Winograd: 1, Taxes: 0, or Win/Winograd

I'm not going to go so far as to say that I found joy in doing my taxes (Taxes: 0) but I did find joy in having completed my taxes. Especially since it was just about the only thing I could have done productively with my day. I was home sick, feeling very very tired but not horrible if I didn't get up off the couch. I thought about trying to creatively write something, but I didn't really have the energy for that. I thought about watching a movie, but I truly wasn't in the mood. I actually had wanted to be at work, because I have some budget stuff to finish up before I take next week off, but every time I got up to see if I could pull off the commute, I ended up nestling back on the couch. And that's when it came to me that I could do my taxes, which is 79% mindless and 97% on the couch. I'll spare you the details (even though they say the joy is in the details) but suffice it to say that by 6 PM, I had all my receipts organized into envelopes and in a box, and I had a document with all my numbers on it, and I had a pile of forms to bring to my accountant (my accountant thanks to faithful reader Barbara P.) and I was patting myself on the back and nestling further into the couch.

Earlier in the day, Josh had a music session with Winograd (Winograd: 1) that I was lucky enough to be around for. I think there's something extra joyful about the unexpected. Sad to be sick, cheered up by a friend making jokes, talking music, playing music. Not that an expected Winograd would have been less delightful, but when I found out he was coming over, I got happier right away, and I didn't even have to do the work of planning something joyful for myself. Let's call that a win/Winograd situation. 

Grapefruit with mint

If all it takes to bring me joy is to put some mint on some grapefruit, then why do I ever mope around?

New York actors amaze me

Every time, man. Every time. They are so good. They work so hard. For so little money. I don't actually want to validate that part, because I believe in paying people to do their art, craft, skill, brilliance. But in New York, the most disciplined, talented, dedicated actors show up and bring their best selves to week-long workshops for less than minimum wage, AND THEY ARE SO GOOD.

George Lee Andrews, Stanley Bahorek, Ruthie Baker, Tiffan Borelli, Kevin Duda, Michael J. Farina, Allison Fraser, Angela Grovey, Taylor Louderman, Christian Noll, James Moye, and Arbender Robinson. I am talking about you. Your work brings enormous joy to people—including me—and I want to thank you publicly for what you bring, what you do. 

And New York directors, let's talk about you. You work for years on people's shows, and then those shows get somewhere, and often you don't get to go with them. But you keep working, and you keep working, and you keep working, and you stay faithful to writers, and they stay faithful to you, and then—guess what!—your show you've been developing forever goes up at a major off-Broadway house! Michelle Tattenbaum, I am talking about you. Your work brings enormous joy to people—including me—and I want to thank you publicly for what you bring, what you do.

And New York writer and composers, what would we do without you? You (we) get an idea for a show, and you sink your heart and soul into writing it, when nobody is making any promises it will ever go anywhere, but still you (we) sit there and create entire worlds out your (our) minds with the vision that one day they might get taken into the hands of some great directors and actors and producers. Brad Ross and Mark Waldrop, I am talking about you. Your work brings enormous joy to people, and I want to thank you publicly for what you bring, what you do.  

Because remember, gratitude=joy. Among other reasons to be grateful.

The snowdrops are up!!!!

Graciana played at the National Tennis Center

Graciana is a very good tennis player. I mean, she's not a pro, but her team advanced to the US Tennis Association Manhattan playoffs, where she played in the 8.0 mixed doubles, on the first team. Which I can break down for you, if you want. So, just like with swimming and other sports, there's a governing body for tennis: the USTA. Graciana plays in the Manhattan adult league. Players are ranked according to ability and records. In these playoffs, which was mixed doubles (a team made up of a man and a woman) the ranking has to add up to 8.0. So one player could be ranked 3.0 and one 5.0, or they could both be 4.0 (as was the case with Graci and her partner) or any other combination (3.5 and 4.5) that makes sense and adds up to 8.0. Are you still with me? The thing I love about this kind of thing is that there's a completely transparent line from amateur to pro. You win this, you get that, you go there, you play against them, you get a new ranking, you get to go there, you eventually rise through the ranks and become that. The winner of the Manhattan playoffs advance to the Districts, and those winners advance to the Sectionals, and those winners advance to the Regionals, and those winners advance to the Finals. If you qualify with enough wins and a high enough ranking, you make the Nationals.

