Americans don't say "bits and bobs".
More unusual names of people I have met (of white folks)
Gidgeon, Jarrad, Bradford, Yaselle, Denise (not exotic but I never met a Denise in UK).
"New York - tolerant of your beliefs, judgmental of your shoes" storage advertising campaign.
A saying: "got your back". Very sweet this one. Just before my gradshow for musical improv level 1, the cast of improvisers, 12 of us, are waiting in the wings to go on stage and make up a show. And so people typically give each other meaningful touch, thumbs up, break-a-leg type blessings. This time a number of people came by me, gave a quick hug and said "got your back bruce....got your back matthew....got your back kathleen....". "Yeah and I've got yours heather". Which I guess means I am looking out for you, I'm sailing right behind kind of thing. I liked it.
Had our annual reviews today at work and I did ok! I always expect the worst but we got a pay-rise and I got a thumbs up. My boss' boss during the 'meeting' said "understand that with the rise comes greater expectation of you..." My boss (who I knew in UK too) said "welcome to America" with a grin. Nobody ever put that sting in the tail in UK.
Met a guy called Ed at at party who puts his arm vertically in the air when cycling in the city here. He said he assessed that many of the high up trucks can't see a cyclist in front of them hence he puts his arm up. As we made are way through the traffics to share Indian lunch - he's a colleague from networks - he did a little 'traffic calming' indicating to drivers that they need to wait their turn as we crossed.
I've been trying to work out what makes some women look quite so New Yorkish. Is it the way the outfits are complete? The shoes? The air of independence? The impeccableness? Something impossible to determine imbibed by the lifestyle I ask as I stop to watch a very white and silver salon on 60th street. It is full of women being groomed - in particular a spotless woman pleasuring her ipad distractedly as the stylist ties her hair into twists with foil or something.
So yes I think I worked out the key thing and I have now been on a dinner date with one of these New York types - having been on quite a many dates. It is indeed the hair. Always long, often like a thick shimmery curtain, voluminous, shiny, of the furcoat ilk, or some biblical middle eastern rare gifted commodity like frankincense - natural looking but at the same time very "done". A weapon! No doubt generated by costly green-goddess juices and smoothies and raw food sugar-free versions of cheesecake made with flax, cashew and raw cacao at $12 a slice.
So my date Audrey had straight red hair, meticulously parted, just above the shoulder length and it swung perfectly around her head with a slight curve at the ends as she ate her medjool dates wrapped in bacon and then excellent almond-crusted chicken....Her dress was body hugging black with dramatic white amoeba shapes all over it (but didn't look like a cow or a camouflage), tights and black knee boots, long chainlink silver dangly earrings. All very accomplished and glamorous but it's the hair that brings the formidability for better or worse.
She was ridiculously able. We sang songs on her 'stoop' with her guitar later on as the evening weather was so mild, and has continued to be. Stoop is the railed staircase area leading up to a brownstone front door. We certainly did hit it off and yes still, no.
