These Were the Months That Were - Updates

I haven't been doing too much writing - Writers block? Maybe. Actually I have too much I want to write about and end up chasing my tail trying to decide what to write and how to organize it. But I also want to read and watch TV and do stuff. I've been busy. With the UFT stuff in a lull and gardening at a low ebb, I should be doing more blogging. The past 3 months have been loaded with stuff to write about. But I didn't and now am in the weeds. I had to review my calendar because I tend to forget what I did the day before. And I tend to lose track. Did this or that happen yesterday or 2 months ago? So I am going to record in this space what I remember over the past few months so I can check what happened. Looking at this calendar I think I need a rest.

Reminders: 

Free Tuesday, August 12: Join the fun. 

 

Tonight, tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday matinee: 

Final 4 days of Sweet Charity at RTC.  

 

Thursday, August 7, 2025  - Things I should (have) (and may) (and maybe did) write about. 

Let me go back to June so I can remind myself - 

 

May 29 through June 1 was the UFT election count - That was an experience I should have written more about. I admit I was surprised at the ABC 32 vs ARISE 14%. I thought it would have been closer. But also disappointed in finishing 22% behind Unity's 54%. I thought ABC would drag more votes out of Unity but didn't see us getting more than 36-38%. If ARISE or ABC didn't run, leaving one slate, I think Unity would still have won, but ABC would have given them a run. Now some in ARISE are admitting they never expected to win and believed ABC would do better than them. So why did they run? It's in their genes (See Sidney Sweeney) and some of them just may do it again next time.

 

Unity and ARISE seemed to align on criticism of ABC- clearly viewed as a threat. ABC has no formal structure -- but it looks like ABC will continue in some form. The ARISE coalition of 3 caucuses needs to do some deep thinking. How would be break up that 14%? MORE is the biggest in school faction - so give them 10%. NAC is still mostly retirees and also occupies RA - so the 3k votes is worth about 3% while the NAC in school output looks minimal. Give NAC 1%. I heard some inside resistance in MORE to the alliance with NAC -- a poor fit they said -- but they were more interested in RA's potential to bring retiree votes. And they didn't. So where does that put the ARISE coalition? The MORE brain trust would see some kind of alliance with ABC would be more fruitful - and in Sept. 2024 some MORES told us there were dozens who would be willing to run with ABC but internal issues forced them to look elsewhere. My guess is ABC wants no formal alliances with caucuses but would be open to any individuals. There have been some reachouts and also some informal talks between individuals I hear. My sense is that the ARISE people are in denial about ABC -- they did well because of social media, or they cheated - when the reality was ABC actually had real people in the schools who organized while ARISE relied on leafleting mail boxes. I wrote about the election:

UFT Election Results: Unity’s Grip Weakens—A Bette...

UFT Election Fallout - Retiree Advocate Loses Two ...

Election Reaction - Statement from A Better Contract

UFT Election 25 Dissection: ABC Broke New Ground, ... 

I have a lot more to say on this issue, but not now.

 

June 4-7 trip upstate to celebrate our 54th anniversary - and taking the first road trip with my new Subaru Forester hybrid. Had a great time on the road and in Skaneateles at a place that mimicked Monet's Giverny garden with it's own bridge over the water lily pond.

 

June 9 - Take down the set at Rockaway Theatre Company and start work on the set for Sweet Charity which opened July 25th. One weekend left for a great show.

 

June 11 DA - Pissgate -- the attack on Amy Arundel is still reverberating. I have the only proof - I started a blog but never got back to it. Katie did:  Misogyny at the UFT Delegate Assembly by Katie Anskat. 

June 14 -The lawyer for firm hired by UFT to investigate PissGate calls and asks me for what I know - and also for my photo -- there might be finger prints. Word is Unity is in denial and passing rumors that someone in ABC did it - I heard that premise from someone in ARISE --- like there is no one in Unity capable? I told lawyer there were only 350 people there and no more than half were men - they must do prostrate exams. I'm just glad I used paper towels to remove the photo - and here's an interesting tidbit -- the guy from MORE who found it threw it in the garbage and LeRoy Barr was texted at 5:12. I was told to go in and check and found another one at 6:06. 

 

June 17, 18 - Dentist and Urologist appointments. Not at same time, luckily. 

 

June 20 - Summer Solstice - Yoga in Times Square -- I try to do this every year. And we get a free mat.  Nothing like yoga with hundreds. I hit a pastry place after on 42nd for my favorite eclair.

June 21 - Beatles tribute band Fab Faux at the Paramount on Long Island -- loved the show but not the venue - but for sure we had a good meal at dinner. 

 

Monday July 16 - A tour of Fraunces Tavern with the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association Preservation and Design committee. I'd never been to the museum - and we followed up with lunch. An eating establishment since 1719 - Washington's fave and he used to get take out delivered by DoorDash.

 

June 26 - I celebrate the anniversary of my operation and 15 day stay at MSK. My final post before the operation: Can Unity Be Beaten in 2025 UFT Election? What was...

and the first one after on July 11, 2024: I'm Baaaack - Norm Almost breaks Medicare  

June 27 - ABC Celebrates End of School Year June 27 -  ABC meets in a restaurant/bar in Battery Park City - the last hurrah for the school year as people do their summer thing - the feeling was UP even though that is how we found out 6 people had been fired, including Amy who was at this party, as was just fired District 30 Rep Ashley Rzonka, one of the most competent DRs. I started some blogs on pissgate and the firings but they are still not complete.

