End of the Year

Yet another year comes to a close... I honestly wonder what history will make of it.

In my own small world of personal news, the end of the year, thankfully, brought more high notes. Almost all of the remaining events of the year were great. Leibovitz and Weir book events were interesting and fun. Greenbuild did not disappoint. Chiller came up empty this time around, but both RICC and WS brought some fantastic moments. The Neuroscience of Illusion turned out to be both a scientific lecture and a very entertaining show thanks to both professors-presenters and the invited gentleman-thief, Apollo Robbins. Andrea Bocelli's concert was truly remarkable and unforgettable!

January 27th - the Annual Rutgers Geology Museum Open House
February 7th - SciCafe: Trilobite Takedown at AMNH

Finally Fall

This year's NYCC was probably one of the most successful I have ever attended. The NYCC Presents event was somewhat repetitive, but a full day at the convention, followed by a wonderful Star Trek Discovery event at the Paley Center were beyond reproach. So much of everything! Great fun! Then, I got to meet yet another extraordinary human at AMNH - Capt. Scott Kelly, who spent almost an entire year on board the International Space Station. Living For Today benefit concert turned out to be an absolutely lovely celebration for a good cause, full of great music and cheer. Seeing Kate Mulgrew yet again was a delight.

October 26th - Annie Leibovitz author event at Union Square Barnes & Noble
October 27th - 29th - the fall Chiller Theatre
November 3rd - The Starfleet Academy Experience is back! Liberty Science Center will host a special event celebrating the opening - Live Long and Trek On!: A Star Trek Celebration
November 8th-10th - Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Boston, MA
November 10th-12th - Rhode Island Comic Con (I hope I'll be able to handle all the traveling required on the heels of the Boston trip, but what an amazing guest list, cannot be missed!)
November 14th - Andy Weir at USS Intrepid, presenting Artemis, his new novel
December 5th - The Neuroscience of Illusion at AMNH
December 9th-10th - Walker Stalker convention in Edison, NJ
December 14th - Andrea Bocelli concert at MSG

Long Time, No Updates

It has been a while since I updated my events. The last half of the summer and the beginning of fall have been great! The Maryland trip was a success, and, besides seeing convention friends outside of a convention, included a side trip to the Udvar-Hazy Space Center in Virginia. Continuing this year's theme of living legends, Sir Paul gave an unforgettable three-hour performance at MSG, and Dame Judi was simply extraordinary in that brief one-hour live interview. How I wish I had a chance to actually see her on stage! The Vegas convention was amazing. I daresay, even more so, than the last year's 50th anniversary one. Five full days of truly non-stop Trek! With the arrival of the sixth live action series, the fandom is as lively as ever. The Parsippany convention was much smaller, of course, but fun, nonetheless. Great to see all the familiar faces. Out of the two book events at the NYPL, I admit, I enjoyed Greater Gotham presentation more, even though Picturing The City had quite an entertaining basis to it. New York City is a fascinating creature. I am looking forward to exploring the vast tome that is Greater Gotham. Meanwhile, NYCC awaits, along with several other wonderful events.

October 5th - NYCC Presents - Star Trek: The Next 50 Years
October 5th - 8th - New York Comic Con

October 16th - Frontiers Lecture: Endurance with Astronaut Scott Kelly at AMNH
October 23rd - "Living For Today" concert

October 27th - 29th - the fall Chiller Theatre
November 8th-10th - Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Boston, MA
November 10th-12th - Rhode Island Comic Con (I hope I'll be able to handle all the traveling required on the heels of the Boston trip, but what an amazing guest list, cannot be missed!)
November 14th - Andy Weir at USS Intrepid, presenting Artemis, his new novel
December 5th - The Neuroscience of Illusion at AMNH
December 9th-10th - Walker Stalker convention in Edison, NJ
December 14th - Andrea Bocelli concert at MSG

Summer Fun

Well, this was a pretty intense couple of months. So many incredible events.

NDT did not disappoint, as I said before, he is an incredible science educator. The Barbra Streisand concert blew my mind, talk about a living legend! Jarre's concert was pretty unique and fun. Eddie Izzard was simply amazing - two hours of author event / stand-up comedy. Wonderful! Talking of living legends - the play reading of The Chalk Garden with Angela Lansbury was just great! The two comic cons I've gone to were the usual one-day affairs, but allowed me to meet for the first time or see again several absolutely marvelous people.

The big Trek convention in Vegas and the NYCC are upcoming, and I am really looking forward to them.

July 7th - trip to Maryland to see some convention friends
August 2nd-6th  - Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, NV

September 15th - Sir Paul McCartney concert at MSG (birthday present for Dad)
September 18th - An Evening with Judi Dench via The New York Times - TimesTalks
September 19th - Picturing the City: Illustrated Maps of New York City at NYPL
September 29th - October 1st - Star Trek convention in Parsippany, NJ

October 3rd - Greater Gotham: A History of New York City from 1898 to 1919 at NYPL
October 5th - NYCC Presents - Star Trek: The Next 50 Years
October 5th - 8th - New York Comic Con

October 16th - Frontiers Lecture: Endurance with Astronaut Scott Kelly at AMNH
October 27th - 29th - the fall Chiller Theatre
November 8th-10th - Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Boston, MA
December 14th - Andrea Bocelli concert at MSG

May 1st

And we are now in May. Thankfully, the weather seems to be cooperating, and it is finally getting warmer every day. What is new? Well, the NY / NJ Mineral Show was a great success - wonderful vendors, great exhibits - it felt bigger and better than last year. It was a struggle not to buy everything in sight. I did walk away with some wonderful purchases - two fossils, two minerals and a plush dinosaur. :D The Washington trip was fantastic, despite having to hobble around on a sprained ankle. Museums, excellent weather, good food - the trip truly left nothing else to be desired. The last two weekends were quite busy - between Chiller and the March (#StandUpForScience), and then the 9-hours-long Godfather event, it felt like I was barely home. Speaking of which - that cast reunion was truly unprecedented. Incredible to be there in person!

