tomorrow....

No work scheduled yet (if there is, no issue)  there is the big protest outside City Point---very ambivalent about going. When Lucas planned it last Tuesday, felt exhausted, as if I had done enough this year...and yet, how does one stop this juggernaut, a juggernaut that is so unfair, it is really frightening. Have I done enough..? Should I just let the others (the rally should be very well attended) do the work, am I really necessary for the statement to be made...? Will see, unspoken message is.....?

the weekend

So, visited Baltimore for about 36 hours, very iimportant for me to be there for Robin's play; reading showed that it is really a very strong work---also important that she integrate herself into the Baltimore theater community. Met several actors and playwrights whom I liked, very nice people, seem to have enough to do there...meanwhile, on the money front, things seem to have settled down, made a decent amount in the last few weeks, spent much time at  Friends,  and did not spend much during lean times, so perhaps a little extra money to spend on art, movies, theater, etc.
Interesting walk yesterday morning in Baltimore, walked from Melissa's apartment (Melissa was my host) on 26street to One World on U Parkway, and after a nice cup of coffee and a muffin that I really might not have needed, proceeded towards Roland Park---have always been a little wary of that neighborhood---seemingly too placid for me, anyway, found myself at a cut in the road right off Univeristy Parkway called Linwood Street that circles from east west into north direction. At the bottom of the cut, (it goes down a hill) are several apartment houses, seemingly isolated from all else, surrounded by a few large private houses, that eventually dominate the area. Who lives there? Not too far off the road, but in some ways very insulated, must have a car to get around, even if one works at Hopkins or nearbye. For me, such an odd placement for apartment houses---giving an aura that is strangely genteel, somewhat stuffy. Yet removed, I sort of like that. Continued south to Cold Spring, then headed east to Charles, there I was on Charles and Cold Spring, moving south, back towards the Hopkins Campus. Mostly private houses for the first few blocks, and then closer to Hopkins, large door men apartment houses on one side of the street (west) and private homes on the other. Some of the private homes look like estates---they are so large. Nieghborhood, which begins on University Parkway, totally removed from all that goes before (south) of it. As if at some point, Baltimore needed to create an insulated world for its "moneyed" class. No place nearbye to get a cup of coffee, I guess if I ever lived there, I would have to relearn how to make coffee. Had lots of time to kill, so did not hurry, at one point I stood stone still, probably where Charles and Saint Paul meet---simply absorbed the energy of the moment---as if memory and the present forged into one moment. Strange, that after all these years I should end up staying for the night, not as the guest of one of these houses, or in a luxury hotel, but in the home of a twenty-something opera singer, in the campus part of Saint Paul Street,
sharing my space with two hyper cats.  Still, Baltimore continues to haunt---neither where I belong, nor where I don't. What's next.....?

cityboy is restless

Yes, we promised to keep things cool, but still feel tremendous pressure to keep costs down---will go to Baltimore in two weeks, should be fun---what about tonight....should we see Ballo....? what about the afternoon, is it too beautiful to remain in Manhattan? Brooklyn would be great to wander around in. No work at Friends yet, good week last week, three days, made some headway, but long waits are getting to me. Yesterday, a long walk at 10 from west end and 76st street to Columbia, thought I might bump into someone I know, but didn't...still great to feel how my body wanted to travel. Anyway, it is a beautiful day today, should not be wasted....my be the last of the  warm weather days, still would like to do some volunteering...wonder when that will happen....keep cool.....

will I ever see...

a movie...? This is the question I asked myself this morning; have put off many movies because of money constraints--read instead--just finished In Between Days, very moving and skillful novel by Andrew Porter. Probably should check out some of his short stories. Anyway, today will see matinee of Blood Potato (it's free and sounds interesting) and then head to Brooklyn for Matt's open house, on that very interesting street.\, East New York avenue. Sometimes I think that all I would really like to do is explore Brooklyn. This is an area that when I was growing up was mostly all Jewish---now some new buildings with high rentals dot the area. Anyway, we will see what it is like. Love looking at those old apartment houses, so much like the one that I grew up in. After that...well maybe a movie if there is time---tomorrow will try to see the play at Soho Rep for 99cents. Wonder if there will be a big crowd, do not like waiting on those lines, however due to price, must give it a shot---then probably find a place to watch Packers-Giants after that. Will get to
Cobra Club and Susan, kind of late, but will be there....that's all...

oh, for a...

wad of money--then would city boy spend the next ten or twleve nights going to the theater. Unfortunatlely the mioney is not there, and city boy is left to his own devices. Just read review of Soho rep's new play--sounds really interesting--maybe there willbe 99cents tickets available for tomorrrow night's performance. But what of volunteering in Coney Island, after filing for unemployment? So many options, now out in Brooklyn after participating in FUREE demonstration outside the new Armani's. Felt uncomfortable about being in the picture, nevertheless took it. Had good conversation with Brooklyn local reporter, expressed my views about committment. Still worried about repercussions--is this simply my imagination. Well, at least I have taken a stand. Will stay on computer for a while, then  figure out if return to Manhattan is necessary (it probably will be since my SORRY ticket is at home).

city boy faces life....

It all fell down around City boy last night at about 1 A.M. Two checks cashed, not much money coming in--for the first time he finds himself facing econmic danger. Most (but not all) of it due to lack of work. What to do...? Called unemployment about enlarging benefits...have to call back. Keep money tight...definitely. More work at Friends...hopefully, that is the lynchpin. Still two days in only three weeks, with my minimal unemployment holds very little promise. Point is, really have to consider what is happening now. Ofcourse, things were worse in the apartment, more of a sense of person and place once I was outside. But much to consider..only can add on so much in terms of credit.
So, where do we go from here...? To Park Slope...? Will looking at all those brownstones, will remembering when Park Slope was a bohemian paradise make any improvement? Yes, walking for you has replaced movies, or is some sort of movie, but how to spend the day before Adam Kraar's reading tonight
is the important issue. Feel full of energy, must be used creatively...let's see...

good meetinga t

FUREE yesterday, helped establish for me where I stand as far as volunteering goes; will probably do all of it through FUREE, more organized, feel more at home there. Interesting possibility of an all day meeting on
Saturday in which a vision of a five year plan for FUREE is discussed.
No work again today, however did have a nice e-mail exchange with Kristen about next two days, feel a little more at ease about things. I probably exaggerate things when I don't get called. Anyway, tomorrow will
go in to pick up my check.
Lots of theater and things to see, probably will not go to a movie today to show that I can budget well, anyway, have some fun books to read, Holbrook's autobiography seems like it will be very interesting; it seems like I can't get enough of the history of actors in the fifties--poor and living close to the bone until they made it. Will I go to Brooklyn later...and if so...where....? Cobra, Local 61, South Fourth, East River, back to Bobbie's and then to Delancey Street to Susan's dance party. Possibilities are endless, arn't they? Well, let it continue.....