Mies van der Rohe warmth

brrrr... thru this winter of freezing temps in NYC/Newark! however, great views and relatively warm in the apartment, a Mies van der Rohe building built 50 years ago (1959). photo from May 2007 .. warmer weather at least!

I have lived here the longest time in any apartment/house in my lifetime. Comfortable even with 500+ apartments in the building. Sometimes an elevator needs repair and my timing coincides with building "rush hours" or there are new neighbors who need to be reminded that others live below or next door or that the hallway is not a playground. Some recent Afghani refugees interestingly left all their garbage in very neat piles in the garbage room, so they needed to be taught that most of their garbage needs to just go down the garbage chute (diapers, food). After living in midtown Manhattan most of my life, interesting to see families and children growing up. There are at least 10 children I remember from their diaper days. The gorgeous daughter of my neighbors from Ghana would scream in her infant days when I put out my arms to pick her up. Today, she plays vacuuming outside my door at times in hopes to get me to "come out to play", and she is now in kindergarten! Life changes and our "koffie Club" is now history as folks have moved, but our minimart now has stools so I can sit and drink my koffie!

The Bauhaus movement is now 90 years!
some links:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,610283,00.html

http://edwardlifson.blogspot.com/2009/03/baldessari-puts-brick-wallpaper-over.html

hugs, peace, compassion

sledding day

view from my window to Branch Brook Park and I-280 this afternoon. Not the foot of snow, maybe 4.5 inches. Schools, state offices closed. Lots of car accidents in this weather thus the closings. However, NYC schools were closed which is a rarity. NJ schools close at the drop of a flurry!

The closings also brought about the NY bus seems arriving earlier. The postlady came earlier! My sister in Boston mailed me blueberry/green tea as well as a bar of chocolat... perfect! My minimart ran out of bread at 1:30 from all in the building ordering sandwiches.

I got my wish.. a March snowstorm.. this Sunday comes daily savings time... in 3 weeks, Spring Equinox!

peace, hugs, compassion

Zeitgeist for March!

photo of the WTC PATH concourse on Friday. The glass buildings rising and seemingly melting into each other are just stunning! Love all that glass! The PATH is always an easy ride. I took it maybe 2x in all the years I lived in NYC. Very easy commute into lower Manhattan!

spent Friday revisiting my old 1970s neighborhood.. Park Slope, Brooklyn, from my time as a Brooklyn College student. My life as an art student! Got off at Grand Army Plaza.. what an elegant stop. The limestones, doorman buildings, the park settings. I could only wish Branch Brook Park was as user particularly pedestrian friendly. Sat for a bit by the subway stop to watch the coming/goings on Flatbush Avenue. Thoughts of my times in all of the surrounding apartment buildings at parties or just visiting. In general I would always run into known folks in that Grand Army Plaza stretch in my 1970s years as well as during my six months stay in 1994-5. Didnt recognize anyone but...
I did run into a worker from the Park Slope Food Co-op. He has a vest with the co-op named and was helping a member bring packages back! Wow, they even help deliver now! I was a member when he was born, 1977. In those days we climbed up a huge staircase and trudged our groceries down those steps.... Wow what a legacy that co-op has! That was the best food place! Wow!

met up with my long time buddy and his partner living on Prospect Park West. Now those are some elegant mansions! The Brooklyn Gold Coast! Outside their mansion the crocuses and other plants are coming UP! I saw the buds on the trees! And, a the gorgeous apartment! Great deck although very windy in the Slope. Great view through the front windows across Prospect Park. Didnt see many people but did recognize some of the park paths I would walk. The best lunch.. Chinese oranges, chicken and lots of broccoli. All my favorites! I love my Chinatown shopping trips with one of the guys.. the best vegetables, tea shops, and Pearl River department store!!!

