It's a Panda! It's a Dog! It's a Panda Dog!

The animal shown here is actually a dog. And that's the truth. Pretty neat, huh?

Tattoo This

In 1996, my friend Lisa visited me from California and we took a trip to the Village to get tattooed. Her ex-husband, the father of her children, had recently died and so had my father. How much could a tattoo hurt? This was before they were legal in the state, and when we arrived at the parlor there was a sign on the front door. "Temporary Tattoos Only. For permanents, please wait for our shuttle to New Jersey." The tattoo artist who escorted us to the back room later explained that the sign was just a front. "Of course the NYPD all get their tats done here," he said shaking his head.

On my ankle I got the Chinese character for "Father" (shown above). Lisa got a skull and cross bones on her back. The significance? You'd have to understand her wonderful but sometimes warped sense of humor.

Brotherly Love

This picture was taken during a rare moment when my brother Michael was not only tolerating me, but actually being nice. He had every right to resent me and our brother Danny, after all, Mike was an only child for 5 years, when on July 26th 1963 he had a sister, followed by a baby brother just shy of a year later on July 24th. But he eventually recovered and now, although we're not always perfectly civilized together, we do love each other dearly.

Quote

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." --Krishnamurti

New Yorker Cartoon

With Your Shoes On -- by Katie Bowen

I know the floor’s just been cleaned, but come in here baby and kiss me with your shoes on.

I know you have a cold, but come in here baby and kiss me on the lips.

I know there’s no money in the bank, but baby, take me to Barcelona.

I know you can’t dance, but hold me in your arms and take me around the room.

I know I’m sad, but baby please forgive me. I’ll be laughing in a minute ... if you kiss me with your shoes on.

Quote

"Absence, that common cure of love."
--Miguel de Cervantes

Stephan Grapelli

Before I went to Spain, I lived with my parents in New York for a brief stint and waited tables during the day to support my jazz habit. The Village Vanguard, The Blue Note and The Gate were just a few of the places I could be found any night of the week. One night I went to hear Dave Grisman and Stephan Grappelli perform at The Bottom Line, and it turned out to be one of the most joyful experiences in music I'd ever had. After the show I made a beeline for backstage, and as I struck up a conversation with Grappelli, I quickly realized that he didn’t understand English. But he took my hands in his and encouraged me to continue talking. And as I did, he looked into my eyes like he played his violin -with sweetness and warmth and a smile on his face. He seemed to understand everything I was trying to convey. There was no language barrier, after all. The language of music needed no translation.

Shown above is a cocktail napkin he signed for me.

Betta on the Horn

This is my dear friend John Trombetta. When we met 10 years ago, I mentioned to him it was Clifford Brown's music that sparked my love for jazz. John then told me it was Clifford who inspired him to start playing the trumpet. That, along with his politically liberal attitude, gentle nature, and his intelligent and playful sense of humor, made me like him right away.

Unfortunately we don't get to spend enough time together; he's usually teaching, touring with Aretha Franklin, or blowin' his horn on Broadway for "The Lion King."

Quote

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”

He Speaks

"...The universe is not neutral. In terms in which you understand the world, there is a God. Obviously I am not speaking of a personification of a Superperson. For that matter, in terms of your language, and intellectual concepts, you will probably have to take for granted that you cannot understand the nature of such a God.

"You will know God's actions, however, through the manifestations of the universe. That God is not simply neutral energy, for example. The Universe is supportive. There is a force, if you prefer, that actively loves each individual, each consciousness, and actively works to help that consciousness attain the fulfillment inherent in its nature. Despite all misinterpretations, therefore, the universe IS caring, and so is nature."

--- From Seth, The Personal Sessions.

Quote

“Jazz is the music of the body”

--Anais Nin

Dental Denial

Walking to school Tuesday morning.

Annie: "I wish I had short-term memory loss."

Me: "Why?"

Annie: "Because then I'd forget I have a dentist appointment on Friday."

Me: "Oh."

Annie: "But then I'd forget I was your daughter." (pause) "I guess it would be worth it."

Aaron Gallegos

Back in the 80s, Aaron and I lived together in Santa Cruz, and one of the fondest memories I have of him is when I first decided to try my hand at gardening. There was a box on our porch so I painted it, bought a bunch of perennial flower seeds, and planted and watered them each day. Being a city girl, I felt ill prepared and had little confidence in my ability to make something grow, but when I saw the first signs of life emerge from the soil, I was beside myself with happiness. Every morning I would wake up, run to the porch, grab the watering can and look to see what my precious little flowerbed had brought me.

