three day weekend...

with its ups and downs. But the ups were good---like going to Dixon Place and seeing their works in progress evening---sometimes that can be pretty trying but last night, my friends Gavin and Eliza were terrific in their work, and the two others were really good as well. Had a chance to catch up with Gavin and his wife Emily, and found, to my surprise, that they are living in an apartment in the Bronx (amazing!) and it is in the Bedford Park section, north Bronx, an area that is very much working class and probably about one third black, one third hispanic and one third white. They seem to be very happy there---I told them I would visit them some Sunday afternoon---good! It will give me an excuse to go back to that borough---I have thought long and hard about that all summer and early fall, but I never act on it. That was the highlight of yesterday. They live not far from Bronx Science, the "new" (as of 59) building that I attended for its first year and a half. The place of my crush on Judy M,--I could talk about those feelings for a long time. Even now, as I remember our conversations, something so vital comes across. She actually lived about three blocks from where I live now. At some point I will continue.
  Sunday---visited Bushwick in the early afternoon, watched some football at Cobra, then headed to Molasses, the small bookstore run by my friend Matt and his wife Maggie. Maggie was there with a couple of friends--some good conversation, the guy, whose name is Schuyler surprised me by telling me he was the lead prop guy on the new movie of West Side Story. Naturally, I presented my credentials as the ultimate original West Side Story dork-historian. We had a good conversation about some of the choices Spielberg and Tony Kushner have made---he made it sound interesting---not sure how I feel about it, but he was a very nice guy.
  Next went to LaMama to see a play with some actors that I have known through the years. The play---All My Fathers--turned out to be a terrible tract---two actors that I like, Brian and Jon Hogan were good, and an old friend of mine named Debby Hedwall was amazing as an older woman coping with early dementia. A galvanic performance in a pretty bad play. After that some pizza at Two Boots and then a semi-early evening home. Still can't get the stamina to join my friend Eric as he bar tends in Williamsburg with his P.M. shift. Too bad, I am sure I would find it interesting. Have to figure out a way to keep my stamina going.
  Saturday after sessions--went to La Flaca to watch the first Yankee- Astro playoff game. Lots of fun, some nice conversation, let's see what happens today.....

nice day yesterday...

at Friends, though a little tirering; had really good session with fifth grade class in the afternoon. Left with good feelings Came home, tired, rested, got out, went to a Greek Diner on 90th street---to my surprise, on Friday about 8, really filled up, it might as well have been a neighborhood bar (I am sure they were filled up as well) . Had a nice blt and watched some situation comedies on their tv screen that is right in front of the counter. Comedies (which I have not seen before) as usual, were very silly. Walked back to the apartment and stopped at the neighborhood Barnes and Nobles---browsed for a bit, and then returned to the apartment. Nice to have a "second wind" after resting, after a long day, but was happy to be home by about 9:30.
 Thursday evening--did get out---not to a movie, simply went to Keeley's bar, the one on Amsterdam and 83rd street and watched the first couple of innings of the Astro-Ray game, won, of course, by the Astros. The bar has a really nice selection of beer---mostly young and somewhat noisy crowd, bartenders decent, a little impersonal. Still, on Thursday, after deciding not to try to get into a film festival showing, I was determined to "hang" at that place. Left with mixed feelings, but probably will go back.
  This evening, I have a free choice, since I have some sessions, did not want to make plans in advance--will see how much energy I have left. Maybe a play or a movie. There is a play at LaMama that has a 5 p.m. performance tomorrow, I am debating whether I want to make a reservation. Four actors, one of whom, Debby H was at one point a pretty good friend of mine, another, Jon H, I knew somewhat casually during the eighties---he is a really exceptional actor---I should really try to see everything that he is in.
  Will I do it? Not sure, will report soon.

an odd day yesterday....

first of all, the weather--cold and rainy--cast a pall over everything. Then my session: two cancellations without warning---one left, but that was at 5, and I was stuck in the library at 2. If the day was nice, I could have taken a trip---maybe a walk in the nearby Bronx, or up to Inwood or Riverdale, but with the weather so brutal---had to accept some coffee and a lot of reading. Finally at 5, my student arrived and what followed was a vigorous lesson---I felt good about my commitment, but when I returned to the apartment, I was "bushed"---had very little energy--so simply went to sleep. The apartment is cold; and no heat yet, so that was also a bit of a trial. Glad to get up this morning---will have work at Friends tomorrow, and just collected $23.00 for a lotto ticket that I purchased yesterday, almost by accident.
  The situation remains the same for tonight--not sure how much energy I will have or where that will lead me. There is supposed to be a brutal wind tonight, so I would like to be out of the house for it. Baseball game of importance on at 6---several plays begin at 8--we will see. I just found out about a forum for theater leaders on Sunday--it will be moderated by a friend of mine---that talks about theater leadership that moves in a different direction from the more established theaters in New York. But is that possible, and should I attend---after all, i am just an interested participant not a "leader" Not quite sure if I want to commit to it---maybe I will meet someone in my "community" who is going, and I can ask them if my presence would be appropriate. I would really do a lot of listening, and maybe make some small contributions. Well we will see.
 Tomorrow at Friends, will probably report Saturday or soon afterwards.

