four days at...

Friends, with at least four more to go. So here I am in library at 145 street, trying to sort it all out.
Not much happening in evenings after work at the school and some lessons, just come home and crash. Always feel ready to go in the morning, though.
Yesterday, only half a day, finally got a chance to indulge my "art" persona and went to see Pagliacci at the Met. Remember I had already seen and really admired the first part of the evening, Cavellleria Rusticana on that very cold Saturday two weeks previous. Glad that I returned to Met and my standing room perch after yesterday's intermission. Again a strong and unique staging by McVickar, great performances by Barbara Fritolli  (her work has so much decency and honesty)  and Marco Berti. Also, my friend Marty K was one of three
"assistants" to Canio and was very much part of the full scene. Passionate music---even though a little old hat, now it hums in my ears, as did Cavalleria's after seeing that. Again the orchestra under Maestro Luisi was superb. Several hours later, really felt exhilirated by my visit to the opera house. When will the next time be...? Not sure...hope to see at least Figaro and Roberto Devereux (also directed by McVickar) in the next few weeks. Manon Lescaut? May not have the right dates for me to see it, but would like to.
Tomorrow, another dinner with Robin, not sure what happens after that. Academy Awards will be playing in every bar in the city, but really, would like to avoid them. Maybe a movie, also a lot of preparation for Monday's first and only period at Friends.
A little bit more time on my hands then I had expected today and tomorrow, enjoy it after all the time you have spent working in the past few days. Find some surprises, enjoy the spring like weather that tomorrow promises. That is all for now...

all shook up...

over misinterpretation of Kristen's e-mail, requesting me to sub for her next Monday. For some reason I read today. Felt terrible, why did not she call me; called her back reminding her to contact me by text in a short period, then re-read the e-mail and discovered that it was for NEXT MONDAY!
Oh God, what a misinterpretation. I emailed her back immediately with what i hope was a decent apology. Just received her e-mail confirming my date, so I guess everything is okay. Don"t remember ever making a mistake like that before  Ironically, I thought the content of this blog would be about yesterday, a day when I was locked in to two events which prohibited me from going to Brooklyn, or traveling around the city, which is what I usually do on free Sundays. Stayed around the upper west side and essentially cleared my mind. Very relaxing, very rarely do that. Wonder if it will happen again.
  Saturday night, another trip to a theater in Brooklyn (Jack) to see my friend Eliza performing in a two character play written by a playwright who is part of the Public Theater young writer residency.
Arrived early (of course!) and wandered around it bit on and off Fulton near Washington avenue.
Fascinated by the scene---wondered if the play was really out here and not in the space. But went in, saw some friend, got my ticket---then very disappointed by what I saw. The play began with a somewhat imaginative take on coupling, then simply ran in place as the couples progressed. Really felt tired after a while. Eliza was good, found a part of herself in the text that she usually does not show, but play really a disappointment. Hope this playwright has more imaginative ideas within her in the future. Same problem with Friday's play at the Brick, an interesting concept was presented and then scenes simply repeated the same idea. Somewhat smug; the playwrights could have built and expanded on their vision, but they did not. Still both times it was fun seeing several theater friends at the spaces; hard work and tiredness after subbing have prevented me from getting out as much as I wanted, so it was refreshing to "hang" with my theater friends.
  Not at Friends today, but not sure about tonight. Last night, after having dinner with my friend Robin, thought about going to Williamsburg and South fourth, but was too tired. Took a nice walk along fifth avenue, in the soft calm of the 50 degree weather, and even if it was just for five blocks, found some interesting things to look at. Will figure out tonight later.....

nice day...

at Friends during the day---nice talk with Soren of class of 11, who is now substituting. May introduce her to Bushwick Starr or a few other Brooklyn theater venues. Left at 2, with no tutoring---just freedom! Nice feeling, came home and rested, then trekked to Brooklyn for Due to Events, a play at the Brick with my friend Ben Beckley. Ran into his wife, Jess and her parents in the lobby (if you can call it that) before the play, had good conversation with her---we ran through just about every play opening and performing off and off off in the next couple of weeks---an enormous amount, actually, First time out since Monday, surrounded by people that I knew, felt good to be part of the community again--today maybe will go to Jack to see Eliza B's play. Still need more time to do everything.
Not much else to say, lessons again today, it is a beautiful day, want to be outside a bit. Will continue to report soon...

so what did....

