My Life Has Become a Mel Brooks Movie

SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2020

• Light, pee, meditation (sitting up in my bed, leaning against the wall), hydration, shroom, window: 7:18am.

Day 16 -- Reigniting the Spark of Hope. I bond with others to give them hope. I couldn't gasp the pronunciation of today's Sanskrit mantra, not even in my own head. "Om Karuna Namah," I invoke the universal power of compassion. Somehow, I just sat there, very present. And then I just started playing bongos on my lap, beating my meditation to my own drum. Loved it. When I opened my eyes, the first things I saw on my wall were a large print of me from when I was 13, about a dozen race bibs, and a small banner from a Bronx 5K.

• Placed an order with Steep & Cheap. Are you familiar with them? They are the Backcountry's on-line outlet. I have taken to wearing bicycle gloves out into the world, and I bought a pair rather inexpensively. Plus a water bottle. Purple.

• Therapy fun with C = TheraC. Went well. Great conversation. Accomplished a lot. Work to do.

• Speaking of work, created more of The Other Project, and now Project R.

• And I ran for 33 minutes. The amount of times Caesar was stabbed in the back. Because my Actor Friend is back. Where was he? Too early to tell. For now, he is resting for strength. And I am thankful. Vibes.

• Yesterday, a Family Member had to put her 17+ year old cat down. We're sad about that, but it was the kitty's time. My Family Member asked me to put a short video collage together of the cat. So I sat and scrolled through 17 years of Google images:

Thanksgivings, friends, widows, and sailing (sigh...so many beautiful sailing photos)

Me on stage at open mics

Race photos, family, falafel (so many falafel, so little time)

Matisyahu in Baltimore.

And then I spotted a photo of me. I'm one year old, and in a baby walker. But my feet aren't touching the ground. I am in a body cast because I was born with a dislocated hip, which was spotted when I was three months old. There was some concern of me being delayed in my learning to walk. But the same Family Member has told me that, after the body cast came the brace. And after the brace, my parents put me on the floor and I just kind of figured out walking on my own.

And I haven't stopped. And I'm not looking back.

Well, I may peak every once in a while. Homophone intended.

SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2020

• 4:50am: Light, pee, weight, fart, meditation, movement, window, hydration, shroom.

• Then I greeted my community.

• I had some beautiful additions to my home brewed tea today. Organic India, Tulsi Green. And dried mango. Mango tea. Yum.

• Dudes. I made a big, delicious oatmeal berry pancake today. In the oven. Baking parchment paper.

• I also made a pot of soup: spinach, tofu, rice, and mushrooms. Very simple. Hot sauce. Spices. Herbs. Delicious.

• I did an in-home upper body workout. 6 1/2 pound ruck + 1 pound hand weights. While watching Flop House on Hulu. 41 minutes, 210 calories.

Several months ago, I had the opportunity to visit some active vegetable gardens in East New York, with a few of my co-workers.

What can I say about East New York? Early scenes in Goodfellas, with a young Henry Hill take place there. A number of my Massapequa friends had parents who grew up there. They left for the suburbs, like lots of people did, as my parents did in Queens. Projects went up, and economic potential crashed through the asphalt.

I have lived in Brooklyn a majority of my life, and I have very little connection to East New York. I know it's a stop on the Long Island Rail Road, and that I've had co-workers in the past say to me "yo, don't go there."

But I did, and I was amazed by our visits to the gardens. We saw three of them, where gardeners and farmers are feeding the residents of the neighborhood. It was lovely. This is what I believe in. This is what my Borough President, who is a vegan as well, believes in. ADAMS for NYC, 2021.

At the first garden, we actually weeded and cleaned, by sticking our hands in the dirt. I loved it. But moments after we arrived, I felt a bite, right away. I was wearing my thick, black, knee high Wilson socks (I swear to you Lisa). What a pushy little bugger. It itched for the rest of the day, but I didn't think much of it. I worked in Central Park for 20 years. I have been bitten and stung by the best of them.

I went home, showered my ass off, and relaxed for the evening. I was looking forward to the fact that in 48 hours, I would be on one of my favorite couch surfing excursions to Los Angeles. But later that evening, my ankle had swelled so badly. It looked as if I had a tennis ball under my skin. And I had trouble walking. Into a Lyft I went. I was dropped off on the wrong side of the hospital. My error. I ran past the building quite frequently, but I didn't know where the emergency entrance was, surrounded by all these one way streets. This is actually a good thing because as I was hobbling around the desolate corner, I passed a small, newly planted curbside tree, which was on fire! I can barely walk, and I find this burning bush in the middle of Sunset Park?! My life had legitimately become a Mel Brooks movie.

I shuffle off into the emergency entrance, where the intake security guard is dealing with a belligerent emotionally disturbed person. Welcome to a western shore of Brooklyn hospital at 11:00pm kids. I'm finally able to tell the intake administrator that there was a fire on the side of the building, I have taken a half an ambien, and that I've hurt my ankle. Surprisingly, I was able to prioritize my story.

A doctor, after a single glance, determines that I have "cellulitis" due to the insect bite, and sends me home with antibiotics. I asked him if there was any reason for me to not travel. He told me to have a safe trip.

All cleared for take-off...but...

I wake up to the worst chocolate thunder, back-door-trots. My foot is no longer swollen. But what am I supposed to do about all this...crap.

As soon as Mother Nature is kind enough to grant me a metaphorical cork, I make it to my doctor, Dr. L, and the woman freaks out. First of all, how does an ER doctor come up with a "cellulitis" diagnosis after a single glance. Had he sent me home with an ice pack, I would have been fine. She said "I can barely see where the insect bite was." Secondly, why the hell did he prescribe the antibiotic? She hates over prescription abuse. Finally, she gave me a note for JetBlue, medically excusing me from my 4:20pm flight to Burbank. I kid you not.

Thankfully, JetBlue was kind and generous to me. Because even they knew that no one wanted me next to them on a six hour flight.

@Deepak

@Oprah

"Oprah and Deepak's Meditation Challenge"

@backcountry

@organicindiausa

@Hulu

@Vice

@ MelBrooks

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