so I finally got

to see a movie---I had been planning but putting this off for about a week, but yesterday, after some rest in the afternoon, I walked down to the Film Festival at Lincoln Center, and got a "rush" ticket for My Father and Me, a documentary by Nick Broomfield, an English film maker. Nick's father, Maurice, was as well known still photographer, whose pictures defined the growth of Industry in Britain after World War II. Nick describes his father's upbringing, his ambivalent relationship to the working class city of Darby, where he was raised, and his subsequent marriage to a woman he deeply loved. Nick tries to decipher his own childhood with memories of his father and mother. The documentary also describes Nick's attempts to separate himself from his father; he becomes a film maker of documentaries, some very controversial, and often steps into the middle of them.
  I thought the movie was very deeply felt, really well articulated---I was never bored or outside of it for a minute. Really glad that I saw it---slept much easier last night, probably because I had "fulfilled" myself earlier.
  Nothing much else to say, a full day of sessions awaits me, maybe will spend a little time afterwards in a bar in the village where a friend of mine is the happy hour bar tender. Will report soon.

Tuesday morning...

so there I was, getting out of the shower at 7:10, figuring there would be absolutely no need for me to be at Friends today. Then the message machine on the phone clanged. A message: Could I cover a first period (8:15) class in math. First I wanted to say "no", but very quickly change my mind and started to move quickly. Out of the house by 7:30; on the train soon afterwards, arrived at the Union Square Station (near the school) at 7:50. Really great time---could go down to the cafeteria and grab some granola and coffee. Still, amazed that I could make it. Class went well, now I am out---body is still adjusting---two more sessions this afternoon, not sure what the evening will hold.
  Yesterday and Sunday: two Brooklyn days---Sunday, too tired to go to Cobra Club for coffee and football---ended up at Gotham Market (my usual base now in Brooklyn)---watched some football, then wanted to do something else---took the subway to Ditmas Park, a neighborhood about two miles south and a little west of the market. Very laid back and diverse vibe there---a kind of easy calm on the streets that is so different from downtown Brooklyn. The area, mostly Jewish in the 40's and 50's includes apartment houses and some sprawling streets with all large private houses. Young people began to discover the area in the late nineties, long before Bed-Stuy or Prospect Heights began their gentrification voyage.  Walked about  seven or eight blocks along Coney Island Avenue where there is a large Muslim population. Then returned downtown.
 Monday, I was invited to join a protest outside an apartment house in Flatbush, about a mile and a half east of Ditmas Park, to call attention to a new front door that was needed. The landlord is negligent and the tenants, mostly black and Caribbean are angry. Also, the elevator has been out a lot, causing much havoc for the many elderly tenants who have been living there. But there were only four of us, the the two tenants who joined the BAN group decided to wait until a Sunday when more tenants would be available to carry signs and protest outside the landlords office. Afterwards, I wandered around the neighborhood, much of which, as you go east is completely Hassidic. A strange vibe, very self enclosed, and I soon left.
  That is all for now, will report soon.

weird Saturday morning....

have just had one nice session and have another in about 2 hours (long wait!) Just found out that a woman who I was friendly with in the summer of 2012, when she worked for a play appearing at my venue at the Fringe, has directed a play off off Broadway. Would like to see it---wonder if it is any good. Have two weeks to try to go---another interesting play at La Mama with some actors whom I like and my friend Amina's play which is opening at Jack next week. Then there are the plays that I would like to see with people I don't know in them---Slave Play, The Sound Inside, etc. Millions of movie, opera, etc as well. Have to see how it all plays out---don't want to spend too much money for now.
  Yesterday, still feeling the effects of the grueling schedule of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I opted to stay in the neighborhood last night---and ended up at Keegan's a bar on Amsterdam around 83rd street--a friendly place catering mostly to a youngish crowd. I was there to watch the Yankee-Twin game---had a nice soft beer and some french fries which were "killers". Enjoyed watching the game and had a nice conversation with the young man sitting next to me--named Peter---then went home. I think it is pretty obvious that the Yankees are superior to the Twins---lets see if this is borne out at today's game and the next one.
  Today the plan is to go to the Preludes at City College---this is a preview of a lot of stuff that will be performed off off Broadway in the coming months, a sort of forum and get together for members of
the "indie community". Two friends of mine will be showing a work in progress there, then I might stay around for some other projects as well. Tomorrow---wide open---that is how I want it.
  That is all for now---will report soon.

can you believe it.....

about 54 hours of non stop work (with some time for sleeping). Beginning with the session at 10 A.M. Tuesday and ending with one at  6:00 Thursday, including to very busy days at Friends, the action never stopped. Today I would have worked at Friends again, but the teacher whom I was to substitute for was on jury duty, and her case was suddenly settled, so she is back. And I am here in the library, experiencing  exhaustion take over.
 Still, as an intense experience, the last three days were remarkable. Especially since there were so many "slow" days during the summer. The energy that I needed to expand in those three days was non stop. I was tired when it was over, but I got through it.
  Tonight I thought of getting a Standing Room ticket to Macbeth at the Met, but if seems a little too expensive. So many options-some interesting stuff at the Film Festival, lots of plays, etc. A lot will depend on how physically I feel as well. The reporting will begin tomorrow....