymore
moonless midnight of hidden storm
skies clouded with grey forgetting
hunched up lonely under the blankets
listening intently
hearing absolutely nothing

I cannot hear the song of the sun anymore
and with every line that passes
the distance grows
inseparable, untouching
deaf and dumb and blind and numb
unable to hear the song
much less write a new one.

New York City Blogging – Central Park

02/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ 2 Comments

blue sky! 🥰
still fckn humid 😭
so many joggers
ok, maybe those two guys make it worth it 👀 (not respectfully)
just sitting in Central park and feeling sticky
why are there so many Germans here?
Oh nein, ich spreche kein Deutsch, oop, ich muss weg
also French. So many French. Would prefer Frenchie, ngl
getting lost in the park
realising the iced tea is a fizzy alcoholic drink by chugging half a bottle
- before getting lost
- might be causality somewhere in there
sitting around again because it’s just too sticky to move
fizzy cocktail is not helping the sticky situation