interesting chats as ever. Their daughter does so well in her new job as a researcher! I am jealous... I love research, statistics, etal! What an opportunity for her! One of the guys is looking for a job after he took a buyout from his company. I pitched him in January to one of the Sulzberger family, another Columbia alum. LOL.. as if the NY Times is hiring. But the family person was so sweet to me... I have to send a thanks. Anyhow, my buddy is so focused and has had such a work history. He is doing some fascinating consulting and I will be phoning him for celebrity gossip again. But most interestingly, the guys had met with a Canadian lawyer about emigrating to Montreal. Seems that the NY lgbt center set up informational sessions for people wanting to emigrate in case the Republicans had won again. Same sex couples have legal rights in Canada and the government has been helping couples emigrate. A small but significant brain drain! My friends rank at the top on the immigration priority list, but thankfully Obama won! Wow, in retrospect it would have been a nightmare if those psychopathic Republicans had won.

the best IRT ride home although delays. Not as many commuters seemed to get on at Wall St but maybe that was just my hunch what with the layoffs. I would have gotten off downtown to do my flaneur thing but it was raining. I hate sitting inside when I just want to walk about.

end of February and now the zeitgeist for March! so many interesting memories. great times with a buddy I have known almost 30 years. despite the dreariness in the media on the economy, I feel really positive about our futures! Salut to Marz, Mars, March!!!
hugs, peace, compassion

salut fellow commie homos, Obamamaniacs, ....

wow! great comments by Sean Penn at last night's Oscars! Harvey Milk would have been proud

have not seen the film yet as I lived in SF during that period and it was quite emotional. I usually admire Gus Van Sant films but didnt go even though I even had free viewing opportunities.

Four of my Brooklyn College friends and I all moved to SF after our graduation in 1978. I arrived via the Greyhound bus in November. Within a week, Jonestown Guyana took place as well as the assassinations of Supervisor Milk and Mayor Moscone. It was an intense time although I didnt really understand much at the time.

I only stayed in SF until March 1979 as I returned to a job at the NYC Board of Education. During that time, I partly stayed with my friend Tede (photo above leaning at the wall). Tede was a film maker, actor, political activist. An exciting time although sad what with the assassinations.


photo: Dec. 1979, me and friend Tede, SF

academic transparency

intrigued by the NYU takeOver (VillageVoice feed photo shown). I followed tweets, saw the student website, watched YouTube videos, checked NY One! Not clear about all of the demands but the transparency issue is real. not pleased by the NYU tyranny in putting down the take over. I have seen NYU become a corporate behemoth over time. Just the take over of the East Village for student housing. Amazing that they charge over $1000 a month for a student to share a dorm! A tax-exempt group which has benefited from City policy to expand dislocating many working class people in the process.

spoke with someone I know 30 years on the phone. He asked why do I know some wierd people.. talking about a divorcing couple I know. LOL! thoughts of how people just buy into myths, or drink the koolaid! I am always amazed by the myths... well God bless him! Wealthy people have problems but their wealth can screen others from knowing what is up. In the 9 years I did corporate affairs for Citibank, I saw enough late night black cars bringing in drunks who were helped out of the cab by the doorman and whisked upstairs in the elevator by the maid. Actually I started my doctoral studies as I was so bored by the endless partying and greediness in some of that life. Anyhow... Richard Hofstadter and C Wright Mills wrote on the phenomenon almost 50 years ago!

The same issues of myth in academia. The power of institutions to gatekeep as well as accredidate. Mostly the personal stories one encounters... Nasty evil divorces ... at least 5 families where the professor dumped his wife and deserted the children for a wealthier spouse. Married DL gays and lesbians. A famous couple espousing liberal causes everywhere and then their behavior ridiculing their gay son.. their embarrassment. The wife of a professor locked away in a psychiatric ward who used to phone the college looking for her husband. He had a wealthy student paramour. Thankfully, there are now ethics laws that one cannot date one's students. All paid big bucks despite their questionable behaviors. 95& of us would be fired, in civil court, and/or harrassed for similiar behavior. Some of these stories go back to the 1970s, many of these people are now deceased, but they were gatekeepers!

I think of these things in terms of the realignment going on in the US and world economy. The power of the wealthy and privledged to do what they want is manifest. I also always think of someone listed among the 50 most powerful bankers in the world.. a really lovely woman who has spent so much time helping others over the years. Generally committed academics, but then those who slept and clawed their way up, as in many career paths. So, as in the case of the phone converser.. people can be wierd.. it is just they may not share their truth or one can be blinded by the socalled status. From years of working with clients, people tell others what they want them to know.. it may or may not be what is called reality! And of course, just using basic critical thinking but then again maybe 30% of Americans have an accreditated college degree and logic may have only been an elective.

