NYC Thoughts

I'm trying to make up my mind whether I could live in New York City or its environs. 

There really is a lot to like. Active neighborhoods, sports venues, and large park areas. Interesting stores abound as well. Prices are good enough at stores and restaurants, not more than a tad higher than smaller cities. Rents and houses I can't speak to though.

What's not to like? I think I'm a people person at heart, but there's a lot of people. From my limited experience traffic isn't all that bad, but there is a lot of it just the same. Be ready, as I intimated the other day, for way too many car honking symphonies. There seems to be activity all the time, which can be disconcerting.

I think the lack of ready parking is my biggest turn off. I'm too much of a Midwesterner to want to wait to drive my car; I want to go places when I want to go. I want to walk outside my door, and there's my wheels. They aren't blocks away or lodged in a parking structure.

The judgment? Definitely a great place to visit. The jury is out on making it a home.

At the tire store

I needed two tires for my van yesterday, so off I went to the tire store. For me, that's Warholak Tire at Ford Road and Wyoming in Dearborn, Michigan. They're the best: they're helpful, prompt, courteous, and funny, and sell quality tires and do quality work. No, this isn't an ad. But it is my blog and I can promote whom I like. I like Warholak's and you should too.

I said they're funny, and I mean that as a good thing. They joke with you and you can joke with them. And then, a sign in their shop says they treat you like family. Yesterday's tire buying adventure offers a glimpse of all that.

Mike and Paul Warholak are the brothers who own the shop. I dealt primarily with Mike yesterday, though I had a good how's the weather conversation with Paul. Once my van was finished, Mike came into the customer waiting area to tell me such, and to tell me what I owed. I duly paid. Mike said thanks. And then, apparently realizing that I hadn't been in in awhile, said, "And oh, Happy New Year!"

"You too." I responded. Then I added, "Yeah, come to think of it, I haven't been in since last August."

Mike got this big grin on his face and replied, "But it's like you never left." He turned to go to his office.

I thought about that for a second. Then I called after him, "But that's a good thing, right? Mike? That's a good thing?" He ignored me. Willfully.

I think that exchange was funny. And it is part of why I buy my tires there. They're good guys.