Heart to Heart

6/6

Back from a morning in court over a Department of Buildings violation. Won’t try to think about who might have instigated that and why. And the New York City Labor Religion Coalition breakfast. Head spinning with thoughts as to how that might become more central to our life. Most workers belong to a community of faith. And most communities of faith have workers in the congregation. We need to make this not about issues but relationships. Help to support and sustain people in  their lives. And exegete their daily lives and struggles. And have our advocacy grow out of that. I remember the church across from the steel mill in Duisberg, Germany. Their every Monday night political worship, where the steel workers came to reflect on their lives and work.

Martin and  Stephen. The discussions continue.  

Sounds of Ethel coming down from McAlpin. Wish they were still right above me. 

Cara is busy helping me with the sweeping. We found the long handled dust pan. Celebrate any victory.

Over on Broadway I see Sean at a phone booth. Hope he’s making a connection. Finding a place.

Day’s coming to an end . Ralph from Ethel coming down from locking up their instruments for the day. Tell him I miss them upstairs. He tells me that they like McAlpin. Good to rehearse surrounded by art. We talk about Berik’s work. How the Private Theatre  that did their own adaption of Strindberg’s Playing With Fire last summer used Berik’s work for their teaser video.

Berik's work. Russian genre?

 Ralph talks about how this falls into a certain Russian genre and I recall that though a Kazakh, Berik shows in Moscow one or two times a year. Ralph’s favorite is one with  Peter Pan feel.

Ralph's favorite

Dzieci has arrived. Turning down the lights for their weekly meeting.

I’m on my way to Williamsburg to see Alive Wire’s Jeremy and Scott in their own productions in the SOAK Festival at the Leimay performance space the CAVE, down by the water.

But as I step onto 86th Street, I see Isis. She greets me, we hug. These says, no heart to heart, and I’m amazed. Alive all these years and I never noticed the hug that brings you heart to heart. As I”m pondering this, I hear a voice.

Hey, do I get one too? And it’s Katherine, my long time colleague and Center collaborator. Yes you do, Kathrine. Yes you do. But I  can’t remember if it was heart to heart. 

Berik's ballerina

Dumplings in a dream

8/22

Some days...we wait all day long...waiting for the word...a day late...but...we’re sure ...but...

The text comes from Jamie....They have decided not to proceed....There’s supposed to be an explanatory e-mail coming...I call...the funder wants to raise money to buy, not lease....I try to explain that the idea itself was so right, so necessary to the moment...can we be creative, can we......  Answers are inconclusive.

The Session meeting we had called to discuss the deal will now have to have another purpose. My heart is sinking. 

Steve drops by. He has completed his report on social media. OK, we’ll still discuss it. I’m having trouble focusing. 

Outside, Edward is asleep on the steps. Not today. I tell him he’s got to go. He stands. Wavering back and forth. And goes.

The full session arrives. Anxious for news. I’ve only begun to explain the situation when I realize that it’s time for Steve’s presentation. He’s prepared slides. A power point. Very professional presentation. So we break off our conversation. Hear the presentation. The Session is impressed. We’ll have to form a committee. Now back to the matter at hand...

There is disappointment. As to the bigger picture, there is some denial. But mainly acceptance. It would be easy to throw in the towel, but....Hugo is adamant that we need to go back to the community. Politicians. Promises, made, still unfulfilled. Our position has not changed from our first negotiations. What we needed then, we still need. The missing bridge has never materialized. That has to be made clear. We need to shake every tree. Follow up every lead that’s been out there. And it must be done. Fast. The sands in the hourglass....

I remember an old Yiddish proverb, dumplings in a dream are a dream, not dumplings.

8/23

Nate is hard at work with Martin. I’m trying to swing back into action after yesterday’s disappointment. The Center Board wants to see if something significant might be salvageable.  The vision was that important. 

I’m on the phone again. 

RL and Michael his attorney are at RL’s office. (The Gate.) I go to join them to talk about how to secure a space for RL to have his studio/rehearsal space. Since yesterday, that’s now easier. Sadly. But RL’s another piece of the puzzle. Wish the rest would fall into place. And I’m anxious for him to get his open mic night started. I need to play. 

The off to see the Private Theatre Company’s production of Strindberg’s Playing  With Fire at a SOHO club. The play was prepared at West-Park, the young cast lunching in the steps every day. Their trailer filled with West-Park (uncredited) and Berik’s painting, amazingly fitting. Somehow the title is also fitting.

The video:

http://www.theprivatetheatre.org/what-were-doing/productions

When I stop by after the play, Rachelle is there. And Damaris. And two shiny smiling young people. Rachelle is going  about these marvelous beautiful young people. Turns out they're from one of those churches that causes (for us) brand confusion, don't ordain women and certainly don't welcome gays. I still don't get it. Rachelle is going on and on. No, not tonight.

8/24

Last day before going back home for a few days. Trying to keep my spirits up. Melisa will come back from her time away to further develop her proposal. Upset to find two men I don’t know asleep on the steps. And it’s after noon. I tell them they’ll have to leave. Call Teddy. 

He’s been working straight through, his city job, West-Park, Martin. he needed a break. Slept in. He’ll get the place in shape by tomorrow. Handle the theatre benefit tomorrow night.  Steven comes in to get the keys. To open up for Sunday. Get the church set up. He’s also practicing the music. The bulletins are done.

Jeremy rehearsing with two musicians for his upcoming gig.

Meet Jane for coffee. Still wrestling with what true collaboration would look like. How West-Park would pair with her New Thought faith community.  New thought but ancient wisdom. Roots in the gnostics but also Mary Baker Eddy, Norman Vincent Peale. Religious science.  There is an international Association for Global New Thought. But Jane is really creating something uniquely her, with strong roots in AME, UCC....Interfaith, intraspiritual, with a social ethic....The clearer w are about our vision, the easier that could be. I understand the intuitive more than the programmatic. She says, you'll know by doing...

Barely enough time to get home an change before meeting Katherine. See Edward heading towards the steps. Can’t deal with this now.