Jack Benny, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson

Found an autograph of both Rochester and Jack Benny on the same paper (a Waldorf Astoria card). My Aunt Agnes and Uncle Ed routinely went to corporate sponsored dinners in NYC and around the country for his job in advertising. Amazing social history...

"Gaily, Jack Benny"

"Queen Mary" and "Princess of Canada" 1950s cruise story

Happy Birthday to my Aunt Agnes, born September 3, deceased in the 1980s. The photo of her and my Uncle Ed on the "Empress of Canada" in the 1950s. An amazing ocean liner from what I have read online. Have to investigate more and add!! I also posted the passenger list of a Cunard trip they sailed.

The ship was originally named Empress of Japan but renamed upon WW2.

The Queen Mary first class passenger list is amazing social history. All the Mr and Mrs with no female name. Master this and that young guy. Mrs. x with maid. The Sirs, Ladyships, Lordships.

RIP the loved Aunt Agnes (and Uncle Ed). They lived at 2 Fifth Avenue, NYC, during the time of their cruises. My Mom spent most of her childhood summers staying with them, mostly on the UES when they lived off 5th in the East 80s.

My sense is that the Empress cruise took place after my Uncle retired in the spring of 1954, so probably 1954-58. In 1958, they sailed on the Queen Mary. 1958 was a big year as my GreatGrandMother died. And, my aunt/uncle donated the construction of Owens Hall, Our Lady of the Woods College, outside Terre Haute, Indiana. His sister was the Mother Superior.

Sent photos to my Uncle in Southern California (The last living brother of my deceased Mom). He and my Aunt go on at least a cruise a year. Waiting to hear his reaction to the photos.

Happy Saint Patrick!

Happy
Saint Patrick!
images of Monday, 17 Maart 1980! Coldish Maart day, it had snowed on the 13th. Went with a friend to the start for the parade at 54 and 5th, out from the E train. Watched local elected officials such as Carol Bellamy, Governor Carey, and Robert Kennedy Jr en marche! Heute, Council President Quinn is out of sight, and a host of other elected officials participate elsewhere due to the parade ban on openly lgbt banners etal.

That 1980 day, we drank beer and I bought a tam-a-shanter and an Irish flag! Photo of me in my hat. Whoa.. my bushy beard and it used to be so flaming red! Alcohol prohibited today!
Walked to Rockefeller Center where we met up with mio amico Frankie! Hanging with my Italian buddies that Saint Patrick's! Photo of my buddies at the Rock playing with the Irish flag. The three of us got caught up in a large crowd surge so we left the area! I have yet to go to another 5th Avenue Saint Patrick parade, remembering how we were swept up in the mass unable to freely move. Montage photos of Irish Nurses, part of the immigration wave of Irish to NYC in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as a band with Saint Patrick's Cathedral in the background.

Then off to a Blarney Stone over on 8th Ave in Hells Kitchen for a traditional luncheon of cabbage and corned beef! Photo of menu and other media from that day! Later met other Brooklyn buddies for drinks on Christopher Street, a snack at Tiffany's diner; then off to John's Pizzeria on Bleeker Street! Spring break that week for NYC Board of Education employees, so my buddies and I had the week off!

hope Saint Patrick's was good! The luck of the Irish to you! love that movie with Tyrone Powers, one of my Mom's cousins!

Today, quiet, gorgeous day! Long lunch chat about the history of Newark, rise of Corey Booker and Newark politics, with my neighbor who ran arts programs for the Newark board of education! Like many in Newark, we see Corey Booker more on television than on the streets. Why do so many progressives like him? Once again, maybe they should actually come to Newark, take the subway, walk around. Well we are more the Obama community organizer types. Per a Lynn Sweet Sun Times article (on my rss feed) Mayor Booker will be at the White House Saint Patrick Day dinner. Hopefully getting more for the working people in Newark! At the koffieclub today, we all drank regular koffie, no Irish coffee today, yet!

