haunted by

Tristan's first act! Standing at the top of the family circle, the heat from the orchestra pit rising up to me---what an incredible work of art. Experiencing it is like being caught in a ball of fire!. An experience that goes beyond "watching art". Yes, choosing to go to Tristan last night was a momentous choice--parts of Act I still echo in my ear. Isolde's rage, which most of the act revolves around--so truthful.
  And yet I found the second act trying and minimal compared with Act I. Partially because at that point I was tired, but even so, it is as if Wagner had gotten his protagonists into a place by fusion and now had to take them to the next step. And so the music becomes the slave of the libretto. Act II very static until King Mark's entrance. Even then, his monologue, while very beautiful does not for me fully come to life. Was relieved when Act II was over. Decided not to stay for Act III, which I don't know musically at all. Too tired; had gotten what I needed from the evening. Possibly in the next few weeks (there are about 5 more performances) I will by a standing room and come in to hear the third act. It's a risk, having to get rapped up in that world again. So intense!
  Not sure about the rest of the day---tonight is the Vice President debate and also the playoff game for the American League wild card. Might just go to Standings to watch it, or possibly try to see Hamlet at the Public. Maybe just go to a bar in Brooklyn and see what happens.
  Anyway, will report tomorrow...see you soon..

An ebullient box office....

manager has just sold me a standing room ticket to Tristan and Isolde for tonight. Really happy about this---has procrastinated a bit about committing to it, but now that the ticket sits in my wallet, am really quite excited about going. Will try to take the rest of the afternoon, fairly "easy"  (no trips to Brooklyn) while I wait for the opera to begin. Now I am thankful that I live so close to the Met; the closeness really works for me on days like this. 

  Weekend rap up: In Bushwick both days---for the open houses. Enjoyed this a lot. Artists with the open studios are very talkative and friendly, Very impressed by the art that I saw. Saturday spoke with three male artists, had some interesting conversations, one of the artists invited me to his all immersive theater project on 10/22.  After visits, watched Boston ball game (one of the longest I have ever seen---very frustrating) at Lantern Hall, an East Williamsburg bar and restaurant that I visited once before. Staff very friendly, could have stayed there longer if I wished. Tired after the meal---returned home---fell asleep quickly but by 2 was wide awake. Should I go out and hit a bar? Stomach could have tolerated a beer. Decided not to---the result was a restless night at home. 

  Sunday however was a great improvement. Again out to Bushwick---an artist I had met at Cobra Club had specifically invited me to his exhibit, but he was not there. But found another artist space, sort of half way between the Morgan and Jefferson stops (who designed that subway? Could he or she have really seen the future of those areas when these stops were figured out? Amazing!) Had three conversations with three different women artists, Needed that. Two were extremely talkative.

Last one, named Julia, showed me her animation for different projects. Very good, we had a long talk. Left feeling very fulfilled (also had a nice talk with a Johns Hopkins senior who called me about a contribution---which of course, I consented to) Did not really want to check out one more artist space nearbye. Instead had a salad on Irving and Starr, then back to Cobra for some more coffee and a very rich donut. Tired by that time, so returned home by 6. Not what I would have expected but fell asleep quickly---stayed relaxed after I woke up and decided to go to the Dive Bar (96th and Amsterdam)  to watch some football (terrible game with Pittsburgh really destroying Kansas City). Had a beer--no conversation---and then left. 

  So that is it. Feeling a little tired now, should remain in the library for a while, wish that there coffee was better. Will report more tomorrow.

got through it....

