Thankful: The Truth

As the story goes, if it wasn’t for the Native Americans, the first pilgrims who arrived in America via a wooden ship called the Mayflower wouldn’t have survived their first winter. The Native Americans showed them how to fish, how to farm, and some time in November, both sides set aside their differences by coming together for a large feast. This was the first American thanksgiving. At least, this was the story that was ingrained in me when I first immigrated to America and spent my own first Thanksgiving. Little did I know, that the story of the first Thanksgiving may be more myth than history.

According to Chris Lewis, an American Studies instructor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, the holiday we know as Thanksgiving  had its roots in the Civil War NOT Plymouth, Massachusetts. Constantly thanking God, Abraham Lincoln established the holiday to commemorate the dead and to unite the nation by reminding the people of the United States of being thankful for the blessings they received.

So here I am, 146 years later, and I have a lot to be thankful for. I thank God for the life He’s given me. I thank Him for giving me amazing and loving parents. I thank Him for giving me a supportive group of friends that I can laugh and cry with. I am thankful that I was able to be the first in my family to graduate from a university (UCLA, Go Bruins!). I am thankful for the freedom of speech and freedom in general. I am thankful for the men and women who fight so that freedom would still ring in this country. Yes, I have a lot to be thankful for–I don’t think I can count all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me.

Counting blessings is something that my friend Victor and I used to do before we left for college. It was a good practice for us because as emo teenagers who thought the world would end when things didn’t go as we wanted them to go, counting our blessings reminded us of how life wasn’t at all that bad. As teenagers, we were so dramatic about how we saw life, so when we wrote down on paper all the specific things we were thankful for each day for an entire week, we realized we were quite spoiled–that God gave us bountiful blessings. And as a result, if we were truly blessed, then why should we have a “woe is me” mentality?

Grateful–blessed, spoiled even. And I want to continue the habit of giving to others, and that’s my identity revealed.

Abraham Lincoln, photo credit: College Publisher

Here is the 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln (The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, edited by Roy P. Basler)

Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863

This is the proclamation which set the precedent for America’s national day of Thanksgiving. During his administration, President Lincoln issued many orders like this. For example, on November 28, 1861, he ordered government departments closed for a local day of thanksgiving.

Sarah Josepha Hale, a prominent magazine editor, wrote a letter to Lincoln on 28, 1863, urging him to have the “day of our annual Thanksgiving made a National and fixed Union Festival.” She wrote, “You may have observed that, for some years past, there has been an increasing interest felt in our land to have the Thanksgiving held on the same day, in all the States; it now needs National recognition and authoritive fixation, only, to become permanently, an American custom and institution.” The document below sets apart the last Thursday of November “as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise.”

According to an April 1, 1864, letter from John Nicolay, one of President Lincoln’s secretaries, this document was written by Secretary of State William Seward, and the original was in his handwriting. On October 3, 1863, fellow Cabinet member Gideon Welles recorded in his diary that he complimented Seward on his work. A year later the manuscript was sold to benefit Union troops.

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

 

Freedom and Fashion and everything in between

It’s been about three weeks since my last real post. Busy body. It’s been about four days since I got to see all my hours of hard work come in fruition in the form of the Freedom and Fashion show. Post busy body. However, I’ve got to say that the fashion show against human and sex trafficking and the exploitation of women, as well as other important social justice causes–the fashion show was a huge success. I think we got the message across to people in a clear, yet creative way.

One of my friends wondered why we use fashion as the medium because the fashion industry tends to exploit women. Women are told to dress a certain way, to be a certain image, to be a certain size–isn’t it ironic? Well, dear friend, isn’t that the point? We want to reclaim the fashion industry, to bring into light the injustices it has done to women, and more importantly, to change the way we perceive fashion. Think of it–fashion CAN be fair-trade, and it CAN go to a good cause, and it CAN still be fashionable. Social justice is in, and apathy is out. When we forget that–perhaps that’s when we forget our identities as compassionate human beings.