I do after the third session? Went to Payless, bought shoes (thank goodness!) Stopped off at Tazio, the nice coffee place near 157th and Riverside--read a little, had their coffee (which was luke warm), enjoyed the atmosphere...took 1 train back to 86th street, walked to B and Nobles, got the Time Out and bought the New Yorker (some pretty good articles in it) and then just went home. Not hungry for a while, then, when finally hungry, too tired to eat out, simply brought some chicken in. Not a lot more to say, the usual sleep pattern, fairly early, and up much of the night between 2 and 7.
    Feeling kind of overwhelmed by the amount of work that I am doing---never have quite felt this way before, it seems to have taken over my life; everything else is subordinate. Hoping to have some free time over the weekend, which is supposed to be warm, and catch up on at least one (maybe two)
projects that friends of mine are in.
   Not sure how many sessions today, two, maybe three, Saturday will be heavy---will keep you posted...

last night, a...

pause, really did not do much of anything, just stayed around the apartment. Is it possible my mind had just reached a stopping point? Just needed to clear itself of all information. So stayed at home, and "chilled out" (I guess).

Today, after three sessions am pretty tired. Still figuring out how to get in all the events I would like to attend. Best I can do tonight is probably a neighborhood movie. Don't see myself going out to Brooklyn, though it would be fun. A few trivia games I could join, but doubt it.

Want to buy the New Yorker, articles that appeared on the cover seem very pertinent. Have enough money to do so, if I read it in the library or the Friends library, will be rushed, and don't ant that.

Not much more to say, we will see how things evolve....

getting through...

the weekend. So Saturday was cold, and I was tired. but had to get out in the evening. Lincoln Center seemed the best choice---close enough and mostly indoors. Thought that a small crowd might be there for the evening performances---first idea I got that that was not so was when at the Met Box office I could not even buy a Family Circle ticket for Cav and Pag---had to settle for standing room. Then, as I waited for the Met to open, I hung out at the D Geffen hall. Amazing! the place was full of people. People of all ages. None of them seemed threatened or exasperated by the cold weather. Earlier in the day, Mayor de Blasio had stated that the best thing for people to do would be not to go out tonight. Looking at the throngs of people at both venues, I thought to myself" Well, his credibility with these people is certainly not very strong." So, off to the Met at Cav.
     A really remarkable performance---David McVickar the director has stripped down the stage into a square with chairs around it. At the very moment the music begins, the stage already in view, a woman crosses the stage. Who is she?  What does she have to do with the opera?  She sits alone, apart from the other chairs, soon to be inhabited by townsmen, all in black. So it is Santuzza, and the staging begins and ends with her---this is definitely her story. The singer was wonderful--the production meticulous in the way it brought people in and out. Luisi conducted a wonderfully lyrical performance, strings caressed the music to the utmost, it was as if he was undercutting the macho in the music. I was totally involved with the performanc---so glad I was there. When it was over I decided to leave---the emotion that I felt from Cav was too strong---could not sit through another intense verismo opera, hope to come back and buy a standing room and just see Pagliacci in the next week. Also, wanted to get home before the brutal cold got worse, and was hungry.
   Sunday, no tutoring---did nothing (and not very well) until took off to see a 4 P.M. performance of O Earth, a play that my friend Kristen was in. An interesting work begins with a riff on Our Town, then moves into other areas, some garish, some absurd. Loved the cast, and the constant surprises that the writer gave to the audience. But some scenes went on to long, the content could not hold up the concept. Final ten minutes kind of arduous---happy when it ended, but ultimately respect the work a lot. Said "hi" to Kristen afterwards, she invited me to hang out with her some time in the near future in Crown Heights, where she now lives. Felt good.
   Left HERE, cold the coldest--looked for Elephant and Castle to have a meal---it is now gone! Finally at at Greek place near apartment, overpriced but necessary that time. Returned home, went to bed (soon after)
  Monday, another free day, play at Abrons Arts planned for evening. But what of the afternoon.?
 Finally settled on a movie at the Bunin. Mountains etc.  a really moving and beautifully filmed
 movie from China. Just what I needed---returned home and then left for Abrons a little after six.
 Trip itself was an adventure, missed the local, and for some reason thought that if I took the N or R to Canal, the walk would not be much. Little did I know I was in for a surprise. From Canal and Lafayette to Grand and Pitt---pretty far. On the way, as I slushed through the rain, I checked out the new restaurants and a few new bars--made the trip interesting, but still it was long. Finally the play, a take on Mourning Becomes Electra by O'Neill. Stripped down to its essentials, four actors, of different ethnic identities play the all white Mannons. There are some deconstructed visions, but for the most part, scenes are played straight. Most of what we saw was the first act--second and third cut a lot. Thank God. Interesting and well staged, but what really is the point? Last twenty minutes seemed repetitive. Happy when it was over. Saw a few friends, but declined invite to hang out at nearbye bar after the play. Tired, had to get home---no heat in the middle of the night, but hot water on---see what happens tonight.
  So there is the long weekend. Will report further on tonight's "adventures".