that six half hour periods in the lower school yesterday. Feel very centered..The two first grade classes were the most difficult. Kids were restless and had to use all my energy to read aloud to them. The other four classes, two second grades and two third grades were relatively easy. Students were very nice and followed the tasks easily. Teachers, those that remained in the room, were also supportive. Proud of my focus---could easily handle that schedule again.
    No possible work at Friends until Tuesday. From now until then free as a bird. What does that mean. My plan is to head to Bushwick in time for a 4 PM presentation at Mayday bar space, dealing with gentrification. Leaving the rest of the evening open---maybe a movie at the Bushwick film festival, running in tandem with the art open houses. Everything is so overloaded in the city---might want to make it back for a movie or play (Heaven's Gate at BAM? Could you stick it out?  or maybe just hang out and see what is happening. Tomorrow the plan is to go out early afternoon, visit an artist whose company I enjoyed a few weeks ago, and again, take it from there. Much to see on stage, wonder if I can ever do it---Would like to see the Hamlet at the Public, but don't know if the time frame will fit. Monday, Tristan and Isolde at the Met? Might be a perfect evening for me to see it.
Will go to box office on Monday and try to get a standing room, if I feel it is right.
That's it---lots of focus--time to eat, let's see how things develop....

cityboy has a....

job. Subbing lower school spanish tomorrow. A heavy schedule---six half hour classes. also have to go to one of the neighborhood libraries and try to find a Spanish book that I will teach tomorrow. Could wait until tomorrow morning, but want to be very prepared. Ironically, this has thrown the rest of my day into a kind of strange holding pattern. Was looking forward to a day doing "nothing", in other words, just letting the thoughts fly and not forcing anything, I think I was going to try to read one of the Elizabethan plays written by one of Shakespeare's contemporaries, but now, want to get to work on my Spanish.!
        Yesterday, did go to protest outside real estate-entepreneur summit---stayed for about two hours, really pleased that I went---there were about 16 of us, and a number of photographers,( at one point they seemed to outnumber the protesters) but we got our point across, many people stopped and took flyers, and I felt a solidarity with my fellow protesters. I think something really is being accomplished---the word is getting out---like so many other issues now, more people are beginning to see that they can contribute. Felt invigorated doing it---lasted about two hours; the protest lasted another hour---afterwards I went into Juniors (right across the street) and had coffee and a decent (but not great) piece of marble pound cake. Cost me around $9.50 with tax. So it goes in NYC.
   Not much more to say---rest of day consists of library and maybe a movie or play at EST. All will be decided at the last minute as the day progresses. Will let you know....

exhausted after....

yesterday's stint at Friends---two rambunctious classes that needed constant supervision to keep on track. Then a session in Harlem---came home around 7. sleeping at about 8. Actually slept better than usual. Still, my body is just coming around---have eaten very little should take in more as the afternoon wears on.
Tonight I join the picketers outside a real estate summit in downtown Brooklyn. Always ambivalent about joining them, however I am a member of BAN, and it is important for me to give my support.
Actually this summit is for self-starters as well as real estate people. I think a lot of them (the self starters) don't see their role in displacement---kind of a tunnel vision that they need to be shaken from. Perhaps tonight will make them more aware.
On Monday, went to BAN meeting to make signs for this rally but no one was there but Chicago (a young woman visiting from Japan) and myself. Had a nice talk with her---I had known her previously but it was difficult to talk to her because she was just learning English. On Monday she was much more fluid in her speech, found that it was easier for her to understand me and comment back--she was going to watch the debate (enough about that) at a bar on Fourth Avenue in the slope, and I could have come back with her but felt turned off by the whole thing. also she said that the bar would be packed---and I did not want to be with a bunch of shouting people (especially in a neighborhood like Park Slope) crowding each other out. Anyway, will probably see her again tonight so we will see what happens after that.
    No real plans for Monday after I walked Chicago to the F station on 23rd street, so that meant some wandering. Stopped off at the Greek diner on 23rd approaching seventh---had a tuna fish sandwich which, along with tax and tip (and no coffee) came to $9.00. Disgraceful! Where will it end?  If there is no commercial rent control in the near future, in ten years the same sandwich will cost $14.00. There has got to be a more active vision among people in the city. After that walked to the village--stopped off at Two Boots for a pizza slice (the sandwich just did not fill me up) and at some point returned home. Heard some of the debate on radio---turned it off while candidates were discussing their policies re policing----annoying because neither of them said that it is actually the cities and state governments that create and train their police force. All the president can do is use the "bully pulpit" or maybe offer support in a coming election to a state or city official in order to see a federal policy put in place. Hopefully a much more compassionate one.
That is all for now; will report on March outside summit meeting tomorrow.