UCLA’s Ackerman Grand Ballroom was packed. Every seat was filled, and after walking the VIPs and donors to their seats, I had to stand back a bit, look at the catwalk, and stood amazed that the day had finally come. Once everyone got to their seats, the hosts introduced rapper Jason Medeiros, where he performed two songs. One of the songs, “Constance,” is based on the true story of a Filipina girl who was sold into the sex trade industry. Then, the fashion show started. As soon as the song started playing, my heart skipped a bit. This is it! This is it! I remember thinking to myself. To make a long story short, I’ll let the pictures and video speak for itself. The pictures were taken by my friend, Kenny Gulley, during dress rehearsal (although it’s not everything featured on the actual fashion show) while the footage of the fashion show was taken by Freedom and Fashion crew and is streamed on Livestream.

If you are interested about social justice issues, check out Freedom and Fashion.

Check out some of the clothes featured on the fashion show (or at least on the photos below), by such clothing lines as Definicion Clothing, LiNk (Liberty in North Korea), Lalesso, Tagbag.

Lalesso Clothing

Lalesso Clothing

LiNK Clothing

LiNK Clothing

LiNk Clothing

Freedom and Fashion Line

Freedom and Fashion Line

Definicion Clothing

Clothe One Movement – Helping to Stop Child Prostitution

Anyone who knows me knows that I am all about fashion and causes. My friend told me about a great clothing company. I’ll let him tell you:

Hello everyone,

I want to tell you about this clothing company called Aklesia. Right now they are doing this promotion called “Clothe One Movement”, and if you buy a “clothe one” shirt, they will donate a school uniform to The Sold Project <http://www.thesoldproject.com> which is an awesome organization that helps stop child prostitution by keeping children in Thailand in school. Their model and strategy for stopping child prostitution is amazing and effective. If you want to find out more, go to Aklesia’s blog website at http://www.elevatetoinspire.com/ and read the article on the Sold Project.

Whether you buy a shirt or not is your own prerogative, although I do recommend that you either buy one for yourself or gift one to help the cause (especially with the Holiday’s around the corner). But at the very least, get the word out to all your friends.

Here’s how you can help:

#1. Check out the post at http://www.elevatetoinspire.com/, then click on the Clothe One site and VOTE ON A DESIGN. It should take a minute and there are only 2 DAYS LEFT for voting.

#2. Post up the site URL on your Facebook Status and/or Twitter.

#3. Join the Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=29982477254&ref=ts and follow Aklesia on twitter at www.twitter.com/Aklesia_Inc*

The voting is ABSOLUTELY important because it helps Aklesia pick the BEST design to use for their clothe one promotion. That means that as many children as possible in Thailand can get the school uniforms that they need to stay in school.

This is a very tangible way you can help stop child prostitution.

Thank you in advance,

Myles Hamby

Busy Body

Wow. It’s been more than two weeks since my last entry. But don’t think I’ve been lazy or anything. No. I’ve been busy working on the Freedom and Fashion show. All the hard work I put in since July finally came down to last night, where the world got to see fair-trade fashion on the catwalk. The set was exquisite, the music was fun and cool, the models were gorgeous, and the causes–they were the best part. I’ll have to write more about it later tonight and post pictures. For now, I need to catch up on much-deserved sleep.

It’s All So Draining: Exploring Vampires

Photo Credit: CSPA Workshop

The end of Halloween and the beginning of November can only mean one thing for girls all across America. Their two-year wait can now be count down to a matter of seventeen days before they see their precious heart-throb without a heart-throbbing in the big screen. Enter twenty-three-year-old British actor Robert Pattinson, who plays forever seventeen-year-old American vampire Edward Cullen. Girls seem to fall madly in love with him. One girl I asked described the actor-character as, “Gorgeous. I want him to come rescue me. And if he wants to bite me, all the better.” Another girl said, “His eyes are just beautiful.” Sorry, excuse me if I barf. I don’t quite understand his charm–he looks like a drug addict, especially around his eyes! But maybe that’s why he brings that specific appeal to Team Edward, rather than his rival in Team Jacob (the werewolf in the movie). Before angry girls start writing in, I’m not bagging on Pattinson–just his alter ego, the way he looks in the movie and pictures. I’m a big fan of him as squeaky clean Cedric Diggory. But enough with “Twilight” and “New Moon.” This post isn’t about them, but rather about our fascination with vampires.

