10/28
Tom Bo comes in. Working together on a concert/worship experience for
December based on a strong poem written
from the perspective of someone living inside a refrigerator box. We also talk about other ways we can respond
to or interpret Matthew 25, the least of
these. …..
And then he takes the time
to work with me on a piece I wrote a long time ago but could never put
together. It’s way outside of my normal
genres of country/folk styles. It feels really good to be working in this way.
Phil F of the Revolutionary Communists comes in to negotiate the last details of an agreement
for them to move into our place and use it as a command center for their
upcoming big event dialogue between Chairman Avakian to be held at Riverside
Church. They are, shall we say, pulling out all stops. And Phil, in their
typical dedicated and details fashion, wants every base covered and no stone left unturned.
Out on 86th street, my old friend
Philip N is passing slowly past the church. He smiles when he sees me, Long
time mentor and friend. He performed our marriage. Preceded me at West-Park.
(As interim) And recruited me for the job. One
of my favorite quotes of his is the
problem with liberals is they don’t count the vote….
That comes to mind often for me. Easier said
that done. But when we did that hard work, in
Presbytery last November, we won. That’s just the beginning of what I
learned from him. In his 80’s now, the quiet gentleness that was always there
is more immediate. His smile,warmth
comes easily. I catch him up on
West-Park and he starts back up the street. Slowly.,
10/29
The Aussie filmmaker has been here since 6 AM.
He’s finally finished. Almost. Reshoots based on what happened his last day
shooting here when one of his actresses backed out on him. So it goes. Small
indie guys just have to deal.
Gregory again. I wish he didn’t bother me so
much. Or that I could be kinder. I remind him it’s not the church’s money, it’s
my personal money. And he tells me that he knows that and that there’ no one
else he would hit up the way he does me.
He says this as if it’s a compliment. This bears some reflection.
10/30
Sean has decided to accept the help from BRC.
Again. Start back in the shelter. Work his way back up. Again. And try to avoid
those situations where he’ most vulnerable. Like the shower. Promises to remove his stuff by the weekend. We'll see.
Stephen W and Pat O in for a conference call
and strategy session for our meeting tomorrow with the Department of
Buildings.Manhattan Borough President Brewer got this meeting set up. We have
to take it. Just have to be on he same
page as to how to deal with it. It’s always a sensitive issue with the
bureaucracy.
The Con Ed meter reader has been working hard to get someone
to notice that he’s there and help get down to the basement to read his meter.
Trish stops by as she’s clearing out her stuff from her open
rehearsal/workshop of The Divinity of Hell: the handkerchief sequence in
Shakespeare’s Othello. My friend John H, the Shakespeare scholar, friend and Center board member comes to see it with me. Shares my appreciation for the
good solid work visible so far. Immersive use of the sanctuary, the Chapel and
Mc Alpin. A natural ease with the Elizabethan iambic pentameter. A judicious cut
of the play. Focus on one sequence, according
to John, perhaps the most important and laden with religious allegory. And a
cast that was uniformly strong but unique in a Bianca who becomes here more
than a plot device but a storing growing character of her own. I love watching these
kind of efforts blossom. Trish is overjoyed. So a real production awaits in February.
The Revolutionary Communists are moving in like an orderly
occupation. They’ll be living with us for almost a month. They continue to
fascinate and intrigue me. I will watch this carefully.
They moved in when Othello moved out. I figure Robeson would like that.