July 1 - That night a party on the roof of my building. Nice to meet the neighbors -- 36 floors so nice rooftop views.   

July 2 - eye doctor at NYU/ - still 20-20 vision but first signs of Age Related Macular with signs of Drusen. 

July 5 - My fave podcaster, Mike Duncan, on Lafayette at Fraunces Tavern -- plus other historians -- all afternoon. I bought some books and Duncan signed. Getting to downtown on a Saturday has a certain vibe.

July 8 - DA to back Mamdani - I wrote 3 items based on the fact I support Mamdani but felt the rush and process would lead to so much pushback it wouldn't help and might hurt. I felt time was needed to get into the schools in September and get into the debate. Arthur comes from the same place I did and wrote: The Zohran Endorsement, and ABC - Here's what we'd do differently.

UFT DA Tidbits - Endorsing Mamdani, ABC and ARISE/...

Today's DA and Yesterday Town Hall -- Ode to Hot A...

Will UFT Endorse Mamdani after their attacks on DS...

But want to do more on how Unity and ARISE were oh so united while ABC raised objections to the process. I'm looking for an opportunity to volunteer but with the campaign directly. 

That night hung out with some of the ABC crew in a bar with lots of new faces from District 30. Did the Mulgrew purge create new activists?

July 9 - Gastro Doctor - -- getting ready for upcoming endoscopy and colonoscopy in August. 

July 10 - some ladies from the Murray Hill Preservation committee take the ferry out to visit - we do lunch at The Wharf. I like having friends in Manhattan and walking the streets run into people I know.

Nothing much happened between July 11-20 -- Oh, I finished work on some decking and power washed  the deck and my patio -- I love power washing and how dirt just disappears. My concrete porch was so dark I forget it was pink. And my wife's nagging on the wood railings looking so bad as stopped -- she will find something else.

July 22 - Great rally for fired D. 30 Rep Rzonca in front of the UFT Queens office with over 50 teachers, parents, students and friends. Super impressive turnout. Another blog I began but didn't finish.  

Arthur wrote about it. As USA Flirts with Fascism, UFT Unity Embraces It: In Queens, we stand up to Unity's unilateral actions. And had pics too.

 

 

 

 

July 23-27 - lots of prep needed for the tours I'm running on the weekend. 

July 23 - Lunch with former student at an Albanian Restaurant on E. 31 St. I subjected her to some of my upcoming MH tour. We connected back in November after 30 years - the last time I saw her she had been 12. We are friends now and it is a pleasure to know her. 

  

Evening - attended an AI workshop at the home on East 38th St that Abe Lincoln's granddaughter lived for 20 years. The 5 story house was built around 1900 and is gorgeous.  Back home early enough to work on the tour.

July 24 - Did my Gym and Swim in my building and then Went to the Met to see Sargent in Paris exhibit -- stimulated by his portrait of Gladys Russell on The Guilded Age -- where does fiction end and reality begin? No, the Met doesn't have that portrait. But has this famous one.

I learned a lot about Sargent who had American expat parents and was born and raised in Italy.

July 25 - 2 doc appointments - endocrinologist at MSK Koch (UGH) Center and delicate urological procedure. I've gotten used to young nurses doing procedures. Her fiance is starting a teaching job in NYCDOE in September. Good luck to him. 

July 26 - 27 Tours. I prepped to give my two days tours (Norm Does the JULY WALKING TOUR OF MURRAY HILL). The Murray Hill Neighborhood is running these weekend tours at the end of every month through the fall. 

People pay for these so even though I am a volunteer, I wanted to make sure they don't feel cheated. I had 9 people on Saturday when we covered the southern tier of landmarked buildings and one of the guys I know from the union came in with his wife and we went to lunch after -- and Sunday I had 4 people - it was cloudy with rain threatened but we survived. 

Back to Rockaway that afternoon. I missed my first Rockaway Theatre Company opening night on Friday the 26th of Sweet Charity.

July 28 - dinner with the RTC set construction crew.

July 31 - Cardiologist -- one body part that's working. Picked up at ferry. Lunch at The Wharf with Carol. 

Aug. 1 and 2 - Sweet Charity at RTC. Great performances including a great actress who happens to work at 52 Broadway. I will be on duty for all 4 performances on the final weekend for video. Your last chance to see it.

Aug. 3 - 3 hour cruise around Manhattan on Circle Line with the group from Shorewalkers. Took ferry in the morning and back to Rockaway at 6:30.

Aug. 5 - Back to MSK to get my port flushed. Then walked over to The Met for more art. Damn my knee started bothering me. At night went to Night Out Against Crime at Dag Hammarskjöld plaza and hung with Murray Hill group. Police served burgers and franks. Lots of politicians, showed, like this one. 

On leaving I took campaign lit for the local city council Dem candidate from a young lady and we got into an interesting chat on politics and Mamdani. She works at a local college doing political stats and is working in this campaign to get some experience - I think she will be looking for a job in politics. She's American/Japanese and grew up in Manhattan. When I told her I backed Mamdani she opened up that she is volunteering for him. When I said I was a DSA member she said she is too and opened up about her politics. We had a great conversation and then my friend who is also Japanese came by and I introduced them.  

Aug. 6 - Gym and swim in the morning, breakfast out and back to Rockaway.

Aug. 7 - hey, that's today. I finished putting this together and now need a nap.