today is the day.....

that cannot be avoided. New Year's Eve---everything stops until it is over. I always feel terribly locked in on this day. Nothing to do but wait it out---I plan to be at La Flaca when the New Year begins. Bob and his girl friend Kelly are always welcoming---and hopefully there will be some other "regulars" there as well. Will arrive, I think around 9:30 and wait it out. Hoping for some good conversation as the time moves.
  Before that, I might see a movie---I am so behind on them---I will try to see Parasite this afternoon. Tomorrow when things return to normal, my plan is to try to get tickets to Slave Play for the evening. the next day Wozzeck at the Met, the only chance I have this year to see it.
  Yesterday, a horrid day, weather wise, finally left the apartment around 5 and met my friend Kim and Clint at Formerly Crows, the bar in the village owned by Marshall, the former owner of the South fourth building. A nice time, talking about theater---mostly dissecting the production of Oklahoma that I just saw. Kim had some different ideas then I did, and mentioned them very strongly, but I think I got my points across as well. Formerly Crows is a nice laid back place, the staff is very nice; I don't really go there that often---the bar is long, not so conducive to discussions with new people.
  I thought I might see a movie after that, but tiredness set in--instead went to my neighborhood Greek Diner, for a blt which cost (with tax, no coffee or anything) $10.40. Outrageous! The prices at these once "affordable" Greek diners are comparable to any bar in the city. And that was before the tip, which has to be around $1.50. So around $12.00 for a simple blt, with a pickle and some cole slaw on the side. Where will it end?
  Not much more to report on---the Stritch bio looks like it will be a lot of fun, while The Topeka School, the "serious" novel I have been reading remains interesting.
Will report soon.

unstructured Monday...

at least until 5:30 when I am meeting my friend Clint and Kim at Formerly Crows, the bar in the village that is owned by Marshall, the former owner of South Fourth.  Yes South fourth, that is no longer---as I write about it I realize how much I miss it---I might even be there now, if it was opened. Always a nice time, someone to talk to--speaking of that, yesterday I spent most of the late morning and afternoon at Cobra Club, in Bushwick,which is about the closest thing to South Fourth. Olivia, my friend and the bartender had returned from her Christmas holiday, spent with her family, and she was there with the usual characters---some pleasant, some a little bit abrasive, but I left there after about 4 hours feeling that I had had a good time. I had a very interesting talk with Mike, a former jazz player, whose age seems to be somewhere between 55 and 80. Really hard to tell. He was raised in Baltimore (the afro-American section) but we were able to identify some streets we had in common, then he moved to NY as a teen-ager and lived where he lives now---right near the Bushwick-Bedford Stuyvesant border. His parents actually bought their house in the 50's---of course land in Bushwick was pretty inexpensive then, and he and his brother have lived there (I guess) ever since. Of course, now the value of his land has increased---God knows how much. So we talked, I watched the Packer-Lion football game (sad loss at the last minute for the Lions) and then I hung out with Matt, the next bartender. That place is really becoming home base for me---might visit there some other mornings this week, in addition to Sunday. Finally the football playoffs are beginning! Looking forward to the next three Sundays.
  Saturday after my session, wanted to see a movie, but everything was timed wrong. Finally after visiting three movie theaters and seeing that for all I would have to wait an hour, I retreated to La Flaca where I stayed for the next three, mostly watching basketball games. Bartender Benjy is always friendly---no other "regulars" or friends were there, but the time moved nicely.
  I just got the Elaine Stritch biography out of the library, should be fun (and relaxing) reading, and be a good complement to Benjamin Lerner's novel about Topeka---kind of intense with a lot of time changes---reading about Stritch and the environment she functioned in which I already know well. should be a nice change of pace. Anyway, will report soon.

not sure how much time I have for this post

as computer time may be running out. So in brief: yesterday saw This Is A Room, a play using only the words from an FBI investigation of a government employee who may have committed a security leak. Very intensely and deliberately staged--my friend Frank played a major role, and he was at his best. In the beginning the woman being questioned seems like a victim, actually she was responsible for the leak, So the actress who is so good, is actually not a victim in the beginning (the play is set up to make us think that) but is lying to the agents. But does that justify her imprisonment for espionage, which is what happened. Still, a strong dramatic experience---after that, walked with my friend Frank to where he is staying in the east village, then had a pizza slice nearby then headed to a quiet bar (believe it or not, on Friday there are quiet bars) on 20rh and 2nd---had a beer, watched some sports, the bartender was friendly but not talkative--mostly there by myself, but at least the place gave me some room to "be", most other bars south of 14th on 2nd or 3rd were pretty crowded. After that went home.
  I have one session coming up, late for Saturday, so I got some rest this morning---after that I am free, I definitely do not want to see a play today, after two in a row--possibly I will go to Brooklyn or see a movie and then head to La Flaca---I have not been there in a while, and like the place. Will report soon.

