I normally write about life on the other side of the country, but I’ll be guestblogging in New York for the next few weeks, while I’m here for work. I’ve been on the east coast for a few days, but this morning I took the Metro North down from Poughkeepsie and realized just how much I’ve missed the city. (I lived here for about 7 years before moving to L.A. in May 2004.)

On the way to work today, I was overwhelmed by the awesome New Yorkiness everywhere I looked: A class of kids from a private school, all dressed up in uniforms and pink dresses, passed me on the sidewalk. Burly firemen blocked traffic to back their truck into its garage. A sign on a lamppost begged Johnny Mc to call Skip, because Skip lost his cell phone and doesn’t have Johnny’s number. And everyone — seriously, everyone — looked so freakin’ stylish! An old lady next to me on the subway platform was wearing a dress cooler than anything I own.

I think when you’re surrounded by the excitement and chaos of New York every day, you become sort of numb to it. When I lived here, I never paid attention to strangers. I just tuned them all out and focused on getting through my day. But this morning, I was amazed by everyone. I had to hold myself back from hugging strangers on the subway, because they all seemed so wonderfully New York.

Today, I was that idiot on the subway who can’t stop smiling. Maybe I’m delusional from the three-hour time change. Or maybe I’m overtired from getting up at 5:15. But damn, it is nice to be back.