One of the best aspects of concerts-is seeing the interactions of the musicians, getting to know more about the people behind the music, and their relationship with each other.
After a number of estrangments, in 2000 CSNY reunited for the first time since 1974. We saw it in Madison Square Garden…seats were not great, but it was still easy to see what was going on…there was enjoyment, and joy in playing together, you could sensethey were all on the same page wanting to make it work, and I loved them for that.
A number of years ago, during a local PBS pledge week, I happened upon the broadcast of Simon and Garfunkel’s Free Reunion Concert in Central Park in 1981. This was their first appearance together in a decade, after they went separate ways following the release of Bridge Over Troubled Waters.
While the music really transported me, I was really taken by the genuine chemistry between the two on stage. You sensed respect, but a little distance at the very beginning of the concert; but as the concert went on, the chemistry, and again, the joy came right back. The camera caught all the nuances, it really was an intimate portrait.
So OF COURSE I became a member and got the VCR tape and some CDs as a thank-you gift; and have enjoyed it many times since.
Tonight we went to a showing of a brand-new documentary, The Harmony Game, at the lovely Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill. It was briefly how Simon and Garfunkel they got to 1970, then more about all that led up to, and was behind Bridge OverTroubled Water.
I was 12 or 13 when it first came out, so of course I knew the music, but now with hindsight, and an adult’s perspective of the world in 1970, it was engaging, but the segment about their one TV special – “Songs of America” was sobering.
Comprised of vintage footage and very recent-and separate- interviews with both Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, along with the musicians and engineers who worked on the album, you learn the stories, the backstories and the mixing techniques. YES, I was singing along throughout the screening, and left the theater feeling all warm and fuzzy…
WINNING a copy of a special commemorative CD/DVD in a raffle-the remastered album, THE MOVIE, and the TV specialmight have had something to do with it, but really: how neat is it to see people who have been together for so many years-still have fun and make magic??
Watch for it and see it if you can. Meantime, enjoy a very special version of a favorite from that Central Park concert.
LOVE this time of year for so many reasons…one of which is longer, but cooler days-PERFECT for baseball.
Another is that I am holding my own in a field of champions in the Active Rain Baseball Junkies Fantasy League…
It’s a long season, anything can happen, but to invoke SNL’s Garret Morris doing Chico Escuela- “ April has been bery bery good to me”.
Did you know…Take Me Out To The Ball Game was written by Jack Norworth (lyrics) and Albert von Tilzer (music) in 1908 and copyrighted then.
Neither gentleman had seen a ballgame before writing this song.
ALSO-
On this day, in 1941, the first organ was played in a baseball stadium. Wrigley Field , home of the Chicago Cubs…while many other fields still have organs, many do not use them; opting instead for more modern music and other technologies.
Here is Chicago’s beloved Harry Caray, to show us how it’s done:
Thought yesterday’s post was enough, that I was frustrated over all that happens in April.
But this morning I read a post on Active Rain by Richard Weisser that got me all sorts of agitated. In a good way. Well, at least I THINK it’s in a good way.
ANYWAY
Richard is a very smart Realtor with Coweta Fayette Real Estate in Newnan Georgia, and every day, in about 250 words or less he has something important to say.
Today he posed the question: Earth Day 2011: Are we as green as we think we are?
Not a unique thought, but Richard was both passionate and rational-a position I support, but personally find hard to maintain on this matter.
There are very few things I cannot see both sides of, but the dichotomy of how we get our collective panties in a knot over Earth Day, then go right back to our wasteful and over-consuming ways the next week makes me absolutely nuts.
One day at time, we are poisoning our environment, and threatening our very existence. It is not enough to talk the talk, we need to walk the walk, and make every day Earth Day.
Here are my passion-driven wish list:
-Dig up your dandelions I grew up in a neighborhood called Indian Village, on Susquehanna Road in Ossining, neighbors actually went from yard to yard, en masse. I remember it was fun, you got to see people and everyone had a nice lawn.
(I’m told the greens are delicious-but it’s also very therapeutic, pulling one of those deep-rooted suckers out the the ground!)
-Buy a bunch of BPA-Free water bottles and have them at the ready in the fridge. Fill one up with ice every morning and take it with you in the car. Or, take a thermos if you prefer hot beverages.
-STOP buying convenience packs of things. If you want to only eat 100 calories worth of cookies, buy the regular package and pre-package them yourself in re-usable containers-they make them to fit in the tiniest of hands.
-If you smoke, OWN IT! There is a reason automobiles have ashtrays.
I am not judging you, or your habit. But let’s be real-tossing a butt out the window-so it’s out of sight, or so you don’t stink up your car will not make you a non-smoker.
But it COULD though blow into someone else’s open window,,,or dry grass nearby. ALSO-it leaches an unbelievable amount of poisons into groundwater. SORRY-this is first-degree selfish.