I dont know much about NYU. Sadly I mostly remember the wierd stories. I supervised several students from NYU. I flunked one. She was all caught up in the importance of "being at NYU" but did little work. I know several faculty.. one was a professor who in the 1970s spent her agency time exposing lesbian mothers and bringing them up for immoral behavior at Family Court. I was working with disabled children at the time, and all of us workers hated her. Times have changed.. she now hangs with the lesbian NYU faculty. Another NYU grad, now teaching at a NJ college, went to NYU as she was not accepted at Columbia for being anti-social. She was a big boozer and slept with more men than I can remember in those wild 1980s. A friend worked in Columbia admissions and had had a verbal fight with the candidate at her admissions interview! Now that was good interview style! Today, she is married to a WallStreeter, suburban, presents the highest of bourgeosie appropriateness. Mostly though I really know little about NYU as I was involved in my alma maters.

Anyhow... what is life...
series of challenges and dealing with the ambiguities along our path to fulfill our true will (if we figure that out!) I never had a professor I wanted to date... LOL. As an art student, i spent all my time making art and had an intense personal relationship. in social work school, I had a political placement, fellowship at the international house, editor of my college monthly newsletter. Whew! Today, I am too superEgo'd to even think about dating a student.. students need to go through their own life process.. I am just one person on their path and one hardly needs to go through my dramas! Of course every semester I have students who have their "crush" on me but I know that 2 months after the grades are in I expect to rarely hear from the student again!


I value academia highly. I love teaching research, ethics, but I also have a social worker mentalite of respect for ethical practice. There is a parallel process in teaching. I evolved into teaching as an outgrowth of my work as a community organizer and as a direct services worker. I had no college guidance in high school nor from my parents. I wound up in Brooklyn as I did not want to go back to Colorado and got a free rent job renovating brownstones and CUNY was free! Brooklyn College was great as I loved making art there! Columbia was so intellectually interesting and I got scholarships! In my PhD time, a professor told me I read too much! I had never really read the classics and history. I had no college mentors in terms of an academic life. My studies were very project oriented. Anyhow, I can understand Barack Obama and his mentalite, being another alum. I know he must have signed one of my petitions in those thousands of petitions!!!

I hope that the students and admin find a way to discuss. I do think that the transparency issue will be on the table as the costs are out of control. This is a time of great change and I think the university is but one to see changes. There will just not be the money to continue the costs! I hope that there is respect and a dialog that makes change happen albeit....

peace, hugs, compassion

A new direction... January 17, 2009

living through this amazing time in US history and I am so happy to see this change! For the first time in my adult life, I voted for the person who won the Presidency! I always voted third party... go Angela Davis! I continue to be amazed by some of the depth of President Obama's comments., his inclusiveness. Of course, I see it as his Columbia worldview, having been at the University in that same time period. This is truly a critical juncture in our history! The inauguration of our first African American as President. The Speaker of the House a woman. Most of all, the widespread organizing and enthusiasm in the election. I still think of RFK and perhaps this is an opportunity to once again fill some of that legacy! That is some of the challenge!
I am happy with many of his assignments! In the last few days, David Medina, a gay man, as chief of staff to the First Lady. Appointment of another gay man to head the Federal Personnel Office which is quite a change from the wingnut ideologues Bush had in there. And, Happy Birthday Michelle Obama!
On Tuesday, I so look forward to the pause in the US when the vast majority of Americans and so many others in the world, watch the 11:30am swearing in. Whoa!
I do have sadness for the many who have passed and would have relished this day. Rev King would have been only 80 years this birthday, younger than my Dad. My mom who first told me about Barack Obama. The parents and grandparents of so many I know who lived through the civil rights movement and would have relished this moment! I have been watching Eyes on the Prize and I do remember parts of the struggle. I will never forget the nuns telling us when the little black girls were murdered in the Birmingham church bombing in 1963.
But, it is up to us living in this time to help make positive change happen. I am most encouraged by the return to science and research as opposed to the ideological wingnuts who so had Americans drinking the koolaid. I do not share the great faith in the US people as the propaganda posits. People voted for Bush twice and now whine and give Bush a 22% approval rating. I am quite hopeful as to the possibility with the change in Washington! The windows of opportunity will be small but much can be organized!
hugs, peace, compassion

happy new Year 2009!!