Congrats to Senator Kennedy on his knighthood to be bestowed by Queen Elizabeth this year. In 1980, we all boycotted the UK what with the Irish problems. Senator Kennedy was a prime sponsor of pro Irish measures. Times change of course. Salut also to President Obama for including Gerry Adams at the White House dinner tonight as well!

hugs, peace, compassion

back to normal.... funding UN programmes

Kudos to the Obama administration for restoring funds to United Nations programmes such as the population fund. Research has always shown that money given to help educate women, provide better health care, and give women reproductive choice stabilizes people's lives, their communties and ultimately our world. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=30164&Cr=population&Cr1= It is a joy to see science replacing a particular narrow ideology in this new administration!

thoughts again on women who have enriched my life. Spoke with my Lakewood Colorado high school buddy anoche. He spoke how the girls just loved me as I would listen to them opposed to many of the guys. His memory is that the hot girls all liked me and he was jealous! I really dont remember any of that. I vaguely remember high school actually and would love to know who all these hot girls were! lol. Of course, I was 16jahre when I graduated and then my folks moved us to NJ the December after my graduation. I just remember hanging with my buddies at the drive-in, or driving into the foothills or prarie.

It has been one of my strengths to know people from many backgrounds. I wouldnt be a social worker if I wasnt interested in hearing people's stories. I am blessed to read all of my college students' essays on a myriad of topics. Having clients/patients has been fascinating! I am always amazed by what and how people process and think!

An Oster card sent from women who meant much to me (1999 photo uploaded). Listening to older women. I usually focus on grandfathers though as I am of that age where my peers have that status. But, I do know many grandmothers or woman of that age. Always a blessing to get cards which I save. Since my Mom's death, I have particularly thought about grandmothers. I spent 50 some years with my Mom but my nieces/nephews will not have that luxury. My Mom loved her grandchildren much! I know how much she was loved by her father's mother.

The caption in the photo montage is from Andrea Bocelli (the voice of an angel!!) as my remembrance of the women who have now died. "I already hear that she can hear no longer: in silence, she went to sleep, she has already gone to sleep". Thanks much for the memories!!!

peace, hugs, compassion

Women's Equality

Salut (albeit late) for Women's International Equality Day! I always think of the work of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Endless bravos to Jane Addams for helping to found, and a joint recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1930. I have had the good blessings to know many interesting, dynamic or just an endless special woman my life long!

Thoughts of the mother of a friend, Adeline. Photo inserted. When my Mom died, this friend said he wished he had a Mom like mine. My Mom was fine but I would have loved a Mom like Adeline as well! Of course, I would only visit on holidays and she would bake all sorts of italian foods. She would go to Pegnataro's in New Haven and make sure we had lasagna, apizza and the stuffed breads! Of course my friend had a different experience as his Mom also had a disabled child who needed endless care. I remind my students that not until 1974 were all children required to be educated (Public Law 94-142). Those with special needs often languished in the basement or attic or were institutionalized. The scandals in the early 1970s showed the horrors of such wanton institutionalization. So, my friend's childhood consisted of being second to the sister with multiple needs. I am truly amazed at the remarkable strength that Adeline had though in raising 3 children, the two boys getting advanced degrees and professional jobs. Adeline has about 15 grandchildren now although few will remember her spirit. I remember how she finally put her daughter in a home when Adeline reached 60 years but made sure her daughter visited holidays! I was blessed to have her friendship.. "a true friend waiting for a visit".

A long ago buddy, Hannah was a member of WILPF, in fact she made me aware of them. Hannah an oldtime child welfare social worker, CPUSA member in the 1930s thru 1950s, and long time resident Greenwich Village bohemian. In my community organizing work, she would always show up at demonstrations and sign petitions. I had endless interesting chats with her. We were both members of the Village Independent Democrats and always eager to support progressives. Hannah was a real mensch and I will always love her! Om mani padma hung!

Thinking from the paradigm of caregiving, I am always assured, hopeful, by the understanding that so much of our lives are enriched and we thrive from the caregiving we have or give. It is not just Winnicuit's "good enough mothering" but the notion that we all caregive throughout life. I am always blessed to have known and then to have read "The Caregiver's Tale" by Dr. Ann Burack-Weiss!

peace, hugs, compassion

het weer maart 09, 2009

great weekend weather but now het weer is rainy again!

scanned a February 1994 sketch (above). late February (20), 1994, Central Park. Sunday weather in the 60s although snow still on the ground. I can remember some of the squishyness of the pathways due to the snow still melting and water collecting as the ground was saturated. Hopping to avoid the deepest puddles. Yet my notebook says 5 guys in shorts (already!!!) A sunny day. A woman was out walking her turtle and letting it get in the snow. Dunno if that turtle is still around.. but I dont know turtle acclimation issues with snow. I do remember live turtles by the Des Plaines river near Park Ridge, IL. So, turtles must survive harsh temps. And my last chat with Bobby Love, famed Mapplethorpe model. Bobby is the suited guy with his zipper open and.... He was living at the Hayden Hall.

