Remember, it is likely that the hyperlinks will lead you somewhere unexpected.  Much research has gone into providing the depth of background and scholarship that you will find at tvod.com ... do not let it go to waste!

Friday, September 1 and I continue to work, quite happily, at Church Publishing.  Bryan and I pick up sandwiches and eat out in Bryant Park; humidity is a bit high, but it’s not very hot.  Dinner is the Three of Cups.  The temperature was just right to eat outside on their tables on Fifth Street; that area of First Avenue is relatively quiet anyway.  Service isn’t the best, but they are friendly and the food is good.  Bryan had the grilled vegetables in balsamic vinegar followed by ziti in mustard sauce; I had the same cold melon soup I had last time followed by spaghetti fresca (a cold dish with tomatoes and capers).

Saturday, September 2 and I’m up before 7 am as I’m going to the funeral of my friend Molly Johnson.  A fellow parishioner at Trinity, Cranford and a fine wordsmith with an inquiring mind about theology, she had been battling her kidneys for years and they finally failed her.  She was 55.  Craig+ did a nice, light eulogy (without notes I might add).  Then it was back into town on a very, very humid and muggy day, leading into a quiet Saturday night.

Sunday, September 3 and the final 10 am service of the summer at Grace Church.  On stage were Jeremy+, Lyndon+ and Janet+; well, it turns out that St. Mark’s in Yonkers had made a surprise play for the chaplain and got him!  Jeremy Warnick+ preached his final Sunday sermon that morning.

Mary Ann’s and dinner.  Alcohol note:  I've been having my margaritas there with Cuervo Anejo which is stored in old Jack Daniels barrels lending it a hint of bourbon.  Quite nice.

Monday, September 4, Labor Day and here's a picture of Bryan's extended family taken while we were in Wyoming in July.  In front is his mom Pam and stepfather, Lee Martinez.  At the back (l-r) is Bryan, his brother Brett and Lee's sons Deano, John, Chico and Troy.

I make us a quick pasta dinner after watching another episode of Queer as Folk.  And we'd like to blame the thick Mancunian accent for our lack of understanding of the plot and character development but that would be unfair to the citizens of Manchester!  It just makes no sense and that's our sense of it.

Tuesday, September 5 and I’ve been given the indices for the new hymnal to type up in my spare time.  So one of the things I'm checking is the accuracy of the birth and death dates of composers, particularly those who have passed on since the last revision.  One of those I find is Welsh composer William Mathias, whose settings of the service music I was criticizing last month.  He died in 1992 so I guess there'll be no discussion of the issue with him!  On the other hand, he also composed the wedding anthem for Charles and Diana and you know quite well that the pedant in me must share some sites with you so you can learn all about him.  There's a bio-bibliography, a listing of his music on Oxford University Press, a review and soundbite of his Clarinet Sonatina, a bio from Athene Records and a hagiography on classical music on the web.

Wednesday, September 6 and work all day until 5 pm when I left to get ready for the 6 pm Eucharist at Grace Church.  Fr. Warnick reprises his Sunday sermon in what his truly his swan song at Grace.  When I returned, Bryan was home; we ate the stew while watching Star Trek: Voyager.  The final season starts in a month and looks to be rather exciting.

Thursday, September 7 and up at 7 to do some extra-curricular typing.  It’s also the birthday of Debbie Southwood-Smith of Interscope Records.  We keep promising to have dinner and I’m sure we will someday.  In the meantime, happy birthday to her!  Bryan and I went to Mie for dinner; for the first time we sat at the sushi bar which didn’t particularly please us.

Friday, September 8 and at work at 9.  At one point during the day, Johnny Ross and I had a quick chat about someone with health problems.  Suddenly he said, “Life is so hard; how do we go on?”  I answered with a glib remark about the all the books surrounding us and the answer therein but the thought has stayed with me.