what a difference a day makes.....

yesterday morning, somewhat raw, this morning great happiness! Why, one word: Oklahoma. Saw it last night---and had a great time. Songs, that I have known since my childhood are ringing in my ears. This production, in the round, has been talked about as a deconstruction of the piece, but for me, only the last 15 minutes and the Dream Ballet really stretched the vision of the musical. For the most part, I found it incredibly faithful to the original version---yes, the cast is smaller (there is no chorus) and the full orchestra has been replaced by an incredibly talented 6 or 7 piece on stage band, but not a word of dialogue, as far as I know has been changed; all the songs, even the reprises are exactly where they were as written. What was great about the production was its immediacy in the Circle in the Square theater, and the remarkable cast---I was fortunate enough to see all of its original members from when it was first performed last fall at Saint Ann's. And they were incredibly fresh and spirited, totally spontaneous. The text and the music, I feel are nothing short of remarkable. The first time I saw Oklahoma was in September of 1953 at the City Center theater, this was the last ride for the last touring company of the show---and they played at City Center for a couple of weeks. That day was also the first time my brother, then six, attended a musical. That production, at full proscenium had Ridge Bond as Curley, Florence Henderson as Laurie and Barbara Cook as Ado Annie. So absorbing the show yesterday seemed like a kind of completion of that time.Anyway, really glad I decided to spend the money (a lot for me) and see it.
  This evening I will see a very different kind of play, It is called Is This A Room, and it is basically the text of an interrogation by the FBI of a young woman who is thought to give secrets to the Russians about the 2016 election. My friend Frank is in it. May go out with him afterwards and "hang" It should be very austere, compared to Oklahoma.
  About six more theater evenings are interesting to me in the next 9 days, of course, how many of them I will go to..? Not sure. Money is definitely a factor.
 So this is it---am returning to the apartment now to rest up for the evening, will report soon.

the long Christmas Day is over....

a tough day for me--woke up feeling very tired and with not a lot of energy. That meant I would probably have to stay on the upper west side for the day---not really what I wanted to do. But I obeyed my body, and rested most of the day---I did walk over to Lincoln Center to see the documentary about the choreographer Merce Cunningham---very much like his ballets---kind of cold and beautiful at the same time---a decent way of spending some time, then in the evening, walked over to the George Keenley bar on Amsterdam and 84th--had a beer and watched some basketball, pretty much alone most of the time--I like the place---though it is very "yuppie like" kind of the new self congratulatory upper west side---mostly twenty and thirty somethings, though a smattering of older guys--I guess they were watching the Clipper-Laker game, as I was. Not a bad way of spending some time, though.
  This morning the energy is back---I have two sessions and I am seeing (finally) Oklahoma tonight.
 On Tuesday I went to Carnegie Hall to see a Youth Orchestra conducted by Jaime Laredo in an all Mozart program. I love his music---in my twenties I listened constantly to everything by him---piano concertos, operas, chamber music, that I could experience. One late spring and summer (1967) when my life was "in transition"  and I was trying to find a new meaning for it,  listening to his music gave me a strong sense of identity. Two pieces: the first his fifth violin concerto---very beautifully played, it uses the same style and structure that Mozart was to use in his later piano concertos. The dialogue between violin and orchestra---brilliantly conceived. Last was the Jupiter Symphony, no 41, the last Mozart wrote---very different from his other works---it has a sense of strength and volume that moves away from the later piano concertos and symphonies 35-39. Listening to it I thought that if Mozart had lived and continued to write symphonies, they might have been stronger than Beethoven's early works. Also, the Eroica, Beethoven's 3rd Symphony, seemed to me an extension of the Jupiter---its brutalizing of normal symphonic forms seems to take up where the Jupiter left off. I really lost myself in the music---very glad that I went.
  Once again, tonight Oklahoma, will report soon

finding a sports bar open..