grutzli aus Newark/NYC!!! happy to be in another year! adding on the years!
new year's eve was soooooooo cold.. and a snow flurry... so I rushed home and stayed under the blankets! watched Times Square online! loved hearing Daft Punk music playing to the thousands.. what a joyous event! The daughter of Brooklyn buddies braved the cold but they got caught in the security maze in the Deuce... i loved going there in my 20 years!
a bit of a health relapse.. party due to dehydration.. living in the hood it is so hard to get nutritous food. I ordered Dominican and threw away the pollo and even the maduras! ugh! got sick from the usual fried food over the weekend as well. anyhow went to the supermarket.. made great cabbage soup, yoghurt et museli, vegetables, salmon, low fat, low sodium, healthy foods.
went al campo to see my brother. happy to share thoughts with him.. especially my scatteredness. i really have cognitive problems since I was in the hospital. I spend a lot of time just meditating to deal with my stress. I will see the doctor on Friday. at least I have more of an understanding of my health issues after the week in the hospital. I passed the house of my sister with cancer and the house seemd to be surrounded by angels, from the bus at least. She is on big time chemo, doesnt respond to emails, calls, etal. But she has her live in boyfriend and other siblings of mine visit her. I just pray for her!
Stopped by my church in Dover to sit at the picnic table but it is now gone. I went to the latin american restaurant and the workers were so rude to me. LOL.. LOL... times have changed. I havent made that trip in a year. My Mom is now dead 2 years. Another era! I still send out my YouTube video on my Mom. Sent the flyer to the Bishop I know, to one of the NY Times owners, in response to letters i have received. I send it to everyone as I will always be proud of my Mom listening, befriending and advocating people with mental illness, those others often run away from. Plus, I think my Mom got so tired of her children's dramas sometimes.. it was easier to listen to strangers with real problems! our Mom of 9 made us proud!
still sending out presents. sent photos of Our lady of Guadalupe to my sister.. born on that feast day! She wants me to sell the photos.. maybe...
the mail brought a framed photo of me and a friend for 32 years from an elected official buddy in NYC. what a shock! She has so many friends on Facebook! I joke with her husband who has none! Facebook friends.... anyhow.. i always love her. i was reading my party book from the 1980s and 1990s in Chelsea. I had an apartment and held many parties. Just read some of her thoughts in my book from parties over the years. lastly, a card in 2000 reminding me not to forget NYC ! I certainly cannot but I cannot afford to live there.
emailed my friends in Zurich... sent them a cutOut holiday card.. I think they thought I may have lost it.. so emailed them to tell them I was in the hospital if I seem strange.
I am so sick of being ill. Nothing has worked but I am still here. it is just sticking to healthy living.. being mindful. I didnt realize how sick I was.
dunno my teaching schedule yet. thinking of finding some clients to do some life coaching etal. i certainly have been doing that for over 20 years with students, clients, etal. We will see what transpires.
I think about what stories to write all the time but I dunno if anyone really cares. of course, my friend Muriel the dean, and all my students tell me they would read my stories. But, I can give lectures but havent found my voice.
Muriel and I talked about a common friend and how I should pitch her to visit the nuns in Indiana, the college relatives of mine benefacted, and an Aunt was the Mother Superior. Our friends needs a rest and it could be there. She sews, loves herbs, horses... I will make a pitch to her.
Thoughts of my high school buddy in Colorado and his perceptions and his relationship with my estranged father. I was going to send Randy my father's address, but my father is so unpredictable and can be quite vicious. So many nuances in the narratives but I just dunno.
I meditate and think of my true will... my purpose in life. I know teaching has been one but I am overdosed and too broke from this gig.
My motto always is one door closes another opens, so I look forward to the opportunities. Just wish I was not crippled over, in pain so often, and could focus more.
big hugs, compassion, peace
photo Dover, NJ