glad that I

went to the graduation last night. Wonderful time---great greetings with many of the graduates and some alumni. A lot of warmth and genuine feeling. Something special.....well, some beautiful moments.
This is an interesting class. Many of them are going to Ivy League Schools, a number from Friends far above many of the other graduating classes. I wanted to spend more time with them, but this year, most of time has been spent with middle school 7th and 8th graders. The class of 17 lacks the warmth of maybe 09, or 13, two of my favorite classes, or the quirkiness and (at that time) closeness of 10, the class the dedicated its yearbook to me, but there is a strong quality about them---not the greatest way of describing them, I know,--but they resonate a kind of academic toughness that is admirable.

After the reception I gravitated to my "regular" bar, the Gramercy on second avenue, only a few blocks away (and I was starving). Had a nice time there, bartender Amanda, always gracious and an interesting encounter with Laurie, a middle aged woman who sat down next to me, and was being pursued (by text) by a much younger man.  Should she meet up with him, or should she not? That was the question---and the three of us: Laurie, myself and Amanda hashed it out. In the end, she did leave the bar to meet him, and i left the bar to return home. Makes sense.

Weekend begins now: Plans? Tonight, I plan to go to Jack, in Clinton Hill to see a play by Amina, and old friend of mine, called Ducklings. Sounds like fun---the play got a nice review in the Times, and I like to show my support. Tomorrow, will meet my friend Mike and take a tour of the Brooklyn overdevelopment around the downtown and BAM area. Saturday evening,possibly Raw Bacon From Poland and Sunday the matinee of the Sojourner plays. The Tonys? Have to find a place to watch them--maybe La Flaca, maybe...well, we will see.
Sort of all for now---never believed when I walked into Friends for the first time in September of 98 that my life there would culminate in the feelings evoked from last night. Well, there are always surprises in life.