The Hayden Hall has probably emptied most of their neighborhood folk. A travel site lists it as a "charming 100room, handsomely decorated, budget-minded, but quality hotel located in the prestigious...." so perhaps some of the "budget-minded" acknowledges the occassional long time hotel tenant still managing to stay there. By 1994, the Upper West Side had pretty much done a good job of gentrification.

peace, hugs, compassion

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

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

Thanks Santa! December 25, 2008

happy for a good Christmas! the epiphany of being in the middle of 34th St at Herald Square on Tuesday, the 23rd. Tears of joy that I was alive and back in the mix! Remembering Aout 1977, Little America Wyoming and being in the middle of the continent and feeling part of the universe. December 2008 being in the midst of the megalopolis and feeling just one with the universe and able to help make sense of it all. My student presentations were good. Many hugs and lots of chocolate and cookies.. whew.. havent had such sugar rushes in years!

endless chats and all of the endless reconnects done each holiday season! Wow!
shouts to my siblings who are with my sister in the country. She has multiple health issues and is out of control in her neediness these days.  I send encouraging messages although I keep it real. The demons we have in us, the Jungian shadow. Om mani padma hung.

So, for Christmas, I think of how to be kind to the lonely. We all face the existential fate of being alone in the world.. but about those who are alone due to mental illness or substance abuse or fate. I am fortunate to have been greatly loved when I was young and to have had the love, trust, support of thousands of people in my life. I may be alone at times but I never feel alone in the universe. I have my memories or my real connections or just the realization that loneliness is just a feeling and feelings change. Most of all though, I have always had my spiritual sense of being with the angels. LOL, I hope not the flakiness but being born on the Feast of the Guardian Angels and named for an archangel. Anyhow, I have great faith that my angels will never allow me to fall to the ground, or at least they will pick me up!

This year has been a struggle as I have used that damn cane and often feel I should just fall to the ground when I am in a lot of pain. I think of songs like Cold Play "vida" or Darlene Lee and the E Street Band, or Bruce Springsteen, or Sylvester, or "havent stopped dancing yet" and try to shuffle a bit to imaginery music.  My feeling of bliss, alive in the middle of 34th street, 2 days pre Christmas, gave me the epiphany to just cry for joy! Most of all, I remember the Helen Keller saying about when she feels alone or damaged or angry, she goes to New York City to experience our great waves of humanity!

so, the magic of Christmas hit me again. The spectacle, the gathering together of loved ones, the sparks of the universe, and more than anything... my delight to appreciate the lives and processes of so many other human beings in my life.

big hugs, peace. love. compassion

Gershom Scholem Kabbalah illustration

World AIDS Day December 01, 2008

"New York City remains the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States. More than 100,000 New Yorkers are living with HIV...." -NYC Department of Health press release (via the Daily Gotham blog, https://www.google.com/reader/view/?tab=my#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fdailygotham.com%2Fnode%2Ffeed

Since 1982, I have been involved on some level with the virus. In 1982, working for an elected official in Manhattan, I went to the first meetings leading to the GMHC. My first trip to Holland, in 1986, was with a friend so he could be tested outside the USA (in the days when keeping lists of positive people was on the political agenda). The countless friends who died leaving me with their legacy. I doubt most would be happy with the conservative drift in this country. Of course, I burned out from working with in-patients, 20% of whom died in recent time.

Fortunately people live longer now! But, there is considerable denial as to the course of HIV. In dating, I regularly meet men who have little heed as to what is safe sex. The fact is that there is a social support system but there is still a haunting to having the virus.

I may not be positive but the virus has totally changed my life. Most importantly it is in remembering friends of mine who passed as they still remain among the most valued friends I have had. I also think of younger people who were orphaned by the virus. There is the fact that people died in an epidemic. I am most happy that interventions have come up.

As ever, "All I want is a cure and my friends back!"

peace, hugs, compassion