cityboy is

tired....from lots of work yesterday both at Friends and tutoring afterwards. Slept a lot last night. Really good group at Friends for Anna's last period. Felt the warmth. Today, some tutoring, possibly, probably go to Catch tonight in Brooklyn, tomorrow usual trips to Cobra and South fourth. Back to Friends on Monday. Lots of things to see if I wish to...also sports, brain is kind of tired.....

so it's

over, the reunion, that is. How do I feel about it...? Not sure, maybe I expected too much. In the beginning, after my arrival at the luncheon, everyone seemed distorted, far too elderly, could not really believe that these were my classmates. Hellos were formal, memories, indifferent. Got to my place in Roland Park, I like it there, but it was a bit too far. Betsy (the very nice woman who I stayed with) drove me to the station on Sunday. Still, I remain fascinated and turned on by the city. Must visit again this summer, hopefully for a longer period of time.
Back to the reunion, returned to the campus early. Stood outside the pavilion for a while, watched the little campus trolleys bringing my classmates to the spot. Seemed ludicrous. Had two good discussions with two student helpers, both of whom were black---got a chance to let the black theater group of Hopkins read Adam Kraar's play (or at least receive it) about the freedom summer. Drinks followed and then a few speeches from recipients of awards, and then the President. I won an I pad, have no idea why...? Not sure whether to keep it or sell it---selling it would help me a lot financially. A breadth of fresh air was Paul Quin, dressed in overalls and here with his partner, a very nice guy. Finally sat down next to Nancy, wife of Bill Brown. Good conversation about the late Wendy Wasserstein, who was a classmate of Nancy's. Ate a lot, chocolate cake was really good, finally got up to leave, then talked briefly with the Phi Eps; a brief conversation with a few guys, they were really very nice, then a spontaneous conversation with Ed G, felt a lot of feeling all of a sudden. Jim Lo Gerfo, also very warm and friendly, all seemed impressed that I tutored in Harlem. Left the hotel in a taxi feeling that yes, this had meaning, a very specific meaning with guys who are really not part of my life, but share "something" with me from the past. Went home, went to sleep, woke up the next morning, looking at Roland Heights Avenue, watching the street come to life on Sunday morning.
First blog in a while, have been strenuously working at Friends, really arduous, tutoring most of the afternoons as well. But this pay group has been a break through for me---I think things are pretty good through the early summer---still obsessed with lowering my credit--never seem satisfied with that.
Will tutor renee this afternoon, after that "free".  First night I will not be too tired to move around. But go...
"where"...?Probably to Pere Ubu, unless something else turns up cheaper or more interesting.

have the...

Les Mis music going through my brain all morning, really great dress rehearsal yesterday at Friends, amazingly well organized, great to hear the score with a small orchestra---really works with that, and despite the overhype of the piece for the last 27 years, it is a really passionate score---somehow it captures the intransigence of Javert and the pull force (for want of a better word) of Valjean.
No work today, a little down, momentum is broken, but do have tutoring assignments this afternoon, should keep me busy. Probably will not attend FURIE benefit tonight, really just too much going on, need to take it easy before tomorrow's trip---clear my head.
Once again re-read the reunion magazine---still amazed at how many of my classmates, those that I knew and those that I did not know, got married in the first few years after college and have remained married to the same person, all these years. And where are you in all this, cityboy..? What will be your stance when you see these people tomorrow...well, I will try to be as friendly as possible, I guess...I don't think you will discover any secrets about the longevity of marriage.
That seems to be all for now.....should post again after the reunion.....have to get ready....

Last two...

days at Friends, actually last five days, if you count Thursday, when I got there, but did not work. Today a little different in pace, somewhat strange adjustment that I have had to make. But good that I am not working, have two tutoring sessions this afternoon, this way I will be fresh for them.
Continue to re-read Hopkins reunion alumni magazine, full of sketches of the last 50 years of most of my
classmates. Again, confronted by a lot of similar stories, feel a little left out, but this morning when I awoke, felt so in touch with the present, that going to the reunion seemed like an afterthought. Just go in and out, cityboy.
While on my way to library, saw a woman jogging, saw to my surprise, that is was "X" a woman who forty years ago, I was very interested in. Got in touch with some old feelings, some a little negative, since it was she who rejected me. I saw her, but she seemed to be in a bubble---did she not say hello because she saw it was me, or was she just too focused on her jogging? Probably the latter. Perhaps will catch her again, part of me wants to say "hello', another is satisfied with things as they are now.
Saturday night, went to Bushwick Starr, disappointed in "theater piece" if you could call it that, actually annoyed, because I really felt the lecture did not need to be in a theater. But enjoyed going out there,
saw Nick from Assembly, had a good talk with him, then Sunday, spent the day first in Bushwick, then took a long walk down Myrtle Avenue, from Wycoff (L train) to Broadway. Very interesting walk. Then checked in at South Fourth.
tomorrow, all day at Friends, including dress rehearsal for Les Mis, then Friday, if not working, will husband my resources, as I plan for the early morning departure of my bus on Saturday.