Vampire mania seems to be the trend these days. Heck, when you’re sitting on gold, you got to exploit it while you still can, right?  When “Pirates of the Caribbean” came out, just about everyone wanted to be a pirate–even porn stars. And I’m sure the Halloween costume sales for pirates or naughty pirates increased during the trend. But these past two years, vampires are in. Case in point, “The Vampire Diaries,” which air on the CW. It’s about two teenage vampire brothers fighting for the love of a teenage girl. One vampire doesn’t drink human blood, the other does. Sounds somewhat familiar to the vegetarian Cullen clan. Then, there’s “The Vampire’s Assistant.” It’s about a teenage vampire who doesn’t drink human blood and who has to fight against his best friend-turned vampire who does. Yes, things sound quitet familiar. And the success of HBO’s “True Blood,” which is an adult vampire story also about a vampire that doesn’t drink blood who is constantly challenged by vampires who do drink blood, opened my eyes to why we’re so fascinated with them.

Photo Credit: TV Fanatic

First, we have to understand the past. Perhaps it’s human to want to know what happens to us after we die. Is there or isn’t there an afterlife? And what if you can live on, even after you die, but the price you pay to live is by killing another? From the Dark Ages to the Victorian era, to the early 20th century, we’ve been fascinated by the vampire mythology. For several hundred years, that fascination was more of a fear of the dead and of the unknown. I just watched The History Channel’s special on vampires, and it was remarkable for me to learn that even to this day, some European graves have corpses with stakes in their hearts because of the vampire paranoia. But if we used to fear vampires for several hundred years, why are we in love with them today?

Perhaps it’s because we are no longer afraid of seeing dead bodies. Thanks to shows like CSI and NCIS, who have pushed the envelope into seeing how a human body looks on the inside, we don’t cringe as much when we see the dead bodies. We’ve been habituated to death and death isn’t quite a mystery in our Age of Enlightenment. Or perhaps we like to flirt with the ideals of the vampires. Vampires are rebellious and live (ironic, I know) freely, who live life dangerously and in a constant mode of excitement. Deep down each of us, we all secretly want to rebel from a life of mediocrity, a theme I know all too well from “Fight Club.” Or maybe, we don’t fear vampires because they’re just darn too sexy. The classic Dracula was a middle-aged man dressed in a cape who fed on beautiful virginesque (I made up that word) women. It’s definitely creepy. But nowadays, the vampires are dressed like you and me and with the exception of the “True Blood” vampires, I have not seen a vampire over the age of 30 who is not physically fit or not physically attractive. And when we make out with a vampire, such as the case with Kristen Stewart, we are literally making out with death and figuratively flirting with death. I thinking the “flirting with death” part intrigues people, and thus attracts them to the vampire mythos. There you go, today’s vampires have undergone image reconstruction, and whoever is doing the PR work for vampires needs to get promoted or get a raise. It is now cool to be a vampire.

But with all that said, can we lay it off with all these vampire stories that seem to be recycled? It’s all so draining! Enough with the “vampire who drinks human blood versus the vampire who doesn’t” storyline. Well, I guess I have to wait until the next trend. What does our fascination with vampires reveal about our own identities? Maybe the fact that although we understand death scientifically, we still fear death spiritually. Is there life after death? The vampire flirts with us and entices us with his answer.

Photo Credit: CSPA Workshop

Photo Credit: TV Fanatic

Disturbing Images Disturbing Minds

As much as we are a culture of information, obtaining it simply with the click of a button on a mouse, we are a culture of images. I realized this when I saw that my Facebook contained more than 2,000 images of yours truly. I looked through the album and just had to laugh at my foolish antics of who I was and who I am now. What was I thinking? How vain or narcissistic have I become? But I’ve also come to another realization–I am not the only one. Most people on socil network sights invest in their image by creating their profile to reflect or extend who they are. They post up pictures, have quotes, have likes–all for show.