all dressed up....

with nowhere to go---at least that is how I feel at this moment, sitting in the library. No lessons today, cold has taken over, and ironically at a time when money does not seem to be an issue, the choices that are in front of me, as I think of them more and more, fail to inspire. Then there is the cold, which probably eliminates this evening, though,, as far as I know, movies and theaters and opera houses will be open. So where do we go from here...?
Yesterday, third day of the week at Friends, ended with a "bang". On library duty between 3 and 4:30; heard a curse word and then a loud noise from conference room directly to the left of the librarians table. A fight (yes, a fight) had broken out between one of the seniors, and a student who left the school last year, and apparently was "paying a visit".  I separated the two participants (not that hard, since one of them left immediately) then got security involved. Was concerned that the non student was a loose canon and might cause some more problems. Security handled it well, and there were no more problems---although that conference room encourages loud behavior from its occupants, not really related to studying or library work. Anyway, a job well done, I guess---participant I spoke to said the two were just fooling around, but looked more serious to me.
Left, thinking that I might have enough energy to go out to Brooklyn to join Assembly theater group at a performance of Due to Events at the B rick, but was much too tired---was asleep pretty soon after arriving home (around 6).
On a normal free day I could move around the city, maybe go to Brooklyn, hang out in some bar-coffee shops, but cold may inhibit me from doing any of that. One possibility is Cobra, which is right off the L line Jefferson stop, but should really be careful, as tonight should be really cold. Can continue with Ellroy's crime novel Perfidia, although I am fairly dulled by its long plot, still readable, also I have the Philip Barry collection and there are some plays in there that I have not read. Still, would rather be out.
Not much else to say---will report next time I am at a computer....

actually....

did work at Friends, Tuesday, and yesterday as well. Yesterday also had two teaching sessions, returned home, as you might imagine, pretty exhausted. Today no work, was hoping for that, need to catch my breadth, and also there will be a BAN meeting tonight, that I can probably attend.
Bought an inexpensive winter coat at Old Navy today; very cheap, a little too big for me, but will keep me warm, also another set of dungarees and a shirt that I liked very much.
Tomorrow. again at Friends, both subbing and later in the library. Weekend not fully blocked out yet; it is going to be very cold; not sure how this will effect my actions. Friday will try to attend the play at the Brick that my friend Ben Beckley is in (I always forget at this point the name of plays that I am going to see, usually just thinking of the friend that I have in the play, or the name of the playwright, or theater. Hope I am not too tired to do that.
Not much else to say; will probably go straight home after meeting...will report on Saturday...

the wind out of....

my sails, seems to be knocked out. Just got word from Joanna, music teacher at Friends whom I was going to sub for, that her music literate sub, whom she thought was not going to take the afternoon, classes tomorrow, would do it. So no work tomorrow---yet! Then, one of my lessons for today (oh, how happy was I not to have work at Friends for this one day) also canceled, and the game that I thought would be played at Friends, enabling me to finally see the basketball team, is actually being played at Fieldston---in Riverdale!  And not in a spot off the highway, either, a rather long and arduous (at least in the winter) walk from any bus or subway.  Sad, would have been a perfect time for me to attend the game. Well, maybe I can swing it for tomorrow, which is at Friends. Anything else...? Well just read an autobiography of a man who is only a few years younger than I, who grew up Jewish on the East New York neighborhood, about the same time I did. And, according to him, he was faced with fights every day, growing up.. Lots of gang activity there. Just the opposite from my very tranquil and all Jewish environment in the Bronx. Still kind of upset by some of the incidents that he mentions. So where do we go from here...?
What of the weekend...? Well, Saturday, went to Friends middle school play---Peter Pan, it was enjoyable, fun to see all the students whom I sub for in different roles. Afterwards, went to Kayla's 60th birthday party in Prospect Heights, got off at the Atlantic Avenue station and walked up Flatbush---amazed at the amount of new eateries that have opened up there. Different from even two years ago. The party was fun, had some good conversations, but nibbling on snacks (mostly cheese) made me even more hungry, went out and got some roast and corned beef, had some, then, of course somebody brought lasagna, had a small portion, immediately, my stomach locked--should have take that as a warning, but no-had another piece, bloated immediately soon after had to leave the party early due to "indigestion". Had to take Flatbush bus to BAM to use their bathroom. That was fortunate. Steadied myself afterwards with a cup of coffee at Annex (where else?) then headed home.
Nest day, Sunday, totally free...decided to see Michael Mann's Last of the Mohicans at BAM, had to shape time before super bowl party. IT is a beautiful, if overly violent film, amazing that the movie cinema at BAM was practically filled---you would think Hamilton was playing there. It is a kind of cold movie, more, in a way, of a demonstration then a narrative, but still very strong images throughout---is Mann a really unique filmmaker...?  Might want to see more of his movies in the series, if time allows. After the movie, spent some more time meandering around Fulton Street and then headed to La Flaca for Super Bowl Party.
La Flaca was noisly and crowded but there were a number of people there that I knew, so some good conversations. Waiting for the game was long, finally the game began, it was good and well fought
(you all know that) but had to leave before the second half, getting tired, half time show, commercials, simply took too much time, I felt warned down. Returned home (subways were really empty, as were most streets) and listened to the rest of the game before sleeping.
So, it looks like this will be the first evening of the week where "doing something" is possible. Feeling very rested this morning--just a question of what I will do and where. We will see...

