Madonna at 53 has released a new album, MDNA which is remarkable how she has also taken some sorrow and will turn it into platinum. Regardless of her motivation, she speaks for everyone with a voluminous unedited voice which, like it or not, she inspires by being a voice for those who benefit from her unabashed reality art. Twenty one years ago my best friend Shane stood beside me at my wedding and there is a photo of him walking with Tara across the grounds, ever so graceful; her in her Priscilla of Boston gentle blush wedding gown and he in his custom fitted black tuxedo, effortlessly carrying her train crossing the pristine greens of the golf course never once pausing in their conversation. I met him when Madonna was somewhere between Borderline and Blond Ambition voguing through The Ritz-Carlton, Boston. I just watched http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvT6-U4SZP8Capote, the 2005 film that takes us through his torturous writing journey of In Cold Blood and when Shane was still alive, many thought he resembled Truman Capote in looks, stature and mild eccentricity and all of this illuminated wonderful bright memories of Shane. He is a lot more Breakfast at Tiffany's rather than In Cold Blood. Complete with his clear plastic eyeglass frames nearly an exact replica of Capote's frames.
I started working at The Ritz-Carlton, Boston on April 6, 1989. I walked by it a few times, imagined its luxurious history and wondered what it took to be a part of it. One winter night, I got all dressed up to the nines. Polished black wing-tip shoes, navy pin stripped suit with a crisp white shirt and red paisley tie; my navy cashmere coat and silk scarf. I walked into the lobby like I owned it. The sweet smell of white Lily's took over, the opulence of gold leaf on the ceiling, the fine tapestries, elegantly dressed men and ladies in sequins and heels sipping champagne and cordials in the smokey bar, the line spilling into the lobby for the Cafe. Music from all rooms gently tapping on the Chippendale furnishings and aromatics of fine French parfums glistening from the ladies slender, graceful wrists. I boldly walked up to the very busy maitre d' in the cafe and asked if they were hiring. He graciously told me that personnel is closed right now and I would need to return during business hours Monday through Friday. As he hefted a pile of full length sables and minks to the coat room across the hall, I introduced myself and let him know he would see me next week. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to be remembered.
I was marrying someone outside of my class and I knew it. I come from moderate means and personally worked my way through school with two full time jobs each summer and full time work through the school year. My bride to be went to school in London for a semester and parents paid for her undergraduate and at this time, her graduate education. She nor her loving family ever made me feel anything but exactly what I was - a loved part of the family. But I knew I wanted to contribute in some big way and that what led me to take a day off from my full time job with Blue Cross and Blue Shield and dedicate time to find a part time position to put together money for the wedding and honeymoon.
As instructed, I walked to the hotel and found the personnel office. While on Newbury Street, I had 'Puttin' on The Ritz' playing at full volume in my head with a little kick in my step. I saw a pigeon, and I am not a big fan of pigeons, waltzing across the pristine sidewalk who had a similar kick in their step, as if he in his multi-colored iridescent feathers, he was sporting black tails, white diamond weave tuxedo shirt and a little cane tucked under one wing and in a slight move bending to one side, a silk top hat tipped in his other wing.
The personnel office had the old steel desks, filing cabinets, threadbare carpet outlining the traffic patterns and a pleasant, sterile scent topped off with a commingling of colognes. A slight woman with a wide smile and sincerely warm demeanor greeted me with a 'Good Morning, how may assist you?' and I asked if there was any part time positions available. She let me know they do not hire part time people and offered an application anyways. I filled it out and handed it to her and she asked if I had a resume and I gave it to her. We had a casual conversation and she thanked me for coming, stood up, shook my hand, letting me know her name was Lori and someone would be contacting me sometime this week. Years later, when I ended up in the 'personnel' office, later to be referred to as human resources, I read on the old paper application that she had written, 'Nice Smile, Very Friendly, we need to find something for him.' Later that week, Susan called me and I became a part time server in The Tea Lounge on the second floor across from The Dining Room. The Tea Lounge was officially titled The Lounge, everyone called it the tea lounge. And in both cases, the names were nothing that would catch an ordinary person's intrigue, the elegant lettering at the foot of the grand staircase of each entrance  led you to believe in its naming simplicity awaits a lifetime of dreams.
I met Conrad as my trainer. Flamboyant, fast moving, pale complected arrogant young man who made every attempt to make me and those around him feel small. He buzzed around, showing me where things were, cleaning up from the tea service and transporting the day set to the evening set and speaking so awkwardly proper it made me feel anxious for him, not for me, and perspiring at the same pace and harried manner in his inability to prioritize and stick to task. Picking up my new responsibilities was likened to calculating the wave pattern of an approaching hurricane at high tide. Thursday night was Tea Dance from 5:30pm - 8:30pm and this is the night I trained with him. We dress the cabaret tables in the adjoining French and Adam room in pristine white linen, soft pink glass candle holders, dust them with rose petals and randomly place Ritz-Carlton dance cards at each setting. Then the sign, The Tea Dance ensconced in an ornate gold frame and an original tea menu cover titled, 'le thé' with a beautiful woman in a full length floral dress sitting in the garden, was placed on a brass easel in The Lounge at the entrance of The French Room to welcome guests. Soon, Al Vega and his band mates assembled at the end of the room at the dance floor and were ready to play waltzes, rhumbas and whatever made the ladies twirl and men swoon while they sipped thier libations and washed away the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_vCeQ-rx5A&feature=related