Images have been ingrained in the structure of our culture–they’re invading our lives.  Whether you’re on Facebook or Myspace, whether you’re walking or driving down the street, whether you’re watching TV or movies, we can’t escape images. Images are trying to sell you something, they’re trying to communicate something to you. Close your eyes, and your mind will wander to an image.

Photo Credit: Gov Archives

I recognize the importance of images and how powerful they can be. Take for example the famous Iwo Jima picture. The image of these soldiers putting up the glorious American flag at the battle of Iwo Jima, an island in Japan, must invoke some kind of emotion. For me, this image invokes one of courage, heroism, and sacrifice. It’s a photo that can move a nation to change and to action. This photo inspires.

But lately, our images have become dark and somewhat perverted. Maybe it’s the spirit of Halloween that made me dwell in my thoughts about what our society has become. Or maybe it’s because watching the “Saw” series has resulted to my mind being incredibly disturbed at the commentary of how cruel a human being can be to another. I don’t know.

Knife Chair

Our TV shows and movies have become incredibly bloody and twisted. Some of my favorite TV shows like “CSI” or “NCIS” actively show a dissected corpse. Shows like “Dexter” and movies like “Saw” and “Hostel” push the envelope sometimes with all the blood and realism. Do we really need to show every graphic detail of a guy getting slaughtered. It’s painful to see another person in pain, but to watch it as a form of entertainment, regardless if it’s fake–what does that do to us? It’s become, in a way, like a sense of disturbing pornography–we get off of people’s pain, just as long as we’re not the ones getting tortured. I can’t help but think that movies like “Saw” and “Hostel” get serial killers and potential serial killers off. We’ve become a disturbing society. At least, that’s what I thought, until I realize that it was nothing new. In the Middle Ages to even as recent as the glorious days of the Wild Wild West, public executions such as beheadings or hangings were a family event.

Our attention to detail and making things appear real with the blood and guts has made me desensitized to death. Death isn’t a mystery–it’s after death.

Wedding Pressure? Me Too

Photo Credit: Azildalions

I can hear the church bells. Cue the violins. Don’t forget the candle procession. Oh, and the flowers–the bouquets have to be prominently displayed all around the church. The flower girls better get this right. The ring bearer better not be picking his nose. Where are the crying mothers? Oh, there they are…

I’ve been in a lot of weddings as a child, but also as an adult. Well, the adult part  invokes a tremendous sense of independence and freedom from having to hold a stupid pillow with symbolic rings on it. Strike that, being a groomsman is just as bad. With all the standing I have to do, I have to make sure I won’t pass out from exhaustion as the priest talks on and on about love and how a husband and wife should behave.

As a twenty-three-year-old, I’ve had the pleasure of being in many weddings since I started out as a cute little ring bearer and worked my way up to groomsmen. With so many of my friends getting married so young, I can’t wait to get promoted to Best Man. That was sarcasm–extreme sarcasm. Now, don’t get me wrong–I’m quite happy for my friends who have found true love and happiness. I can’t help the fact that their marriages make me feel like I’m way behind, despite my young age. Darn. And my parents are already asking, “When are you getting married?” Double darn. To all those who are under the same wedding pressure, I feel you. I’m living it. Triple darn.

Why do people get married anyway? Is marriage still relevant in our culture today? Sometimes, it doesn’t look so, as evidence by HBO’s “Californication.” Compared to a hundred years ago, it’s now more acceptable to live with your significant other without the dreaded M word.

Some people argue that marriage is for the children–having them. Sure, it definitely was many years ago when pregnant teens were rejected and were often pushed to marry the guy that got them pregnant in the first place. The thought of an unwed pregnant teen in an era like the 1950s was disturbing; it brought shame to the family. Now, you can argue that the stigma it still  the same today, but there’s definitely more degrees of acceptance. And I’ve seen functioning families where the parents aren’t even married–they live together under the same roof and do as other married couples do. They just don’t have the “marriage” title. Who needs it, right?

