The Only Living Boy in New York

Why this song for this day, you ask?

Tom, get your plane right on time.
I know your part'll go fine.
Fly down to Mexico.
Da-n-da-da-n-da-n-da-da and here I am,
The only living boy in New York.

I get the news I need on the weather report.
I can gather all the news I need on the weather report.
Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile.
Da-n-do-da-n-do-da-n-do here I am,
The only living boy in New York.
Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where,
And we don't know where.

1) My ipod shuffled onto it and I walked over to see what it was called -- I had no idea. I think the only part that has ever stuck in my head was "we don't know where and we don't know where."

No, we don't.

2) I read an article this week about the fact that it has been 20 years since the release of Larry Clark's Kids -- a movie about teenagers getting high and having sex in New York. Is that possible? I remember seeing it with my babydaddy when it came out and being really shaken by it. Apparently Harvey Weinstein said it was the most controversial film with which he has ever been associated. And now, 20 years later, I'm feeling really grateful that my kids get to be teenagers in Madison, Wisconsin.

3) My only living boy is having some trouble understanding why I want him to spend part of his summer learning and/or reviewing Algebra. I'm just trying to set him up for success, but he doesn't see it that way, and we're both frustrated with each other.

4) And finally, I got a message the other day from an old friend with whom I don't talk to or see much anymore, but the message, about the expansive possibilities with my brain and my newfound freedom to apply it to society's ills (naming improving schools and lives for poor, minority kids), really touched me:

Tom, get your plane right on time.
I know that you've been eager to fly now.
Hey let your honesty shine, shine, shine
Da-n-da-da-n-da-n-da-da
Like it shines on me.
The only living boy in New York,
The only living boy in New York.

Like Tom, I'm eager to fly now, and let my honesty shine, shine, shine...

Bring it, Universe!