The hipsters who have flocked to Brooklyn lately are the same ones who flocked to the East Village 15 years ago or to Soho 20-25 years ago — once the prices skyrocketed. One thing about NYC that is astounding are the number of kids slumming it.

I felt like I was ‘missing something’ about Ground Zero. I don’t fully understand my lack of emotional response.

I think that might be part of the love affair with it. People think it will make them tougher, and I think people like to be tough, or at least thought of as tough.

And maybe that’s why people think it eventually makes them better writers, because they think they have become better people, because they have become tougher and more savvy and now know more of the world, because they have an intimate relationship with New York. Or at least their small corner of it.

Although, I always have had the romantic vision of moving to New York. I also used to have a romantic vision of living in a shit-hole and being a waitress. You can ask your wife how that one turned out for me. As I get older, I feel less and less of a desire to actually pick up and move there though. I did, however, fall in love with the city when I was there.

I’ve visited a couple times and have loved it. I partly love how, because it is so famous, you already feel like you know where you are, even though, really, you don’t. I also love how bars stay open really late, though this is now only on principle because I do not stay out that late. And I love a city where you can buy hot dogs and pretzels on the street.

Also, I moseyed on over to your MilSpouse blog, and considered responding with some choice words. I quite felt the opposite about my visit to Ground Zero. Of course, my first visit there was only about six months after 9/11 so it may have been more relevant. My second visit was several years later and admittedly less impactful, though I assumed it was because I had indeed already been there; and because of the ass-face I was with and his bouncing ball.