Every Little Step

Well color me surprised, there is some community here. This weekend begins the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Who knew. I picked up a community newspaper the other day and realized I had missed Miami Beach Pride. Back for the first time in years... so I was surprised to see a week long film festival.

Tonight we went to see Every Little Step which is a documentary following the casting of the revival of A Chorus Line on Broadway. It also shared a bit of the original Michael Bennett sessions with dancers that was the creative impetus for the show. If you loved A Chorus Line, this is a good movie to see. It will take you back...

Surprisingly, the move will open in theatres in May. I say surprisingly only because it doesn't seem like the kind of movie that can compete with the big blockbusters, even the Indie ones. Ah well. Go see it. It will take you back to a time that seems so very long ago and yet really wasn't. A Chorus Line opened on Broadway in 1976. Michael Bennett died in 1987.

A Chorus Line has always held a special place in my heart. It was my first Broadway show. For that, I have to thank my mom who was my theatre mentor and teacher. She wanted to take me to NY to see this new musical on Broadway and all I kept asking her was "will I like it?" Thank god she didn't give up on me and my petulance and took me to the show. I loved it. I remember I didn't want to leave the theatre once the show was over. A theatre lover was born.

I miss theatre here. Sometimes more than others. I was so spoiled by my closeness to it and my free tickets. I am ushering at one theatre in Coral Gables and still trying to connect with another to usher. Seeing less theatre makes me appreciate what I do see all the more. It makes me really engage rather than take it so lightly.

But no matter. when you get a chance, go see Every Little Step. It is is definitely one singular sensation. Enjoy.

Life is good even when it sucks

Before I tell you about Grief Camp... check out the little lizard I saw the other day. Same little guy in both photos. He was skittering along at a pretty good clip. This is with my phone camera. I love those things. I love having a camera with me all the time but have not desire to have my camera bumping along in the way every day. Anyway. Your lizard for the day. Cool plant on the left. Clearly in the Bird of Paradise family but not quite the same.

Okay now on to my weekend at Grief Camp. It was okay. The kids were great. As always they just amaze me with what they are able to handle in their young lives. Unlike the camp up in DC, this camp was much more loosey goosey. More like getting all these kids together who have all experienced a loss is enough. And maybe it is. Maybe its better than nothing. They do activities related to the grief (decorating picture frames, decorating pots to plant forget-me-nots) but no actual therapeutic activities and not trained counselors walking us through things. Lots and lots of free time. Ugh. You know what that means. Football, frisbee, tag, kickball and volleyball, to name just a few. The volley ball was fun but I definitely found muscles I didn't know I actually possessed. Lest you think I'm whining unnecessarily, here's a picture of our cabin.



Plush, huh? The woman at the camp told me they just renovated and that the beds used to be thinner. Nice. I'm not sure if you can see just how narrow they are as well. Oy.

Anyway, a weekend like that, even if its not as fulfilling as I had hoped, makes you realize how lucky we all are. Not so sound mushy or anything but we are lucky and it pays to think of it every now and again.

I'm trying to remember that message myself right now. And I do. I realized at camp that in DC, mainstream includes all sorts of people -- gay and straight. Down here, its just not the same. It have really become obvious to me why people who grow up knowing they're gay or come out later, end up leaving small towns and even big ones, in search of community. Its terribly isolating when you can't find people like you, whatever that may be. There's a difference down here in the intellectual repartee or engagement. Certainly there are smart people here. Brilliant, I'm sure at all the universities. So maybe its not intellect that I'm missing... but politics. But there's no doubt for me at all that I'm missing gay community. Its here somewhere I 'm sure. But its underground, married off or otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

We are moving ever closer to the clinic.. step by step, inch by inch. Its slow going but it will happen. Then things will pick up. I am eager to have an office to go to and colleagues and finite duties -- finish this, do that. So much easier than the vision thing.

So, while I wait, my attempts to learn Spanish are plugging along. My sorrows are drowned by sitting at the pool or taking my book under a palm tree at the ocean and I bide my time. I am glad I made this adventure. I have learned so much already. Mostly about myself but about health and illness and organizations as well. I am confident that this business is going to succeed and possibly make it big. This is my chance outside the box. Outside the non profit world where I would happily toiled for my entire career. So we'll see. Once you find you CAN do something it doesn't mean you HAVE to do it. We'll see.

Ahora, mi grupo por hablando espanol es in quince minutos, aqui en mi casa. Tengo que ir a prepararse. (I had to get help with that last one!)

Hasta luego mi amigas y amigos. Until next time.
Take a moment.
Look around.
Hug your momma if you're lucky enough to be able to do that.
Smooch on a loved one.
Look at the scenery.
Take a picture and send it to me.
Cards and letters always welcome. Visitors too. Hurry before the real hot starts.

Hot hot hot!

All I can figure is that I'm going to be in deep trouble this summer. Today it was 92 degrees. Not a record, I understand, that would be 93. Its only April. Oy. But this is not a complaint. Its way way to early to start complaining. This is commentary. This is sharing.

So as I told you last time, spring has sprung here. Flowering trees didn't last long. They just sort of happen then peter out. But the flowers are so beautiful. I think they're around all year or maybe not. Maybe they do get fuller and bolder in spring. I love to drive through Coral Gables where the Banyan Trees create an amazing canopy over the street with their multi strand trunks and the Spanish Moss hanging down. The begonias, impatience and all sorts of bushes that are different from up north. But what we don't have are daffodils, cherry blossoms, azaleas. Just not that kind of place. Soil is wrong I understand.

I visited Philadelphia for Passover and even on a rainy day got some pictures to bring home with me. The trees along the Schuylkill River were just beautiful.