Other people argue that marriage shows commitment and validates the relationship. Does that mean we get married to make it harder to leave the other? What about all those divorces? You don’t have to get married to show commitment–you do that just by being committed. Your actions will speak for itself that other people know you are in a committed relationship.

So if we don’t get married for the children or for the commitment or to validate the relationship, why spend those thousands of dollars to say “I do” when you can say it every day of your life?

Again, are marriages even relevant today? I think marriages are even more relevant today than years before. For several hundred years, marriage was inevitable. But in today’s society, that’s still up in the air. Today, we have the choice to get married, or to live together and enjoy all that married life has to offer without the title. That choice makes marriages all that more relevant. But that still leaves the question: why get married today?

Maybe I’m a romantic Christian at heart, but I think marriage makes the relationship spiritually divine. Something bigger than the both of you–the author of love–that same Being has brought you together. God has blessed your relationship. As much as you chose to get married, God has agreed with you and He’s had a hand in it. I think that’s a beautiful view of marriage–that makes me want to get married even more. Alas, the wedding pressure. In the words of my best friend, “It’s time to go wife-hunting.”

Photo Credit: Azildalions

Retreat. I Surrender

Just when I thought I’d be done with a couple posts, I’ll be off on a retreat to Pismo Beach in San Luis Obispo. When I’m on a retreat, I really try to retreat from the real world–you know, no electronics. That means no Facebook or Twitter either. I’ll see how long that lasts–anyone willing to make wagers? I hate surrendering, but it’s got to be done. Retreats are supposed to be refreshing and rejuvenating.

I’ll be meeting up with the Alpha Gamma Omega fraternity from other schools. It will be fun, exciting, and competitive. We’ll be playing football. When it comes to football, masculinity is incredibly exerted. I’m sure I’ll write something about it soon enough.

However, I’m really excited for my next couple posts, which seem to be like mini essays, although not as formal. I should practice my essay writing again anyway for grad school. The next posts will be on weddings and a funeral, and probably football. We’ll see.

And if you’re in the Los Angeles area, head over to UCLA on October 29th for a special event. It’s a haunted house that will benefit one of my favorite causes: the Invisible Children movement. Until then, remember to love on others.

My Hands For War

It was 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Along the brownish yellowish hill, covered with brush and dried bushes spread through desert-like conditions are run-down buildings. They looked as if a bomb had landed and incinerated all life, and all that remained were remnants of a civilization.  Men are attacking each other on two fronts, using what’s left of the buildings as cover. Some of the men have fallen, some are wounded. Some are hidden in the bushes as snipers, preparing to make a fateful shot. Heart beats are racing, adrenaline is pumping. I can’t think, but I am only sure of three things: 1. My gun has stalled. 2. I was just shot. 3. My side may be losing. It looked hopeless. This is what I get for starting this fight with my gun–my paintball gun.

Playing paint ball with my fraternity was fun, but the heat was not. Sure, I complained about the heat until I realized that it gave me a small taste of the lives of soldiers stationed in the Middle East.  Unlike the soldiers halfway across the world, my danger wasn’t real. It was simulated. If I shot another man or if I had gotten shot, we wouldn’t have lost our limbs or our lives. We could just go home, shower off, and enjoy the comfort of the air conditioner. There are no real stakes with paint balling. No one really dies.

But I began thinking about the paint ball gun while holding it. Pressing the trigger and shooting at other people gave me a thrill–a cheap thrill. It gave us a sense of freedom as men. We were allowed to be aggressive without anyone holding us back. But why do men love guns or weapons? Why are we drawn to violence? It’s the story of men in almost every society all the way to ancient times.

