Donnie Muniz-Roberts tree planting memorial

I was at La Plaza today to attend the tree planting in memorial for Donnie.  It was good to see people.  I was a bit uptight but thats okay.  Erez went out of his way to talk to me.  That made me feel good.  I'm sure he's still bothered by the the whole McGreal thing.  I can't blame him for that.

I can' believe its been a  year already.   Wow.

Scott Muni died yesterday

Re: Scott Muni Dead Yeah, I wasn't listening to Scotso's Beatles lunch break for a long time but to me, its not just his death but a passing of a great time of Rock Radio.

I'm not sure how many of you were teen agers or young adults in the seventies but man, that was the time of really FM Rock radio. When FM was really freeform and late at night you would be taken to a world of music totally beyond anything you will ever hear again.
WPLJ, WNEW and even WPIX when it was totally punk rock (remember that?, whatever happened to Jane Hamburger).

You just don't understand, now FM is everything it was against. It was the alternative to WNBC. WABC and even WWRL. Back then, people would just play anything they found off the streets or buried in their private collections. College radio tried to be like WNEW or WPLJ.
Who needed to keep putting records on the turntable especially when you were too high to when FM Radio probably were playing shit that you didn't even own anyway.

Yeah, Scott Muni was a dinosaur, that world of rock is now as obscure as a radio station that doesn't have a playlist. Still if not for him and other Jocks back in the sixties and seventies, well, speaking soley for myself, I know this old black chick would still be stuck in top forty hell. They expanded my mind musically and make me the rabid rock and roller that I'll always remain and for that, I'll be forever grateful.

Rest in Peace, Scott Muni, Strawberry fields forever!

Love, Barbara

What I did this weekend

Community event sponsored by
GOWANUS ROOTS


Join us to learn about our work and how you can help ensure that
development decisions are made with local involvement


Saturday, September 18, 2004
1pm to 5pm


At Significant Steps
277 Third Ave, between President and Carroll


Informative presentation by the FROGGS
(friends and residents of the greater gowanus)
at 2:30pm and 4pm

Art on display by local artists
Works inspired by the Gowanus neighborhood and community

Art activities for kids of all ages


Inquiries: 718.596.6622 gowanusroots@hotmail.com   Gowanus, My heart   by Barbara R. Lee  

For years, I have taken solitary walks from Brooklyn heights to my home in Sunset Park.

I take various routes; sometimes I walk along Smith Street or down Union St.  Other times, I go down Third Street to Third Avenue and walk the avenue until I reach my block.

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I’m drawn to the Gowanus area, the factories, the remnants of immigrants that still hold on despite the influx of hipsters, artists and people fleeing Manhattan’s high rents.

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The factories may seem dirty and forbidding but I look at the old windows and the fading advertisements that covers some of the brick building walls and I imagine what it was like to be hard working laborer, making money to feed their families.  The camaraderie of friends as they leave work together to have a beer in a near by saloon before going home.

 

I live by Our Lady of Czestochowa, it’s a parish that is still steeped in Polish tradition.  From my window during Easter week, I see the parade of young Polish children dressed in traditional garb walking to the church with the rest of the parishioners.  I find it heartwarming and amazing to see old world customs still kept very much alive.    The same can be said for the Italians around Carroll Gardens, they still hold on to old traditions, from the Easter egg breads in the bakeries to the Virgin Mary statuettes that adorn many a garden in Carroll Gardens.<o:p></o:p>

I love the fact that despite the constant change around the Gowanus, crime and population, there are people who have endured, stayed and prospered in the Gowanus area.<o:p></o:p>

I know that as long as I can, I will stay, there are too many places I love about the Gowanus.

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My favorite place is the Hamilton Bridge at Sunset. The waning rays of the sun bathe the neighborhood in a soft light.   I lean a little over the bridge to look for schools of the little fish.   Lately, I’m noticing more aquatic life in the murky waters of the Gowanus Canal.  It’s a positive sign that change can be good.

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Boats in the canal that harkens back to the Gowanus shipping industry.  The Italian social clubs that still dot Third Avenue.   The elevated F train that always gives a wonderful panoramic view of the Gowanus and the harbor.

