A blog about New York City, my books, and my cats. Mostly.
I went out for a walk along the river and totally lucked out when I came up on the 2016 AVP New York City Open. These women are incredible athletes, I really had no idea, I never watch volleyball. Pictured are April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings, who won!
I was feeling bad so I bought roses to cheer myself up (I call them birthday flowers because I’m still calling it my birthday until the 4th of July). I also went swimming, cleaned my house more thoroughly than my usual weekly cleaning, ran errands (so I’d feel productive) went to my monthly mediation meeting, and had extra dessert.
Feeling okay is sometimes a lot of work.
A quick shot of some of the conductors at this year’s Big Sing at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. That’s my choir conductor on the far left in the white shirt, John Maclay. The handsome young man at the podium is conductor Malcolm Merriweather. Oh, he’s going to conduct the Verdi Requiem sing I plan to go to next week!
People gathered to mourn and respond to what happened in Orlando. There was a large crowd, and they were organizing a march as I was leaving. I couldn’t see or hear the speakers so I can’t really tell you much.
This essay exactly sums up all my objections to the latest version one of my favorite shows, So You Think You Can Dance.
The new version features children. As I tweeted, it’s watchable, but the show has lost its depth and artistry. It’s not that the children aren’t really good dancers, it’s just … bland. They haven’t lived yet, there’s no there there. It’s charming without power. It’s cute when I want great art. I’m remembering all the mind-blowing routines from this show’s past. There will be no more of that. That’s over. Children can’t dance my favorite routines. Maybe they can, but it would be an empty performance, almost obscene in some cases, and I’m not talking about the sexy, romantic routines.
But I’m hanging in there. There’s a possibility there will be great moments. Growing up is a major undertaking, with many powerfully hellish and wonderful aspects. Maybe there will be choreographers who address them brilliantly and little dancers up to those routines.
A shot from the Loser’s Lounge recent Pet Sounds show.