May 5th - TimesTalks event with Neil deGrasse Tyson
May 6th - Barbra Streisand concert at Barclays Center, Brooklyn
May 20th - Jean-Michel Jarre - Electronica Tour concert at Radio City Music Hall
May 22nd - author talk with Jeffrey Kluger (author of Apollo 8; co-author of The Lost Moon (Apollo 13) aboard USS Intrepid
June 1st - 4th - Wizard World's Philadelphia Comic Con
June 12th - OITNB Season 5 Debut Screening and Conversation
June 14th - an intimate evening celebrating Eddie Izzard's new memoir, Believe Me (info from his Facebook page)
June 19th - The Acting Company Presents: The Chalk Garden starring Angela Lansbury
June 30th - July 2nd - Denver Comic Con (trying a new convention!)
July 7th - trip to Maryland to see some convention friends
August 2nd-6th  - Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, NV

September 29th - October 1st - Star Trek convention in Parsippany, NJ

October 5th - 8th - New York Comic Con

November 8th-10th - Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Boston, MA
December 14th - Andrea Bocelli concert at MSG

Spring Updates

There is not much to update actually. I have had quite a bit of some science fun at the Brain Candy and Lawrence Krauss lecture at the AMNH (sadly, I couldn't make it to the Oddities market), other than that, March has been spent in anticipation of warmer weather and further events.

Upcoming events:

April 7th - 9th - NY / NJ Mineral, Fossil, Gem and Jewelry Show
April 13th - 15th - Washington museum trip with my sister
April - 21st - 23rd - Chiller Theatre at Parsippany, NJ (a maybe)
April 22nd - March For Science; I hope to attend the one in NYC
April 29th - Tribeca Film Festival is celebrating the 45th anniversary of The Godfather saga with the screening of The Godfather and The Godfather II, followed by the cast reunion! That's right - Coppola, De Niro, Pacino, Keaton, Shire, Caan, Duvall! Oh, my!
May 6th - Barbra Streisand concert at Barclays Center, Brooklyn
May 20th - Jean-Michel Jarre - Electronica Tour concert at Radio City Music Hall
June 14th - an intimate evening celebrating Eddie Izzard's new memoir, Believe Me (info from his Facebook page)
July 7th - trip to Maryland to see some convention friends
August 2nd-6th  - Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, NV

September 29th - October 1st - Star Trek convention in Parsippany, NJ

October 5th - 8th - New York Comic Con

November 8th-10th - Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Boston, MA
December 14th - Andrea Bocelli concert at MSG

Here We Are

And, here we are, in the new year. I cannot believe that it is the middle of February already.

January has been gray and uneven, which is hardly surprising given the current "climate" in the country. Nevertheless, a few things of note. I was unfortunately down for the count physically for the New York Women's March (I cannot remember the last time I was so sick for so long) but, at the very least, I had managed to attend The Ghostlight Project gathering in the Times Square. The RU Geo Museum mineral sale was somewhat uninspiring this year but, nevertheless, it was nice to poke around the tables. By far, the most fun in the last month or so was my sister doing a residency rotation in the city, so we hung out together as much as we could (further highlight of that being the discovery of the most amazing Italian restaurant in Manhattan - Becco).

Upcoming events:

February 28th - Adam Savage & Michael Stevens: Brain Candy at Beacon Theater

March 12th - First Annual Oddities Flea Market in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (info from Atlas Obscura)
March 15th-16th - New York Build Expo 2017
March 23rd - Frontiers Lecture: The Greatest Story Ever Told - So Far by Lawrence Krauss at AMNH
April 7th - 9th - NY / NJ Mineral, Fossil, Gem and Jewelry Show
April 13th - 15th - Washington museum trip with my sister
April - 21st - 23rd - Chiller Theatre at Parsippany, NJ (a maybe)
April 22nd - March For Science; I hope to attend the one in NYC
April 29th - Tribeca Film Festival is celebrating the 45th anniversary of The Godfather saga with the screening of The Godfather and The Godfather II, followed by the cast reunion! That's right - Coppola, De Niro, Pacino, Keaton, Shire, Caan, Duvall! Oh, my!
May 6th - Barbra Streisand concert at Barclays Center, Brooklyn
May 20th - Jean-Michel Jarre - Electronica Tour concert at Radio City Music Hall
August 2nd-6th  - Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, NV

September 29th - October 1st - Star Trek convention in Parsippany, NJ

October 5th - 8th - New York Comic Con

November 8th-10th - Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Boston, MA

Here's Hoping, 2017!

Hopes for a kind and calm 2016 did not exactly pan out. Inarguably, that year contained some extraordinary highlights and amazing events, but also considerable worries, losses and sadness.

Please, 2017, be kind.

Happy New Year, everyone!