and so we come to...

the final weekend of summer---with all its longuers. Busy on Monday, until then....lots of free time. Tutoring canceled (as of now) which puts a strain on finances. Dogville this afternoon at Lincoln Center...do I want to spend three hours in a movie, even an "important" one.? Hard to say. Lots of wandering to do...Brooklyn calls, yesterday trekked from South Fourth and Berry to Mesarole and Bushwick, then a long walk down Graham...fun watching the opera at the Center last night, went to sleep early (for me) lots of awake time.
Anyway, last "gasp", important series for the Yankees and Birds tonight, should be interesting......

so here we...

are, four days after Fringe is over; yesterday at the movie in Park Slope about the Domino Factory---was stunned by the passivity of the questions made to the film maker and the community activists. Felt obligated to bring up next Mayoral election---got some response, atleast geared the action around, but still, a kind of
odd "put-off-ness" re my comment. Certainly two movies showing where the administration stands on
housing, should demonstrate that any change has to come from the next elected Mayor. Seems to have passed all the others by. Anyway, after that, wondered through the south slope, ended up at Freddys---
no conversation, but bartender was very amiable---watched a little bit of Casablanca---not bad---later stopped off at a high end hot dog place a few blocks closer to F train---great hot dog, though the guy looked at me a little weirdly---he was in conversation with an attractive young woman---obviously looking for more, they had just left, a little contact as she left---enjoyed the hot dog, home, tired on the F train, tonight would like to see Tanya and wish her good luck---though I don't know her well, she was very nice to me at Cobra...what about Zach...?

Totally exhausted

Finally a day off from the Fringe---and you know what...not clear what my priorities are for this day. Tired, mentally, physically, six days in a row with five shows, yesterday less but just as tiring. Good meeting with Abby and Michael yesterday, made clear why I can not participate in one of their projects...anyway, as soon as Fringe is over, expect of whirligig of action in the next few weeks, highlight might be ticket managing at Sleepover (Max F's play) on Saturday afternoon. Just read about more police action in Harlem, which has thank god, stopped a bit. Why do we wait....?

last day in Brooklyn....

I suppose, before the Fringe begins Friday. Went to south fourth, said hi to Jimmy, had some coffee, spoke to some acquaintances (you can always count on running into someone you know there), the the Nostrand Avenue bus to Greene, walked up to Fulton, west to the bank, got my money, then down on Franklin to the library; returned Suzzy Roche's novel (did not finish, but it seemed to be bogging down in predictability) got an "easy" book bout the Dodgers to read, then found a "gentrified" restaurant bar on Classon off Fulton, had a really great BLT sandwich, at a reasonable price, then headed down to Daysha's back east to Nostrand and CLifton Place---said hello, always nice to see her, then back down to the G on Classon and Lafayette, (why no G earlier, well, decided to have one of the those deliciious donuts on Lafayette and Franklin) and back out of Brooklyn into Manhattan, for better or worse. Very aware of race, during my Brooklyn voyage---Bed Stuy is such a mix at this point. Beautiful brownstones, other spots, need work......should spend some time there after the Fringe, meanwhile, will probably visit Bobby's tonight.

weekend in bushwick....

Yes, that what it says, I have seen Bushwick and....well, it is pretty nice. Saturday, stopped off at Cobra coffee bar, nice chat with Tanya, then spent a half hour around Maria Hernandez park on corner of Knickerbocker and Starr, what a mass of humanity...kids looked beautiful, families fairly tranquil, no sign that they are being "driven out", by gentrification. Yesterday at Debate Society's party, long chat with "the actress", she shared many things with me, at times felt exhilirated, other times like a friendly doctor, listening, however, was important---she has created much beauty in the theater and this is part of my "through line" from my youth----anyway, life continues....restless this morning---seems like I am simply waiting for the fringe to begin---and that is Friday.

My Brooklyn...

Wow! Quite a revelation after seeing My Brooklyn again---really makes me very angry---the absolute power that the development industry has been given is so illustrated in the film. Made some nice contacts, Nick at Bushwick farms, want to talk to him on Saturday, so it will be a double weekend in Bushwick next weekend (last before the fringe) and Cecily who is the activiist from Bed-stuy. Dissappointed in the discussion, there is still a sense of  being cowed by the overall vision of city hall.
Also, how will the next Mayor react to developers....they all talked like 1/1/14 would be a kind of liberation day....will it...? What about those not involved, or who are still registered in their parents voting places, can they be added....voter registration and education, does anyone care about that? Feeling very militant not, not Fringe-y, but suppose I can morph back the my theater loving self. So what did I do after the movie. Ended up at California bar on Fourth, watched some baseball, nice talk about trades with a guy named Steven, good bartender, but nothing about what is happening in Brooklyn. Today, some more tutoring, then Trivia (well named) closer and closer to day zero (The Fringe)