New York City
Today I walked. and walked. and walked.
got about two week’s worth of cardio in one day… after playing 13 days straight with no break, it was fantastic just to not be in the car driving somewhere… I hiked all the way down to Central Park to find Joe and his easel and brushes, capturing real life in Sheep Meadow…. it’s inspiring to see Joe so devoted and driven, he comes out here to paint with a couple artists each week…

After they decided they were finished, or that the sun and good light was gone for the day, we went to lunch with his painting buddies at a divey diner on 73rd where they chatted and obsessed and exhaled all about their art universe…. I always get a semester’s worth of education hanging out with Joe… his renaissance ways have filled him up with an eternity of life and culture and art… of which he unselfishly and generously pays it forward. trying to explain and answer all my elementary queries that come pouring out of me.

After lunch everyone scattered and went their own way, and I continued on my adventure walk… saw the Dakota House facing the park… pretty uneventful, but I had to see it… I kind of knew it was coming, but I was still pleasantly charmed by the fanaticals playing Beatles songs in Strawberry Fields in the park… I expected, and even hoped, to see sidewalk shrines of candles and flowers for John Lennon, but there was none of that… just a uniformed guard (who was not born yet when Lennon was gunned down) standing watch in front of the metal gates, protecting the building… I felt a little guilty and dirty giving in to my voyeuristic curiosity as I came up on the place…. but at the same time, felt it my duty…. my studious obligation… and spiritual pilgrimage…