This April on the 6th will be my 21st wedding anniversary and Sara was our wedding song. 21 years ago she stood at the top of the chapel stairs, who was ethereally beautiful, gracious and enchanting in her way. I will always love her, no matter what and not a day goes by I am humbled by her genuine love for all who enter into her life. An optimist who never waivers and when a last chance has passed, she finds it in her heart to lend one additional. And each of these passing days I struggle in pain. The pain I had caused. I know she has forgiven me, I however will not. 

I was thinking the other day about love and the battle between the mind and the heart. Who wins? Who loses? I have been in and know of many who have been in relationships, marriages, partnerships with the loves of their lives and the heart seems to extend its delicate, powerful tendrils to the one that may be even a truer love, or a soul mate. Our mind tugs on those tendrils and whispers the reasons why we shouldn’t.

The heart seems to know otherwise and the truth is the big question. 

I remember meeting someone many years ago. He was young, beautiful, and intelligent and in my own bottled up truth, we spent the night talking. His parents were missionaries; he of Cuban and American Indian decent shared with me the music he wrote and performed; his passion for playing pool; his love of country music and bigger fellows. He also shared with me the love of his life. Each time one was ready for the other, distance or another lover seemed to be in the way. I looked up at the stars in the moonlit sky as we passed the Jackie Gleason theatre in South Beach and I thought about how unfair it was that she was in a relationship that was not whole. She deserves to be loved and to love - all the way and not with someone who was not really there. For me, I wondered what if I fell in love? How would all of this work? I made a decision that night that the truth, for whatever it was worth along with its wrenching pain, must be told.

So I did. 

A week or so after that night, I went for a walk and I told her. They say the truth sets you free. I am puzzled at how freedom aches. Still, after all these years.

I write this leaving plenty out, wondering if its too soon, if its too risky, if its a bit raw and unfair.

I believe there are so many beautiful people in the world, in my world, that have shared their joy, their pain, their laughter love and many things I would not dare write publicly. Secret loves, secret lives great pleasures glazed with internal strife in wonder.

If I can open a small door on my own life perhaps it could help some young person who is afraid to be his or her true self and reach out. Or an older friend, one my age step out to the end of life's diving board, bounce really high, do a back flip in the air and twist around in the sea of love.

Don't deny yourself pleasure and do it with integrity and abandonment.

The New Yorker

Short Stories From The New Yorker, 1940. A collection of short stories was sitting proudly on the bookshelf among the other relics but stood a little taller, a little wiser and with a dash of attitude and whisper of fine brandy and vintage cigar. I spied this treasure while visiting a dear family friend for her birthday and commented on quite a few of the books on her shelf and made special note of this one. My mind conversed in full and decided sometime in the early winter we would treat ourselves to first the hunt for it on eBay, the anticipation of its arrival and the night reserved to enjoy it with brandy and a cigar.

This past very short week came with long, willowy and very weathered legs. Demands of the day were mentally, physically and emotionally draining and the legs strode heavily to complete each of the four days. By Friday, a sensation of a hangover set in without the joy and exhilaration of Belvedere, Edna Valley Cabernet or even a cheap shot. Just good old fashioned wiped out exhaustion. Oddly, as that fourth and final day of the week ticked on at times too slowly and others at a speed of which I wished to restrain, I avoided leaving not because I loathed retreat, rather, the three block walk home toiled in daunt. I arm wrestled my mind to push its stubborn body below to get moving and outside, the crisp pre-autumn air presented a spa-like flavor to the trek.

Greeted by the friendly door staff, up the elevator to an empty apartment. Melancholy, peace and emptiness were the houseguests by whom I was greeted, together and at once raising their voices to win my attention. Only one bill on the table, no other mail. On the buffet sat a slightly crushed box about the size of a large toaster oven and the personality of a bored introvert nestled at this cocktail free cocktail party. Its corners sealed in UPS brown tape, double and triple runs and looking particularly unfamiliar. Although strange as it was nothing I ordered, was not a holiday and certainly nothing I expected. The strangeness was complimented by its address label's familiar, friendly handwriting.