-Investigate and support alternative energy suppliers. At the Earth Week fair last week at Kensico Dam, our Furniture Sharehouse booth was sandwiched between 2 of them. Yes, NOW it MAY add some $$ to what you pay…maybe what you now pay forall those water bottles?? More subscribers now will send the right message to suppliers, all the way up to people who invest in alternative energy producing technology.
-Maintain your car. Now, more than ever: keep tires properly inflated, and get it tuned up for maximum efficiency.
-Plan your driving, and don’t be too busy to carpool.
-Keep your re-usable bags in your car at all times. Better yet, decline a bag if whatever you’re buying is able to be carried by hand, or in your pockets/purse. Science has determined it takes 400 years for one of those bags to de-compose.
Seventeen years ago today, I married a kilt-wearing Scotsman named Douglas Graham…well, he wore a kilt to our wedding; in fact, that was his wedding gift.
From the beginning, he knew he was not going to wear a tux. Since I was going for the big dress, his wearing a suit was not going to cut it.
That we were in agreement about a kilt as a compromise was a nice surprise, the first of many. That he would grow to like jazz, I would be ok with changing my name, and we would share a checkbook were others.
SIDEBAR: Seems Kearny, New Jersey is the epicenter of all things Scottish in the NY metro area. They rent kilts, had racks of them, in whatever size you need. One tartan (which the rest of us call ‘plaid’ ) they stocked was MacDonald, which is Doug’s middle name, so he was ok wearing those colors.
HOWEVER he did not know I called the store owner prior and told him of my plan, to have Doug measured for his tartan to be custom made for him, as a surprise.
Thankfully the Graham tartan was a simple and dignified one…have been to a number of Scottish events where other tartans were screechy-loud colors, like they ran out of the good color combinations and were using the leftover colors no one wanted…
BUT ANYWAY
We don’t have any big weekend plans- no customary fine dining experience , no expected bling…we both worked Saturday, napped, then, as another nor’easter roared outside, we watched some old movies. He made pizza, I cut up mangos for dessert. Later today he is going to help me set up and work a table for Furniture Sharehouse at Westchester County Earth Day event. And I couldn’t be more content.
Have always felt tradition is ok, as long as it means something, and you are not beholden to it…and while April 17th will always be our day, so are the other 364 days.
Being happily, easily married to my best friend continues to be a delightful surprise. He gets how fleeting time can be, and looks for something to be happy about most every day-it’s just how things have worked out.
He also gets-or at least puts up with-the goofy stuff, supports me in everything, including the building of my business, brings me flowers in the middle of the week-’when they’re on sale!’-and values our relationship above all. How cool is that?? Yes, life is good, indeed!
Is it just me, or is absolutely everyone else talking/reading/thinking Real Estate these days?!
With all the quantity of ‘stuff’ out there, it’s harder to recognize, then retain the pearls…wanted to share two things I recently read, that really resonated for me.
Chances are we have all been on both sides of this first one: the struggle over exchanging an email address.
Whether for business or social reasons, as the emailee we resist, wanting info, but not wanting to be fast-tracked into junk mail hell, or virus-infested cyberspace… just what I need, another friend who traveled to London and got mugged…
As a potential emailer, if you are reading this, chances are excellent you are asking for a worthwhile reason.
Yet we play the part of a persistent suitor: battling the memory of, while trying to atone for the sins of a past insincere love.
‘REALLY-I’m different…’ you inwardly protest!
’I would NEVER_______’ you exclaim silently!
Strains of BJ Thomas’ Somebody Done Somebody Wrong (Song) play in your head, as you search for words to explain the unexplainable why.
Susan Emo, a Realtor at RE/MAX Riverview Realty of 1000 Islands Brokerage in Canada has my favorite answer, a very professional approach to this “why”: ‘Because you’ll never know when I’ll have something great to pass on to you….you wouldn’t want to miss out, would you?”
Simple and succinct; communicates every good intent and principle. Susan recommends having the phone in hand when asking, so all contact info gets programmed right in-excellent, a two-fer!
Stepping it up a notch… delivering unpleasant information is difficult for most. But no matter what the topic is-if the information is misleading, incomplete or incorrect, it will come back to haunt us. The ramifications of deferred pain are often worse.
Just as little Bobby and Susie are going to want to one day visit Sparky who is having fun at a farm in the country, or your best friend will think about getting that…umm…interesting hair cut (again)- if I don’t completely and professionally prepare the Realtor, my clients, as well as the property to the best of my ability, ONE DAY they will want to discuss why no one wants to buy their house.
The push-pull of coming to an agreement of a listing price for a house is the parallel for agents. IMHO taking an over-priced listing -or insisting on a price as a condition of listing with that agent benefits no one and hurts many; the whys are a topic for another time.
“I tell the truth” seems to be the preferred way to position oneself to justify delivering difficult information or advice you know will not be well-received, but I like Loreena Yeo’s take on it better. Loreena, a Realtor in Frisko, Texas simply says-”I don’t participate in false hope”.