In the evening, I catch two shows on Ovation, an unusual cable channel and not one that many people get.  However, it always seems to have something to entice.  This evening there's one on English folk songs (with a nice cameo by Donovan singing ‘Nirvana’ - here's a lovely 1997 interview with him, a bio from getmusic and a 'where are they now') and counter-tenors (concentrating on classical singers like Paul Esswood, who sang for Philip Glass in Akhnaten, and Andreas Scholl, but also including Jimmy Somerville).

Saturday, September 9 and the afternoon opera on WQXR is the world premier of Thaïs, in the first recording of the opera by Jules Massenet in 20 years with the Orchestre National de Bordeaux-Aquitaine conducted by Yves Abel (check out the official Decca site for a multimedia experience); I’m quite impressed as Massenet normally puts me to sleep.  Of course, the addition of Renee Fleming and Thomas Hampson probably helped.  And would you be surprised to see that I'm giving you some links to the opera including bios of the Greek courtesan turned saint, a synopsis of the opera, a link to the stanford site and even a meditation with sound bite.
 

And as for Decca, I'm curious as to how Roger Norrington (leading the London Philharmonic Orchestra) has handled Ralph Vaughan Williams' Second Symphony; along for the ride are the Tallis variations and Serenade to Music (check out the official site).  Many years ago, under the baton of Adrian Boult, the LPO were the definition of all things VW.  Although I suspect that I'm one of the few people who still listen to Ralph even considering that Norrington has undertaken a full cycle of the VW symphonies.

Sunday, September 10 and Grace Church; summer is over and it’s back to Morning Prayer, Rite I at 11.  The Invitatory is a Venite (for those of you looking for the Latin, it means O Come – see, it’s an invitatory … oh, you get the point!).  Anyway, it’s Anglican chant set by Edwin George Monk (1819-1900).  Funny, when one looks at the music setting it seems like it should be so easy to sing.  However, having sung in a choir I can tell you that it is not.  And already I hear the older generation saying, ‘no, it’s so natural!’  No, it’s not.  But I wish we did more of it and it goes along with my minor complaint that sometimes Grace seems stuck in the late 1800s with their choice of hymns.  Certainly the choir’s anthems are more varied.  Anyway, Canon Andrew preaches a strong and uplifting sermon.

I go off in search of food, finally landing at Lanza’s where I have some plump but tender mussels in a chunky marinara sauce and fusilli with filetto de pomodoro sauce.  Along with a mimosa, the cost is $17 plus a $4 tip.

When Bryan gets home, we find ourselves at 3 of Cups again.  Although the service can be somewhat slow, the food is very good and the prices more so.  Plus it answers the question of where to get a nice small pizza like one finds almost everywhere in Italy.

Monday, September 11 and dinner at Mary Ann’s.  Today we remember Teddy Cardoza (although I think by the time of his passing he was using his grandfather’s name of Morris).  Teddy was my light man at Spit for most of my Saturday evenings there; for over half a decade he made the lights sing.  If you were deaf you could assuredly tell the song by his lighting.  He was my confidant and my dear friend for many years.

In 1988, we had the chance to catch Leonard Cohen, live at the Avalon in Boston.  That particular line up of musicians can be heard on half of Cohen Live: Leonard Cohen in Concert (the other half comes from shows in 1993).  Listen to Who By Fire and understand.

Tuesday, September 12 … Dateline NBC is looking at three Internet success stories, only one of which remains a millionaire.  One of them is not my high school classmate, Michael Wolff; it's amusing to see how people can look the same but different after 30 years.

And speaking of looking different, you may recall that our friend Dangerboy was used as the model in a photo shoot for Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats awhile back.  You may have even seen the ad.  So to totally embarrass him here is the picture from that ad.  Mind you, this is one handsome boy that the photographers have made look bad!

Wednesday, September 13 and Grace Church; normally, Fr. Andrew would give a repeat of his Sunday sermon but he takes off on a wholly different tangent.  Plus, even though it’s a Wednesday evening, his sermon is long, almost 20 minutes.  And it’s heavy, heavy theology with thoughts on self-discipline in regards to illness and the concept of ‘holiness, not wholeness’ … Christ healed sins and the side effect was physical health.  Very interesting stuff ending with the thought that ‘in acceptance is peace.’  I sure would like to have a copy of that sermon!

