I went into the city (that's New York City, for those of you who think that there are other cities on this planet) yesterday with my parents and their friends. We went to the New York City Ballet and out to dinner. It was fun, though I felt slightly guilty leaving the kiddos with Hot Guy all day. I'm over it now, though.
What I'm not over is how I've never, ever, not even when I was a skinny, young, trendy thing, felt cool in New York City. It's not that I feel insecure, or overwhelmed or intimidated in the city. I like visiting the city. I'm not afraid of getting lost or being yelled at by a crazy person (that hasn't happened in years, I wonder where Giuilani put them all?). It's just that Manhattan has always made me feel like Ugly Betty - a guileless geek.
It struck me yesterday was that after years of feeling cool in Boston, Seattle and Kansas City and then joining the mommy crowd and not caring about coolness, NYC could still make me feel dorky. No wonder I still consider it "the city."
