March 2024 3rd Street Beat

3rd Street Beat

The 3rd Street Beat Mission Statement

The Third Street Beat is a newsletter written by and created for people with substance use disorder. Our mission is to validate that experience so people know that they are not alone, and to emphasize the many unique roads that we take to recovery. This is an opportunity to share our experiences to creatively support each other. We are non-political, non-denominational, multi-racial, and gender neutral. Our mission is one of recovery and harm reduction, and all experiences are welcome. All the viewpoints herein are personal in nature and related specifically to our contributors’ recovery.

The 3rd Street Beat Editorial Team

The 3rd Street Beat is produced byThe Recovery Center community with assistance from the occupational therapy team.

Movie Review by John Koroly

Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Last Emperor” won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1987 to no one’s surprise. It had garnered near-universal acclaim from critics and did astonishingly well at the box office for a 2 hour and 36 minute long bio pic of PuYi, Emperor of China in the first half of the 20th century. I saw it at the movies back then and was one of those praising it.

At the time of itsAmerican release, it also aired in a longer version as a mini-series on Italian television.That version runs 3 hours 38 minutes without commercials. It is now available on DVD and I had the great pleasure of watching it and comparing it to the director’s theatrical cut.

First, it must be said that the extended running time takes away nothing from the film’s compelling narrative of a very young man born into royalty who must then deal with it taken from him by various political factions. It does, though, necessitate watching it over two sittings, as the television edit was aired over two nights back in 1987.Attention spans are attention spans and even the finest filmmaking must acknowledge that. I personally recommend viewing the first 2 hours 10 minutes in the afternoon and the final 1 hour 30 minutes that evening as I did, or the first part in the afternoon and the second that evening.

The true story almost dares the viewer to think “C’mon!This is too fantastic to have really happened.”At the age of 3, PuYi assumed the title of Emperor of China upon the death of the Dowager Empress in 1903. For the next two decades he ruled as a God from the Forbidden City in (then) Peking.Amilitary coup ousted him from the City in 1924, and he lived as a Westernized playboy in another city until the Japanese installed him as a puppet Emperor of their occupied province of Manchuria (which they renamed Manchukuo). He “ruled” there till the Soviet Red Army liberated it in the last days of WWII in 1945. Upon the Communist victory in 1949, he was interned in a “re-education” camp and forced to confront his past, eventually being released in 1959 to become a simple gardener in a commune.

So, what’s new with you?

The real-life story is so staggering that it could easily have overwhelmed the human elements that make a film watchable.That isn’t the case here, as the director, screenwriters, and cast imbue all the characters with distinct identities.

Even the communist handler who supervises PuYi’s “re-education” is a three-dimensional being with conflicting motivations.

One’s instinct is to enjoy the fall of a privileged figure brought down, but all the time we’re watching this, we think of how any human consciousness would deal with such a violently dramatic chain of events.

That doesn’t mean PuYi emerges as anything like a heroic figure. Not to put too fine a point on it, the guy was kind of a zero when he wasn’t Emperor. He doesn’t gather any great, piercing insights into life. He just finds a way to emotionally survive all this tumult.That, for me at least, is what anchors the film to a very real feeling of empathy (despite the amazing events). In the title role, John Lone has just about the heaviest burden of “carrying a movie” as any leading man has ever had! He does a more than admirable job in inhabiting the character, despite the man’s innate shallowness.

One glitch is the inclusion of Peter O’Toole as PuYi’s Scottish tutor.Yes, he really lived and interacted with the central character, but not much drama is made of him.

The production values are, as would be expected, dazzling.The filmmakers had access to the real Forbidden City in China for the first time ever for a Western movie.The cinematography by Vittorio Storarro (Bertolucci’s longtime Director of Photography) laves the eye with the sumptuous luxury of the palace, as well as jars one with the stark, harsh reality of the Communist re-education camp where PuYi is interned for half of the film’s running time.