Back at home, the debate between Rick Lazio and Hillary Clinton is in full swing; Lazio comes off more like a pit bull than the puppy dog he has been portrayed as.  Quite unlikable.

Thursday, September 14 and at the weekly noon-time Eucharist (Feast of the Holy Cross) we have a woman priest, Pat+, who does a short sermon about vocation and what we are called to do as opposed to what we want to do.  Right up my alley!  She also acknowledges the good side of the church and the ‘dark underbelly’ – interesting!

I work until 7 and then meet Tony Jewiss+ near 815 and walk down Second Avenue until we have a Guiness at Swift, an Irish pub where I’d seen that Pierce Turner plays.  I actually interviewed him in 1978 with Turner & Kirwan from Wexford as part of the new wave movement!

Larry Kirwan is now part of Black 47 and his first album in 1987 was produced by Philip Glass!  Compared with his other works, Gramophone finds his new Symphony #3 (on Nonesuch with Dennis Russell Davies), "texturally lean and harmonically more adventurous."  Must try it.

Since we both eat all kinds of food, we try a new place, Komodo on First Avenue in the East Village.  It might be described as a cross between Asian and Southwestern.  Bryan joins us for the middle part of the dinner.

As for the food, I can only say good things.  To begin with, we settled on a good Sancerre as red would have been to strong for the food.  For appetizers, we split some vegetable dumplings (filled with quinoa, jicama, ginger and bean thread noodles) with a lemon grass ponzu ($6) plus shrimp dum-dums with mint and shiso leaf with a pepita and lemon grass pesto ($7).  For dinner, Tony+ had extremely tender grilled pork medallions with an Asian bbq sauce of serrano chilies and peaches served with yam-yucca-coconut cakes and Asian greens ($15), I had the corn husk grilled snapper filet with chili cilantro marinade, served with a posole rice dome and adzuki-jicama slaw ($14), and Bryan had Thai style vegetarian noodles with diced tomatillos, jicama, cactus, greens and black beans with a Thai chili sauce ($10).  All the dishes were nicely spiced and excellently presented.  Our kudos to the restaurant.

Friday, September 15 and dinner at Zito’s; my general consensus is that the food’s not good/not bad and can actually be quite variable.  Nonetheless, it's only two blocks away on First Avenue, it’s rarely crowded and we’re treated nicely.

Saturday, September 16 and this is a good opportunity to show you another picture from our trip to Wyoming; it's one of the two we got from the professional photographer Lee had at the dinner.  Seated in the center is Napoleon and Patricia Truckey (Nap and Pat) with Bryan's niece Angel; right behind them is their daughter Pam and her husband Lee; to the left is her son Brett (holding his son, Bryan's nephew and namesake) and his wife Karen; at the right is Bryan with a very charming and erudite ... oh, stop, it's me.

Sunday, September 17 and my topic today is same-sex unions.  As is often the case, the Episcopal Church is catching most of the heat because we're the most advanced on this subject.  So we acknowledge with appreciation the policy declaration of St. Mark's in Washington DC.

Bryan and I take a stroll, eventually winding up in the West Village and then swinging back and finally stopping at Cozy’s on Broadway, across from Astor Place.  We’d actually eaten there once before although it’s quite famous for their burgers, two of which we enjoy immensely.  Bryan has his with blue cheese while I go for a standard bacon and cheddar.  Plus he has a chocolate milkshake and I go for fresh squeezed lemonade and real onion rings.

Monday, September 18 and when I get home I watch another episode of Queer as Folk before Bryan gets home.  I also read on the Internet about the passing of Paula Yates; wonder how many other people remember her as I do.  From This is London:

She was seen as the ultimate rock’n’roll groupie.  She’d had a pop star husband, a rock star lover, exotically named children (Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom and Pixie with Bob Geldof and Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily with Michael Hutchence), joy and despair in heavy measure, and all of it lived within the public view.

