Good time yesterday.....

 Probably my most "expansive" day in Brooklyn in maybe 4 years. I challenged myself to get away from the upper west side by "any means", no matter how tired I felt at any given moment. And I succeeded. First started off at Drama Bookstore; meandered there for a while; read a one act by Samuel Hunter called Lewiston---deeply felt, then decided that I would head out to Brooklyn. Found the Q train at 42nd street and took it to DeKalb, and the fun began.

Actually I had a place I wanted to go. There was a block party to celebrate the one year anniversary of the destruction of a community center by an agressive developer who happened to take advantage of a "lapse" in communication between two city agencies. The block was Willoughby, between Nostrand and Marcy -kind of the western edge (now, maybe not 20 years ago) of Bed-Stuy. Took the G to Nostrand, then walked a few blocks north to Willoughby. Interesting walk---so many new houses, and so many beautiful brownstones on the side streets (like the beginning of Hart Street) that one wonders if this really was the area that, for most of my adult life, I had to avoid. Arrived on Willoughy---the block between Nostrand and Marcy is incredibly long----and heard the music of the party. Lots of people on the street---which seems  an incredible mix of black and white homeowners. People greeting each other---a very relaxed vibe--I was offered a free glass of lemonade, which I greatfully accepted---then simply watched the gathering---with wonder...? I must have stood on the Marcy end of the block for about a half hour just taking the whole thing in---no passer by engaged me in conversation and I did not initiate any--still fascinated by flow. So this is Bed-Stuy 2023. Look forward to more walks and explorations in the area---maybe more interesting or imaginative then a movie or play---my mind and life are more active in that situation.

Returned to downtown Brooklyn via the DeKalb avenue bus---then settled in at the only bar-restaurant that, post pandemic, I feel comfortable in. Can't name if for the moment but it is directly north of Theater for a "New" Audience. Bartender knows me-settled in for a Caesar Salad (about all that I can afford) and a few hours of watching the baseball games going on. Mostly by myself---still a nice chance to relax--gave the bartender a nice tip---he deserves it, since he recognizes and welcomes me. When you are on your own, traveling through the city  sometimes your bartender becomes your best friend. This is not exactly that, but he still makes me feel welcome. 

Allowed the fatigue to finally get to me and took the 2 back to the uppper west side. My body felt very strong during the whole trip---first infusion with the port on Thursday, we will see how that plays out. Tired but fulfilled today---not sure what the plan is.

Surviving the heat....

Another hot day promised. It is now Sunday morning at 5-5:22 to be exact. Second day of a "free" weekend. No plans, as such but what limitations. Limitations from the heat---from monetary issues---from lack of planning or contacting friends who might meet with me today. Four years ago, would have simply figured I could make it to Bushwick and take it from there---but is it possible that the heat is really more intense four years later? Heating centers---like the Geffen or the Rubinstein Atrium near Lincoln Center not opened until 9. Left with my adequate at best fan--can do the job---but....

For those who read the last post and are wondering how the Port entrance worked---the answer is that it was successful. I dealt with it---was put under---received the Port and life seems to have continued without much interference from it. A little more tired then usual, but that could be from many factors---as far as the Port entrance going, it seems to be okay. 

A movie yesterday---Afire, conceived and directed by German film maker Chrisitan Petzoid. Very harsh, intellectual---well conceived but with characters I really did not like. Beautiful to look at--less dynamic then the two other films of his that I have seen---very controlled. Many other movies to see today if I wish in the city---would like to see if I can do without one---but with this heat sometimes a movie is simply inevitable.

Last Sunday I visited the Fiction Center in Brooklyn, you know, the one diagonnaly across from the original BAM. I buy a coffee, then go sit in their Reading Room adjacent to the main room. Somehow I feel a kind of magic when I go there. It is all about Reading--Writing---nothing more. Could I spend a whole day simply reading there? Find one book and just move through it? And what about writing...?

Nothing more for now---the sun will be up soon. Can think about coffee...or.....

early morning fourth of July...

 So, here I am, one week  from the port going in---have done very little investigation about what the first few days with it in will be like. What about the first night? Will normalcy take over immediately. A friend of mine has volunteered to be with me after the procedure and make sure that I get back to the apartment---but I don't know how long she can commit to. I will try to do some more investigating this week---not today, of course but there should be enough time to get some feedback from others who have experienced this procedure and gotten through it well. 

And what of today? What I have planned is a visit to my friend's bar, on Avenue C and 9th to watch the second Yankees Orioles game which begins at 1. After that, maybe hop on the L and go into Brooklyn, and do some visiting in Bushwick. Maybe....It has been a long time since I was there--it's not four or five years ago, when going out there was just like breathing. Of course all this is tentative---depending on my energy level-plans and options can change at any time---plenty of movies to check out if I want some alternative action.

Passion on the B train. Well, not quite, but Thursday afternoon, somewhat tired, yet comitted to visit a friend who was graduating from training to be a guide at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Got all my energy together---left early-then, as the B train was crossing from Manhattan to Brooklyn--all that light---he texts me that he has covid and is not going.  Frustrated..? Not really--it just meant some other options around BAM that I could explore. Ended up eating and watchng baseball at a very friendly and accepting bar on Fulton Street---still somewhat leery about going into bars with my condition, but this went very well. Then up the street to the Center for Fiction--again, a place I visited often in 2019---had a coffee and then went into their reading room and read for a while. It seemed to me I had entered a kind of paradise---I felt so good there---the calm, the energy just really got to me. Thought that I could just come there some morning with a book and just read all day, staying in that room. It won't happen today---they are closed for the holiday---but maybe do that soon.

So it is time to read. In the middle of Alls Well that Ends Well, and Antonio's Revenge by John Marsden, a contemporary of Shakespeare. Great contrasts-Marsden--so far--is all about plot and arc---some of Shakespeare's writing seems so much deeper and with more point.. Will continue today---will report soon.