Our great friend Glenn died a few weeks ago. He was a well-loved man, who taught tennis, smoked cigars, and read EVERYTHING with the same relish. He was my favorite ex-pat. He'd been in the U.S. for 30 years. He still sounded like a Brit (probably not to other Brits though.) We loved him and now miss him terribly.

I had a hard time writing about Glenn when he died. I got to see him a few days before he went.

I stopped going to visit with groups of friends months before. I had decided to only visit him one-on-one. Since he couldn't speak well, I found that if we visited in pairs or groups, we'd visit over him instead of with him. By going alone, I knew he couldn't speak but I could just hold his hand and give him a drink when he wanted it.

Jack went to see him the Saturday before he died. He came home and said that if I wanted to see Glenn again, I'd better go soon. Jack felt that Glenn would only be around for another month or so. So, I went and saw him Sunday, next day.

Glenn asked me to "end it," in his raspy, barely audible gasps. I told him I couldn't but that he wouldn't have to wait long. I told him he didn't have to be responsible for anything and that even the tennis match on the television didn't need his attention.

When I left I asked the nurses and attendants to not encourage him to hold on. You see while I was in with him, one of the nurses came in and kept saying, "Don't give up. Hold on. Fight the good fight." I felt that that must be the way the staff deals with all this death in the hospice. But, it was not what my friend needed. He needed to be released from his bodily obligation. By Tuesday he was gone.

I still miss him so much.

Dubya

Q: What is George W. Bush's position on Roe vs. Wade?

A: He really doesn't care how people get out of New Orleans.

Calendar details

Great review in Timeout NY this week and a decent one in Variety. Come see the production

Jack's client sent him down to the Jersey Shore by helicopter yesterday. I told him to take pix.

Bailey, the little 12-week old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. My sister and brother-in-law just adopted this sweetie.

Jack, Hazel, & I just got back from Martha's Vineyard. We went out there with our friend Audrey. Here we are on Lambert's Cove, a pristine beach where all the dog owners show up at 6:30 to give their pooches a chance to run around in the sand.

The definition of irony

*****DISCLAIMER***** DO NOT CLICK THE LINK IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH!

The following is one of the most upsetting things I’ve ever seen. IRONY  The thing that really pisses me off about this is, what kind of hubris makes anyone feel like they’re immune to accidents?  Furthermore, when are we going to do something about gun control?  This is fucking crazy.

Well, apparently....

The RENT trailer was taken down.  Apparently, it was supposed to be an AOL exclusive and someone robbed them of it.  Oh, well, sorry for the bad link. scp

First trailer for the film of RENT

For those who haven’t seen RENT, why haven’t you?  I got to see the B’way production on press night years ago.  I had heard all the hype about it and the detractors.  But it moved me tremendously.  And this fall Chris Columbus’ film will be released.  The trailer has been posted here RENT trailer so take a look.  scp

The PostSecret Project

This is the best blog I’ve read.  http://postsecret.blogspot.com/.  The author has created a pretty terrific work of art by having people send in postcards to anonymously confess to their secrets.  I haven’t read any that really shock yet.  However, they are full of secrets that expose the whole range of emotions.  Take a read.  scp

Ain't she gorgeous?

This cormorant was sitting in a wildlife sanctuary in Morningside Park the other day. It's so wild that this occurs in NYC.

Apartment

Rental available in our building. Check out the listing on Craigslist. http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/abo/76228801.html

My ex-shrink and his partner have just written a children’s book about a pair of Central Park Zoo male penguins who raise a chick as a couple. It’s a sweet story. And the sweetest thing is that it’s a true story. Pick the book up for the kids in your life….even if that kid is you!

Star Wars - Revenge of the Sith

I left work early yesterday to see Episode III.  It was certainly redemptive in reference to the first 2 episodes.  There were some surprises which you'd think wouldn't be possible in this franchise.  A few problems that I continue to have with the series (and I include the "special editions" here) are again present.  I don't like how much SFX traffic there is.  Why are there so many machines flying around every city?  Why is every inch of the screen populated with something moving?  As far as shot composition goes, there's very little negative space.  I find this kind of grandstanding annoying.

 

I also find the CGI machines to have very clean looking dirt on them.  The rust and other wear looks too perfect.  I remember one thing that blew me away with "A New Hope" in the 70's was the grime that seemed natural on the futuristic machines.  Landspeeders got dinged up like Chevys.  It made the fictional worlds seem accessible.  These new CGI creations don't have "real" flaws.

 

If you're a fan of the series, you'll go no matter what.  But if you've been disappointed to the point of not wanting to go, don't skip this one.  It has a heart much more akin to the original film.

Visual Arts: Classical Imagery Revisited in a Modern Format

Friday June 3

6-8 p.m.

 

Viewing & Reception at The National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park

 

Born in France and raised in New York City, Jonathan Solomon Bressler was exposed to the art world in early childhood. His parents (both of them painted) would often take him to The Metropolitan Museum of Art to visit the Egyptian, Roman and Greek galleries. These images of ancient art as well as trends in art, like pop art and op art during the 1960’s would leave a lasting impression on him as he grew up. Today, Jonathan’s work is a culmination of those early influences. A graduate of the High School of Music & Art, he went on to receive an associate’s degree in illustration from The Fashion Institute of Technology. He currently teaches art at the New York School of Interior Design, which he has done for the past 15 years.

 

If you do not know Jonathan Bressler’s work, you should.  Jack and I have one of his pieces that blends a watermark image of Alexander the Great’s head with faux technique butterflies.  If I had a scanner big enough to do it, I’d include a picture.  It’s one of our favorite pieces.  Because Jonathan is such a brilliant artist photos of his work could not do justice to them.  He has a sense of depth and trompe l’oeil trickery that could never be captured properly.

Today's sitings

Spotted in the backyard today:

 

American Redstart

Common Yellowthroat

Grey Catbird

European Starling

Northern Cardinal

American Robin

Rock Dove

 

There was a gull that flew overhead but I couldn’t tell what type.  Also, even though there are numerous sparrows to be seen everyday, I’m not very good identifying the different ones.

Avian wildlife

Spotted in the backyard today:

 

Common Yellowthroat

Ovenbird

Grey Catbird

European Starling

Northern Cardinal

Monk Parakeet

American Robin

Rock Dove

Mourning Dove

 

I wasn’t home for much of the day so I didn’t see many other species I usually see

Sylvia in the background