a funny thing happened on the way to the beach (on new years!)

Early on New Years day, Andrew wrote: " I'm about to — along wtih fellow-happyhouristas Ben and Catherine — go jump in the ocean (not, not a lake, which I'm sure you've wanted me to jump in many times), but the ocean. yep, we're taking the Polar Bear Plunge @ Coney Island. when i told Josh this, he said: "Enjoy!" I said, i think the right salutation is "Survive!" he said: "Endure?" so, we're goign to endure — the ocean and a whole lot of of other crap in 2019. happy new year! hang on to your hat, and see you at."

Andrew, BS, Catherine, and Hunka Munka! now and forever, still ridiculous after all of these years. 

 As usual, Caroline Shepard took the best shots:

All around the world, walls are going up.

And  coming down.

Out with the old,

In with the new.

Bodies moving across borders,

From land into water.

And back into the sky.

At least that’s what it felt like on new years.

Friends dropping by from parts unknown.

Converging in the streets,

Meeting at Bar Tobac.

On the beach,

Diving into the luscious day

In Holy Coney Island.

Dancing all night long

Touching roses.

If you think I’m magical
Cause roses bloom with my touch
I touch roses

Gene spinning.

Rob smoking

James dancing

Caroline shaking.

The little one reading.

Are we really swimming

Tomorrow?

Its lovely and warm out.

Too warm out.

Scenes from catastrophisim everywhere.

50 degrees on New Years Day.

Not quite so heroic to swim

Notes Catharine greeting us on the subway in Coney Island.

Chatting about the apocalyptic politics of collapse and rebirth.

Can dialectics break bricks?

Is another apocalypse possible?

Swimming and playing,

Talking with the birds.

Strolling along the boardwalk.

Feeling the city, 

kissing the sky. 

The afternoon sky stretching into the distance.

Magic light splashing across the day.

Volna and back.

Immigrants creating culture

A vibrant mix.

More lentils and friends.

Monica, Catharine, Andrew, Disgustus

And JK into the water,

Warming up again.

Tim and Mel and everyone.

Remembering the Fiddler,

Traditions.

Inquisitions.

Old Steve Reeves movies.

Or if you want something visual, thats not too abysmal

Thank you very much.

Scarlett stands to declare:

As God is my witness, as God is my witness they're not going to lick me. I'm going to live through this and when it's all over, I'll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill.

And Hedwig reminds us it's never simple

Building or unbuilding walls:

On August 13, 1961
A wall was erected
Down the middle of the city of Berlin
The world was divided by a cold war
And the Berlin Wall
Was the most hated symbol of that divide
Reviled, graffitied, spit upon
We thought the wall would stand forever
And now that it's gone
We don't know who we are anymore
Ladies and gentlemen
Hedwig is like that wall
Standing before you in the divide
Between East and West
Slavery and freedom
Man and woman
Top and bottom

We’ve come a long way from Fiddler on the Roof, 

Mel reminds us. 

We certainly have. 

In some ways. 

But in some ways we havn't. 

Hopefully there won't be any more pograms?