One day as I sat on the porch admiring my little sprouts, Aaron stuck his head out of the window and pointed to the planter.

“What’s that, Katie?” He asked.

"What’s what?" I answered.

"Look, is that a weed? He said.

I reached down, gave the mysterious greenery a tug, and up from the soil came a big beautiful carrot. I screamed and looked at Aaron. He had a huge smile on his face and we both started laughing. He had covertly planted it, knowing how surprised and happy I'd be.

I'll never forget the sweetness of that moment.

Aaron now makes his home in Canada with his wife Wendy and their new baby boy, Amado.

Click to see image large.

Aaron Again

I love this picture of Aaron. Quintessential 1970s.

Joke by David Kosh

Q: What do you call a deaf school of fish?

A: Herd of Herring.

New Yorker Cartoon

Lightweight Lingo

While getting ready to go to the park, Annie informs David that he'll be able to chat with her friend's mother while the girls play.
Katie: "Daddy will love that."

Annie: "You will, Daddy?"

David: "Mommy's just being sarcastic. I don't enjoy small talk."

Annie: "I love it. It's very portable. It's not like the talks you have to lug around."

Mustang Memories

Just before I turned 16 my father bought this 1967 Mustang for me to drive. Back then, though it wasn't yet considered a classic, it was a pretty cool set of wheels. It was everything to me; it represented endless possibilities and it was the reason I was glad to get out of bed in the morning. It was my first taste of freedom, my ticket to anywhere, at least anywhere in Los Angeles. I'll never forget the day I got my license or the feeling I had when backing out of the driveway for the first time. It was like leaving my family and all my teenage cares behind. After dark, when I returned home, I was exhausted and shaking and the odometer revealed all: Day one out of the gate and I had driven 200 miles.

I slept in my bed, ate breakfast in the kitchen, I brushed my teeth in the bathroom, but I lived in that car. I even gave her a name. Frankie. Driving her I played music non-stop, I picked up friends and drove everywhere -rock concerts, the Hollywood Hills, the beach. Once, when returning from Malibu, I pulled up to a stoplight on Sunset Boulevard. In the car beside me was, by teenage girl standards, the hottest guy who ever lived. He looked at me and mouthed the words, “You’re beautiful.” I sat there speechless, and when the light turned green and he took off, I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was a wind-blown mop, my eyes were bloodshot, and my face was burnt red from the sun, but I felt like Cinderella sitting in her magic coach, and no clock striking twelve could ever take that away.

Quote

"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself
and know that everything in life has a purpose."
-Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Me. Another Reality, Another Time ...

Joke by David Kosh

Question: What do you call a sad tale at the sushi bar?

Answer: Wasabi story.

A Night of Sobriety

It’s Monday early morning and I am convinced that I am indeed a prescription drug addict.

Since I got home from the hospital, I've been popping painkillers like they're going out of style, so last night I decided not to take anything. But it's 4:45 am., and I'm still wide-awake, wishing for a pill, wanting a pill, and knowing that if I broke down and took one I'd be asleep in a matter of moments. But I refrain. I did manage to I clean the kitchen, mop the floors and do a load of laundry. I read for a while and paid some bills, and added a "Links" Section to the blog.

With that said, please observe them top right. Most are friends or family, some are just of interest to me. They will be changed periodically.

I'm going to try and catch some shut-eye.

Had To

The "Perks" of Pain are Gone

It’s Friday morning and my 5th day of bed rest, and although I have, so far and in my opinion, dealt with it all relatively well, this morning is another story. Now I’m pissed. Here are the possible reasons I have come up with: I haven’t exercised and feel as if ten pounds have attached themselves to each one of my thighs, my skin looks bad, and damn it, I’m used to having good skin! I haven’t breathed fresh air since Sunday, my accountant is angry with me, and damn it, I'm used to him being happy with me! Work is piling up on my desk and laundry on the floor, my hair is a tangled mess from rolling around on the bed all night trying to find a position to sleep in that isn’t EXCRUSIATING … or maybe I’m pissed simply because I’ve been so doped up this past week and now I’m crashing, behaving like the addict I've become. (Can one become a drug addict in five days?)

In any case, I’m going to fight this. I’m going to get back in bed, prop up my legs and read stuff that reminds me that I am choosing to feel like this. Yes, you heard me, I am choosing this. Because here’s what’s true: I am NOT 20 pounds heavier than I was a week ago, my back IS getting better, I CAN send the laundry out to be cleaned, and if I chip away at it slowly, my work WILL get done. I won’t even mention that my child is safe and healthy because that’s just obnoxious. But it's true.

Happy weekend friends, blog resumes Monday.