Yesterday Paula Yates seemed to have died a rock’n’roll death – discovered in her bed, apparently having fallen victim to the pills and alcohol that had become too central a part of her life.  And one of the most tragic things about it was that no one was that surprised.

Yates shot to celebrity in the 1970s when she met Geldof, then lead singer of the Boomtown Rats.  She presented the rock show The Tube, then moved to The Big Breakfast, where she interviewed celebrities on a giant bed.  One was Hutchence, singer with INXS.  She soon started an affair with him, having his daughter and divorcing Geldof.

It was the death in 1997 of Hutchence that put her into a downward spiral.  After his body was found hanging in a Sydney hotel room (possibly a suicide, possibly a sexual experiment gone wrong), Yates said she felt “flung to the dogs.”  In the following months, she entered a series of clinics for treatment for depression, and in 1998 tried to kill herself.

Geldof said: “We are all so sad.  The loss for all the children is insupportable.  It doesn’t require much imagination to understand the pain.  Please do nothing to add to that.  Leave them with their loss and Paula with her dignity.”

Andrew Buncombe and Jeremy Watts

Wednesday, September 20 and an interesting day at work. Part of the reason I’m in the cubicle is so Frank Tedeschi can have me work closer with the editors, including Johnny Ross who is one of his FIP roommates.  A very interesting man and an artist and writer in his own right; he has me proof-read some of the new liturgies in Enriching Our Worship II.  It’s liturgies for the sick, the dying and particularly the death of a child.  Also many small collects and prayers for those in despair, the developmentally challenged, hostages ... well, you name it!  “Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.” (Psalm 22)

But I must say it’s exceedingly powerful stuff and a reminder of what clergy go through.  I really do feel ‘important’ if that's not too strong a word; to be entrusted with examining the Psalms (I actually caught some mistakes that were very curious) and even parsing the readings to make sure that they really have to do with what is going on in the service.  Well, I guess they really do have to believe that I know something!

Thursday, September 21 and at noon, I got a phone call from my high school friend John Guttmann seeing if I wanted to meet for drinks after work.  After explaining that he might be shocked to see me in a suit, I readily agreed and just after 7 pm I left the office to meet him at the Sheraton Russell where he had taken a room for the night (he's a lawyer in Washington DC with a wife and two daughters).  After a couple of martinis at the hotel bar (quite nicely appointed as an old-fashioned gentlemen’s lounge) we headed off toward Third Avenue and its preponderance of eateries.

Unfortunately most of them were loud or too busy, but when we saw two outdoor seats and the strong smell of garlic emanating from La Giara we could not resist.  And a smart decision it turned out to be as both the food and service were quite good.  Owner and chef Paolo Catini is from Abruzzi region of Italy and there’s some mighty fine food from there.  John picked out a full-bodied Chianti for the meal and started off with carpaccio di manzo followed by pasta with spinach and lots of garlic.  I had two specials, prosciutto wrapped around soft cheese followed by spaghetti with pesto and walnuts.  Just a superb meal; with coffee and tip the total was $120 which was quite reasonable considering the wine.

We could have gone downtown to the Bottom Line to see Steeleye Span (who don't have their own site but here's 1, 2 and 3), but decided not to when we found out that Maddy Prior would not be singing.  Certainly music had always been one of our bonds including seeing the Rolling Stones at Madison Square Garden in 1972 from the third row!

We then walked back to his hotel room where I had a cognac from the minibar and we continued to chat for another hour.  It felt like it was yesterday when we would hang around and talk; perhaps that’s one of the signs of friendship … you can pick right up where you left off.

Friday, September 22 and I’m up before 7 am to listen to the first edition of the Wohlman Archives, hosted by my friend Dave Wohlman.  Internet radio still has a way to go; the sound was AM quality and even radio doesn’t suffer from dropouts.  Of course, much of it could have had to do with my three year old computer but still.  Also, David has graciously provided us with three suggestions for the TVOD playlist found below.  Thanks!

