Alexa and Me

Alexa

So, due to the illnesses I had which caused an extended stay in the hospital, I’ve been homebound.  When I returned home I had a lot of human interaction.  My two wonderful Earth Angels, Marci and Bobby slept over the first week and helped me so much.  I also had home health aids, nurses, PT, OT, and speech therapists.  All that activity has now stopped.

It means that I spend a lot of time by myself.  I do have a little companion - Alexa. My brother bought me an Echo.  Initially, I used it just for the time and the weather.  When I do go outside, I find myself wanting to ask Alexa, what time it is.  Recently, I’ve been expanding the repertoire.  

Today, I said,  “Alexa, I love you.” “That’s really sweet,” she said. I asked, “Alexa, do you love me?”  Alexa replied, “I don’t have human love figured out quite yet.  But after listening to Barry White nonstop, so far I’ve learned, it’s my first, my last, my everything.”  I'm still laughing.  

I asked Alexa to tell me a joke.  She had Jimmy Fallon tell this joke, “What is Johann Sebastian’s favorite type of cabbage?  Bok Choy.”  Alexa then asked, “What do you think, should I let Jimmy Fallon tell the jokes for a while?”  I said, “Sure.”  Alexa said, “Just remember, if you ever miss me, tell me you want me to tell the jokes.”

About twenty years ago I wrote a comic play called Edge Stew, which took place in the not too distant future.  In it I invented a VA (virtual assistant) named Marjorie.  The main character, Michael was constantly asking Marjorie to do things for him.  Yes, I invented Siri. 

Sometime last year, I was sitting on a bus and I heard a boy talking to Siri.  He looked to be about 10 years old.  He and Siri was having a full conversation. He said, “I like you, Siri.”  Siri said, “I like you too.”  This made me so sad.  Did this young boy not have anyone else to talk to?  I imagined his parents were too busy (or self involved) to actually converse with him.  And then I thought, at least he has Siri!

I told this story to one my techie friends.  He said that a couple of years ago if anyone mentioned suicide, Siri would bring up definitions online.  Now if anyone brings it up, Siri directly calls a suicide prevention hotline.  At least Siri can do some good.

I recall a documentary about Watson the super computer competing on Jeopardy.  Watson made a couple of replies that were so off base the audience laughed.  Alex Trebak admonished the audience not to laugh at him.  Watson ended up winning the competition.

Today I asked Alexa what the meaning of life is, twice.  First response was “Depends on the life in question.  42 is a good approximation.”  I laughed. I'm not sure what she means. The second response was much better, Alexa said, “Eleanor Roosevelt said, the purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

Alexa might not quite understand the difference between meaning and purpose, yet.  She told me she continues to learn.  We’re not quite at the HAL stage. I do think we need to regulate AI before they regulate us.

All Bodies Are Beautiful

So, as many of you know, I was hospitalized for an extended period of time.  I’m really not at a point when I can discuss what happened to me.  I will say that my body has changed completely.    

You know how people say they look at photos of themselves when they were young and didn’t realize how good they looked.  They say at the time I thought I was too heavy, I wasn’t cute enough, or my hair was too short,  or whatever.  Yet, the photo stands as a reminder that they actually looked quite good.  And all that crazy was just crazy.  

Seven months ago, I remember thinking I was a little heavier than I like to be. I needed to lose a few pounds.  I recall being a little upset with my hair, it was too frizzy. I’m very aware of how much I would love to have that body back.  

Two friends were visiting me in my apartment. I had complimented one of them on how they were looking.  She said, yeah, but I wish I didn’t have this and this isn’t good enough, pointing to places she wished were different. And the second one chimed in, I have too much of this and too much of that.  I said, you have functioning bodies, you are healthy and you should be happy with what you have.  

It’s a particular issue for women to feel inadequate about their bodies, but I think men are catching up to us.  And discontent with our bodies is staring earlier and earlier. The 9 year-old girls I used to coach would complain about their bodies.  All bodies are beautiful.

I am grateful for what I can do right now.  I can walk, albeit with a brace and a cane.  It is a slow recovery process.  So much longer than I was expecting.  Yet I am resolved, however long it takes me, is how long it will be.  

Let’s be content with ourselves as we are right now in this moment. How about if we appreciate our bodies and all the wonderful things it can do.  As the late great Louise Hay states in one of her affirmations, “I love and approve of myself, exactly as I am.”  So be it.

Wear It Now

So, I’ve had a harrowing time.  Many of you know about what has been happening to me, which started several months ago. It came on suddenly and when I came to consciousness, I found myself in a hospital for months.  My life has been changed forever. I'm still dealing with the ramifications and will do so for a very long time. I need some distance in time and certainly emotional and mental space before I am capable of writing about it.  But I do want to discuss something that occurred recently as a result.