But none of that is what I got to do that was so great and joyous. I got to go to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and watch Graciana and her partner Matt play great tennis in the Manhattan playoffs. You know I love sports. And I really love tennis. I was on the tennis team in high school. I played First Doubles and Second and Third Singles. (I miss tennis. I really loved playing it. Sadly, my neck isn't strong enough to play it anymore.) I have been to the US Open, on the outdoor courts at the National Tennis Center, but I had never been to a playoff on the indoor courts. It was great. Low-key, with tables, chairs, and couches in the viewing balcony. We brought snacks and drinks, including these fabulous looking tennis ball cookies that Graci's sister ordered from the Duane Patisserie:

And we watched the match. Graci's team won the first set, 7-5. When she nails her serve, she really nails it!

Then they lost the second 6-3. Third set is a tie breaker—first team to 10 points, but you have to win by 2. It was neck and neck, all the way, and in the end Graci and Matt lost, 10-12. But she played great and knew it, as evidenced by the post-match glow:

For me, I think the joy (and inspiration) really comes from knowing that Graciana is pursuing this thing she loves so much, while also having a significant career in a completely different field. I was truly happy to share the night with her and the rest of her fans.

Brisket and friends, shabes in Brooklyn

I made a brisket. (Actually, the slow cooker made a brisket. I just put a bunch of meat, onions, sweet potatoes, beer, tomatoes, and smoked paprika in there and left it on all day.) I invited some friends over. They came from Oakland, Washington Heights, and Newkirk Plaza. We we ate, we talked, we laughed, we listened to music, we reassured each other, we coveted each others shoes. Life, as they say, is good. Also, I'm prioritizing my time this morning to go to yoga, so I'm keeping this blog post short, but that doesn't mean that they evening was any less joyful than if I wrote about every bite and every joke. A real pleasure to be in community with smart, creative, funny friends.

I ran into Glenn Marla in a midtown subway station

Are there people in your life who you are not super close friends with, but who you have only incredibly positive feelings about? People who, when you see them, you think to yourself, "I love what this person brings into the world!" Perhaps you've never made plans to do things just the two of you, but you have hung out in groups, or in our case, in performance spaces? OK, think about all the people who you know, because I know you have these people in your life. Now. Maybe you're having a hard week but you're making the most of it and thinking a lot about I Ching (opportunity and change) and you're at that moment on your way to an event that could be a wonderful life changer, but you're afraid you're late, and you're a little scared in that anticipatory way that you are when you're on your way to something that could be a wonderful life changer, and you realize you don't have enough time to walk there, so you duck down into the subway, and it's midtown Manhattan, so you think you're in an anonymous space and don't even consider that you'll see anyone you know, and then you see this gorgeous person who you have such positive feelings about, and all of a sudden Manhattan is where you LIVE with people who you LIKE and you stop and talk and get some very real and honest time together, and then the train comes, and you get on, and you realize that they have brought you JOY by being themselves: present and warm and smart and creative and all the things you value most (and which are so often not monetized or valued in our society.) I had the incredible and joyful good fortune to run into GLENN MARLA in the subway, and they just opened my heart. (Look at this ponem! Your heart's a little wider open too, now isn't it?)

Maybe think about getting in touch with the person you thought about when I asked you to a couple minutes ago, and maybe think about letting them know what it means to you that they are in the world doing what they do and being how they live. And if someone doesn't come to mind, imagine that YOU are that person for someone else, and maybe think about telling yourself what it means that you are in the world doing what you do and being how you live. And then you get to thank yourself.