first week this year...

that I have not been called to work at Friends. Really strange. Of course, I did get a call, but lost the job because I was too late answering it, and this week had only three school days. Earlier this morning I received a call about a possible coverage for next week. We will see if it happens. Yes, not working for a whole week is a little weird---but I am handling it. Fortunately, all the work I did over the last few weeks has put me a little ahead financially, so not too much to worry about on that end. Well, let's see what happens,
Today is totally free. What is the plan? Major league baseball begins its exhibition season today---somewhat interesting, though I find exhibition games boring--very rarely watch them. Still, I am interested to see just what are the starting line ups for today. That is probably about all I will follow, maybe listen to an inning or two.
What I would like to do this afternoon, is to see The Silence---one of the Ingmar Bergman movies being shown at the Film Forum in his massive retrospective there. I have seen it once before---in the summer of 1964. It opened that summer to great fanfare---I remember feeling very outside of it as I watched it. It will be interesting to see now, at a much more mature age and with much greater depth how this movie comes at me.
Then it will be off to the Morgan Library for its free Friday, which will enable me go to the Tennessee Williams exhibit that is being shown there. I think it is really important that i see it---today seems like the best choice for checking it out. Some other exhibits seem interesting to me as well---may check them out when and if I am finished with the Williams one. Remember, cityboy, you saw the original productions of Sweet Bird of Youth; The Night of the Iguana, and The Milk Train Does Not Stop Here Anymore. Still remember the first two very well---really could not believe that I was sitting  midway in the balcony of the Martin Beck Theater, watching Paul Newman and Geraldine Page performing  Sweet Bird of Yourth.. Up to age 16, Williams was completely off limits to me, because of its subject matter; finally I was able to watch a play of his. A tremendous experience--Newman, who had the main role, really carried the play---Page and Rip Torn were excellent as well. Could tell you more about it but...anyway, anticipating the exhibit.
 Yesterday, after a session at the library, went to the Arthur Mitchell exhibit at the newly built Columbia School of the Arts on far west 125street. Mr. Mitchell, who must now be in his late eighties, was there---I was able to shake his hand, and later ask him a question. great exhibit--many pictures of him performing in his signature roles in City Ballet: Agon; Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream (great ballet), and others. Also, a great interview on tape that he must have given in the late seventies, where he talked about his relationship to Balanchine and also his experiences dancing at Rikers Island. In these interviews, he is very fluid and funny. When he spoke, he seemed to stay on one level---but was interesting nevertheless. I think now we take for granted that the Dance Theater of Harlem is part of the establishment, but in 1968, after the murder of Dr. King, it was a very daring idea, and it just sprung from a vision, and a desire to do something. Glad I went to the exhibit.
 That is all for now---have to get on to other things---will report soon.