Jackie

tom

Diane and tom

Mary

A chocolate chip cookie

I was up early with Tuvia as usual, playing into the day, clicking around, exploring  new plugins for my Final Cut software to add some pizzaz into my future digital pieces.  I am overwhelmed with my choices.

I had a full day ahead but I couldn’t leave until I watched the annual early-morning Oscar nominee announcements coming from Hollywood, via the Today Show.  Disappointing:  only one nomination for Selma, nothing for the two female directors, nothing for some of the directors who had their films nominated but left out for themselves,not much for Into the Woods…

 BOO! but I’ll still be glued to the screen on February 25th.

And then I was off and in my own life driving up the Thruway, anticipating a day of coffee and conversation with Jackie, and Tom and Tom and Diane and Mary at 3 different New Paltz watering holes.

Jackie and I met at my favorite college-style spot, American Bistro.  She ordered a full breakfast, I was good- just strawberries, a bit of whipped cream and lots of coffee.  We caught up on work, our lives and family.  So good to be back with a friend and we were  right on time as we walked up Main Street in the sunshine a exhilarating cold  for my second meet up at Starbucks with Tom at 11.   Family  catching up first and then time to figure out priorities for my spring HVWP schedule.   I had my list, Tom had his and soon mine got even longer than it began.

Starbucks Part B: Tom and Diane and talk focused on the Young Writers’ Programs and documentation.  I was happy to get a sense of what they were interested in and with new enhancements to experiment with for a more professional look I was so excited to get home and mess around- CREATING!   All I needed was a deadline, or a first draft deadline rather.  Tom and I walked and talked more about Institute issues and I was feeling back home.

Last stop, lunch at Main Course with Mary to work on the midpoint of our grant report and plan for the second half.  The conversation flowed as our collaboration took on a new ease of sharing.  Sure, we talked family, but we had the luxury of time. Two and 1/2 hours of lunch and lattes and a meeting of our minds.

As we left finally, Mary was on foot and I was back in my car to get back to Tuvia for a return to our lives and dinner at our spot.

I have five minutes now before Jack and I work together via Google Hang Out and Docs on our book chapter one last time.

I’d say this have been one amazing day, right?