exhausted from....

yesterday...full day at Friends, and then tutoring for one hour Andrea, her grandfather was slow at picking her up, and library was closing, so stayed with her for a bit, then went with her to her apartment house, west
146 street the closest to Broadway, still seems inhabited by all hispanic people --no gentrifyers to speak of; everyone I passed in the building on my in with Andrea and out by myself, seemed very nice.
 Lots of stairs climbed yesterday, by the time I returned to the apartment I was pretty tired.
Today, as usual, lots of options, I can see Love and Information, the Caryl Churchill play, for free but can't seem to get myself interested in going. Go to Bushwick Starr tonight....? Possibly, also could help out at Gowanus Houses for FUREE, but wonder if I am too tired for that, actually have a yen (that is the right word for it) to wander around Ditmas Park, Newkirk-Cortelyou Road area. Why? Don't know, just the the tranquility of the area, also the architecture of those houses that are so familiar to me from my childhood, seems like it is calling to me.
Will see Kyla tomorrow, this is the last weekend before the reunion, next week at this time I will be on the bus to Baltimore---heading to Hopkins. but tomorrow will spend my usual time in Bushwick and maybe Williamsburg. No real fantasies about next weekend, just play it by ear.....

cityboy is....

tired, as I sit in the Lincoln Center library. And why not? I have been to Friends, then out to South Williamsburg. then to the library about ten blocks east of there to do some reading, and finally back to Lincoln Center. Arrived at Friends, only to check e-mail and see that Vanaja's class trip was canceled, meaning that I was not needed today. Vanaja does not have my phone, so apparently she assumed that I would get the e-mail before coming in. But, of course, I didn't. A little strange at first, then some frustration as I hunted down some other work in the school,only there was none. But Phil K called later and I am subbing for him tomorrow, and there is also an assignment for me next week. So things are looking pretty good.
One benefit of this morning in Williamsburg---found a nice new coffee place on Hope Street, very roomy and welcoming, called 66 Hope. Will return.
Tough article in the Times, this morning, about how Cuomo is allied strongly with hedge fund managers and the like, and this is making him protect charter schools, and standing against deBlasio. I t seems the democratic party now is really split in two--the wealthy and the activists. How does the twain meet...?
Hopkins reunion draws closer---interesting to see how interaction with all those guys and their wives will go.
That's all for now, should finish up here and try to get some rest.

a beautiful day but...

kind of depressing to read Michael White's blog and find out that deBlasio has not put the kibbosh on the plans to depress the Brooklyn Heights Library and build a luxury high rise on the spot. When will this nonsense stop...? have job for Thursday at Friends, that is good.....today free, may go out to Brooklyn to help FUREE if possible.
Yesterday, good day, two tutoring sessions, Kyla is very worried about fifth grade reading test today, took a look at some of her preparation tests---really dehumanizing, that is the only way I can call it, I would have had trouble with one of the questions, it was so obscurely related to the text. Is it designed to make kids like Kyla feel inferior? I tried to explain to her that this was really seventh or eighth grade work---that she should not be terribly bothered by it, but you can see that she is. Strange how things have changed since our day and age---hopefully today's test will be a lot easier than the assignment that she was given.
Last night, returned home after a welcoming and affectionate visit to Lansdown Road, can't believe how nice everyone is there, yesterday not too crowded, good to say hello to Sinem again. At any rate, waiting for me in the mail was the fiftieth anniversary yearbook from my class at Hopkins, with all its statements, and pictures of my classmates and stories of their lives in the past fifty years. Interesting how similar many of them are....a large majority are married for over forty years to their wives, most (at least most who wrote) seem to have found high achieving jobs in law or teaching or medicine and are reaping the benefits of such jobs. I wrote a very small piece, in comparison to the others, did not want to go through the "accomplishments" or disappointments of my life---and what of those whom I knew who did not participate in the request for autobiographical information. Why? Interesting how some very well adjusted people seem to shy away from participating in any alumni activities. These are all guys who I perceived as being very integrated into the world of Hopkins. At any rate, glad now that I am going to the reunion, don't know what to expect, but should be an interesting couple of hours, interacting with my classmates.
Time to move on to other things, dichotomy between the two parts of me---theater and education seem strong, perhaps go to the opera tonight, will have to convince myself, want to see this production of La Sonanbula because it apparently tries to explode the simple story, but don't know if it is in the cards.