The Pros and Cons of Life at Zuccotti Park

What’s it like living in Zuccotti Park? Here are some pros and cons in the life of an Occupy Wall Street protester:

• Con: Your stuff might get stolen. Protesters tell the New York Post that thieves have been stealing cameras, phones, laptops, and even thousands of dollars in donated cash.
• Pro: You don’t need any money. Tim Murphy spent a day in the park, and writes in New York that some of the protesters are totally broke. But the Comfort Station provides free toiletries, blankets, and even clothes; medical care can be obtained for no charge at the Health Care Station; and some locals are even offering up their apartments for the occasional shower.

• Con: You might get trench foot. Though bedbugs are apparently not a problem, the Health Care Station does see a lot of “yucky feet,” writes Murphy. Donated socks and foot powder are hot tickets.
• Pro: You’ll be fed well. Murphy confirms that food is not only free and plentiful but healthy and tasty. He describes his meal as “some yummy kale-garlic-black-bean thing, spinach-Feta quiche, roasted sweet potatoes, a variety of hearty baked pasta dishes, and not one but two desserts: a crustless apple-ginger pie and a rustic bread pudding.”
• Con: You won’t get any sleep. Though the park gets significantly quieter after dark, Murphy reports that actual sleep is rare. If you want to attempt a good night’s rest, you have to make a “sandwich” involving cardboard, a yoga mat, a sleeping bag, and a tarp, then get in while wearing layers and earplugs.

Click for Murphy’s full run-down, which includes free WiFi and cigarettes. (More Occupy Wall Street stories.)