Another Sunday morning....

 Where do we go from here? Woke up feeling strange...alone...odd dreams from the night--now having had my coffee, and wandered a bit around the upper west side, am trying to figure out what to do with the day. An interesting theater project in Brookyn at the Brick--but that is at 5; do I want to build my day around that. Bronx Doc has two documentaries that are interesting, but that means going to the Bronx--the space is located in a working class mostly black and Hispanic neighborhood---I have been there before--actually pre pandemic many times, and always had a meaningful time, but do I want to take a deep dive into the Bronx. Maybe just hit my friend's bar at 1 and immerse myself in pro football for a few hours, and figure it out from there. Or what about visiting the Center for Fiction in Brooklyn and just reading---I really like that. Yes---choice after choice---but where am I in all this?

Two play reports: Last Sunday--Our Class at CSC--a really brilliant afternoon of theater-a "holocaust" play---very strong--a great cast and a brilliantly conceived production. Very stimulating. Yesterday night,went to a production of Twelth Night at a small theater in the west village. A very focused and coherent production of the play---excellent ensemble acting---I actually thought this was a musical version of the play---it isn't---but successful nevertheless. Always would like to see a production in which Orsino and Malvolio are played by the same actor---but probably won't, But that is the great thing about Shakesepeare---it can always be explored. The theater was actually an off Broadway theater during the "first era" of off Broadway (about 55 to 67)--I remember seeing a production of Behan's The Hostage there probably during my second year at Hopkins (Christmas vacation) 

That's it for now---will try to figure things out--a very busy week ahead with many students, then infusion, then visits to theaters in Brooklyn already committed for Saturday and Sunday evening. Stay tuned.

Gather your thoughts....

 so many "voyages" in the last few days. Yesterday, a walk on a placid street in Washington Heights, followed by a documentary about summer of 65 at the Film Festival---yes, I finally made it! But am I better for it? Obsessing about getting into a film showing at the Festival sometimes is more interesting then aactually going to it  But there I was-at 7;15 last night--plenty of seats available for the semi-documentary entitled TWSD---named after the Beatles song from the early sixties. Interesting documentary--juxtaposes the Beatlle "mania" of the teen age girls as the band arrives for its August 65 visit to NY and its performances at Shea Stadium with the Watts riots in LA and the sentiment of black citizens living in Harlem at the time. Then back to three young women--all white and privieged---on their way to the Beatle concert at Shea. Interesting---though the final segment--see above---seemed to go on for too long. Still not sure what the creator of the movie--he wrote and directed it---meant by the juxtaposition of the two worlds. No talk afterwards---on the way back to my apartment, longed for someone to have a dialogue with about the movie, but this did not happen. Tomorrow is the Festival's final day---hope to see one or two movies that are showing--also hope to check out at least one George Stevens movie at the Film Forum---also tomorrow--a day off. Can I do it? Will I? Stay tuned.

Today going to see a matinee of a play at CSC. Our Class--a serious play about a group of Jews and non Jews who grew up together before World War II as friends, and how the war changed them. Long and intense--my friend Richard is one of the ensemble. He plays the oldest person in the group---I met him around 89 when he was just out of Brown---he did several readings for me, while I was doing them. Now he plays the elder. Well time moves. Had been promising myself that I would check the play out soon, and finally made the move yesterday morning when I reserved my seat. Afterwards.depending on my energy, may go to my friend's bar on Avenue C and ninth and watch football and maybe the first Met playoff game. Will have to see how I feel.

Two days off in a row---does not happen too often---then back to the "grind" which means probably no night life choices. Would like to change that...can I? 

Why So Few Entries...

 You can do better. Your trip to the Bronx actually two trips, one on a Saturday and the one to BronxScience on the next day. The Saturday trip: A voyage between 170 and 175 street off the Grand Concourse ---I area that, as the few readers of this blog my know, was all Jewish and prosperous when I was growing up. Now, all black and Hispanic ---I did not see one person on my travels who I would consider "white" Well, why was I there? I thought some sneakers at a Foot Locker located on 170 near Jerome Avenue would be cheaper then in Manhattan. Of course I was wrong---they were either as expensive or a little more. I received some "looks", like what was I doing in the neighborhood, but no problems. Subways easy to navigate. 

What am I to make of this? It was Saturday afternoon---lots of people were out. I went because I wanted to get in touch with some memories, (or some ideas of memories) of my childhood. I know it is a different neighborhood now--still trying to "bridge the gap" in my own head between my childhood and now. The next day I went to Bronx Science to play the role of "college interviewer" for six seniors. My third year of doing it-- lots of energy and good conversations. Bronx Science is located further north then where I was the day before, but still had to travel on the 4 train to its destination. Same thing--on the 4 train, I never sit--stand and look out of the door windows at that world that I once knew.

So we move on---yesterday a day all around Brooklyn---today, a body needing to recover from all the "action" of the day before. That trip---a story in itself, may be next, but not quite now. Stay tuned.