on Christmas day---a hard thing to do in this city, but I just checked and several are open. Why? Four basketball games that I would find interesting are on during the day. Of course I can't find a bar and just "hang" and watch all of them, but I want to know where, in Manhattan and Brooklyn, there will be some open. Tomorrow is a free day, so I could be anywhere, at any time.
Today is "free" also; my plan (open to change) when this session is over, would be to go to Carnegie Hall and get a ticket for a Christmas Even concert, that is all Mozart. A violin concerto that I have not heard in a long time--I would really like to hear it---it is the last of 5 that Mozart wrote early in his career. Also the Marriage of Figaro overture (have heard it enough times) and Symphony No. 41, The Jupiter, a piece that i have heard many times but might be interesting to reconsider. The orchestra is a terrific student orchestra---I heard them a few years ago when my friend Richard played with them---very well conducted by Jaime Laredo. It is either that or a movie---but there should be plenty of movies to check out in the coming days.
  Some reports: Saturday evening, went to the 50th wedding anniversary of friends Ron and Liz. A nice time, very mellow, the atmosphere was friendly, not overpraised or self congratulatory---Ron and Liz just sat around and "schmoozed" with the guests in a very laid back manner. The couple who threw the party---the daughter and son and law of the anniversary couple, live on a street in south slope. On the fourth avenue corner is an old tenement---it appeared to me like a relic from the time the neighborhood was all working class Irish. I later found it it is (was) a Swedish cooperative. A really interesting look. I stayed until about 10, then took the subway home.
  Sunday---a nice day, went to Cobra in Bushwick--Olivia my "go to" baratender was on vacation, the substitute bartender, Talia, is a cross word puzzle freak, and I joined her in working on this week's NY Times puzzle. Believe it or not, we got most of it. Later, Matt, a bartender whom I have known for a while came in and we had a good talk. I left feeling very upbeat, then took the bus into downtown Brooklyn to hang out at the Gotham Market and the Fiction Center. I decided against going to a movie at BAM---had a nice meal at the bar-restaurant adjacent to the center, and then realized that I was tired and should go home. This meant I could not achieve my overall objective for the day:to visit Clem's, a bar in Williamsburg that a friend of mine bar tends at, but he starts at 9 o.clock. I would love to hang out and take in the scene there (I think it is very casual) but the way my metabolism is, I am always tired on Sundays around 7. Maybe for next Sunday, I can figure something out. I really want to visit this place.
  Yesterday was a "work" day---about three and a half hours of "sessions". I thought I might do something in the evening, but was far too tired---spent most of the evening in the apartment.
 Will report soon on the rest of today and my day of Christmas.

not much time for cityboy...

to post today---I have a session coming up in a matter of minutes, but anyway, last night was my "book" night, stayed home reading three books, first The City Game, a non fiction work that I find very riveting about the point shaving scandal that destroyed the great City College basketball team of 1949-50. The author writes very well, articulates everything, I am with it the whole way. Second, the Sidney Lumet biography, I am just at the point where he has become a very important live television director, and is probably about to go into movies. The biographer moves nicely from point to point in Lumet's life. Finally, City of Girls, a novel that is more a piece of fluff then a serious novel (I don't know if the author would agree with this) but fun fluff and fluff that doesn't insult one's intelligence. Actually a fun read. All three books have long stretches that take place in the late forties---early fifties, the time of my childhood, and I think I really enjoy getting into that.
  Tonight an anniversary party for a retired teacher from Friends and his artist wife. It is in Brooklyn, tomorrow not sure---hope to just relax and watch some football, will report soon.

final day before the vacation....

still no work at Friends, six days in a row, sort of a record, though I do have one assignment for the first week after the holiday. I was at Friends yesterday for Steve's talk about teaching theater to students---a fun talk indeed, and everyone seemed very friendly; also, I am going back today for the Christmas Assembly (I always go to that) and I expect everyone to be very friendly Probably just a gap in jobs---this has happened before--we'll see how this plays out after the vacation.
  Yesterday, just a "normal" day,  good visit to the dentist followed by the talk at Friends. Steve, the drama director, showed many film clips from his work with students, before and after Friends---it was good to see some of the graduates from past years, doing their thing again. The audience was very receptive--had some nice conversations with Shayna's mom and others. Coming to high school theater as late as I have, I am amazed at how intensely  professional some of these kids are. One clip from a production of How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, that Steve directed in North Newton, really blew me away.
  Afterwards. thought about going to a bar but, because of the cold, I ended up at the neighborhood luncheonette where they have a TV for a blt and stayed to watch the first quarter of the Miwaukee-Laker game, a bit of a downer , not much happened.
  My time after the celebration (which should end around 3:30) is basically open. Maybe a movie and then a visit to La Flaca--just a possibility of course--will report soon.