I broke the seal fastidiously, slitting the brown packing tape with house keys still in hand with childlike enthusiasm and adult precision. Green tissue paper and bubble wrap protected the precious insides.

Card One

The sender's original address crossed through and updated to a current address.

The date 2009.

A young girl's print read, 'Lulu told me it's your birthday. My name is Sierra.'

This young girl letting someone she met only twice in her life know his legacy has been told like an ancient folk tale in Mark Twain prose at the dinner table, in between sips of tea and on commercial breaks about how special he is. And in her delicate innocence, realized I need to love him too!

A birthday card vacuum packed to reveal the preserved wish years later the way the steam of freshly brewed coffee stirring as morning's gentle alarm.

Card Two

A multi-layered paper flower so real, I buried my nose in it to inhale the spring wish it was intended to carry; to brighten up this end of summer day. The beauty of its non scent was I made up my own and had the luxury of letting start out as peony, turned to lilac and finish a lilac rose - an everlasting gobstopper of scented imagery.

Striped paper meticulously held a book like a newborn.

And finally, a promise.

To my dear friend to someday be published in this book's sequel.

http://www.newyorker.com/fiction

Sapphire

By chance, I picked up Time Out NY and found that Sapphire, the author of PUSH (the novel that inspired PRECIOUS, the movie) was going to be at the Union Square Barnes & Nobles at 7pm. I loved the book and saw the movie a few times. The book tells the story seen in the movie but what's very different in the book; the reader feels the underbelly in a way that is impossible to translate to the screen. Sapphire is a descriptive, from the gut storyteller and whether or not you want to feel, you feel.

This evening at Barnes & Nobles, she was joined by journalist Katherine Lanpher who prepared an outline of questions; some of which tickled the surface, some which evoked a bit of predictable sarcasm from the author and the deeper, soul reaching questions that prompted seat lifting enthusiasm by Sapphire resonating through the walls and our seats.

The Kid is her second novel and is aptly titled for Precious' son Abdul Jones who we see come into this world in the novel PUSH and movie PRECIOUS joining his sister, Mongo, her fist child from her own father who suffers from Down's Syndrome.  The conversation through the hour together takes us through the writing process. Sapphire made it clear this not 'Precious 2' or any type of sequel, rather a story of survival and how her son gets through Precious' death and growing up as a black child and into a man.

Sapphire tells her plight for this novel and references white males, gay white males with money, who are able to survive HIV and AIDS better because of the money and focus driven toward them. She questions whether or not Precious would have had a better chance or may still be alive if she were a white male. There are statistics, I am sure, that back this up and I am relatively certain Sapphire can reference them with little notice.

I was sitting there listening to her and thinking about my friend Shane. White, male, gay, Shane who has been dead for many years. Death has not yet learned to decipher social consciousness nor the struggle between impoverished and wealth, race, gender or sexual preference. When Death's big hand strikes it only tells time.

Sapphire was also joined by Imani Uzuri, a singer/songwriter who recently released her second album fully funded by her fans - that's how terrific she is! Her voice is one that reaches in, wraps around you, pulls back and dances to the heavens! She was with a guitarist who complemented her deep lows, melodic mid notes and her heavenly sopranos and she often made you forget you were on the fourth floor of an old building and brought you to that gentle space above the clouds floating on her joyful falsettos. A rare and wonderful treat.

Toward the end, an extremely talented, dark skinned male dancer from the Dance Theater of Harlem took the stage and with his muscular, willowy fluid movements, he wove the music and made it his own in beautiful motion. The best way to describe his dancing is if you could take poetry and watch it move - it is what he did.

I was third in line for my book signing and I thanked Sapphire for her moving first novel, PUSH and for sharing her poignant and raw honesty with all of us this evening. She thanked me for being with her, for buying her book and I said I am very much looking forward to reading it!

I slowly walked away, looked at the crowd in line awaiting Sapphire's touch and thinking that all of us are survivors in one way or another. Sapphire talked about how some people read her book and others, the ones who could not bear the book, saw the movie.

Precious is real. She is on the subway, in the grocery store, in bed with a man she hopes will take her dream and flick the on switch; she is a student, a teacher, a writer, a parent; the person we may pass on the street and judge and yet, the person who may pass us and judge; she is a song, a dance, a mystery and very much a warrior - an inner Precious in all of us!

