29 July 2007 – New York City

Afternoon Delight…

We got a little sleep. By time we got to NYC, to Queens, to the apartment, by the time we had a bite to eat and decompressed a bit with some conversation, by the time we got to bed, it was 1:30 in the morning. A long day, given our 4 AM wake time. And I didn’t sleep a wink on the train. But we got a little sleep last night. Enough to get us through the day.

And it was a full one. Our screening was scheduled for 3:30 in the afternoon, and there was much to do. We got up, packed up, shipped out and dived in. Driving into Manhattan on a Sunday morning, we got to see the city in daylight for the first time. I noticed my body responding to the immensity of it all, akin, perhaps, to the feelings I might have in the presence of a huge mountain, or a deep canyon. As hard and raw and fast as it is, and as unsustainable as it is proving to be, there is something grand about the city: a twisted masterpiece by a mad artist, painted onto the canvas of the land.

We found a parking spot near the venue, then hit the subway with Phil for a trip to the Lower East Side, for breakfast and coffee, a yoga class, and a walk in the rain. We got back to the venue at 2:45, set up chairs and DVDs and projector and sound, and caught our breath before the crowd arrived. By the time we hit PLAY, there were about 45 people in the room.

Twenty five or so stayed for the circle afterwards. We took a short break after the film, set up chairs, packed up equipment, then sat down for a wonderful round of dialogue and sharing. Sally asked that we all speak to what moved us, to the emotional impact of watching What a Way to Go, and people stepped into that, and spoke from their heart, and shared their fears, their angers, their guilts, their joys, their pains, their challenges and their intentions. It was only a beginning, of course. The work of circle and dialogue requires a great deal of time. But it was a good beginning.

It’s difficult to know what impact we might make in any particular place. Will the documentary, and the circle, just fade from people’s memories, as they get caught back up in their own lives, tossed about by the forces and mandates of Empire that keep us trapped? Or will it make a real difference somehow? What seeds did we plant? What lives did we touch? So often, there’s no way to know. But we’ve received enough feedback now to know, and begin to trust, that at least some lives are being touched deeply, and that some people are beginning to make substantive changes to their lives as a result of our work. And that is enough.

After the circle, we did a short interview with Jay, whom we had met at our Morristown screening, then headed to dinner with our hosts, for a bit of refreshment and relaxation before we went back to their apartment. Chinese food on Bowery Street hit the spot, and the short walk through the city at night was interesting. With strong and knowledgeable hosts such as Tom and Phil to guide us, the city feels manageable somehow. I do not feel comfortable in urban settings. My animal body does not belong here. But it has been easier to be here than I had imagined it could be, thanks to Tom and Phil. I find myself wishing I had more time here, to get to know the city a bit more fully. Perhaps I’ll be able to return one day.

Exhausted, we hit the sack as soon as we got in. A chance to catch up…

Onward… Tim