a forgotten 'masterpiece",

well maybe not a masterpiece but a really beautiful play. I am talking about a play by Arthur Miller entitled, A Memory of Two Mondays--it was written to be a companion piece to the then one act long play, A View From the Bridge. Since the latter was expanded and is now a (well deserved) "classic" its twin has all but been forgotten. I read it this morning; I had read it a few years ago and was impressed but even more impressed with this last reading. It is for nine men and two women (mirroring the original A View From the Bridge character list) It takes place in the early thirties in a warehouse in Chelsea and has a lot of small portraits, but really no central character. Bert, the youngest member of the workers leaves the factory for college and "escapes" the factory, where most of the other characters will and have spent most of their lives. Very strong and focused writing---I would love to do a reading of it some time. At a time like this, it is very unlikely that even if some not for profit artistic director or producer wanted to schedule it, he or she could. It would probably seem to be not "edgy" enough. I read it while drinking coffee at the Essex Market, a new and enormous "food place" on the lower east side. Not the most atmospheric of places, but you can simply sit and read---there are not that many places like that in Manhattan.
  Last night, another night at home. Today, I am having my teeth cleaned in a couple of hours, then off to Friends for a lecture by the resident theater director there, Should be interesting, maybe a movie after that,,,will report soon.

in book heaven...

the day did not begin so well for cityboy---another day of no work and one session cancellation, but a trip to the library on 50th and 10th has brought me some exuberance. (Also, two sessions are scheduled which is good). I was able to find two books that I really wanted---should keep me busy during the holiday weeks. They are: The City Game--a non fiction look at the basketball scandal of 1950 surrounding City College of New York, at that time one of the best college basketball teams in the country. They shaved points, as I understand it, and it was all over---the school did not even have a basketball team after that. Looking forward to a book that will recreate for me the life and energy of the late forties, early fifties, a time when I was just growing up. The other book is the biography of Sidney Lumet, the film director, which has just come out. He made a lot of movies---Twelve Angry Men and Serpico, are two of my favorites that he created---also a really good movie version of A View From the Bridge--with a mixed American and European cast---Carol Lawrence, Maureen Stapleton and Morris Carnovsky were the Americans---I saw the movie in Baltimore, in I think, my junior year at Hopkins. Ironically, at that time, the play was all but forgotten, maybe a few schools did it, but that was all. In 65, an off Broadway revival that starred Robert Duvall, with Susan Anspach and playing, Rodolpho, Jon Voight, had great success and that was when the play started being done all over. I remember seeing it at a preview---it was great---with my friend Rick in January of 65. I was alone and unhappy at Yale---he was a junior at Hopkins. We were close then, but really after that, never that much.
  As for Lumet's other movies---I never really liked Dog Day Afternoon,which is much praised and also The Prince of the City is kind of laborious. His last movie, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead, with Ethan Hawke, the late Philip Seymour Hopkins and an amazing Albert Finney was pretty strong. Both books should keep me busy during the vacation. In addition, yesterday (perhaps against my better judgement) I took out a novel called All the Pretty Girls---so far fun to read, but pretty superficial, and I also have my book of short stories---so far I have only read three---very proficient, but not very feeling. Well, no complaints now in the reading department.
 Yesterday, only one session, but tired after that and returned home. Today the schedule is a little longer, we will see how I feel after the last session is over. Will report soon.

so what is happening today....

slow so far, no work---a session in the afternoon. Not sure about the evening. I slept well last night (more about that later) so it might be possible for me to check out a movie, or maybe find a trivia game (I know of one at the Gotham Market) where I can join a team.
  Strange dream last night---even as I was sleeping soundly...I at a celebration for the actor John Lithgow---for this celebration he was appearing in three different films, each illustrating his versatility. It was clear that this was a celebratory occasion. Why did I choose Lithgow for this dream? Well, probably because he represents a success that I once craved very much, and also because (I assume) he is financially very secure. Was that a statement that I was making to myself that I was disappointed that I had not achieved what he has achieved and was part of me still disappointed about that? Woke up feeling pretty depressed but that was still in the middle of the night, now feeling much more positive. The therapist that I worked with in the seventies and eighties believed that we "cast" our own dreams, so by choosing the actor, I was possiby making some statement within myself.
   Not much else to say---a "grimy" day outside---three more days until the holiday begins will report soon.
 

