Author Archives: Sans Souci

Musical Memory and How Jazz Memorializes the Old and New

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The Antonio Hart Quintet: click the link to hear and see Flushing Town Hall, October 5, 2019 I was able to get photos of four of the five band members. (Jerome Gillespie II, drums was not within my line of vision: here is a link to a piece, he is a fabulous young drummer from Houston:    youtube ) This was very generous, interactive, accessible concert. After the end I went up to Antonio, whom I had seen in concert many times with the Queens Jazz Masters at Flushing Town Hall. Antonio is the protegé of jimmy Heath, who is … Continue reading →

Blogging for Breast Cancer: Part 19: “I have no insurance but, I have faith” -Leslie Helene Elder (repost)

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This is an annual re-post of a blog from my series, “Blogging for Breast Cancer.” I feel it is imperative to share it every year in memory of my High School friend, Leslie Elder. This is why we need health insurance that is affordable and comprehensive. This is what could happen if without such it. It is not a luxury, it is a human right.   Dedicated to the Elder family.   Here I sit on a beautiful afternoon. Shadows of trees cross my neighbor’s window. For some strange reason, birds sing like it’s spring in defiance of the calendar. … Continue reading →

Nurture Nature: The Butterfly Project 2019: Transformation

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  At this point, there were seven pupae in the little tree we constructed and about a week went by. Then, one morning, this happened:   This was our first “baby.” We weren’t sure how to proceed: we ended up waiting a day to release it, it might have been the weather. The wings have to dry; this guy was ready to go and was very active. We gave it sugar water but it didn’t drink. And then the time came for the ceremony. The shortened version. It was very touching to let it go. We had done our job. … Continue reading →

Part 18: On Relationships: Makeup Meltdown: And Then He Touched Me

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I am re-posting this piece for Breast Cancer awareness month. I have been fundraising and sharing the blog series for a few weeks. I just re-read this after a number of years: Even I was touched by it. Cancer leaves its mark in the heart no matter how small the lesion; it inches its way into the consciousness and bores at your peace of mind, your serenity and your everyday living. It’s a ghost that teases and haunts and doesn’t leave you be. We must triumph, we must find a cure. Makeup Meltdown I love Charles. He is an ebony … Continue reading →

Nurture Nature: The Butterfly Project 2019: Part 2: Fat “Cats …”

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What you witnessed in the previous blog post was the hatching of little egg gems and the morphing into tiny barely visible creatures, which, when fed well, grew and grew into chubby green multi-legged hungry guys, with black, white and yellow markings. In short, it was amazing. Life is a series of transitions and growth: Caterpillars are programmed to transition and they adapt to each stage so well, relying on innate messages to move on with their lives. We watched this occur with eight caterpillars. The eighth one was rescued after we explained to our neighbor that it was a … Continue reading →

Nurture Nature: The Butterfly Project 2019: part 1: Tiny Pearls …

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  This bright green and black fellow was noticed as we were about to pick parsley. A few years ago my over-the-fence-neighbor was lingering over his parsley and espied one of these guys, plucked it from its grasp on the little leaves, declared it a plague and dashed it to the ground. I thought it was the precursor to a monarch butterfly and my heart was crushed. My son and I did some research and learned that this was indeed going to be a butterfly: a black swallowtail. The research began and there was a lot to learn. Step-by-step we … Continue reading →

Nurture Nature: The Backyard Observations

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I noticed the sound of little birds lately. It is October 1st, and it sounds like spring. They chatter and twitter, unlike the mockingbirds of a few months ago that would sing, non-stop day and night, mimicking every sound they ever heard including car alarms. No, these are the sounds I remember from my childhood. Here’s a memory: We are in Brooklyn visiting my grandmother and aunt at #1 Tennis Court. (How’s that for an address?) And it’s time to leave, the sun is going down, the shadows are lengthening, the light is gold, the air is full of spring … Continue reading →

Nurture Nature: iPhone Photography Series: Sheldon and Swirl, The Snail Project

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When you come fact-to-face with nature you are changed.   We didn’t go away this year for the first time. Just not able for health reasons to deal with a vacation. So what does one do? Look for an adventure. You saw my green beetle portraits, now you can visit with Sheldon and Swirl who have been living in their glass condos since June when I discovered them while gardening. I come across snails now and then but never thought to have them as guests. They are brown-lipped garden snails. They can live three to five years. iPhone XS/max Moment … Continue reading →

