Stacy Horn

I already tweeted this picture last night, but here it is again. This was Finney curled up against me while I watched Homeland on my computer. Actually, that’s not such a great shot is it? It’s too dark. Plus my arm looks deformed.

Oh well. I’m heading back to the couch as soon as I get caught up in my email. I went out swimming and did a laundry and now I’m exhausted. Must be the cold, which is such a minor cold.

I want to rant about all the hating on Madonna. I remember when she first came on the scene. There was no one like her at the time. It was such a different world back then. I was in awe of the power-assuming, ball busting, fuck-you, bomb-going-off excitement of her. Loved all the different early looks, the videos, her dancing. I envied so many things about her, as her career just took off and I struggled along on my mousy way. She ruled MTV and the club scene for a while. It was fun.

She does seem to have this mean girl side to her that made it hard for me to love her, but I’ve always admired her. And loved some of her music.

Anyway, good for her that she’s still around. She looks fucking great for 53. I think she needs more of a re-invention, but I’m nit picking.

There’s an article about pigeon rescue in the New York Times today! Thank you, Alex Vadukul. Although the picture of the pigeon getting an x-ray freaked me out. Of course I realize it’s the only way to manage it, but still.

This is the pigeon I rescued last year. I think of her from time to time and hope she’s okay. I also must admit I hope I don’t see anymore wounded pigeons. I know, like last time, I will be unable to walk away from them. Except it was rewarding. Alright, I’m on the fence. Universe, it might be okay to send wounded pigeons my way.

Michael Cerveris, who plays the main Observer on Fringe, at the Loser’s Lounge last night. He’s so charming on stage, and has a great voice too of course. But I’m going to curl up on the couch now. I have a cold.

Oh god, I’ve got the news on in the background and I’m hearing horrible horrible things about what’s happening in Syria. For the love of god. Are you all hearing this? They are shooting men, women and children, and snipers are picking off the people trying to help them?

More details to come once I know them, but I’m very excited. It was the only book of mine that wasn’t available in an ebook edition. I need to think of ways to promote it. I was told it could happen as soon as late March/early April. That is blazingly fast! UPDATE: It’s going to be available on April 2nd.

OWS has gotten a lot of play, but what you may not know is New Yorkers are always yelling about or protesting something. I took this yesterday at Union Square.

Every Tuesday night for the past 30 years I’ve walked back and forth on 11th Street going to and from choir rehearsal. I write about this walk in my book, and one of the things I describe is passing by 18 West 11th Street and watching the ever-changing costumes of the Paddington Bear in the window.

The building has an incredible history, which is beautifully told in a New York Times piece by a former neighbor here. But it’s probably best known as the site of a Weatherman bomb factory and an accidental explosion in the basement on March 6, 1970. The building was completely destroyed and the building that replaced it was bought by David and Norma Langworthy in 1978. The Langworthys are the ones who put up the bear. From the Times piece:

“Its costume is changed according to the weather. On rainy days, Paddington wears a raincoat. During a storm, he switches to snow wear. For the first day of school, he is decked out in his schoolboy outfit. By special request, one day two bears appeared in the window dressed as a bride and groom; on cue, a neighborhood doctor fell to his knees on the sidewalk and proposed to his girlfriend.”

David died in 1994, and Norma died on January 28th. I never met either of them, but I’ve taken a lot of pleasure in the ever-faifthful presence of this bear, and it breaks my heart to think that this is the last time we will ever see him. Thank you David and Norma Langworthy for such a sweet contribution to the life of New York City and our wonderful West Village. I hope you both had fantastic lives. You made mine better.