Cartoon

Rhino Carries his horn in case.

Cowgirl Quote

"There ain't no time for lookin' pretty when you gotta slop the pigs."

Cowgirl, Haddy Rennet, 1877

Spanish Proverb

How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward.

New Yorker Cartoon

Lost in the Smog

In 1973 my family moved to Los Angeles from San Francisco, and so did my mother's entire improvisational theatre company, The Pitchell Players. And long before the Chateau Marmont was a Hollywood hot spot, it was a home to us while we all awaited more permanent digs. Here is a song some of the guys wrote while staying there, including my brother Michael who was 15 at the time. I suppose it was the shock of leaving Northern California and landing in L.A.. You must click on this to see it. It's worth it!

Quote

"I am in favor of preserving the French habit of kissing the hands of ladies. After all, one must start somewhere."

- Sacha Guitry

All Washed Up

This is a picture of Washington Heights (my neighborhood) from the 1940's. See that movie theatre on the right of the photo? It's still there and was actually the first theatre in the United States to serve popcorn. (I won't go there because the audio is terrible) Up the hill in the back of the photos is Ft. Washington Avenue, and one block down THAT hill is where we live on Cabrini Blvd. The building on the left of the photo is still an old bank, but of course it now shares residency with a McDonalds as well. Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks too, but it's fun to look at this picture and know that even in the old days, people were reminiscing ... about the old days.

New Yorker Cartoon

Drug Love

Drug Love
By Katie Bowen



Percocet percocet, I love you-
when you go down I feel shiny and new.
The pain in my back is a thing of the past,
but I've only got 12 and I hope they will last.

Percocet, percocet I never knew-
what true love was until I found you.
But once I am well we will be forced to part-
you come with no refills ... and that breaks my heart.

Cartoon

In the Driver's Seat

On street cleaning days there is an unspoken rule that you can double-park your car on the side of the street opposite the one being cleaned. (Did you get that?) On my street you can do this until 12:30 PM, then you must park your car legally or get a ticket. Last Friday at about 12:20 I got a phone call from our beloved doorman, Albert. He informed me that I had double-parked beside a car whose owner wanted to get out. Annie was home from school that day so she and I headed downstairs, and before we could see the car in question, we could hear it; its horn relentlessly blaring. When we got outside we spotted the car, and in it sat a man in his thirties, dark hair and glasses, middle class and probably highly educated. A little girl slept in a car seat in the back. The man had a furious look on his face and his hand pressed firmly down on the car’s horn. Now, I've been parking in Manhattan for 17 years, on this street for 8, and never has there been an issue, not once. Being a car owner in the city comes with a special set of rules. There is an etiquette and a code, and most of us live by it and it works. Annie and I continued our way toward the car and Albert followed. (I should mention here that my double-parked car was only one of about 40 that lined the street). I calmly approached the man’s open window and said, "12:30 is the time to move the car, please relax." And he replied …YOU FUCKING BITCH! MOVE YOUR FUCKING CAR! YOU’RE LUCKY I DIDN’T HAVE IT TOWED! I’M CALLING THE POLICE! I HAVE PLACES TO GO, NOW MOVE YOUR GOD DAMN MOTHERFUCKING CAR YOU BITCH! (Hand still pressed on horn).

Fortunately, I’ve been the recipient of rage very few times in my life, but when it’s around I tend to get very quiet and feel almost a sense of peace. Though I was about to move my car, I decided to wait. I asked Annie to please walk away a bit, which she did, and as the man continued his tirade, I put down my things and stood next to his open window. Albert, who is protective of me and especially of Annie, seemed somewhere between wanting us to get in the car and not wanting to give into the demands of the man. Albert stood beside Annie and allowed me to handle the situation, but I could tell he stayed there incase we were physically threatened. Remaining perfectly calm, I told the angry man that I would be happy to move my car once he stopped abusing me. And he replied … "FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKING WHORE, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE YOUR CAR PARKED HERE, IT’S AGAINST THE LAW, NOW MOVE YOUR GOD DAMN CAR!!! And the crazier he got, the quieter I got. Then I said, (ever so softly) "You could have called the police or a tow truck, but it is legal for me to be parked here until 12:30. You obviously have a rage issue and should be thankful your daughter is asleep and not witnessing your behavior." And he said, … “FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKING BITCH, MOVE YOUR FUCKING CAR, I HAVE PLACES TO GO!!!”