 

Its all there, historical, cultural, natural and I can take it all in as I walk the streets of my very special neighborhood of Brooklyn, Gowanus.

 

 

I also had the most lovely time with John at the Bronx Zoo.  We hung out all day and then we had a great meal at the Seashore Restaurant on City Island.  Yummmmmy!

Sigh, I'm falling for the Emily person. I'm so stupid

I'm assuming that I'm depressed because I have pms. I have the monthly suicidal notions. Feelings of self pity, ugliness, just horrible things. Sigh. I hate being poor

Why do I need cable? Really? I don't watch it.
When I do have no cable, I feel sort of deprived but only because people at my job want me to watch what they're watching on tv. Chances are, with the tv turned back on, I still wouldn't watch cable.
Why do I want a dvd player? I never use the vcr that I own. What is the need for more and more junk??? I have too much stuff as it is. Sigh.................

drunk again

I didn't mean to. I mean all I had was one Cosmopolitan, some beer and a half a bottle of Concha d'Toro Shiraz wine. Ummmm and then there was a few hits of that goddamn killer bud that my host had. Goddamn, that was some lethal shit!
So, I wander the streets of the east village hoping that I get home safely and that I don't run into anybody I knew because I was more wasted than I have been in over twenty years! I still don't know how I made it home. God truly does watch over me because the way I was weaving and wobbling, I should've been road kill on Avenue A last night.

I made it to McDonalds and ate truly foul food from the dollar menu and then I sat on the curb next to a rather romantic couple and watching the skaters in Union Square. I doff off the lid to my soda and puke in the cup. I guess everybody saw it. I didn't care, because puking meant I wouldn't get so stoned and really fucked up because I was ridding my body of the excess damage.
Tonight, I am sober, not even a beer. I ran into a person at synagogue tonight for Selichot services and he's a friend of Bill's. He suggested that I go back to AA. Well, ummm, in other news, despite the hangover, I did all my laundry today and I didn't call the ex boyfriend in a drunken rage.
I would like to think that I am done with drinking but I passed a Mexican restaurant tonight and the Margaritas looked good. I"m going to bed now, Lets hear your drunken stories.

Purrrrrr!!!!!!!!

She sells sanctuary

I'm cooking food, I'm really into it lately.  I'm making the usual baked chicken with corn, garlic, sweet potatoes and onions.

besides the usual thyme, basil and salty stuff, I have added cloves and cinnamon.  I think this will be very interesting.

 

So, ummm, while I'm in denial that I'm not bisexual, I have been cavorting with the most lovely Emily.  I don't know what to tell you.  I insist that I'm not bi but I find myself thinking of her and I like making out with her.  We haven't done the truly oral nasty but lots of touching and kissing.

I don't mind a little girl on girl action when I'm with a guy but to be in a, ummm, lesbian relationship?  What the hell?  I'm thoroughly confused.  Really, I am.

We messed around with that Max character at the Billionaire's Ball but he had, ummmm, nothing to want to play with.  There, I said it nicely.  She didn't say it nicely to him.  I was shocked and impressed with her rudeness but she did say it in a nice condescending way, heh.

Ahhh, the petite sweetie, she's very opinionated and young.  I don't know what the hell I'm doing with her.  I'm too old for all of these shenanigans....sigh.  It's Michael's fault, lol.  its great to blame stuff on him.   I had better be nice though, I know I still love the cad.