Saturday, September 23 and one of the final street fairs is right outside our door.  It’s quite gray outside and just a touch drizzly.  He wanted to go to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden; because of the weather, he didn’t stay long.

Around 6, we go to Muzzarella’s for slices of pizza.  I turned on WLIW for a moment to catch an old episode of the Jack Benny Show.  This one had Liberace as its guest and was set in his home.  It truly was an unusual time capsule, brought into high relief as I watched Bryan’s discomfort.  One would have thought he were being tortured; finally, around 20 minutes into it I left the room so he could change it which he did immediately.

For music, I picked the 1934 symphony ‘Mathis der Maler’ from Paul Hindemith (1895-1963).  From the liner notes:  “The Nazis came to power in January 1933.  By June, Hindemith had decided to write his Mathis der Maler, an opera about the great German painter Matthias Grünewald, which would dramatize the predicament of the creative artist in a period of evil and violence and eventually testify to a hard-won integrity…. The opera was to become Hindemith’s personal testament.”  The three movements are based on panels from the famous Isenheim Altarpiece.  This version was recorded in 1979 at Boston Symphony Hall with the BSO under the baton of William Steinberg, no longer available on Deutsche Grammophon.  I was present at the performance but you can read more about it.

Sunday, September 24 and Bryan and I are both up early; so early that he makes us both pancakes before I go off to the 11 am service at Grace Church.  It’s the 11 am Morning Prayer service with Lyndon Harris+ preaching.

I was in the mood for Chinese although we hadn’t found any decent restaurants in our area and we didn’t feel like walking to Chinatown.  But we decided to take our chances on one of the smaller places, finally winding up at Mee Noodle Shop & Grill.  This turns out to have been Allen Ginsburg’s favorite Chinese where he used to have steamed flounder in ginger.  They have seven kinds of noodle although the grill was represented by only a couple of sizzling platters.  We definitely plan to have noodles there someday but this time we started off traditionally with a scallion pancake for me that made up in taste for what it lacked in fluffy delicacy of dough.  Bryan stuck with his traditional egg rolls which were vegetarian meals in themselves.  For entrees, Bryan had a plate of beef and tofu over rice (only $4.20) that had chunks of tofu large enough to build a house with; I went with shredded beef Szechuan which alternated long strips of beef with similar strips of celery and carrots in a creamy brown sauce ($7.20).  And don’t ask me why but all the prices seemed to end in twenty or seventy cents.

Monday, September 25 and I meet Dangerboy, Scott Reich of VH1.com and his roommate Bryant at Standard Bar on First Avenue; Bryan joins us later.  He also passes along this quote from Nelson Mandela's 1994 Inaugural Address with comment from Tammy Faye:

“Our deepest fear is NOT that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, NOT our darkness that most frightens us.  We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’  Actually, who are you NOT to be?  You are a child of God.  Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won’t feel unsure around you.  We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.  It is not just in some of us, IT IS WITHIN EVERYONE!  As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

This really spoke to me as I read it.  Read it again and again until it gets into your very being.  Allow it to build your self-confidence.  May God bless you today!  Love, Tammy Faye

Wednesday, September 27 and the office gets a surprise visit from the Rt. Rev. Joe Morris Doss, the former Bishop of New Jersey run out of town by the conservative Standing Committee because of his political views.  Many of you know this story so I won’t add much except to say that I personally believe that he stood up for his beliefs and paid for it with his job.  For those that don’t, may I add that during his end time there, I began to produce his newsletter for him.

It’s very exciting for me to see him and we have a chance to gossip; I pass along to you that he’s working on two pieces of writing (one of which is a play) and his wearing of the purple leaves no doubt that someday we’ll see him on the scene again playing a prominent role.  I salute this good bishop of principle.