A positive, pro-active, responsible and professional statement, covering every inner conflict, ans 100% transferable. In six words. I have both of these on the wall behind my desk.
Tomorrow, the WP High School will be the scene for a furniture drive, to benefit Furniture Sharehouse.
To be held from 9am to 1pm, in the North Street parking lot, opposite the “Y”, the furniture drive will be run by the High School’s Interact Club, and sponsored by the White Plains Rotary.
(Pictured at left are students from Pace University, from a previous drive).
Interact is the world-wide high school arm of Rotary International; Nick Wolff, a Realtor with Rand Realty in White Plains is the Rotary mentor/liaison.
As regular readers will know, Furniture Sharehouse is very near to my heart. It is Westchester County’s furniture bank.
Non-profit, not open to the public, and not selling anything; Furniture Sharehouse collects clean, basic furniture in good condition, and some home furnishings (like rugs, lamps, mirrors, and small kitchen appliances), then re-distributes them free to clients of almost 40 different Westchester agencies.
Two-and-a-half years ago, independent producer Polly Kriesman of Larchmont filmed ’A Day in the Life’ type segment at Furniture Sharehouse as part of of new series pitch to PBS. Very graciously she has allowed it to be shared, click here to see.
While the story is unchanged, the actual numbers have: As of March 31st, about to start the fifth year of operation, nearly 1300 Westchester families have been furnished with almost 17,000 donated items, worth roughly $1.3 milliondollars.
18 months ago, 3 or 4 client appointments a day were the norm; now it’s 6, sometimes 8 appointments. Open year-round, and making pick-ups throughout the county, furniture drives help to keep the aisles full to meet the increasing need.
You have read this far because you know, understand and appreciate what having a home for your family means-a table to eat a meal on, a dresser to put your clothes away in, a bed to sleep in.
Every spring, in the Archdiocese of New York, seminarians from nearby St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers visit local parishes, to speak of their vocation, and ask for your support. They outline 3 simple points, and I will take a page out of their book:
First- consider donating furniture/ furnishings you no longer need or want. Your donation would not only go to Westchester neighbors in need, it’s green and you would get a receipt for your taxes as well.
Click here for details, inc. donation suitability guidelines. Drop-offs are always encouraged, but if you aren’t able to make the drive, or just have no way to transport, pick-ups are available.
Second-maybe you have some extra time, talents, or services you would like to share? Volunteers keep the heart of Furniture Sharehouse beating strong, please email info@furnituresharehouse.org to have that conversation.
Third-remember Furniture Sharehouse is a year-round organization, and tell your friends…your neighbors and co-workers…your book club and lacrosse parents…your social action committees and professional organizations.
By sharing this post, or forwarding these links, you will be giving the greatest gift of all, 365 days a year. Thank you!!
While the springtime weather we all yearn for has been taking its sweet time to get here, you know we are two consecutive warm days away from breaking out the capri pants and flip flops…are you ready?
Whethere you are selling-or staying, this weekend Westchester’s weather will be clear and dry, so a great time to get started.
Here are some easy ways to get your outside space, and outside stuff up to speed, while adding real value to your property, and saving you both time and hassle.
Equipment: Clean your grill, and take the mower, tiller, and any other mechanical apparatus you will want immediately one day soon to the local shop for a check-up.
By having everything in good repair now, you will be ready when the good weather really hits-and not waiting, along with a few dozen other machines in need of service.
Take your patio furniture out and assess it. Maybe you’ll need to clean it first to see.
Generally a bucket of warm water with a mild detergent should do it for metal furniture..a soft cloth or sponge on the frame, a scrub brush on cushions or fabric ‘sling’ types of seating. Rinse, and let it dry thoroughly in the sunlight.
GTK: if your metal furniture is ok, but could use some refreshing or repair, you need to know about Patty’s Portico, on Highland Street in Port Chester 914.935.8839.
They breathe new life into old furniture because they weld, sand-blast and powder coat on-site. Again, you want to move on this now and be ready-not get caught in the seasonal rush. Green solution that will save you some green in the long run.
Property Take a good look at your property. While it’s too cool to do most planting, it’s perfect for spring clean up: Raking the twigs and leaves; filling in and re-seeding bare spots that were either torn up by snow plows, browned from salt run-off, or just never recovered from last year’s soccer practice in the backyard.
Edge the beds, and heap on fresh mulch. Did you know that applying 2-4″ of mulch around the base of trees, shrubs, and in beds keeps weeks at bay, saves water by retaining moisture, supports base of plants and encourages stronger root systems. Depending on what you apply, additional nutrients can also be supplied to the plants this way.
Pansies are an enthusiastic harbinger of warmer weather. A flat will cost you maybe $20.00, give great color while elevating the mood–plant them in oversize planters, and enjoy! Your well-deserved refreshing beverage of choice will taste even better!
they were all on the same page wanting to make it work, and I loved them for that.