my RNC Report

  I'm going to let you know now before you read any further that I do not believe in due process.  I do not believe in good cop/bad cop scenarios.  I do not believe in sacrificing my convictions just because other people are willing to go for the 'lesser of two evils'.  My words are bullshit because my voting will not affect New York.  Its not a swing state.  I would feel more emboldened saying and following through on my convictions if I lived in a state where my vote really would matter.  It doesn't so its all bullshit to me anyway.   Its been an amazing few months of people coming together for the Anti-RNC movement.   For me, it started at the Billionaires for Bush Ball back in May.  So many people doing art, making music, the revelry, the seriousness, the INFORMATION BEING PUT OUT!   Rev. Billy, that man is amazing, every time I see him, he truly stands for the grassroots ideal of people working to help people free themselves.  Free themselves from the tyranny of corporate giants like Starbucks that pay their employees a pittance of a wage and yet won't let them unionize themselves in order to gain fair wages and health insurance.     Click here: Reverend Billy & the Church of Stop Shopping   You have to check out that site and go see them if you can.   Click here: Billionaires For Bush These people have raised a lot of money by throwing the most incredible parties and that really cool fashion show at the NeoConey Island Block party.   The thing is, its hard to be focused on things when people are party hardying.   I had to sit down with myself and remind myself that its not just a party scene.  Its about how I feel about the state of the country and what I can do to change that.  Its not about voting out Bush, its about volunteering for things that will help me develop as a person and at the same time help empower somebody else.   As much as I detest the Garden politics at La Plaza, its important to do that because  everybody deserves greenery.  Let me just say that community gardening is not as lovely and pristine as one would like to think it is and I had to do some growing up in order to work with people that I would ordinarily throw a cow biscuit at.   I'll be doing more things and I know its not going to be as lovely as I would like to imagine but I need to get over fantasy and get down to doing serious work.   I tell people that they need to know more about local politics and yet I don't know anything about what goes on in my neighborhood in Brooklyn.   Then, there's the personal politics of taking care of myself.  Do I go back to being vegan?  Do I finally stop drinking and smoking?  Do I finally decide that my body is a temple and has to be treated as such.  How can I do for others if I can't treat myself right?   I'm not even going to go into the emotional turmoil that still sits in my head and heart every damn minute but Mr. Micheal, if you're reading this, I sure would like to make amends with you and move on.   Bush, Bush,bush bush bushbushbushbush..........ohhhh for crying out loud!!!!   Its a time of change and I feel really good and strong about it.  I will take two steps back and one step forward but hey, there is that forward!!!   I feel the same way about this country.   Ummmm, now let me say just one thing about chaos as opposed to Anarchy.  Anarchy is a wondeful thing but its not chaos.  I love chaos though, I'm not going to deny it.  When those kids set the dragon on fire today, I howled with glee.  However, in back of that, I really felt they ruined a beautiful,  peaceful day for those who don't subscribe to violent acts to make a point.  I felt it was incredibly selfish of them.  I'm glad the march wasn't ruined because of their actions.  Ummm, I still think it was cool how it combusted and the cops were in shock.  They got used to the complacency of the march and really didn't expect it.   I'm going to end now only because I really wanna watch tv.  Hey, at least I'm honest about it.   Write back and let me know how things are going for you. By the way, my garden plot rules!   I'm eating my kale and basil, the hot peppers are ripening and the flowers are lovely.  More pics soon!     Love you all,   Barbara                                                

What I did on my Summer vacation

Mid-Afternoon, Sunday, August 29, 2004   The Green dragon came trundling up Seventh Avenue to the tunes of The Clash and the chanting of Anti-Bush protesters. Drums beating, people dancing, signs and banners displaying the people's disgust with the Bush Regime   I helped carry the tail of the big, green dragon.  As we approached Madison Square Garden, I could see the pigs on the top of the entryway into the Long Island RailRoad station.  We donned our bandannas, our sunglasses and our umbrellas to protect us from the pigs' cameras pointing in our direction. The march slowed to a halt as we got in front of the Garden. A voice coming from the Dragon's mouth declared " This is my favorite song!"  the opening lyrics and melody of Led Zeppelin's "Your time is gonna come"  "Lying, cheating, hurting, thats all you seem to do...."  I thought to myself "How apropos".  The song played out and then came the raucous hardcore punk music screaming anarchy. The kids shouted, "WHOSE STREETS?  OUR STREETS".   Many of the protesters joined in.   Suddenly, I heard a voice that said "Oops we're out of power.  I left the tail to see the dragon head better and I walked around, the familar scent of combustible fluid filled the air. The kids ran off and in their wake, a dragon starts to smoulder.  The cops stood there in a stupor, not believing what their eyes are telling them as the dragon head burst into flames. Belately, the made haste to try to catch some young 'anarchists' but the lot of them ran away. The angry cops started violently pushing and arresting people at random. People who weren't even marching with the dragon got grabbed by the pigs.   After thirty to forty five minutes of confusion and no real prey, the cops finally let the march continue its path to Union Square Park. Burn, Dragon, Burn!!!!!!!