Living in coronavirusworld 13: Palm Sunday

4/5

Palm Sunday

Today is Palm Sunday. This is the first Palm Sunday in my memory where nothing in my life signifies the day, no visual imagery, waving of palms, etc. Except maybe….on my way to the deli to pick up a Sunday Times, I pass by First Corinthian Baptist. I hear from inside the locked doors the powerful voices of their choir, filming for their 10:45 streamed service. I wonder how many are inside. How far apart they are. What the scene is like. I hear the voices rose and fall….What does the triumphant entry of Jesus mean in coronavirustime?

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The corner produce vendors, gone. Green markets, farmers' markets, gone. Hot dog vendors, gone. The Halal stand guys, gone.

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Turns out the tents in Central Park are donated by Franklin Graham’s Samaritan Purse organization. Franklin, the son of Billy Graham, is an Islamophobe and homophobe who makes his father look like a Unitarian by comparison. Turns out you have to sign a “faith statement” to be accepted as a volunteer. The blessed Rev. Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping Now was arrested by attempting to plant a rainbow flag at the site. I wonder if the tents accept lgbtq patients? (https://gothamist.com/news/rev-billy-arrested-planting-rainbow-flag-central-park-tent-hospital)

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My friend Kosi (http://www.kosi-sings.com/) does a live concert from Baltimore along with  her friend Ross Martin. Kosi was a regular at the West Park Open Mic and lead vocalist for the alt pop group Goddess Lakshmi.(https://thegoddesslakshmi.org/)  Even did a theater turn in Joyce Miller’s evolving Handmaid’s Dianetics at Dixon Place (http://dixonplace.org/performances/the-handmaids-dianetics-episode-4-the-science-of-survival-08-19-2019/). Ross, a doctor turned singer-songwriter. (https://www.missrainsong.com/ross-martin) It’s an intimate concert experience. 

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 Another friend has invited me to a virtual theatre festival organized by the No Pants Theatre Company.(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10158447466719187&set=a.10151127892799187&type=3&theater)  A whole day of new plays, 10-15 minutes long apiece, three actors on ZOOM, all reflections on the virus. My friend’s piece, State Mandated Therapy Session #8, posits a day where the virus and quarantine have just continued and now in addition to isolation, the government is requiring therapy sessions for everyone. The play is a clever, and chilling, projection of a not unimaginable dystopian future. All the plays I see in the hour make good use of the ZOOM platform and its markers, including the symbol we see from people who cannot get their cameras to work and the other quirks becoming part of our shared cultural experience. The virus continues to inspire creativity in the arts community as we all seek to do our part to keep each other going…

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Palm Sunday. The door is opened to a Holy Week like no other….

People take care of you

 1/23

RL welcomes Kristen-Leigh

Our new bookkeeper, Pat O and Marsha and I start the day with a conference call with Nan to answer questions about the year end 1024 financials so that we can set an appropriate budget for 2015.

Boxer Mike with his Dalmatian, Blueberry,  has finally written up a proposal requesting just a space to hang up a bag to do something for the kids. He’s been asking to do this for years. He does have an out door informal program for the kids. I wish it were that easy. But an official program for kids and boxing, even without actual punches being thrown at each other, gets into issues of liability and security clearance and…especially with kids.. There’s also the issue of the demand for space use. Hey I know about how you need money, he says, but believe me, I know. But word gets out, you doin something good for the kids, people take care of you…you’ll be ok… I wish it were that easy…Mike’s a two time golden glove winner, taken a lot of punches but generally respected in the neighborhood. Another of our Capital Hall contingent.

Ann F of the Landmark Conservancy and Dan A our architect are meeting with us to determine what part of our project and how the conservancy can help us. Looks like we’re talking about a study to see what it would cost to get an alt1 status, that is beyond the grandfather clause we live under and  move to a higher level of the DOB. Ann and  the Conservancy have been supportive since  the start.

TK has brought an artist, Marco, to discuss a performance in conjunction with the 70^th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Beginning in May.   I’m glad that we’ve become a center for this. A good follow-up to last August.  

Good conversation with Sam G…the Shakespeare Jam guy… about helping  us produce a Shakespeare’s sonnet marathon at the end of his 450^th birthday year. We’d get every group who has performed here   to join in in whatever way that made sense to them.

Great conversation with Kristen Leigh—(separate post coming.)

Dion stands up

Another good Open Mic night. Newcomers Tom Di Mena

Tom DiMena

and  Joe’s friend Adam Silver

Adam SIlver

deliver solid sets. Peter Pan still working on his neoborscht belt shtick.

Pater Pan

Mandola Joe with an acapella night with a shout out for Robert Burns, two nights before his birthday,

Mandola

Pat O is sharpening his act for the next stop on his Great Open Mic Tour of 2015,

Pat O'Connell

and of course Joel Gold,as always opens the eyes wide for anyone who’s never heard him before. And Dion opened with his own warm hearted standup. 

Joel Gold

Regular Davids Lyons

David Lyons

and Smythe back and the brilliant young Jeremy Parker is back again as well. 

Polished Kosi is back to work on some new material for her upcoming shows. (http://kosi-sings.com/) She’s got some serious touring ahead.

Kosi sings

My greatest pleasure  I shaving Kristen Leigh with us.

Kristen Leigh 

She was part of Amanda’s Bridge concert series back inn2011 (http://west-parkpress.blogspot.com/search?q=kristen+leigh+southworth) and then the Balcony Music Festival then her own Songs in the Key of Redemption concert on a snowy winter’s night. (http://kristenleighmusic.wix.com/webpage). She does a solid set on guitar and piano.

..and the piano

Then joins me and Pat on my Queen... song and Ripple.... It’s a joy to share music with her.

Bob and Kristen Leigh