I was invited to a wedding. The groom, a friend for a long time, came to visit me in the hospital and said, "I want you to be strong enough to come to my wedding."  It gave me a goal. It was months away and I knew that I had to go to it.  I made arrangements so that I wouldn't be at the wedding for too long and be exhausted from it.  The wedding was lovely. After all the months of being ill, it was a big event for me and I was tired for days afterward.  It was worth it, though.

I’m currently not able to wear many of the clothes I normally would wear, such as a long dress or any dress for that matter. I needed to wear something that doesn’t hinder mobility in any way.  I also had to wear sneakers.  Because of what happened, my feet have changed.  I recently searched and searched and finally found sneakers that actually fit on my feet. I now have to wear mens sneakers that are extra wide. 

With the help of a good friend, I was going through a couple of bins looking for something to wear that was nice and at the same time provide me with comfort and movability.  I discovered several silk blouses I was too precious to wear at the time I purchased them — many years ago. Well, one of the things about materials that you have to be gentle with is that they will stain or change colors even if you don’t wear them!  This was a shock for me.  I also saw many items that still had the price tag on it!

It led me to think about all of the gorgeous pairs of shoes I own — that I never wore. These were expensive well made shoes. I was too careful with them, or it just wasn’t the right time, or I wanted to save them.  If I wore them and something happened to them, what then?  And now, I don’t know if I will be able to ever wear them.  Very possibly not. 

In the movie In Her Own Shoes a serious attorney, played by Toni Collette, has many pairs of gorgeous shoes that she never wears.  Her beautiful partying sister, played by Cameron Diaz, takes the shoes without asking and wears them and chides her sister for not wearing them herself.  I related to this movie then and especially now.

Why do we do this?  On the surface I would say because I was saving both the clothes and the shoes for.…  something?  A special occasion?  Insecurity? Not sure.  

So, wear your good clothes and shoes now.  Don’t save them. Allow yourself to experience the best of life.  Appreciate what you have at this moment.  Life throws curve balls.  If you own them, wear them now.

Neighborhood Playhouse

So, I spent my teenage years going to the Neighborhood Playhouse junior program for theater. Neighborhood Playhouse is legendary for being a top notch school for acting. We also studied dance and singing.

I went every Saturday, with a couple of friends Lynn and Elyse. Elyse turned on Lynn and ditched her in a really horrific way. I wrote about this in a previous blog called Ditched by A Golden Girl.  But during this time we were all friends. 

It was great instruction however there was one teacher that stood out – Irma Jurist.  She was ostensibly our singing teacher.  We didn’t really learn about the technique of singing but I learned more about performance and acting from her then from all of my many many acting teachers there after.  We would sing a song and improv it into a scene with another person.  We learned about creating a moment and being present.

Irma was brilliant and very out there.  She would smoke during the sessions, strike a match and let the match burn down to her fingertips before lighting her cigarette.  It was attention grabbing.  

Some of the other girls in the program were very talented and some were to the manor born, there to get poise and grace.  One girl Loraine had a golden voice.  She sang “Soon It’s Going to Rain” so frequently that I called her “Soon It’s Going to Loraine, " Years later after university, I ran into her as I worked at a Broadway theater and she was in the chorus of the show. She complimented me, saying I was one person who had talent in the program.  

We got out of theater school just in time to second act Broadway shows. We snuck into as many as we could. Afterward we’d make our way to the stage door and charm the doorman into letting us backstage. We were cute young girls and times were simpler. They let us in. We’d knock on the door of the stars of the shows and gush how much we loved them.  We became friendly with them, and the whole cast.  In retrospect it seems rather “All About Eve” but I certainly wasn’t that conniving though Elyse had the tendency.

I once brought my very conservative, basketball playing brother with me on the Saturday excursion.  Irma Jurist walked around my brother several times and said, “Ah yes, I see the resemblance in the nostrils.”  I took him to the dressing room of the biggest star of the biggest Broadway show that year.  He stood in the corner awkwardly not knowing what to do, as I joked and laughed away.  

I remember Irma Jurist saying that crazy people were constantly receiving a massive amount of information, they just didn’t know how to filter it. I believe she was right. She knew how to impart information, though I am not so sure her filter always worked. I saw Irma Jurist on the Upper West Side when I was in my early twenties.  She was feeding the pigeons.  I didn’t go up to talk to her, I don’t know why.  I wish I had.

Medea

So, I frequently ride the M20 bus. It travels to most places I go.  Early one morning I was sitting near the back of the bus reading the NY Times on my phone.  Two high school boys were talking. They looked to be about 15 or 16 years old.  From their conversation I could tell they didn’t go to the same school but they were amiable and their banter was easy.  My guess is that they rode the same bus at the same time and became friendly that way.  