lazy day....

no work, still have accomplished a lot---a haircut, some shopping, some bills---well, the whole thing. The rest will probably do me good, but still miss the structure that I have when I am at  Friends.
  Saturday night: Attended a performance of the opera Der Freischutz, by Weber, performed by a young company called Heartbeat opera in a reasonably small space, the Baruch Theater space. The company envisions itself as taking classical operas and finding a meaningful connection with current day problems, thus this Der Freischutz, according to the director, would be a take on how burnt out american war veterans cope with life after warfare. The plot and characters of Weber's opera are applicable---the protagonist is a withdrawn, aloof  veteran of the 30 years war and the director thought that this translated into a world of alienation for the Afghan war rerturnees, especially those living in small backwoods town. So this version was set in Texas--began with a terrific group scene that created a good mood, and then fell down from there. Why, well, for one, the company has it dialogue in English, yet presents the music in the original German. I found this change of language (despite the presence of titles) jarring. The staging followed the original opera, and so long arias (though well sung) took away from the original vision. By the middle of Act I, I felt myself trapped in the theater---things were better in Act II, though the act ended with a muddled and confusing scene with the deux ex machina of the opera. The company's musical director arranged the score for a ten piece orchestra with amazing fidelity to the original music, and the singers sang well, but that was not enough. Afterwards, there was a short talk back---with the director and the other leaders of the company, it was full of self congratulations. I know one of the artistic directors of the company---perhaps I can discuss my problems with him, though I don't know how much he would like to have his bubble burst. For me, if the company wants to establish itself as dealing with American problems through classical operas (certainly possible) I really feel they should be translating the librettos into English. Having dialogue in English and then quickly switching to German for the music took away all the american authenticity the company claims to be striving for.
  Sunday--quite a change- went to the fall play at Friends.Five short farces, all takes on different genres, well acted with great enthusiasm by about 15 students. Mostly a lot of fun. After that spent the next few hours at La Flaca, where I was welcomed warmly by the service people and watched a basketball and a football game. I should go there more.
Not much else to say, the rest of the day contains one session, the evening a mystery---will report soon.

interesting day yesterday....

with something very unexpected. No work, after picking up my check, decided to go to Brooklyn. Hit the Gotham Market---had coffee, not much happening. Checked e mail at Apple, then decided to get some pizza on nearby fifth avenue. Walk down fifth avenue was revealing. Around the market, an incredible amount of luxury high rises---actually one right after another. When one crosses Flatbush Avenue, one sees yet another set of empty spaces---small buildings destroyed--possible more high rises to be built---a real glut of them. But then, fifth avenue, right after Flatbush, completely low lying brownstones, we are in Park Slope brownstone territory---zoned for smallness---no buildings will be built on those blocks. For me the change from one kind of building to another was shattering--the low lying brownstones seemed to be from another world, almost like animals waiting for the slaughter. Of course that won't happen---no one will rezone them---but I found the contrast so devastating. Finally after eating my one slice of pizza, I re-crossed Flatbush to get to the Fiction Center bookstore, located in one of the new buildings. It is a great place for reading and contemplation---so many books. For the first time in a while I felt ahead of myself financially and so I finally bought a book there---the O Henry Prize short stories of the past year. Something  of my own!
Feels good it is an easy book to carry around. I read the first story on the subway coming back into Manhattan. Very skillful but kind of glib. I hope the others will be stronger.
  At home I rested and planned to go to the Friends varsity basketball game later in the afternoon. Imagine my surprise when I received a text from Jen, a spanish teacher at Friends, asking me to accompany her to the Metropolitan Opera for a performance of Der Rosenkavalier. I could not say no to that---Jen is friends with one of Met's administrators, and so the tickets, amazingly enough were comps. Nice seats too, about mid orchestra.
 Rosenkavalier, by Richard Strauss is an opera of contrasts. Strauss has written beautiful music for this three female leads (one of them plays an impetuous young man) but much of the plot is about a boorish Baron who has set up an arranged marriage with a fifteen year old young woman (the opera takes place in 1911 in Vienna, where these things were common) and how he is undone. Much of the music for the baron and his needs is written in conversational style---kind of an endurence test to follow--but when the women are alone, the music is heart stopping. The final trio and the last duet---beautifully and sensitively written made me feel like this was kind of a reward for sitting through some of the longer parts of the opera. The women singers sang it beautifully--the staging, very busy, using what seemed to be about 50 supers (non singers) was meticulously produced. Hard to believe that this opera, being rehearsed in a theater that was giving other performances at night, and with stagings with so many obstacles, could presented so well. I was really into it--left feeling very fulfilled and very pleased I had taken up Jen on her offer.
  Long memories of my first couple of years after leaving Yale, discovering and being passionate about opera, but those will come later.
 Ironically, this evening I am seeing another opera, Der Freischutz, by Weber done by a small and adventurous company with only a ten piece orchestra-band. Ironic how these things turn out.
It should be interesting---will report soon.

