just quickly......

Have worked all week---tired, now have two days of five tutoring sessions---all to the good, financially---had some good days at FRiends, and do not have to work that much in the next two weeks. Sitting in Bronx Library now, after having taken a humongous walk from 180 street 2 station, to Kingsbridge and Fordham. A little tired, not hungry at all, checked out 760 East 183rd street where I will tutor tomorrow, security seems good---after that, off to Borough Park, should be an exciting day, today just will return to West Side, then go back to the Bronx (second trip!) to work with both Brachmante girls, then hopefully have enough energy left to visit Bobby and Wayne at South Fourth. Not much else to say, will continue...........

an uneventful....

day seems planned--just off to Williamsburg, maybe see Liz' painting at 319 Bedford, then watch some basketball and have some conversation at South fourth. Tonight they have the Academy awards party---not too anxious to see them, but probably will be there, if it is not too crowded. Would love to go to invited dress of WSS, but don't know anyone involved. Foolish to think it could duplicate the original, as it stands now, simply one new production of it. Otherwise, not much is happening, should be a long week workwise, a lot of traveling and atleast three (if not more) days of subbing. That's it for now......

so a few.....

days later, I sit here in the library kind of exhuasted---but feeling very different from the last post. What's new?
First, the new student, Elizabeth turned out to be very nice, though not greatly motivated. But I think that I will work well with her---looks like I will see her twice a week through middle of March, after that atleast once---means I will be tutoring every day of the next two weeks, excluding Friday---so a lot of time will be used. This plus atleast three days of work at Friends, means there will not be much free time.
Good to see Three Sisters at Harlem Stage last evening, made me think a lot about it, even if production is pretty uneven, still a good version for the uninitiated, and eighty plus year old Earle Hyman is remarkable as ferapont.
Some good days at Friends, draught seems to be over for now, feel very much a part of things.
Would have liked to see Onegin tonight, atleast two acts of it, but much too tired, as it is will try to get to Brooklyn to see exhibit with Liz Yamin's work in it, then back to Trinity to see girls play then.....well we will consider options and body feeling. Tomorrow, may need some time to regroup before long next week, but may go to Oscar Party at South Fourth in the evening. For the rest.....we will see

the good and the bad....

the good: new student today in Bay Ridge. May lead to more work. Parents are friends of Martha, the fourth grader that I tutor.
the bad: missed a chance to sub for Crystal today----very annoyed. Really wanted to be with those kids. Still, by the time I was ready to leave for Bay Ridge, I would have been very tired. So we will see if fortune really was going in the right direction for this one.
Wrote a blog for Sunday at Fordham Library, that was erased. I was in a pretty upbeat mood for that one. Just came from a good session with Fernanda, the seventh grader whom I work with.
That evening, good walk through Fort Greene, down DeKalb, ending at Rustiks, a bar off Franklin on Dekalb. The band I came to see was not playing there, and Tommy was nice enough to drive me back to South Fourth.
Impressions of Rustik: Not too much, decent vibe, very multicultural, nice to watch the ball games if that is what one wants. Small space, but with some cozy seats.
Fun at South Fourth, nice interaction with Sarah, Kim, Nancy, Sara Wood, Andrew et. al. A little drunk, left feeling high and a bit excited. Would have gone yesterday, after play reading but was too tired.
Tonight, since I won't be ovewhelmed with exhaustion, which I would have been had I subbed, have the option of where to go. Winter's Tale at BAM, or South Fourth (my own Winter's Tale?)
Not sure, probably will decide after I leave the new student. So we will see.....

so here it is.....

Friday, and still no work. Today got a call from that relentless computer from DOE, offering me a job at Hunter Science High School in the mlk complex. Ofcourse I said no, even though I have since learned ( and probably knew before) that it is a great school, and I would have been pretty happy there. Then I sulk because Friends doesn't call me. What is it? What stops me? It is not even a question of money, though I would like to earn some, it is a question of time and energy, that I feel is being wasted.
Had a nice night at South Fourth last night, got invited to a Sunday concert at Rustic, a bar restaurant on the Bed-Stuy, Clinton Hill border. Sounds interesting, I will try to go. Something always positive happens when I go to South Fourth, or usually. Will try to see Architecting again tonight, then hang with Frank and the others. Will go to the two basketball games this afternoon, but when will this all end? Seem caught in a place, can't resolve working in a different venue then Friends. Two days scheduled for next week, two for the week after, will this lead to something more........weekend is promising.......

quite a weekend.......

