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Perhaps my hormones are raging out of control in my old age, because I can find no other explanation for why this city brings me to tears as often as it can manage.

I got up early this morning to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on TV — something I’m not sure I ever did back in California. I have a vested interest this year after venturing to Central Park last night to see the parade balloons inflated and lined up, ready to process. And as the opening ceremonies kicked off this morning, I teared up. Why? It’s cheesy. It’s for kids. It’s brightly colored balloons for goodness sake, nothing to cry about.

The aerial views of the parade route, the streets of the Upper West Side lined with excited spectators, the bursts of fall colors emanating from the fringes of Central Park, the Broadway numbers — it’s not just holiday fluff anymore — it’s part of my city, my experience, my life.

But that’s not all. It’s part of that grand spirit of NYC, that energy that everyone talks about — that I share with 8 million other current New Yorkers, and countless others who have at one time or another claimed a piece of this city for themselves. And it makes me emotional.

I cried watching the New York City marathon last month too. Something about the thousands of spectators who were cheering on the participants like they were all friends and family — the shared excitement, the runners who looked so proud and determined, the high-fiving, the T-shirts supporting charitable causes, the band pumping everyone up. There’s just this communal spirit that I’ve never experienced anywhere else, and it’s the best feeling in the world.

I just wish it didn’t have to bring on the waterworks every time.

Fall in New York arrived like a blast of casino A/C as you darted in from a hot Vegas day.

The sandwich has always been a rather neutral food item for me — I’ve always liked them just fine, but never craved ’em (with maybe one exception). However, this has all changed. NY makes great sandwiches. And I’m not talking about some fancy place where you have to pay top dollar and make a trip out of, any corner deli (and really, almost every corner has one) makes a good sandwich. Fresh baked bread, packed with meat, cheese, and anything else you want on it, for cheap (4-5 dollars). That’s really all I had to say with this post. I just realized that for about a week straight now I have craved a deli sandwich and have even made the effort to try different corner delis to see if one was better than the next. Conclusion… they’re all good, it’s just a matter of which ones are open 24 hrs, ’cause a hot patrami hero at 2am is hard to beat.