I then flipped open my cell phone to check the time and indeed it was 12:30. (Time to move the car) I slowly gathered up my things and turned to Annie who was, up until that point, watching the scene play out and taking it all pretty well. Then I said, "Annie, look at this man. This is a man who is the opposite of your daddy and the opposite of any man I ever want you to associate yourself with." And the angry man said …"NO ONE CARES ABOUT HER FUCKING DADDY, NO BODY EVEN KNOWS WHO HER DADDY IS!!!

And that's when Annie burst into tears. Albert cursed him for making a little girl cry; I dropped my things and went to her. And as the raging continued and the horn went on blaring, I held her in my arms. “I don't want anybody to abuse you or talk about my daddy like that," she wept. I did my best to comfort her and then Albert took her by the hand and started to walk her to the car. He had to pass in front of the angry man's car and I said, "Albert, be careful." Albert turned and shot me a sharp look. "I will go to jail!” He said. “I will go to jail!” And with the man’s hand still pressed down on the horn, and his daughter asleep in the back, I slowly loaded my things into my car.

If I’d felt we were in danger I would have handled the whole thing differently. I would have complied in a minute, jumped in that car and took off like a bullet. But I knew Annie and I were safe, and Albert's presence was the kind of comfort you carry in your memory for a lifetime.

Why was I the recipient of a man’s rage that day? Why was I thrown from my horse on Sunday and am now spending the week in bed and in pain? I could see these things as unfortunate or awful, or I could open my eyes wider and see a more whole picture. I was given a rare opportunity to show my child one way to react to rage. I also witnessed my own cruelty and was aware of the pleasure I got from not giving this man what he so desperately wanted. And now, days later, I'm even able to feel compassion for the poor guy. Being thrown from my horse re-taught me a lesson I thought I’d already learned, and in both incidences I was reminded of the kindness of friends as well as strangers, and that we are never alone.

On the Door

Albert Asare is from West Africa. He has been a great friend to us over the years.

Quote

Pain adds rest unto pleasure, and teaches the luxury of health.

--Martin F. Tupper

The World According to Annie

Driving in the country this weekend, Annie is in the back seat of the car watching people buying produce and flowers at the roadside farm stands.



Annie: "Mommy, I just thought of something kind of strange. My life is not the most important thing. I usually think that the people walking around are just people walking around. But they all have lives, too, you know what I mean?

Katie: "I do know what you mean."

Annie: "Do you ever think about that Mommy?"

Katie: "As a matter of fact, I do."

Annie: "I mean, it's strange. My life is not the most important life, the people walking around have big lives, too."

Bite Size

Before the accident, Annie and I attended a local horse auction. We spotted this little pony for sale. I said if he were mine I'd name him "Little Pisser." Annie said she'd name him "Nibble."

Blog On Hold ...

...just for a day or two.

I'm home after a horseback riding accident this weekend that landed me on my back, left me unconscious, and had me carried off in an ambulance for a night in a New Jersey hospital. Yee ha!

I'll be in bed and drugged up for at least couple of days, if anyone wants to call and say hi, I'll be around.

He Speaks

"You always know what you are doing, even when you do not realize it. Your eye knows it sees, though it cannot see itself except through the use of reflection. In the same way, the world as you see it is a reflection of what you are, a reflection not in glass but in three dimensional reality. You project your thoughts, feelings, and expectations outward, then you perceive them as the outside reality. When it seems to you that others are observing you, you are observing yourself from the standpoint of your own projections." --Seth, The Naure of Persoanl Reality

History and Herring

The original Barney Greengrass deli is on Amsterdam Avenue between 86th and 87th Street right across the from where my mother has lived since 1980. When my father was alive, his morning ritual included breakfast at Barney’s. A bialy with farmer cheese, lox, onion, lettuce and tomato, a cup of coffee and the New York Times. For an Atheist who was raised a New England Yankee Protestant, he really knew how to be a Jew.

Last week I was visiting with my mother and while she took a nap I went down to grab a bite. The guy at the register is the great grandson of the guy who was at the register when I was 17. The men at the counter still talk about my father, they still call me sweetheart and go out of their way to get me the best Nova on the warmest bagel, and make sure my coffee is always from a fresh pot.

Barneys and New York. History and humanity in one hot bowl of Matzo Ball soup.

Quote From Katie's Kitchen

"Never eat more than you can lift."
--Miss Piggy









Grilled chicken, brown basmati rice & a mixed salad. No pork tonight.

Blog Worthy

On our way home last week we met a puppy named Wilber.

Quote

You don't love a woman because she's beautiful, she is beautiful because you love her.

Annie Annie

I took this picture after Annie walked into the room, snapped her fingers and said, "Just call me Mirage!"

What's Going On?

Annie snapped this photo on the Turnpike.

I'll just never get used to stuff like this.

Click to enlarge.