incredible!!!

Even if you never watch basketball.

And even if you've never heard of Jalen Brunson.

And even if spectator sports is not your thing.

It doesn't matter.

It feels like every single person in NYC is caught up in the thrilling win of last night's game. Another come-from-behind victory to clinch the series against the San Antonio Spurs, and become the NBA Champions, for the first time since 1973.

I have lived in this city for over 40 years. 

I have watched the city unite after the horrific events of 9/11.

I have seen the city act in solidarity at 7pm every night during the early days of Covid, cheering out their windows to thank essential workers.

But this is the first time I have ever seen the city come together for a joyous reason. 

I do not follow basketball.

I don't know the game beyond the very basics.

And before the playoffs, I couldn't name the coach or one player on the Knicks team

But the buildup to last night has been contagious.

People wearing Knicks shirts everywhere. Local news talking about the possibility of a win for weeks. The topic of basketball coming up in conversations where it never has before.

I even teared up after their win. It was hard not to. Watching Jalen Brunson hug his dad. Or Bruce Beck, a local sportscaster, getting emotional recalling the many games he watched the game with his dad. Or seeing big, muscular men release all their pent up emotions.

Oh and finally, it was nice to see a smile on the faces of Mike Brown and Jalen Brunson.

The absolute joy spreading through the city is electric. Seas of blue and orange everywhere.

And the unity, for such a happy reason this time, is just plain incredible.

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DZkUrf6yMZS/

4th and goal

Today is my fourth colonoscopy. And my last. 

The procedure is easy; the prep is not.

Yesterday:

Drank two small bottles of Clen-Piq; one around 1:45pm and the other six hours later.  With a coupon, I paid only $162, but was told by friends it was worth it. Hard to know. It wasn't too hard to drink but the cloyingly sweet cranberry-flavored mixture was barely tolerable.

In all, I drank 98 ounces of clear liquids only:

• 8 ounces: Lemon-Lime Gatorade

• 24 ounces: Ginger Ale

• 24 ounces: Chicken Broth

• 32 ounces: Water

I was up almost hourly throughout the night.

Today:

Walk a mile and take subway to a place in midtown.

I arrive early, but procedure starts exactly on time at 9:30 am.

By 10:30 I am told that everything is great. No issues. And that I never have to do this again. I guess that's good, but it's also kind of sad to be aged-out of a colonoscopy.

My son picks me up. 

He even accompanies me home (because he needs something from the apartment, not because I need his help). 

We have lunch (him pizza, me steamed dumplings) and watch an episode of The Sopranos (we finally only have 3 episodes left; we started the series years ago (him for the first time, me for the second).

Then I sleep for the rest of the afternoon.

Mission accomplished.