A majority of violent video games are created for men, more specifically teenage boys. We have fun killing simulated people. Maybe that’s just the way we were made. Maybe we just love living out these fantasies of James Bond or Rambo. Or maybe because that’s how our culture is raising us. More than a hundred years ago, many men were still hunting for food. And now, only a few of us actually do. Those who don’t hunt buy food at the supermarket. We removed the thrill of the hunt–of the danger. Back then men were trained for readied aggression. The Wild Wild West, the pioneers, even back to the settlers taught their sons how to use a gun because it was a necessity to live. But using a gun today isn’t a useful or treasured skill. We’ve become a pacifist sort of generation.

Now, I’m not advocating for violence or guns or anything of that sort. I just think it’s interesting that men’s behavior of violence and aggression hasn’t changed much the last thousand years. We still train men to fight like the Spartans. We love UFC and boxing and anything that has the risk of death because we want to defy it. We men love blood and guts. We exert our masculinity through dominating another.

As violent as we men have the potential to be, there is one good thing that comes out of it. You may think I’m a male chauvinist pig for saying the following, but I do admire our need to protect. We have such a strong desire; it’s almost as if it’s our purpose for living–perhaps we are wired to protect and seek justice or retribution when we fail at protecting. We long to protect those that we love, that we are willing to lose our lives if it means that our loved ones survive.

That’s my masculine identity revealed–not that I love violence or that I am violent myself. I just simply wonder why violence and aggression translates well for men.

I love this very masculine Bible verse:

“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, Who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.” Psalm 144:1  (ESV)

A West Coast Kid In The East Coast

A house in New Hampshire

The northern East Coast is another country. It has a culture of its own–its own accents, its own etiquette, and its own pace. I’ve never been to the East Coast until now–there’s a first time for everything. So when I visited Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, I was amazed. It was definitely not California. The people were different–and that’s just an understatement.

Maine and New Hampshire are quiet and peaceful states. They are covered with lush green trees. It is quite rural in appearance and has a small-town America feel to it. Unlike Los Angeles, you can actually see the bright stars in the sky. But it was definitely not for me. It was too peaceful, too quiet, too secluded.

New Jersey. Well, it’s New Jersey. It reminded me a bit of the Berkeley area–has an old-town feel to it. But I didn’t spend enough time to judge.

New York, on the other hand, was loud and full of life. The island of Manhattan is unlike any city I’ve ever been to. And the subway system is a well organized labyrinth. I love the fact that it is reliable to the minute. And the fact that you can just pay $8.50 for an all day pass on the subway or on the bus is beautiful, especially since I can imagine that’s how most New Yorkers get from place to place.

And on the matter of rudeness, specifically all those stereotypes of how rude New Yorkers are, I can only say that it’s not rudeness–it’s just part of the culture. New Yorkers seem to be straight-forward–they tell you what they’re feeling right there and there. They’re about efficiency, where as Southern Californians are about “chilliciency” (I made up the word to express how laid back Southern Californians tend to be). To disrupt the efficiency, is to disrupt the way of life for New Yorkers. So that’s why people from other states see New Yorkers as rude. But in New York, it’s acceptable–that’s what you’re supposed to do.

I also quickly learned some street etiquette in New York. For example, when you are driving, it is perfectly acceptable to honk when you are in the island of Manhattan. But to honk anywhere else is to be considered rude and annoying. That sort of thing reminds me of Los Angeles, but when you get too rude or annoying in LA, you may get a visit from someone with road rage. Then there’s the escalator. Now, I think this makes perfect logical sense and I have to applaud New Yorkers for this: When you are on an escalator, the right side is reserved for people who just want to wait on the escalator, while the left side is reserved for people who want to walk up the escalator. Genius! And when you are on the sidewalk, it is not good to just stand around or to stand around with your cell phone. When you do that, you will be pushed and shoved. The reason, in my opinion, is efficiency. People use the sidewalk to walk. To just stand there is to cause traffic. And traffic annoys people. Every LA driver knows that. But on LA sidewalks, people are just chill, laid back, and are talking on their cell phones looking like they’re important. I am one to talk–I do it all the time in LA.