Posted March 21st, 2003 by Michelle

There are so many parts to my day that it seems as though today could have been a week.

First and foremost, there is a raging party, beneath me this time rather than above me, and so somehow less intrusive. Particularly since my downstairs neighbor was kind enough to drop me a note warning me about it a week ago. Secondly, my cat just tore open my palm in four places. I am bleeding and it hurts. And my palm keeps brushing the keyboard. Which hurts more.

I started this day by opening a package my mom sent me from California. It contained Pete’s Organic Gaia coffee, a few other treats, and the clothing I left in Mountainview after my trek this summer. It was strange to see these clothes that I lived in for over two months, strange to think about living in the woods for months. I can’t say that I miss being on the trek, but there are moments from the past summer that, when I think of them, stop me in my tracks. More than anything, I lived in beauty, wasted nothing, consumed only food.

In search of Brooklyn beauty, I took my bike out for a spin at the park. Somehow my bike felt heavier today, both when I rode it and when I lifted it, but maybe it was me that was heavy. I’ve been listening to NPR again, streaming through my computer the whole time I am home, and it just seems so strange to be flying through the park on my bike that cost more than most Iraqis will make in a year. Life, other than fear, is business as usual here in New York, and it is hard to negotiate the differences between my life and that of women both in our army and in the cities of Iraq.

Wow. The party is really starting to hop. As I think about bedtime.

As I was riding today, I flew down a particularly beautiful hill and came up behind a small little girl on a bike of her own. She must have been about six, and her bike had sweet tassels dangling from her handlebars. She was wearing a black dress but also a helmet, and she stood up in her pedals and weaved a bit in the road. I watched her skirt billow around but mysteriously avoid her chain, and I thought about my first bike. It was called the Desert Rose and had a banana seat. Nothing infuriated me more than my brother Sean stealing it- I have memories of him riding away, his knees splayed out because the bike was so small, and me screaming and crying and laughing all at the same time, begging him to come back.

After my ride, I took my adult bike, my Casati of the Dark Elves, into the city to get the grown-up clipless pedals installed. I’d also managed to buy two Casati bottle cages on ebay, so I asked Emey to throw those on, too. My next ride will be my first clipless one; I intend to stay in the park for a while. I then headed over to Chelsea to get fitted for my EMT uniform. They were out of women’s everything, so I ended up buying men’s pants, a men’s shirt, and when they sewed on my patch they did so crooked. I was making cracks about this being a man’s business, and the two who helped me didn’t think I was very funny. The only women’s EMT shirt they had was an XL. Ugh. But in the end, I bought what I needed to buy (except boots… that will have to happen after the next paycheck) and I am ready to go to work.

I joined the Central Park Medical Unit last night, after an almost three hour orientation. I’m really excited about it, for several reasons. The park sees mostly trauma, so it is a great place to learn about bleeding control, splinting, traction, and everything else that comes with physical injury. It is also a great place to get used to the sight of pain and blood. They are also heavily into continuing education, and drill and teach their medics when not on a job. They also seem to be very thorough, and don’t want anyone joining them who is into cutting corners. The downfall is that they only operate on weekend days and for special nighttime events. I work both weekend days, and it is really difficult to get them off. But I know I could get one or two Saturdays covered a month, and I’ve already told them to put me on the bus the next time they have a Saturday opening. I’m excited and a little nervous. I can’t wait.

And now I’m home, listening to the party below, longing for bedtime. I think I might go have a sleepover at Ian and Tessa’s.