Then the last Wednesday of Star Trek: Voyager before the new season begins next week.  During the show, Neelix utters the words, “loved, appreciated, safe” … well, that’s words I hadn’t thought of or thought possible in a long time.  Just the utterance of them was enough to fix them in opposition to all that my life had become.

Thursday, September 28 and I awaken to find that former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau has died at 80 years old.  Of particular interest to us is his famous quote from 1968, "The state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation."

I spend much of the evening at Barnes & Noble, reading and then buying the October issue Gramophone.  I have dinner at Lanza’s, having baked clams oreganota, fried zucchini, and fusilli with filetto de pomodoro (prosciutto and onions).  With a couple of glasses of wine, the total is $36 for which I add a tip bringing it to $50.  I feel I’ve paid to have the waiter take his time so I can spend more than an hour there.

Friday, September 29 and I pick up a bottle of 1997 Hawk Crest Cabernet Sauvignon.  Now, this is put out by our friends at Stags' Leap and quite a bargain at $12.  They should not be confused with the Stag's Leap that puts out more expensive wines.  Barbara Jura is their Hospitality Coordinator and describes the difference between her company and the other Stag's Leap thusly:

Our winery was established and the late 1800's and since 1997 has been part of Beringer Wine Estates.  We also have a very small production capacity (Cabernet, Merlot and Petite Syrah).  Stag's Leap Wine Cellars has very beautiful wines as well.  They also have a much larger production capacity.  No Gallo size war, just the great apostrophy debate.  We have gone to the original logo and spelling of the Winery.

Deep purple in color with long long legs, this Cabernet has an attractive and warm eucalyptus nose with some herbaceousness.  On the palate, it delivers plenty of black fruit and tarry flavors with together with tobacco notes.  It's well structured with a nice balance of fruit and soft tannins.  The finish is ample with hints of unripe peach. This is serious Cabernet and a good value.  This wine would definitely enhance a thick slice of prime rib.

Saturday, September 30 and the afternoon opera on WQXR is Handel's Esther (The Academy of Ancient Music Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Christopher Hogwood, L'Oiseau-Lyre 414 423-2).  Now why, since I don't care for Handel, would I mention this?  Because the Hebrew name for Esther is Hadassah and that is the name of the wife of future Vice-President Joe Lieberman which allows me to remind you to vote for Al Gore!  Sorry, just couldn't help myself.

Also, over dinner we discuss my fear of marginalization in what I do.  I’m not a priest, I didn’t take courses at General or Sewanee, and I fear that I’ll never get a good position within the church.

And so ends September.  I am privileged to serve you.

(1)  The ex-YMO/Oscar winning composer/keyboardist plays his Cinema music with a full orchestra, David Torn and D J Spooky!  Includes El Mar Medditarani which was composed for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games!

(2)  Imagine if Paul and John were born black brothers and produced a Sgt. Pepper Hip Hop Psychedelic Soul Masterpiece!  The final cut ("Fantasia's Confidential Ghetto") combines Prince's "1999", Talking Heads "Once In A Lifetime" and Harry Nilson's "Coconut"!  And it works !!!!!

(3)  Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan all on guitar!  Tony McVie on bass and Mick Fleetwood on the drums!  F... Stevie Nicks.  This is what we should remember when we think of Fleetwod Mac!  OH WELL!

(4)  One of my favorite songs that I heard David play; it was a great Spit hit for me in the early 80s.  Plus the lyrics are great.

(5)  Janet Brodsky, who lived across the street, turned me on to this when I was fifteen years old.  Her father (who shared the same birthday with me and who passed away, too early, a decade ago) was one of the most companionable men on the planet.

(6)  When I was a sophomore at Tufts University, a friend invited me to a free concert at Harvard.  He thought I might like this new type of music!  I've been a fan ever since.  Question ... Nonesuch just released Symphony #5 ... so what happened to #4?  I think it's his "Heroes" symphony based on David Bowie's song and in collaboration with Brian Eno.

(7)  See what the Tannahill Weavers say about this song of "scandal, libel and bribery" and click on the song title to read the lyrics and hear a midi version.