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