another two days of work...

Monday and Tuesday, and I will return to Friends tomorrow. This is my first day off since the day before Thanksgiving. Whew! Pretty exhausting. Not much to report as far as "my life" goes. There is not much of it.
 Saturday evening I did go to the reunion party at East River bar in Williamsburg, but did not stay long. Had one or two nice conversations with old friends, but not too many people were there--at least early---and I was pretty fatigued from the three sessions of the day, plus the five day work week at Friends. So fairly early I jumped on the J train---got off at Essex Street, the first stop in Manhattan, starving, and went to their underground newly opened food court for some quick food. The underground has many quick stops and one or two large bar restaurants, but in reality it seems like a very cold place. No real sense of style, or identity. But on this Saturday night, it was packed---amazing! I guess all you have to do is open a place, in NYC and people will come. Well, we will see how it is all developed---it is very near La Flaca--my friend Bob's restaurant, which I usually visit around once a week, so I should be around there soon. After the pizza, returned home.
  Sunday was a strange "rest' day, my body was pretty tired---so I did not think I could make it out to Brooklyn or other parts of Manhattan. Instead remained on the upper west side and spent much time in my apartment. I watched some football at a nearby bar, for a while, but found that place fairly uninteresting. Things perked up when I received a phone call from a French teacher at Friends, asking me to sub for him. That is about all I can say about the day.
  Today a few sessions, then not sure---will depend on what my body tells me. Might head to Friends for the end of a basketball game there---will report soon.

frenetic week...

which began on Monday at 7:30, as I sat sipping my coffee and trying to figure out how to balance my budget for the week. The phone: it was Joe S from friends, could I sub for him all day (and the next day as well). At that point, everything changed---lots of work for the whole week, three days of sessions as well, and very little energy or time to spend money. So here we are, at the end of this week with non stop work.
 Last night, I finally got out--thought about trying to get a last minute ticket to MacBeth at CSC, but decided instead to see The Irishman---a film that I had to see fairly soon. Glad that I did--it is an amazing film--Scorsese and his screen writer have done a great job with the script. Robert DeNiro is the central character--a man who understands ethics and morality, but who is able to turn into a cold blooded killer if the situation calls for it. Does he represent Scorsese himself?  Does Scorsese see a gap between his need for seriousness and austerity (in some of his movies) and his putting on screen vicious and in some cases (The Wolf of Wall Street) vulgar events. The final moment of the movie is the only one where one really feels the director is present. It is a cold, remote ending, after all the violence and "life" that we have seen in the past three hours and twenty minutes. Those three hours and twenty minutes move incredibly fast---I was amazed at how quickly the time went. At any rate, I am really glad that I saw the film. The movie theater, the Landmark 57 is in a somewhat remote area where midtown meets the upper west side. It was freezing when I got out, far too late to wait for a bus (coming once every 40 minutes) and the taxis were all going the other way. So, in spite of the cold, I walked (actually ran at times) the 19 blocks from the theater to my apartment house. Amazing!
  Today, I will go to a reunion party for the South fourth people at another bar in Willamsburg--hope a lot of people show up and that it lasts a long time. Maybe then another party, hosted by a theater company in Brooklyn Heights. We will see. Tomorrow is open---lots of football to watch---will report soon.