busy day...

with lessons, a visit to the middle school play at Friends, and cousin Kayla's 60th birthday party in Prospect Heights. Would have loved to try to see the play at Bushwick Starr, but think that is impossible, the play would be over at 9:30 or thereabouts, the party lasts only till 11, and getting from Bushwick to Prospect Heights quickly (and cheaply) is practically impossible.Might be able to take L to Eastern Parkway and then catch C back but C runs so slowly---anyway, forgetabout it ---just too many things going on at the same time.
Lots of work, there is an almost machine like quality to my life right now, but will not back down from it. Fully integrated into Friends world, really like that.
Tomorrow, more of same and then Super Bowl Party probably at La Flaca, if that is too crowded will go over to South Fourth---again, lucky to have 2 places to go where I can enjoy the game (for all its unpleasant hype and endless TV commercials)
Tonight is first Saturday at Brooklyn Museum, which is close to Kayla's might stop there for some of their Black History celebration, would like to see the monologues that are being done, but....well you know.....all right, let's continue...

another day off....

another tired morning--have some lessons this afternoon, will try to be at my best for them.
Yesterday, long day, did an interview for the Friends newspaper---will be published later in the year.
Richard Payne, whom I have known for several years (he is now in the tenth grade)  interviewed me. I was pleased with the questions, tried to be specific about my feelings re not being part of the Freedom Summer of 64. It will be interesting to see what the reaction is. Was able to tutor adequately after long day at Friends---don't remember ever being this busy--very little time for my theater "hobby".  Looking forward to the "long" weekend that comes up in a week.
    Good article on Bernie Sanders and his followers in this month's Independant---presents a good argument against voter passivity, but it is an issue. Is this the moment when we are really re-defining what "freedom" means. In the city, the Mayor tries to push through his "affordable" housing plans, which all the community boards have rejected. See how the City Council reacts to it. Problems here on the upper west side are mainly cost of living problems---goods, services, food costs have really gone up--still easy to shunt these things aside if you are bringing in money.
    Not much else to discuss----weekend is pretty set, hope I can get to Bushwick Starr for Longyarn.
Tomorrow is only chance. Can't go Saturday since I have Kayla's party---can you see me moving from Bushwick to Prospect Heights at 9:30 Saturday evening---pretty hard, even for me. So I will try to get in as much as I can.
    Next report Saturday---will continue...

exhausted from

work and tutoring session yesterday---still, a few places that I could have been worth noting.
At the moment there are two rallies that, if I was not tired I might participate in. The first is a "justice for Ramarley rally outside City Hall---Ramarley Graham, the young man who was shot and killed by a policeman who followed him into his apartment in the north Bronx---the policeman was not tried and is still on the force----the family wants greater justice---the second is a rally on 169nth and Broadway, by small business owners, mostly Dominican, who have stores in the area who see their rents being doubled when their leases are up, in an attempt to force them out. The Dominican dream is being destroyed, they insist that their representatives, who are also Dominican, are not fighting enough for the small business protection act that the City Council should pass. So where is Cityboy? At neither, since fatigue has gotten to him. So if you are too tired, how do you contribute?
Not sure----tomorrow another day at Friends---may be interviewed for the newspaper---should be interesting.
Yesterday, came home, brought food in, and almost immediately slept. Then the usual, up around 2, and a hard time falling asleep after that. Finally did, and had a dream, in which I returned to the apartment that I was raised in at Thwaites Place---same room, walked down the hall, my brother was waiting to welcome me, yet he was in the bed that I slept in, not his own. Usually don't dream about my brother, left me with some good feelings about him. Guess the Bronx is still with me.
Tonight, will see what energy tells me is possible---new movie place on the Williamsburg-Bushwick border, would like to check it out---but probably not today. Will report next time.