Rain or shine there's always a line at the Rocky statue in front of the Museum of Art. Look at the picture above, right side in between the trees!

But look how green the grass is! Elliott, knowing I was missing a more "mid-atlantic" spring sent me some in a vase!





Nice huh? They look great! I opened them down at the front desk so I could ditch the big box and the woman there was impressed. You just don't see Daffodils down here. Be sure to appreciate whatcha got!

Speaking of appreciating things... many of you know about my Grief Camp that I've attended over the years. Its a camp for kids who've lost someone over the past year. I thought I'd see if I could find one down here -- and sure enough. Good timing too, its next weekend. I guess if you did a weekend at camp in August in Miami you'd just be asking for trouble! Next week maybe be bad enough... but, right, no complaining. Anyway, the Hospice of South Florida has hooked up with a group called Camp Erin. Its a grief camp that is sponsored by the Moyer Foundation. Their goal is to have one of these camps in every state. It sounds very similar to the one I'm used to up in DC and yet very different as well. It will be fascinating to experience the differences. Nothing here has been the same so I'm sure this won't be either... Yes, this is my idea of camping, downright roughing it. Sleeping in air conditioned cabins... but still, that's an absolute minimum. I mean along with indoor plumbing and showers. Oy. All that outdoorsy stuff. Bunk cheers, etc. Its a good thing its good for the kids or there's no way! Okay, Homestead, here I come. I'll report back after the fact.

Tonight was book club. I like the group, they are all nice. I am still searching for the lesbian community here, just can't seem to get the foot in. I did find a group of Lesbians and lesbian moms...okay, not quite right but getting closer! I'll try and catch up with them later in the month. Meanwhile, back to the book group... after a couple of mediocre books, not horrible, just not great, I asserted my charming personality and have influenced the picks of the next few books. Totally democratic, of course, just powers of persuasion. The next book is the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. I'm looking forward to that one, obviously, since I picked it. Tee hee. I always learn something at the book club. Tonight it was about a Chinese Cuban restaurant in Hialeah. Its seems there's a large Chinese population on Cuba. They were talking about how fun it it to hear the mixed accents. Sounds like a field trip to me.

My book club meets at the Borders just down the block from me. Its on the top floor of the mall you can see here. You can see the Borders from my balcony. I like that kind of convenience! Those tall pillars are huge palm trunks.





Work is work (I think that's why they call it that!). We are still looking for a funder. Anyone know any potential investors? Send them on. Lots of good leads... still working on it. Here's where I spend my days. Having just filed my taxes, this is my OFFICIAL home office. All 25 sq ft of it! I guess I could have tidied before the photo but it was spontaneous. I love looking out of my balcony but part of me will be happy when I have an actual clinic. Oh, I'll be missing working at home, I know that, but I'll appreciate the social aspect.













Happy spring to everyone and to everyone good night! Take a gaze at those cherry blossoms and dogwoods, tulips and everything else you can lay your eyes on. Take it all in for me. As for Miami, I'd suggest planning a visit before it gets crazy down here... give a holler and let me know when!

Spring has sprung in Miami

Just when you think you live in a place with no change in the seasons, you are proven wrong yet again. While I can't say there is huge change... there are definitely things changing. Things are blooming that weren't before. Temperatures are rising that weren't before and visitors are visiting... well, you get the picture.


I think this is a wild orchid tree. The purple
one above. The yellow one below is a Yoke tree
or a golden shower... depending on who you ask.
















Then there's the new regular stop on my tourist tour... the Coconut Grove Farmers Market where you can get a young coconut, hacked open by machete so that you can enjoy the sweet coconut water inside. Here's Sammy enjoying the biggest one we could find!








But of all the spring-like sightings... I this is my favorite! Sammy and I were playing in the pool tonight when we were joined by a couple of new friends -- first one, then a second came to join us. Two birds came to take a dip in the shallow end of the pool at my apartment. After much waiting and very quiet stalking... we were able to snap a photo of one of the new visitors.
















Or maybe this is the rite of spring. As I was driving down the road one day I saw this. Look closely...this psychic, Mrs. Williams uses TARROT cards. Those are sort of like Tarot but have birds on them. Okay, just kidding but this tickled me. I guess once the sign is printed, in this economy there's no going back!!!


Spring brings mating season for the peacocks. I finally caught one in full regalia. I swear every time I see this it reminds me more and more of gay pride. Then hens are usually on the other side of the pen but the boys are all standing around comparing notes. Sooner or later they must get together but from what I see, its a big old fashion show!!!







There 's been a lot of nature in my world lately. Still more spring, I presume. Last week at the beach, we saw four pelicans just having brunch right around and in the midst of the swimmers. It was wonderful to see them so close. They were huge and so majestic. Almost prehistoric in a way. I never did see one with its "chin" FULL of water but I saw them partially full and that was cool enough. We saw the usual flocks of seagulls, inured to human interaction and even a few new birds. I think these are Ibises. That's more than one Ibis to you.





I'm off to Philly in a few days to celebrate Passover with the family. I'm looking forward to seeing spring up there with daffodils poking their heads and forsythia and azaleas in bloom. This is one of my favorite Jewish holidays for all the storytelling and symbolism. Not to mention some really good food. Matzoh Ball soup...Brisket. Yum. But I have to admit to missing the cherry blossoms this year. How many years did I drive by with a glance and a complimentary thought but didn't really stop or was busy complaining about the tourists. I miss them now and wish I was there to be one of those tourist. Ah well... I'll make do with my new flowers and blooms and a trip to the beach every now and again to console me. Happy spring everyone. Enjoy it where ever you are!