Sunday notes

birthday, poems, platza

Dear Reader,

Yesterday was my birthday. It was a good one. I talked with many friends and loved ones. People from around the world sent me poems. I spent the morning at SFMOMA—a brilliant gallery—and the afternoon at the Archimedes Banya.

I like to spend my birthday in my birthday suit. When I arrived, some older gentlemen were singing shul songs in the hot tub. A Shabbat twist. A lovely man beat me with birch, oak, eucalyptus, and juniper leaves tied into little brooms in the Russian sauna. (I’d like to argue that platza is the new birthday spanking.) Then I hopped in a car and went to City Lights Books to hang out in the poetry room and Vesuvio for a couple of drinks on the balcony.

I’m doing vegan January, so we ended the night at a great spot called, Wildseed. I capped off the night with a cup of tea and book in bed. Just a good Saturday full of my favorite things.

I’m looking forward to a new year.

New writing, new books, new landscapes.

New visions.

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My class on The Magic Mountain at the 92nd Street Y starts next Sunday, January 12th.

• Join me for a five-week course on Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain at the 92nd Street Y.

• Sunday afternoons (online) January 12th - February 9th.

• Sign-up here.

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And our next book club begins next Thursday!

• Read Hannah Arendt’s The Human Condition with me.

• Her most timely book.

• We’ll begin next Thursday on January 9th.

• Email coming Tuesday to sign-up for live zoom meetings.

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A Sunday poem for you: Poem on My Birthday by Sarah V. Schweig

Until soon,

with love,

Sam

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Winter Classes:

• Seduction: And I am very excited to be teaching a new class for the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research on Seduction: Philosophy, Aesthetics, Ethics from January 28th to February 18th (online).

  • Sign-up here.

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• Loneliness: In March, join me for a class on Loneliness.

  • Sign-up here.