lots to discuss....

including a voyage around Brooklyn yesterday, but first frustration. Why? Have just been asked to sub on a full day schedule, while yesterday I accepted what might be a half day's schedule for the same day. Irony, irony---why do two teachers have to choose to take off on the same day, and why do their schedules have to intersect? Well, it will probably work itself out, and most likely I will be able to "extend' the schedule to find some other work in the afternoon of the day. So it goes.
    Yesterday: decided to make the first stop in Brooklyn the Cortelyou street fair. Found myself on the F, not the Q but close enough---decided to get off at Fort Hamilton Parkway stop, found myself at the
"base" of Ocean Parkway, a quiet area, not really talked about much. Beautiful old apartment houses and some new ones---walked down Ocean Parkway from Caton to Cortelyou---to the west the area seems serene---totally cut off from the more frenetic Park Slope-Prospect Heights vibe. Who lives here, what do they do; how did the neighborhood evolve from the fifties and sixties. Next challenge will be to take the D to ninth avenue stop (I think it is near 36street) and travel by foot into Ditmas Park. Hard to envision that area, an imortant walk, hope I make it soon.
    Arrived at Cortelyou and the street fair was in full blast. Stayed about an hour and a half, just wandered around, crowd, I would say about 50% white, 30% black, the rest Hispanic and Muslim. Cortelyou crosses PS 139; I subbed there from 2002 to 2004---very frenetic school with kids of all races and creeds packed together. I miss that sometimes now, though I am very happy at Friends. Something about the "grit" of the public school session and the exhaustion that followed that I miss.
But don't need to complicate things, and feel so much a part of the Friends experience, that I will stay where I am.
   Left Cortelyou around 3---Q train to Atlantic. Off at Atlantic to Fulton to find the pizza store I like a lot. Had my slice--debated next move, finally walked north on South Portland ( a beautiful street) to Myrtle. Walked a bit east on Myrtle---several new shops and bars (no surprise there) and finally jumped on the bus that wended its way east through Bed Stuy and into Bushwick. Myrtle is one of the first Bed-Stuy streets to bond into Bushwick---right before Stuyvesant Street, I think. Exited bus around Evergreen; thought I might go to a free theater festival at one of the Bushwick coffee shops, but arrived and nothing seemed to be happening (and did not see anyone that I knew) so left, and walked the five blocks to Wycoff and the three blocks to Jefferson Street and Cobra. There I read the Times and watched the Jet game for quite a while, by mid 6 I felt it was time for my next move. That would be the L to Bedford and the walk down same to South Fourth. Tired, but decided to do it---glad I did--ran into my friend Pheobe an artist who hangs out there, but whom I had not seen in a long time. She was friendly, with her family, we talked for a while. Later joined by the bar manager Eric who had brought along a friend from Austin Texas, talked with him for a while and former bartender Dylan, who recounted to us his adventures wedding hopping for the past few weeks. By 9 it was time to go, but glad I stopped in---a good place for me to be on Sunday evening.l
  Not sure about the rest of the day---have a semi meeting to help make some posters for the protest march on Wednesday---not sure what else---really hope to miss the debate---everyone and every media outlet discussing it--would really just like it to go away.  
  Will report tomorrow....

Really nice day...

at friends, yesterday, great final period, a music class, the young upper school musicians were led by Javon, a cellist, who conducted while the group worked on a Bach inclusive piece. Great fun watching them create their own order---students very adult---fascinating to see kids I have known since fifth grade really growing and maturing. I was very happy being there, left on a high.
Otherwise, not too much to report, am at library now, maybe one session---just found out about some free theater in Bushwick tomorrow, should check it out, maybe will report on Monday. This evening will probably try to see The Black Crook at Abrons, but still feeling tired. Got another invite to a gallery opening on Gansevort Street at the same time. Oh, cityboy, you are so popular!
I guess...anyway, will report on all this next time, probably Monday.