Interesting concept

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Centennial Rededication of the New York Public Library. Barbara Walters opened the evening for us...Mayor Bloomberg did the rededication. There were hosts of people in the audience including four writers that shared some memories of the NYPL and the highlight for me was a reading by Toni Morrison.

We were serenaded by five different musical delights including the Abyssinian Baptist Church Gospel Choir, the NYC Gay Men's Choir and the PS22 Chorus.

After the dedication, we had a sit down dinner...picnic style. Small portions of various delicacies were passed from guest to guest, such as a medley of fresh mixed vegetables to chicken with a tarragon sauce to a lobster and apple salad.

I spent the better part of the evening chatting with Howard Dobson, Executive Director of the Schomberg Center and Carol Alexander, Executive Director of the Ritz Theater and Museum in Jacksonville, FL. And the kicker is that they have a mutual friend who threw herself a fabulous three part birthday bash...the last of which was in Palm Coast, FL at the Yacht Club! And Grandpa Billy is there because he was invited and knows their mutual friend, Jacqui Davis! What a small world!!!

Carol and I spoke about many different things, one of which was ethnic cultures...and how people identify with theirs. She mentioned that she thought I was Filipino (I get that a lot) and I told her that my dad wrote a book is about his family history. She said I should write one about the "new world". People today are often of mixed races...and she was encouraging me to tell my story just as my dad has told his.

Food for thought, huh?