really took advantage of the warm weather, walked from Nevins Street station to Outpost on saturday afternoon----read a bit at Outpost (nice cutting story from A. M. Homes) then "hung", while waiting for bus to Williamsburg on Classon and Fulton, southeast corner. There is an old bodega, that services the "reamaining" poor and black members of the community, quite a contrast from those hanging out at Outpost. Finally took that nice bus ride into Williamsburg, spent a little time at South Fourth, then returned home and finally to 113 (dive bar where my friends Bobby and wayne bartend on weekends.)
Sunday, good choice to go to Heights cafe, had good talk with Tom, will definitely try to see La Rondine, at Met to give him feedback, glad he is going to outside Baltimore, interesting to see how that turns out. Other operas too, Adriana, with Domingo, and Onegin, but who knows....time is always a factor. Again, so many choices with a little time. Sunday, after the Heights, walked to my bank from Montague and Hicks, to Nostrand and Fulton, and then, after the Bedford avenue bus would not stop for me, walked down Bedford to Myrtle---pure bed-stuy, but plenty of younger white people around, especially as I got close to Lafayette and DeKalb, Bedford really not that far away from say, Washington Ave, but seems like a long way. Good walk, followed by good camaraderie at South Fourth.
Finally, yesterday at Friends, teaching French, all to the good, feel very close to the kids, bus wasn't called today---may have to really consider days there falling off. Hopefully things will pick up; you will still have the warmth from the kids, but as far as time and money go...we will see

So what did I learn from...

yesterday. Well, that maybe my procrastination does have a point---ended up, after a slow and annoying afternoon at South Fourth around 5. Juliana very welcoming, then spent a really good four hours, had a great talk with a law student about the economic meltdown, then hung out with Nadia and Nancy, then stayed watched basketball and chatted with Patrick for a bit...only thing I could have done, felt very good afterwards. Could not have done this if I had accepted sub job; probably would have come home and spazzed out. It is the two out of three or one of out three dilemma. (description another time). Anyway, today found out that I had about $150.00 more in tax returns coming to me; a little more relaxed because of it. Will spend much of the day on the road, maybe hit outpost again.

of Scott and other things...

the Scott afternoon was wonderful; Bette Henritze, a very feisty Tammy Grimes, and Marian Seldes had great memories of Mr. Scott. I was amazed that none of the questions really focused on his theater work. My comment was the only one, again amazed at how much I remember---what to do........afterwards, decided not to wait to speak to Ms. Seldes, who I think I could have a rapport with. Why not?......Past versus present......? Not sure. Yesterday went to Think coffee, an enormous coffee place near NYU, packed with students and young people to hear Andrew Z. play his guitar. Pretty good, liked the place, you can read there and have coffee, and the woman next to me was a drama teacher and we had a good discussion.
But today, the continuing saga of my unwillingness to try a school that I don't know. This pattern seems to continue---why, I find new adventures interesting, and am sincerely interested in the dynamics of different schools. Yet I freeze when asked to commit. Want to know more info, but the computer voice is so deadly. Still, in two weeks there has been only one day of work at Friends. How can this be? Dont' know, but it is---have to get started soon...looking forward to tomorrow and next day, weather is supposed to be really good--maybe do a lot of walking, but what it comes down to is taking the risk...for some reason I am stopped...tonight at South Fourth, maybe answers, or maybe not.....

just contacted henry kahn through

facebook---first member of that class--1967---that played a major role in my life. Great picture, the guy looks so happy in an open sort of way. See what happens----anyway, yesterday, back at Friends, yes, everyone likes me there, no worry, so even if the work is less (I hope not!) you are still liked. Sunday, superbowl party at Alvin's; not many people I knew, but I think things turned out all right----probably better than at South Fourth, which was probably pretty noisy (non-Chekhovian). Rainy today, still planning to go to reading at Drama Book shop re George Scott biography---should be interesting, it was important to change tutoring date with Chelsea, since, in a way, I am a witness to his first work on stage----very important that I possibly might share something with the audience....we'll see.

so was it an amazing trip....

yesterday. Began because had to go to Amalgamated Bank of Fulton near Nostrand. At south fourth, moved to bus circle---freezing---bedford ave bus no where in sight...but there is the 46---an adventure bus. 46 warms us all up, then leaves, goes along Broadway, past the hospital, past Myrtle, a few more blocks down and then it makes the right turn on to Malcolm x boulevard, which will become Utica Ave by fulton street. Slow and dingy street, particularly dingy as we approach Fulton, strange because only a block over on Stuyvesant Street and slightly west are the "gold coast" houses of Bed Stuy, or like they like to call it, Stuyvesant Heights. Plan to take the subway back to Nostrand, but bus is right there, so travel down Fulton street to Nostrand, slow ride, plenty of time to observe commercial establishments on Fulton, all of which cater to working class people, very little presentation for new bed-stuy, more upscale (if that is the case) families. Finally, in the freezing cold, get off and get my money, then take next (and almost empty 25 bus past Classon, seeking Outpost, where I will try to read. Find Outpost, get off bus to return to it, first impression; the warm lighting, really beautiful, then get my bagel and coffee, read for about a half hour, one of the short story collection, then muse on my own stories in my head. Tremendous sense of being "distended" that is falling between two worlds, certainly a different aura then south fourth. The quiet---amazing! Then wander out quickly to F train, which is subbing for C train this weekend; f to Delancey, and then back on the J for my last trip to South Fourth to wish Kim a good trip. Circumnaviagating Brooklyn!