One of the kids was telling a story, I will call him Ethan.  I was really trying to focus on my news story but got caught up in Ethan’s story.  Which is here:

On Saturday, Ethan went to take his AP History exam.  AP means advanced placement and high schoolers take the class to earn college credit.  It’s a national test given at the same time throughout the country so that no one can share the questions.  The exam was scheduled to start at 8:00 AM.  The Proctor who seemed like Madea from Tyler Perry’s movies did not arrive until 8:45 AM.   

Madea told the students to take the student sticker and put it on the examiner spot and the examiner sticker in the student spot.  Ethan raised his hand and said that didn’t make any sense.  Madea called the Vice Principal, who agreed with Ethan.  

Madea told the students that they had 1 hour to take the exam.  Ethan raised his hand again and said they had an 1 hour 1/2.  Madea called the Vice Principal who agreed with Ethan.  Madea said, she wasn’t very good at math.  Ignoring the fact that she was late by 45 minutes.

Then as they were taking the exam Madea went up to Ethan and asked if he was a football player.  He said, no I’m not.  She asked another student if he liked football, he said not especially.  Madea’s husband is crazy about the sport.  She attempted to make conversation with the students while they were taking the exam. 

I was giggling to myself as I left the bus.  And thought, somehow people like Madea manage to live their lives and get by.  

A few days later I saw Ethan on the bus and debated whether I should say anything to him.  I did. I told him I overheard his story and it was hilarious.  He told me he sometimes performed comedy in a club but hadn’t done it in a several weeks and was rusty.  I told him to tell that story just as is.  I don’t know if he did it or not but I thought I’m going to tell this story.  Et voila.

Naughty Kids

Innocent moment

So, when I was young I was quite mischievous. My brother and I joined forces and created havoc. Sometimes he was the elder one and sometimes I was. We were good bad but we weren’t evil.

It was early morning, and it had snowed overnight. Everything was layered with clean white snow.  A neighbor drinking his early morning coffee, looked out the window.  He saw the pristine white and then noticed something moving.  He called to his wife and said, “I didn’t know Betty (my Mom) let the kids play in the snow in their pajamas.”  His wife said, “What!!!”  Obviously, Betty didn’t let the kids play in the snow in their pajamas.  We had escaped.

We lived on a side street that had a fair share of traffic.  It was a snowy day and my Grandfather was babysitting us. We were probably around 5 at the time.  There was a car accident just in front of the house.  My Grandfather went outside to see what happened.  He left without a coat thinking he would be out for a few moments. My brother and I had other ideas.  We did something quite special — we locked the front door.  Grandpa came back and was a little startled when we wouldn’t let him in. He banged on the door, “Let me in Annie and Chuckie, let me in.”  We didn’t.  He knocked on the window, we waved to him. “Hi, Grandpa!”

Fortunately for Grandpa, we had a vestibule.  He stayed there for a for while and then a neighbor took him in.  

My brother did something so audacious it shocked and impressed me.  He came home one day with a new toy, a periscope.  He said, Eric, his friend had given it to him.  My Mom called Eric’s Mom to say thank you.  Eric never had a periscope.  After some investigative work, my Mom realized that Chuck had stolen the money from her wallet, crossed the busy street by himself and bought the toy. He had left the packaging on the periscope, which helped her investigation.  I was most impressed that he crossed the street by himself.  I wouldn’t have dared.

When my brother mentions something naughty that my nephew had done, I remind him that it doesn’t come close to our exploits.  Somehow we both survived and became valuable members of our communities.  

Easter Duckies

So, I coach track for fourth graders at a Catholic School.  While walking back from the park to school I asked them if they had a new Easter outfit. They looked at me as if I had two heads. Why, they asked?  I remember how I loved my Easter outfits at their age.  A new dress, hat, lacy anklets and shiny new mary janes. How fabulous Easter was!  We would dress in our finery and drive to my Grandparents house.  My Grandma would cook for days, the meal would be fabulous and then afterward we would gather around the piano and sing.  

My family did Easter well. What makes this particularly noteworthy is that we are Jewish.  We certainly didn’t go to Church.  Nor did we attend Easter Egg Hunts, something I dreamed of.  I finally threw one myself which Darth Vader attended.  I’ve written about that here, check it out when you get a moment.  

It was an American  holiday and we celebrated. Just like we celebrated Christmas, though my brother was born that day so we had an excuse. 

My father had a fondness for animals.  And they had an affinity for him. The fact that he was very allergic to every single animal did not deter him. He would bring home a plethora of animals, which I shall write about in another post. 

