Leonard Cohen; A Crack in Everything at the Jewish Museum

I really did not know much about Leonard Cohen since his music did not get much play on the radio.  He never charted on the Billboard Top 40 Chart.  When he passed away in November 2016 I bought a compilation CD called the Essential Leonard Cohen.  His music seemed to be dark and mysterious.

The Jewish Museum is now featuring an exhibition called a Crack in Everything which will be there until September.  Much of the exhibit was devoted to videos of his concert performances. Until today I didn't realize that he was also a poet, novelist, and artist.  There was a video display showing his artworks which were mostly self-portraits.  There was a listening room that featured other recording artists cover Cohen's compositions.

This exhibition was by far my favorite after several visits to this museum.  I highly recommend it to my music enthusiast friends.

Not Dark Yet by Bob Dylan - A Somewhat Pessimistic Song for Older Men

Shadows are falling and I’ve been here all day

It’s too hot to sleep, time is running away

Feel like my soul has turned into steel

I’ve still got the scars that the sun didn’t heal

There’s not even room enough to be anywhere

It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there



Well, my sense of humanity has gone down the drain

Behind every beautiful thing there’s been some kind of pain

She wrote me a letter and she wrote it so kind

She put down in writing what was in her mind

I just don’t see why I should even care

It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there



Well, I’ve been to London and I’ve been to gay Paree

I’ve followed the river and I got to the sea

I’ve been down on the bottom of a world full of lies

I ain’t looking for nothing in anyone’s eyes

Sometimes my burden seems more than I can bear

It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there



I was born here and I’ll die here against my will

I know it looks like I’m moving, but I’m standing still

Every nerve in my body is so vacant and numb

I can’t even remember what it was I came here to get away from

Don’t even hear a murmur of a prayer

It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there
Copyright © 1997 by Special Rider Music

Touch of Grey by the Grateful Dead - Optimistic Song for Older Men

I will get by
I will get by
I will get by
I will survive

April 21, 2019 - A Milestone Birthday With a Special Song

Where did all of these years go?  Now I am really an old fart.  There is a song performed by Simon and Garfunkel that is quite appropriate for this occasion. Bob Radil played it last night on the 60s 70s show.

The title is actually Old Friends/Bookends

Old friends
Old friends
Sat on their park bench
Like bookends
A newspaper blown through the grass
Falls on the round toes
On the high shoes
Of the old friends

Old friends
Winter companions
The old men
Lost in their overcoats
Waiting for the sunset
The sounds of the city
Sifting through trees
Settle like dust
On the shoulders
Of the old friends

Can you imagine us
Years from today
Sharing a park bench quietly?
How terribly strange
To be seventy

Old friends
Memory brushes the same years
Silently sharing the same fear

Time it was,
And what a time it was
It was . . .
A time of innocence
A time of confidences

Long ago . . . it must be . . .
I have a photograph
Preserve your memories
They’re all that’s left you

Hunting for Kosher for Passover Food

It used to be that we were able to get all of our Kosher for Passover food at the local supermarket.  Over the years the demographics of our neighborhood has changed with the Jewish population  declining.  The Stop and Shop near us still carries matzoh and most of what we need for the holiday, but this year I had to go "hunting" for a few items.

There is a glatt kosher grocery store at 186th Street and Union Turnpike in Fresh Meadows where I picked up a few items.  Last year they carried ice cream, but not this year.  At the last minute, Karen needs "Shake and Bake" for chicken.  Since I was going to my dentist in Rego Park this morning, I checked out two supermarkets on Queens Blvd. which didn't have it.  I finally found it at a C-Town on 63rd Drive.  Decades ago a now-defunct supermarket called Bohack's were at that location.

James Holzhauer - Jeopardy Superstar

James Holzhauer was introduced on Jeopardy as a professional sports gambler.  He has certainly been very successful on the show as he has won $566,000 on his first 8 games putting him in second place in non-tournament winnings behind the legendary Ken Jennings.  He always starts by picking the $1000 or $2000 answer and builds up a big bank as he hits the daily doubles.  He was able to bounce back after missing a few daily doubles in the first round.  All but one of his victories were runaways.

He still has a long way to go to match Ken Jenning's record of 74 victories.  Can he do it?  The key is his picking the daily doubles and getting them right.  Jennings lost game 75 as he missed daily doubles and the final jeopardy answer.

Stay tuned.

Oldie of the Day - Walking in the Rain [Without an Umbrella] by the Ronnettes

It rained overnight, but it started to clear up at about 9 AM.  Since I just hate sitting around the apartment I decided to take a walk around Douglaston at about 10 AM.  The sun was out and there didn't seem to be a threat of rain.  After I walked for about 30 minutes, it started to rain.  I had no umbrella, so I increased my walking speed to get back to my car.  I walked about 1 1/2 miles and got wet.

It took a little while, but I dried out.  Oh, well.