HOW NOT TO RELAX AND REST. My friends, I have lived through a very busy time in my life since last Wednesday evening at 8:15pm until now which is Thursday evening, a week later. A dear friend received a call that required immediate care in Naples, Florida. So as she was dealing with the issue, I was arranging flights to Florida. We left the next morning and arrived in Naples before 4:00pm on Thursday. A whirlwind trip via Charlotte, NC, attending to things in Naples, and then driving a car back to New Jersey, arriving in Clinton very late afternoon on Sunday, was physically and emotionally exhausting. We did spend one night in Fayetteville, NC the home of Fort Brag. In the end it was all good and that is all that matters. I must relate that while on a jog in Fayetteville, (yes, I jog every day, even when exhausted) I passed an Embassy Suites Hotel where a number of weddings were taking place. You want to feel small? The groom and all the groomsmen in one wedding party were all over 67 tall with one being at least 7 tall. Me being height challenged due to osteoporosis comes to my mind. Had to be a basketball team type of wedding reception going on. I wonder if anyone there was famous? Also, on the ride to Clinton we had to play a game to keep sane as more than 20 hours in a car over two days is a little much. So we espied license plates and found some from 45 states and three Canadian provinces during the trip home. Not half bad. Naples is wonderful and the food off the charts good, but we were not there long enough to relax and enjoy. Memorial Day was uneventful in large part and restful and then eventually Wednesday arrived. So NYC beckoned me again. Feeling a tad sad and depressed for obvious reasons, I took the 5:30am bus into the City. Although so very tired, I livened up as I was returning to my newly found paradise. I was going to relax and read, but my Kindle died so that was not possible. Yup. So I reverted to the old Al and did all the usual stuff I do, including the most amazing jog I have had in years, sushi for lunch and dinner, a trip to the Met to see an exhibit about European art from the 1200s AD until the 1600s AD, and finally a long bus ride anywhere it wanted to take me. Yes, I had great chats with wonderful young or older NYC women who took pity on this old man. What a hoot. What an educational experience at the Met as well. I also received some correspondence via e-mail from a course I took on Domestic Violence a couple of weeks ago. I criticized the scrivener as she had make the course about Domestic Violence as it pertains to women only, and not men. Since the course was supposedly presented to assist hospitals and their workers in dealing with Domestic Violence issues in a medical sense, I got into a mood and rebuked the entire program for not recognizing that Domestic Violence is gender neutral and not just a womans issue. I am sure I will hear back about this in the near future. CCL. Still not having recovered from my trip to and from Florida, I was quite tired and required Cognac and rest which came as the evening lights presented themselves to me in pure magnificence as I sat on my couch just staring at the view. So today is Thursday and I awoke early as usual. Sleep is for the weak of heart. The big sleep will come soon enough. My free Tai Chi class was at Bryant Park at 7:30am and I ran there in about half an hour, arriving close to 7:00am. It is fun to know where you are going in this City and even more fun to dodge buses, people, and cars. I have always felt that I was in reasonable shape for an almost 70 year old, and stretched as much as my old muscles would allow after I arrived. Yup, I did forget to bring money and water. A big mistake I would later learn. At 7:30am sharp our Tai Chi Master started doing his thing and I did likewise. After an hour and twenty minutes my muscles ached and I reverted to my previously mentioned exhaustion. Nonetheless I loved it and did the best I was able. Everyone should try Tai Chi. Made some nice friends, had a gay guy ask me to join him at the gym which in a sense was different, and saw Beverly whom I had met as per my prior Tai Chi post. But now the problem. I had to get back to the apartment on 66th. Duh. No money and no water. What happened to my brains? Not a good run back if you can call it a run. I was not only exhausted, but thirsty and hungry. Eventually I did get back to shower, eat, and drink. Afterwards I felt like I had restored my energy level and ergo, back to the Met for the second consecutive day. It was easy for this weary elderly person to take the 66th Street crosstown bus to Madison and then the M1 bus to 83rd Street for a short walk to the Met. The place, inside and outside, was packed again. Love it. The usual five singers and bass player were near the steps singing and trying to hawk their CDs. They were great and I recorded some of their stuff with my iPhone. The sun felt good but I knew my time there would be limited. I was simply just flat out tired and had an appointment. So, upon entering my most holy shrine, I located the first docent I could find and took a tour of 5,000 years of the art of China in 75 minutes. I know that may sound a little overwhelming, but we did it and it was simply fantastic. A couple of facts: Early on the Chinese used tempera to color their pottery. You know what tempera is? I did not. It is egg yolk and pigment. And what was so amazing is that the Chinese calligraphy (at least five types) was in large part their art and not just their writing. I am too tired tonight to dwell on this, but the docent was more than exceptional and I learned a lot. Going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art is like going to college or graduate school. Perhaps even like taking on-line college courses. You get from it what you put into it and you realize how little you know but also how important it is to learn. I have been there at least 50 times. It is important to try to keep the body and mind in good shape by exercising both. Well, perhaps I overdo it, but you get the idea. And so I returned to my apartment for a 4:00pm conference call on hospital business since I am on the Board of Trustees of a local hospital. It was relatively short and sweet and I continued my sushi dinner, watching The Five on television, and chatting with two clients as I ate. Be still my heart. I so tried to rest my weary knees and legs. No such luck. So I went over to the Hudson River at Riverside Park to watch boats, pretty girls, joggers, and assorted dogs. On the way I did something good and for which I am pleased. Near the entry to the Park, a two plus year old adorable little girl was running way ahead of her parents. As she passed me on the sidewalk, I heard them yell stop and looked around. She had no intention of stopping and I ran to her, grabbing her just as she entered the street and as a car was bearing down on her. Crap, that was scary and close. Her mom and dad were screaming. All was well. I got a big hug from two strangers, a big kiss on the lips from the mother, and a sorry from a little girl coupled with a promise to obey her mommy and daddy. Tears. Brightened up me right up right away. Shortly thereafter Liz called and we chatted a while as I hoped to see the Manhattanhenge. You will have to Google that one. Missed that. Now I anticipate leaving the City tomorrow and heading to Clinton or Harvey Cedars for a bit. I came to the City initially to rest and relax, but in the end it was just my usual very active and happy time. I again sit with my Cognac looking at the same view as always and yearn for Morpheus to carry me away soon as visions of the twinkling lights mesmerize me. Could be worse. The end. Sent from my iPad
Posted on: Fri, 30 May 2014 02:53:11 +0000
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