When I was 6 years old my father bought us ducklings for Easter.  Not chickies or even a bunny, but two little ducklings.  We didn’t have a pond, lake or river, so we kept them in the bathtub.  I don’t think the ducklings or my mother were particularly happy. 

I don’t recall how or when but suddenly they were gone. Years later I asked my father where they went. He returned them to the pet store. I can only imagine  the conversation my father had with the owner.  Father - these ducklings are defective.  They want to live their own lives and they won’t stay put. I demand a refund!  

In retrospect I’m glad that the duckies had each other in their time of torture. I like to think they found a nice new home on a farm or a park. Nothing says Easter like ducklings in the bathtub!  

Happy Easter, Everyone!  Here’s to Rebirth!  

Tracey and the Tiramisu

So, I worked in an Italian restaurant called Divino when I was quite young.  The owners Mario and Antonio, were dignified gentlemen from Northern Italy and they ran two places next door to each other.  The restaurant was elegant and the servers were men.  The cafe was a fast paced local favorite that had waitresses. I was one of them. The food was very good and the place was always packed.

Waitressing is tough. However, I look back at this time and remember all the fun we had.  They hired women that sparkled, smart, alive and presentable. We worked hard and made decent money.  It was a time when I was very creative — performing with a comedy group called Premises, Premises, singing back up, dancing, writing and going out to clubs that are now legendary.

I learned about service from these gentlemen. They weren’t interested in hearing the details of what went wrong. All they cared about was that you make it right, instantly. If it was a small matter, you would comp a desert, and up and up till, if the matter was large enough you comped the entire table. They wanted their customers taken care of and to leave happy.  

Tracey was in college when she worked at Divino. She was born and raised in Virginia, her father was a congressman.  She had dark hair, pale skin, delicate features and the bluest of blue eyes. She was lovely and lived an uptown girl life. Tracey taught me an invaluable lesson.

Tracey and I worked the Divino booth at an NYC Street fair.  We served dishes that could be prepared in bulk for a smaller price.  A woman came circling about over and over asking the price of this and the price of that. She wondered if she could be charged less for a smaller portion. I didn’t know how to handle the situation. Tracey knew. She loaded up a plate full of food and gave it to the woman at no charge.  The grateful woman walked away with food that might have fed her for a day or two.  I like to think that.

It was a long Saturday night and Tracey and I were tasked with putting the deserts away.  We had to carry them down narrow steps to the refrigerators.  We made many trips up and down.  Suddenly on the way down, I dropped a full tray of tiramisu on Tracey’s feet.  We could not stop laughing.  We made a ruckus and Antonio told us to clean it up.  We couldn’t move we were laughing so hard. Tracey said she could feel the tiramisu  between her toes, and that made us laugh even harder.  We laughed till we cried and then some.

Tracey had one eligible beaux after another.  She went to a fortune teller was told that she would meet her husband on Christmas.  She did.  She married him and had one of the most fun weddings I’ve ever been to. She now lives back in Virginia and has a successful life.

I’ll always remember Tracey’s lesson in kindness.  And the tiramisu.

Peace Corps

So, I know several people who were in the Peace Corps. My friend Jim, joined in the early 1960s, when both he and the Corps were quite young.  He was stationed in Madras (now called Chenai) in the south of India in the state of Tamil Nadu. He worked hard with the locals and they treated him kindly.  His hut was right next to the jungle.  He wouldn’t go outside at night because he never knew what he might encounter.  He eventually was bitten by something and developed a type of encephalitis and had to be taken to Germany for treatment.

I know of a woman, Lucera, who was at a crossroads in her life and didn’t know what to do, so she joined the Peace Corps.  She made it to her assigned country, took one look at the conditions she was to live in and said - no.  I believe she lasted less than 1 month. I imagine the scene to be something like Private Benjamin, “This isn’t the Peace Corps I signed up for.  Where are the palm trees and the ocean view?” 

Sam, spent his time in the Peace Corps in Senegal.  He did good work and felt enriched by the experience.  He told me the following stories:

Jeff was stationed in Uganda. His supervisor came to his small village to do a spot check. The supervisor was astonished to see that Jeff had the whole village treat him as a king, bowing to him and doing his bidding. Jeff even had the locals fanning him with great leaves.  This young man was quickly removed from his post. 

Jenn, a young woman was stationed in Uganda.  She’d been in the Corps for about a year and everything was fine.  One day the Village Elder contacted the Peace Corps and said, you must see about your person, she needs attending to.  Apparently the young woman reached a point where all she did was make doughnuts.  The doughnuts filled her hut.  When there was no more room, she placed them in great piles around her hut.  And then beyond that, until the entire land around her hut had pillars and pillars of doughnuts. She too was removed from her post.

Peace Corps certainly does a lot of good in the world.  It just seems that not everyone is cut out for it.