Afterward, I went to Blue Water Grill and a lovely woman greeted me at the door. A medium skinned black lady, young, full of life, a smile that made the votives look dull, her hair pulled back in a headband poofed up in the back, a navy blue sun dress splashed with white flowers covered with a soft, white cotton and linen sweater takes a menu and asks me to follow her. She is the person who is at the door and says FUN - an invitation to a magical dinner, maybe just a drink or a coffee - but for whatever reason you are there, she has set the station to high energy! 

As we walked to the table, she saw the book in my hand and told me how lucky I was. To have a book, a table, a night to myself to read and enjoy. She declined, but I did offer the other chair at my table. I told her about my time with Sapphire, the dancer, the singer and she said that I was living her dream.

What she didn't know was how much she influenced my night simply by reminding me of the simple gift of gratitude. I was most grateful for her and the tremendous artists who paint the landscape of our imaginations every day.

I read the first chapter of The Kid and without pause - I highly recommend it! Be a warrior!

!http://www.unionsquarenyc.org/explore/events/2034-upstairs-the-square-sapphire-barnes-noble

The oldest profession

I took the morning and drank it in slowly. Watched the last few episodes of season 5 of Sex and The City, had a healthy breakfast, coffee, read emails and 4th of July posts on Facebook and took little naps in between.
Later in the afternoon I went to get my haircut on the East side and back to Columbus Circle for a good work out before I went to work. The elliptical and I spent some painful, quality time together clearly communicating to my ticker that we have a lot ahead of us - and that is why we are here. Did some leg work, hit the showers and out to the Circle.
I was innocently minding my own business, in average summer attire with dark sunglasses, black shorts, high tops and a plain grey t-shirt with my black gym bag in tow.
This lovely woman starts walking along side me. She has seen the ascent hillside of her 60's and headed to the middle ground, has worked hard on maintaining her beauty as she had few wrinkles, had princess pink lipstick, perfect teeth, dusty blond hair pulled straight and laced with pin curls, a long, lean, willowy figure and was wearing a pink quarter sleeve blouse, white slacks, pink pumps topped off with a warm, pleasant smile.
She asked me if I was visiting NY and I said no, that I lived here. She said she did too right on 57th and 9th and asked if I worked nearby and I said yes. She asked where and I told her right around the corner and I was headed there. She asked if I had a management position and I said I did. She asked if I ever wanted to come over, she reminded me of her location and that it was easy to get to and she had a 4th floor walk up. I said that was very kind of her to offer. She asked if I like to get ....
Well she asked me some specific sexual questions and by the look of horror on my face she promptly asked if I was married. It was not that I was opposed to the questioning but in shock that this kind of thing happens in broad daylight in this manner surrounded by visiting families..
She may want to rush in where angels fear to tread, but in this case I was shocked.
I let her know my own little dirty secret - as much as I appreciate the offer, I am gay.
So we parted ways and it has left me with a lot to think about.
I was a little sad because I thought of my grandmothers, mother, friend's mothers and grandmothers and wondered how do you get to this point? Do we blame Republicans? Social Security mis-management, melted 401k plans, employers expeditious departures from pensions, high-jacked welfare system or just plain old poor planning for our twilight years?
After that exhaustive pondering, it occurred to me that this gal still has it!
God bless her and her pink lips!

 

