two nights, so different...

Sunday evening--returned home from a day in which I seemed to circumnavigate Brooklyn, or parts of it, to prepare for the long week ahead. Did not sleep well--got up at several intervals, thought about getting through the week with the four days at Friends and the sessions as well. It was going to be tough Lots of head energy, but no sleeping. . Arrived at Friends at 7:30, even though I did not have a class for two hours. A little later I got a text: subs were not being hired for the week. But here I was. Was I free? I walked down to the lower school office where the secretary, who had sent the text, was. She and the lower school chairman agreed that since I was already in the building I could take the classes. So I stayed for the day. But my other commitments for the week have, at this point been canceled. Much relieved, now I had a little time on my hands. To be frank, I was exhausted from my heavy schedule. I did my sessions yesterday afternoon then returned home. By 7, I was asleep. It was a deep, deep sleep, actually, until 6 this morning. Such a relief! I don't think my body moved once during that sleep. Yes, I was up a few times, but the calm in my body, compared to the night before, was palpable.
  So now my vacation begins a week earlier. That means, hopefully, some time in the evening to circulate or check out some plays or movies.
  Saturday night---rejected any theater options---too tired, but did go to the Film Forum to see Sorry We Missed You, an intense picture of working class Britain by Ken Loach. Very well done, totally realistic acting, it is about a family of four trying hard to make ends meet, but both working spouses are exploited by the bosses. All sorts of stresses and problems ensue. I loved the reality of the film, its toughness is real, but I did feel that Loach piled on too many problems---I felt he overloaded the dilemmas  the family faced. But I remember the film's reality.
  Sunday: Brooklyn, first the Fiction Center to say hi to Lynna, one of the baristas there with whom I have become friendly. Then off on the DeKalb avenue bus to Bushwick and Cobra; I stayed there for about three hours---waded through a boring exhibition baseball game---they are really frustrating to watch---and then left. But where to? Stopped off at Molasses, the bookstore nearby and said hello to nine month old Tuli, and his parents, the owners of the bookstore. Wandered down to Broadway, finally decided to take the 46 bus, that travels south on Malcolm X (later Utica Avenue) Brooklyn. Went through all the Bed-Stuy streets to Fulton, and then decided to stay on the Eastern Parkway, about another 10 blocks south. A nice day made me not want to get into the subway, but at the same time, I did not want to travel further south--so I got on the 3 and took it to the Brooklyn museum. Used the very untilitarian mens room there, and then returned to the Gotham Center, a block away from the Fiction Bookstore. watched some basketball and had a nice salad, then returned home, but a sugar fit made me stop at the Starbucks on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights. Never again! What a dirty place! Probably one of the things that kept me up all night after.
  So that is the story of the weekend and after. At this moment, feeling relaxed about all the unstructured time ahead of me. Will report soon.