a quiet night...

last night--I had considered going to see a movie at Light Industry, and Independent Film screening theater where one of the class of 16 at Friends is working, but it did not happen. I was tired---by 7 I knew it was too difficult to go into Brooklyn. Instead I headed to the Dive Bar on 96th and Amsterdam--my friend Brittany was working there as a bartender. Had their nice hummus and watched the Yankees get beaten by Toronto---shared some information with Brittany when she was not busy serving others, and had an interesting conversation with a young man named Dustin. He is from Ohio, has been in the city for seven years, supports himself as a server at a very expensive Steak House, and lives in Spanish Harlem. We talked a lot about gentrification in the city---he mentioned that the way things were going, he thought he would be priced out of his east Harlem apartment in a few years. He was resigned to it (as so many other people I speak to are). I told him about BAN, encouraged him to try to see things differently, I let him know that there is great opposition by the citizens of Spanish Harlem to the Mayor's plan for building there, and that the city contains "pockets of rage"  in various neighborhoods---people who are experiencing "disenfranchisement"  due to gentrification, and want to stop it. How? ---by putting pressure on their City Council representatives and letting them know that the community is not going to be governed by developers. He was responsive--not someone who would join a group, but at least I made him aware  that he did not have to think so passively.
Walked a bit after leaving the bar--my stomach still had room for a beer, so I considered going to a few other West Side bars, but I was tired, and decided it would be best to return to my apartment and sleep.
 Two interesting dreams from last night that I remember. In one, I am sitting in a bar (not the Dive Bar) talking to someone about the actor who played and danced Zack in the original production of A Chorus Line. Then my companion turns to me and says, look that guy is sitting right next to you. I look, and of course see the face of a much older man--try to put it together---end of dream. The second one finds me in a school that seems to be closing--for some reason---inadequate teaching methods, or something negative. All I remember is going through the school, floor by floor, walking the halls. Nothing else. Then I woke up.
  Any interpretations? Well, schools and theater are two very important aspects in my life at this time. The choice of Zack in the dream---well he is very career oriented, in charge, a creative choreographer who has conceived the show that the Chorus Line dancers are auditioning for.  Also the actor was wiry, thin, moved well---do any of these aspects represent me at this moment?  Hard to say.
  Lots of choices if I want to see movies and a few (overpriced) theater festivals happening at the moment. But money is tight--I have to focus on the theater evenings that are important to me. Maybe only two or three until I make the trip to California for my niece's wedding. One must be the Don Gionvanni at the mostly Mozart festival.
  Tonight, my friend Sarah is directing a work in progress at a great bar on Bergen street in Brooklyn---the Local (there is an upstairs room for the work,; it won't be performed in the bar) Lots of people I know in the cast---a different take on Arthur Miller's All My Sons. Should be interesting---will report tomorrow.