JUST THE FACTS

SUNDAY FACTS

From my neighborhood, within which there are many owned but hardly ever actually occupied condominiums, like this one where cleaners have been preparing for the owner or renter to return from Winter wandering leaving the proof as garbage at the curb.
 April 15th!

A friend on Face book said "When i lived in nyc trash was my friend, i was amazed at what people left on the side walk .if i could get it on the subway it was mine." I replied "Yes, in the days before so many tourists and constant rental short term folks, the days before bedbugs carried from suitcases of the wide worlds transient population, we furnished our apartments with rich folks cast away stuff and even got wonderful clothing items but no more. I've been in this apartment since 1969 but nothing, or near to nothing is even vaguely recognizable. Every day a new excavation, family business collapse and monster gigantic buildings of glass and steel rising 13 to fifty stories rise to the sky, blocking sun and wind. I'm only here out of economic necessity now, still protected by some elder tenant laws from being homeless like the oh so many others marginals."

MONDAY FACTS

'The Moving Pen' writing Group
6-8PM
Prompts

1. About a Favorite possession bequeathed

2. About a balloon

TUESDAY FACTS
I have a completely independent old LAND LINE but no telephone line this morning! Found out when I tried to phone the Super at 10:00 AM for him to come for a scheduled plumbing repair assessment. I keep an extra phone to plug directly into the Jack for checking if the problem is my Answer machine. Nope. I have no cell phone so knocked at the next door apartment and the cleaning lady let me use her cell to phone VERIZON who said there is no neighborhood problem listed. That means it's outside the apartment, either on the property or elsewhere in their system. They wanted to give me a Friday repair appointment until they realized I have disability status so they called around to their Manhattan repair guys but could only obtain an appointment tomorrow morning between 8AM and noon. There is nowhere they can phone me though because the cleaning lady will be gone. MODERN LIFE IN MANHATTAN on PLANET EARTH IS NOT NECESSARILY very MODERN or RELIABLE. The Spectrum/Time Warner cable hook up is working (at an enormous cost of $75.88 a month, which started at 29.99 for internet access alone and crept up with no additional services)--SO, I am not entirely without access to the wide wide world. But, I do no cash transactions on the web and continue to pay my bills by check walked to the local post office monthly. I am a kind of human dinosaur on the verge of extinction. Still smiling as I warm some soup for lunch :--> Smile is gone--2PM phoned again because the Super told me Verizon is in the buildings working on three other apartments without their phones...so they are now telling me they can't be here in the morning and the new appointment is 1 to 5PM! Had I not had one more use of the cleaning persons cell phone I wouldn't have known.
AURGH@!!@@@!@#!!!


WEDNESDAY FACTS
Telephone service restored
Super repaired shower
I was grateful twice

  Zendo in the evening; sitting, walking, chanting and snacks after.
I had a talk with Chododo Sensei and described my distress over lack of compassion for certain persons whose repetitive attitudinal scenarios rouse my anger. He smiled warmly and while making a circular gesture over his heart, said:
"Just try to make a little space for them." 

THURSDAY FACTS
Visited the Stein Senior Center
Got my membership renewed and made an appointment to discuss some housing issues with the Social Worker.
Bonus

 Noticed a pair of Sketchers at the Thrift Shop
Got them cheap

FRIDAY FACTS
Very nourishing visit with Barbara (recovering from knee surgery and her sister Maggi come to aid in her healing
Tea, snacks, talk and laughter

~*~
Walked home on Broadway
Grace Church

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Church_(Manhattan)

UPTURN

The long-living Turtle carrying a baby on it's back resting in this disembodied open hand has been decorated by a bracelet meant to symbolize all the gifts, calls, cards, kind words, caring and generous giving of many friends over my recent month + of illness. It signifies an upturn in my health. Although I'm not entirely out of the woods, I am most definitely up out of the dark ditch and standing.
Thank you

~*~

I'm avoiding wheat and found Rice Pasta to make this Mac and Cheese - not bad.

Good choice - Blood Orange for juicing

Not so good choice - Oreo cookie

I returned to my Writing Group Monday and It was productive.
~*~

Tuesday I registered with the 'Stein Senior Center two blocks away. They had an after lunch program of Broadway songs ending with a sing-a-long

"There's No Business Like Show Business"

Lunch Volunteers

 Food Cost $2
Mostly nothing I can eat partly due to my dietary restrictions, partly personal choice and a strong preference for organic, but others were glad to accept what I did not eat. The task of feeding so many on a daily basis is amazing when you think about it, and community is a big part of the process. Too many seniors are isolated. I saw several people I've known casually from the neighborhood for decades. Here, food is served with love by mostly volunteer assistants to the paid, hard working professional staff. A fifteen minute Dancercize session before lunch was fun, and good for all who chose to participate. Easy music and easy steps. Energizing. There are other services and benefits offered as well (see LINK), including $2 theater and concert tickets.
~*~

Media Scored This Week
Audio Book $1 at Stein's Sale table
"When journalist Maureen Paschal begins the research for a new book, she has no idea that she is stepping into an ancient mystery so secret, so revolutionary, that thousands of people have killed and died for it. Two thousand years ago, Mary Magdalene hid a set of scrolls in the French Pyrenees: the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, her version of the life of Jesus and the events of the New Testament. To search for the scrolls, she must unravel clues that link history’s great artistic masters, dynasties, and scientific minds. Ultimately, she comes face-to-face with Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene, and a love triangle that changed the course of history in a deeply moving and powerful new gospel."

 Video $1 at Goodwill Thrift next door to the center

"K-Pax is a 2001 American science fiction-mystery film based on Gene Brewer's 1995 novel of the same name, directed by Iain Softley, starring Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Mary McCormack and Alfre Woodard. The film is about a psychiatric patient who claims to be an alien from the planet K-PAX. During his treatment, the patient demonstrates an outlook on life that ultimately proves inspirational for his fellow patients and especially for his psychiatrist."  I viewed this and it is quite brilliant.

~*~

Good Advice

~*~

Gramercy Park blooming beautifully.

Spring
An Eastern Redbud in the distance.

~*~ 

Wednesday I returned to the New York Zen Center

 and spent some time in the library there

 before the sitting.

Today it's cold again and rainy.
 ~*~

LINKS

Stein Senior Center
http://steinseniorcenter.org/

K-Pax
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-PAX_(film)

Kathleen McGowan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_McGowan

Eastern Redbud
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cercis_canadensis 

NYZen Center
http://zencare.org/