Monday
I figured I would sit down and write for 15-20 minutes and talk about whats going on, in an attempt to post updates or other thoughts more frequently here. Recently I’ve considered posting every day to this blog. I don’t think it would take much time to do, and would be an interesting practice of ‘onling journaling’ while longer, more in depth posts would be published to my Substack.
So what’s going on today on this beautiful, cool, sunny with blue skies late October Monday?
Over the weekend I travelled upstate with my dad and brother to visit my Grandpa, my dad’s father who lives in Horseheads, NY. The trip seemed to have gone fast for some reason. I always cherish the time the four of us get to spend together. This weekend, the temperature was cool in the 40s, with cloudy skies and periods of rain. Fall is in full swing there and the trees along Route 17 were full of colors. Usually when we travel upstate we do some yard work but because of the rain we only spent some time organizing some wood we got from Grandpa’s neighbor. On Saturday, I sat down with Grandpa and we went over old photos and I listened to some stories about his old Manhattan neighborhood. I used my phone to take photos of the black and white photos. Grandpa has photos and documents everywhere - they aren’t organized in any meaningful way, a project I’d love to work on but have to dedicate some serious time to. Later, we enjoyed a campfire in the yard as the temperature dropped and the winds picked up. One of my favorite things to do is just sit outside for hours and watch the sun set. After every visit, I’m grateful for the time spent together and for the chance to get out in the fresh air and do some outdoor work.
On Sunday we got a late start heading back. I got back to Brooklyn by 5pm, unpacked and showered. V and I had a quick dinner of Thai food nearby then made our way over to Regal Battery Park to see “Nightmare Before Christmas” with some friends. The theater is tucked away above a hotel - one must enter the hotel and follow the signs up to the third or fourth floor for the theater. The theater was empty and surprisingly clean, with reclining armchairs and tables. I hadn’t seen the movie (despite it’s popularity when I was younger) and really enjoyed seeing it at this gem of a theater - it felt like a secret. In fact, I suppose the whole area of Battery Park City feels like a secret - after work hours, when the financial offices are closed, the area seems like a ghost town. We walked past the north tower memorial pool on our way to the theater. We gazed into the giant black void in the ground, the water falling into nothingness. I couldn’t imagine anything more depressing. On the walk back to the Fulton Street subway station, the area around St. Paul’s church felt strangely like a town square. Heading east past the Freedom Tower, the area is wide open and devioid of skyscrapers, giving the area the feel of a large square, with the steeple of St. Paul’s at the center, a reminder of the long history in Lower Manhattan. The winds were strong and I felt we may as we have been standing on the tip of the island and I was aware of the harbor and rivers surrounding this neighborhood on all sides.
Today has been a quiet work day but I’m focused and productive. I’ve been using timers on my phone to break the day up into manageable 1.5 - 2hr chunks. After my morning routine, I got right into my day by journaling and printing out this week’s schedule. Upstate trips invariably lead me to look at my life more closely, particularly at areas I’m avoiding or ignoring. This turns into minizimizing, organizing, and lots of note-taking.
A quick update on writing projects. Last week I finished War of the Worlds. I really enjoyed it and was surprised to see how many books and movies were inspired by the book. It’s really a benchmark in alien sci-fi. I haven’t yet finished the post on Roadside Picnic. I want to work next on a post on Alley Pond or some other NYC history, like Bushwick/Ridgewood. I can also work on adapting some older posts, including some on oral history, to post to Substack.
So lots of ideas today, some old and some new, and some reimagined. I remind myself to focus on what’s important and to take it slow. Progress takes time. Everything else, just minimize it out of my life. Stay organized, keep working and keep moving forward.
Until next time,
Keith
