Author: Stacy Horn

I just posted this review on Goodreads about Ken Grimwood’s book Replay.

“It may seem like I give every book I read five stars, but that’s because if I don’t love a book within a few chapters, I stop reading it and move on. I didn’t used to do that. It used to be if I started a book I felt I must finish it. But now I want to be carried away within a few chapters. This book carried me away pretty much from the beginning.”

There’s so much in those few sentences that is in some way about my upcoming birthday. First, I’ve been on this spate of reading books with a Groundhog Day structure. People who live a period of their lives over and over and over. Examining your life is something one does when turning 65. (Which is not to say you think your life is over.). Second, this new thing of not finishing books and only wanting to read books I get engrossed in almost immediately. It’s not just about having less time, but being more insistent about how I want to spend it.

And last, I just read Ken Grimwood’s bio. He died of a heart attack in 2003, when he was 59. It’s horrible that he should have died of a heart attack because the main character in Replay dies of a heart attack over and over and Grimwood focuses on how painful a heart attack can be. Grimwood was working on the sequel to Replay when he died (which just kills me, I would have loved to read that).

Anyway, sad, sad, sad. On another sad note, I recently passed by this plaque underneath a tree on Christopher Street.

I figured the tree, which is beautiful, must have been planted a long time ago, it looks like it’s been growing for years, except the plaque didn’t look very old. So I looked up Amy Covey. She died in 2009. They don’t say her age, but based on when she graduated high school she would have been around 33. More sad, sad, sad. It looks like she was a lovely, vibrant human being. Life will break your heart. Repeatedly. (Back to my Groundhog Day theme.). I promise a happier post next! I’m feeling mostly happier these days.

St. Luke’s Place is one of my favorite blocks in the Village. I almost moved here when I first moved back to the city after college (but the available apartment was not ideal, alas). With these pictures I tried to capture how lush and green it is.

It’s simply magical. I’d love so see all of these apartments inside. On the other side of the street is a ball field, a branch of the New York Public Library, and the outdoor pool for the city gym where I swim. It seems like it might be too loud with all that, but it never feels loud when I walk down the street.

I can return to work on June 21st. After a year of free time I get … more free time. And pain! I’m fine actually. It only hurts here and there. I need to come up with a good plan for how I will spend this time.

Ugh. It happened Monday afternoon, and was the result of doing something very stupid while exercising. The ER found one minor fracture, but they wanted me to followup with an orthopedist to check an area they couldn’t see. Since that was where it hurt the most I was pretty sure the orthopedist would find another break. I’ll know later today, but it started feeling a lot better yesterday, and even better today, so maybe there isn’t another break!

I’ve been taking it easy with exercising though. Yesterday I took a long walk, and today I’ll probably do some low impact something. Or nothing at all! What do you think about that, poor-judgement-while-exercising self?

A photo shoot I passed by on my walk.

My choir occasionally gets together to sing under one of the arches on Central Park (for the resonance). We spread out in a circle, wearing our masks, and we do our best. It’s very nice and I appreciate that these are organized by our director (that’s him on the right in the first shot). That said, I cannot wait to get back to regular rehearsals, where we practice week after week, and where we can really hear each other, and truly feel that sensation of harmony, as we perfect whatever it is we’re working on.