LMMc

I went to a public elementary school in Chicago with a vibrant arts program. In eighth grade I would journey via train to the Art Institute of Chicago once per week for a class. There I learned that the famous Georges Seurat painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” was the inspiration for a Broadway musical called “Sunday in the Park with George”. We also were each tasked with finding a painting that inspired us and using it as the basis to write a short play. More than 40 years later, I still think about it when I look at paintings and try to imagine the rich inner lives of the people captured in a two-dimensional work of art. Kudos to Sondheim and Seurat for partnering across centuries and continuing to inspire.

I turned to my teenage daughter for help with Taylor Swift and Brooklyn Nine-Nine answers. She’s always delighted to have me lean on her areas of expertise. Loved this puzzle, fun theme, good clueing, just crunchy enough for my taste.

My youngest is leaving for college in the fall. My pet names for her are “Little Bird” or “Birdie”. So thinking about that little bird and my imminent transition to being an empty nester brought a tear to my eye. First time the NYT Crossword had made me cry.