Erwin

I first met Erwin when I was a banquet server and he was the newly appointed food & beverage director at The Ritz-Carlton, Boston. I remember walking into his office on the third floor back in the corner and he was not there. Of course, I could not resist the temptation to walk in and sniff around to see what the new guy was all about.
What I quickly discovered was that he was by far the neatest, cleanest senior leader with whom I have ever encountered and I thought, this old girl (the hotel, not me - I was young and thin back then) is in for some scrubbing! But it was refreshing to have someone concerned about the cleanliness which is very reflective of the service our guests would come to expect.
As the departmental trainer with my dear friend Shane; Erwin was very supportive and drove training and he challenged us to train the other banquet servers on a la carte service. So we did and it was hard considering Tito, Tri Do and some of the others; who we all loved but steak Diane and filleting Dover Sole table-side wasn't everyone's expertise!
Erwin moved on to his next adventure and left the food & beverage operation a better place. Cleaner too!
A few years later Boston was bursting at the seams and needed a second Ritz-Carlton so our sexy, younger sister Boston Common was born under the careful watch and acute detail of Erwin.
At this juncture, I had moved on in my career and opened the hotel as Director of Training & Development and it was a pleasure working with Erwin again and in this new capacity. He has always been a big supporter of human resources and especially training; ensuring i's were dotted (twice, just in case) and t's crossed. Karen Kane was the opening director of HR and I remember this specific day as vividly as if it happened a half hour ago.
The somewhat sceptical Millennium Partners leadership team invited us to share our Ritz-Carlton training and we offered to come to their offices at the Residences. We offered to bring the coffee, muffins, donuts, etc. from Dunkin Donuts as only Karen Kane would have it. Karen and I agree to meet at the 'old girl' and trek over to Dunkin Donuts on the corner of Tremont and Boylston so we can walk over to the MP offices for the presentation. What we did not count on was the torrential downpour, 'summer showers' that left us soaking wet, drowned wash women. We are running in, dripping wet from the core of our beings, setting up and trying to be as composed as possible in light of our weathered state. And in comes Erwin. Pristine, bone dry, not a hair out of place, not a speck of dust on his mirrored glass polished shoes. I looked up wondering where the helicopter landed to drop him off in this condition.
9/11 gave us the bottom low to a very exciting high just days before when Erwin, the proud parent, joined the VIP's cutting the ribbon to warmly welcome The Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common to our fair city. After 14 years of my time in Boston, I moved on to New Orleans and I will not soon forget Erwin's heartwarming gratitude and farewell to me remembering most my genuine smile. It is easy for me to smile because I loved the company and the reason had nothing to do with the cobalt blue, the lion's head or the 400 thread count sheets; rather the people who took the philosophy, the CREDO off the page and brought it to life. It was Erwin who taught me not just the words of the CREDO early in my career, but what it meant by his actions every day, every time.
As the good fortune of fate would have, both Erwin and I returned to Boston; he to The Ritz-Carlton and me to The Boston Park Plaza. The Park had an identity crisis in terms of brand and positioning and the GM, EC rallied together to align, focus and come up with a compass to move us in the right direction. Erwin graciously offered a magnificent meeting space for us and, no surprise, world class, impeccable service as we came together for a two day EC planning meeting. Knowing Erwin was quoted in the Gold Standard book, I thought what better nuance to add to my presentation on brand but to have him present to the group. It is always a little risky going from one hotel company to another and not over-selling your past passion but I thought I don't know ANY other hotel company or person who drives brand with more vigor or passion than Ritz-Carlton and Erwin himself.
He agreed to meet with us and present to the team. He only had a segment of time of which he went over nearly double - hard to bottle up that passion and limit it to a specified time! After he left, the EC team of The Boston Park Plaza was ignited and our story began with not just a new chapter, rather, a new book! Stuart Meyerson, our GM, said to us, 'Whatever we decide on how our branding will unroll, we ALL need to deliver it with that level of sincerity and PASSION!'
Erwin will be missed and ever remembered with a smile (and a dust pan!) and something tells me our paths will path again with much joy.
Thank you for including me in this! All the best and much success to you Erwin and thank you for all you have done.

18

This Friday, June 10, 2011 my son Shane turns 18. Before he was born, I started writing him a book. It is in a beautiful leather bound note book with and angel on the cover, his guardian angel. On the inside cover I quoted 2Timothy 1 6 7 ...Stir into flame the gift of God which is within you... for the spirit that God gave us...One to inspire strength, love and self-discipline... is an inspirational, spiritual excerpt that touched my life a long time ago. I wrote it down on a piece of paper many years ago and have kept it with me. Very few have ever seen it from me.
Dear Shane,
Before you were born, I promised myself I would write a book to you. Not necessarily a book with distinct chapters nor any real format, but one to document feelings and experiences so I can share them with you. When I first thought of the idea, I decided to present this book to you on or around your 18th birthday. There is a lot I still don't understand, but your existence has made me incredibly wise.
Next Friday is your first birthday, so this leaves me seventeen years to finish this - I'll do my best. I frist started this in a notebook that has been falling apart. I think this book is better equipped to stand the test of time.
Anyway - you haven't even been born yet so I better get crackin'! I started the book in early November at a small cafe in Beacon Hill called Rebecca's located on Charles Street in the old meeting house. I actually was working for Rebecca (an amazingly talented chef!) when your mom and I found out you were coming. It was a catering job at an old library in Beacon Hill (The Boston Athenæum, a membership library, first opened its doors in 1807, and its rich history as a library and cultural institution has been well documented in the annals of Boston’s cultural life. Today we remain a vibrant and active institution that serves a wide variety of members and scholars) Your mom was working on her masters degree at Northeastern and was scheduled for a class. But her mother's instinct kicked in and she had a feeling she was pregnant. Ideally, she would have wanted both of us there when she took the test and make a big dinner, have some wine and make it a celebration! But she did it on her own and tracked me down at work. She called Rebecca's hysterically because she expected the test to be negative and it was positive. Positively wonderful!