12. Life Is A Journey But This Is A Trip: Still Looking for Relief

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    The return of the migraine. I sometimes think that the more a migraine sufferer prevents an episode, the more it comes back to get rid of itself. It is almost like it has to happen for some clearing out of a buildup. Is it electrical impulses? Stress? Does it manifest as anxiety one minute and a headache the next? I know! Let’s blame it on the government! The fires in the Amazon! The changing climate! You know the list. I had never been a big vaper and certainly what I was “vaping” was nothing like what we’ve been … Continue reading →

11. Life is a Journey But This is a Trip: Migraine Re-visit

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OK, what’s going on here? Things were going very well, I thought. I’ve been taking CBD oil and the Aimovig monthly self-injection since about July 2018. Gradually, the pain headaches subsided and I no longer needed migraine meds or Advil. The visual disturbances diminished in frequency, averaging about five/month, down from almost everyday, sometimes more than once a day. The vertigo stopped! THAT was monumental for me. And then, something happened. Or maybe several things happened. My mother was shoved by an aide, and there was fallout physically and emotionally from that. There are constant things to look after and … Continue reading →

Nurture Nature: iPhone Photography Series: The Little Green Guy Beetle Project

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When you come face to face with nature, you are changed.   I’ll begin here. We are home more. I am lucky to have a garden. I am lucky to be curious and to have maintained my sense of awe. So, I will begin here. During the summer I have been photographing interactions with little creatures. I have been amazed by the smallest things that walk or fly or crawl, eat and drink. The larger I make the images, the more amazed I am. I find them on the deck, in the soil, on a leaf. If you are squeamish, … Continue reading →

153. Mother-Daughter Journey: All That is Left Behind

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All that is left behind … On a recent visit to my 101 year old mother, she thrust an old plastic baggy of stuff into my hands and I was told to “take it home before one of the aides steals it.” Sometimes my mother is so right on, it is scary: she’ll name all her teachers, sing you a show tune and tell you about any actor you want to know about. She still refers to herself as a “flapper.” Other times her paranoia is frightening for me, the child, to witness. My mother had been referring on the … Continue reading →

10. Life is a Journey, But This is a Trip: It’s Baaaaack!

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Here we are back in the Migraine Corral. I was doing well, really well for a time. I began taking Medical Marijuana but was more of a user of CBD oils in hopes of controlling my migraine issues. MIGRAINE. For those who follow my migraine saga, you know this has been a big deal with my health for well over eight years, and though I have always had it, actually since childhood, it morphed over the years into stages. While at work I would often take six extra strength Bufferin to get through the day. The pain headaches were terrible. … Continue reading →

152. Mother-Daughter Journey: Reality Check

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  As you know from previous blogs, my mother had an altercation with an aide and was pushed and fell. At this time I do not have the results of the X-Ray. I have spoken to the police precinct and a report can be filed at any time. They need as much information as possible. I do not know what precipitated this behavior on the aide’s part; I assume my mother said something that ticked her off and she lost it. Really lost it. I do believe that this event happened. I heard my mother recount the story and many … Continue reading →

151. Mother-Daughter Journey: Push? Shove?

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I don’t have any end results to report. I went to my mother yesterday afternoon; she was under the care of a nice replacement aide. She was seen by the doctor and nurse in her building. She has a sore behind and foot. They will be X-Raying her in her room so thankfully, no trip to the E.R. Nothing appears to be broken. The aide who was on duty with my mother yesterday and was called in, never showed up to the main office to discuss what happened and file a report, in fact, she’s gone, unreachable, (as I heard … Continue reading →

150. Mother-Daughter Journey: When Push Comes To Shove

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  And now this. I received a frantic phone message at about 8:30 am from my mother; I heard it after the fact. “S! S! pick up the phone, pick up the phone!” Then I received calls and messages. (I must have been in the bathroom). From the agency that employs the aides. And then I connected with my mother who informed me that: ~the regular aide didn’t come in today ~another aide came late, one who works for her in rotation. My mother complained about this aide last week. She said she left food garbage on the floor and … Continue reading →

Photography Book: New York City/Rain

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Posting a collection of iPhone photography, 2014-present. The link below should bring you to the book to view. (I don’t sell them, this is my link to preview my work, for my own purchase) Self-published through Chatbooks; I recommend this company. If you are a photographer and would like to publish a book of your work or family photos, message me for my code, we’ll both get $10 off our projects.   How It Was Done All iPhone photography and edits. Photos taken from passenger-side of the (often moving) car during travels into Manhattan. Interspersed with quotes. Click here to … Continue reading →