Day 4/Day 5

Well, yesterday was my last evening in NYC. I didn't do too much. Walked to Times Square, hit D&B for some take out. I watched the military people in the streets, as there were a LOT of them due to Fleet Week. Everyone was going out of their way to make them feel at home, offering to take pictures of them and thanking them for their service it was really cool. I took a few final pics of T.S., but then my batteries decided to die. Oh well, wasn't worth the money to buy new ones when I have a bunch at home. I took a few lower quality pics on the camera and called it an evening.

The best part of the evening was when I was walking back to the hotel. I was talking to B on the cell and I come across a limo and taxi driver arguing in the street. "You're a freakin' moron" caught my attention. Before I knew it they were in each others faces, shouting insults with true New Yorker accents. I don't know why, but if you just listened to what they were saying it sounded like something out of a television show or movie. It was so stereotypical. I felt like my trip was complete.

Once I got back to the hotel Lost had started, so I managed to stay awake two more hours to watch the finale. I'll admit, I knew what was going to happen because I know where to find the good spoilers. Spoilers help me decide whether it's worth my time to watch a show or not. However, I still thought the show was pretty good. Of course there are more questions - why does Jack want to go back to the island, who is the boat off the coast that Naomi is with, how did Locke get out of the pit, and was Walt a manifestation of Jacob and/or the smoke monster? Charlie's death was pretty cool, though I think I'm the only one (besides my brother) out there that actually didn't mind the character and am sad to see him go.

Oh yeah, and I guess Jordin won A.I. My mom is happy, though she was a Melinda fan.

This morning I partially attended the last day of the Conference. During the break I went up to my old boss and thanked him for allowing me to attend. He looked horrible and did not looked thrilled that I had chosen to speak with him. It's a shame things have to end this way, but in the end he made his own bed. I'm sure he was relieved to see me leave; I know I was relieved that I no longer had to see him every day. Had he been more approachable it would have been nice to have a conversation with him and offer him some friendly advice, but he had to be a jerk. Life goes on.

On the way back to my hotel I stopped by Grand Central Station and did a quick walk through to an ATM. Once again, another very cool building, but not enough time to explore. Went back to the hotel, finished packing, grabbed a taxi and headed to La Guardia. For the next couple hours I'll spend my time relaxing in the Club with a glass of wine watching the planes come in/take off.

If I leave out the Conference, I really enjoyed my time here these last 4-1/2 days. NYC, even in the short amount of time I was here, is an awesome city. Being a Chicago girl I feel like a bit of a traitor when I say that I actually think NYC is now first on my list of favorite cities. Don't get me wrong, I'll always be a die-hard Bears and Cubs fan, and I'll always love Chicago and think of it as home, but NYC is unlike anywhere else. It's funny, because prior to coming here you hear about the crime, homeless, how dirty and smelly the city is, how rude the people are, etc. And honestly, I didn't see that. Granted, Bryant Park did have a foul stench to it, but everywhere I went people were nice, streets were clean, no one asked me for money, and people were very friendly. There was plenty to see and do, great food and a great atmosphere. Honestly, it was an amazing experience. And for anyone that has not been here, I suggest you add it to your list of places to visit.