I must also praise the soundtrack score.The music both sets an emotional platform for the action and is also true to the Chinese culture depicted. It was composed by a trio of Cong Su, Japanese classical composer Riyuichi Sakamoto, and (of all people)American pop songwriter David Byrne! One would think three such disparate talents wouldn’t quite gel into a comprehensive artistic whole, but they do and the result is a uniquely listenable and effective score.The soundtrack album is available onYouTube, and I recommend you listen to it whether or not you’ve watched the film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOggsPsTu8Q

The shorter theatrical cut is widely available streaming onAmazon, Netflix, and other platforms, as well as on DVD.The longer edit can be bought on DVD online also fromAmazon and other outlets.

Typicallyiwouldliketothinkofmyselfasanidealist.Fromexperiencing homelessnessforthefirsttimeinmylifeattheageof(27)tofinallygoing tocollegeattheageof(27).I’vemanagedtocontinuetogotoschool,in whichi'monmy2ndyearworkingonmybachelor’s.Nowattheageof (28)Iwouldliketolookbackatthistemporarytraumaticmomentinmy lifeandreflect,onhowmyperseverancetoachieveabetterlifeformyself transcendedtheobstaclesi'vefaced.Althoughtherewereobstacles,the lessonsthatwerelearnedonmyjourneyofselfdiscoveryallowedmeto developasenseofselfandreassuredmeofmyinnatepotential.

Fromtheconstantfightforsurvivalandtheneedtoacceptedbymy peers.Inolongerfeeltheneedtobevalidatedfromdoingwhat’s right.Whatihopetolearninthenextfiveyears,istonotbeafraidtoset boundaries.Nottobeafraidtosetboundaries,nottobeignoranttothe chaosjusttofitin,orinmycase‘Tosleepatnight’.

IwouldliketoremindmyselfofhowfarI'vecomebydedicatingmyselfto bethebestpodcasterformyshow“DashitOutShow”andvolunteering myservicetoorganizations/non-profitsthatarededicatedtoimproving thelivesofindividualsdealingwithsimilarunfortunatesituationswith thehopesofbringingawareness.

Imaybestillincollege,butthebeliefthatmylifeispreparingmefor somethingmuchbetterthanIoriginallyanticipated....AndI'mREADY FORIT!

VictorEstes

Today is a new day!!

My name is DavidTerry

As well I’ve ended a very sad and toxic relationship.

I’m Stronger

I'm Better

I’m Smarter

Most importantly, I’ve taken my power back!!

-DavidTerry

Helplessness

Life!.... So we all know life is beautiful, also is an emotional roller coaster. We all deal with things in different ways. So what happens when a parent you are really close to tries to take there life?This is my situation currently. Me being a very emotional person initially was in shock.Then the phase of feeling guilty because im hundreds of miles away. Me and my mothers relationship is mother and son and best friends. I am who my mother depends on because i am always there for her. Me moving away from her is a issue i have trouble dealing with and the guilt i feel because i should of been there for her.There is a part of me that feels responsible or her suicide attempt. why! Why would she do something like that. Im upset also because my would she leave me knowing i need her like she needs me. Was it something i did or didn’t do, or someone else or childhood trauma. So by the grace of god she survived. Which means we have a chance to try to make things better. She is feeling better and agrees its not worth it.Theres always someone that cares for you, and wants you around and in there life. So for anyone reading this having thoughts, please remember theres always someone who loves you and wants you around. It only takes a second to change your thought and reach out to someone to talk things through , you will realize you should be here, and can make a beautiful life for yourself.Thanks for reading. If you or someone you know are

of hurting yourself please reach out to a friend or

and if that's not an option for you there is help…

The Transit Museum Tour… by

Anthony F.

On 3/21/24, the TRC at Project Renewal went on a “tour” of the 100’s year old transit system of NYC. At first when OT Therapist Maria asked if I would be interested in going it sounded as I wouldn’t do stuff like that, then there was a moment of realization that if all came down to changing people, places, and things and part of that iso to change the way you look at things and the things you look at will begin to change. Now I have to say the tour far exceeded my expectations as it gave on a sense of appreciation for someone else’s hard work and sacrifice, especially the sand hog that dug the tunnels for the subways, I salute them.

Nevertheless, it was two groups that went on this tour and had an amazing time. We say the trains and buses that were preserved for hundreds of years, with advertisements still intact on the trains.

I now know how to enjoy “tours”, there were mechanics, tools, and engines and all kinds of slugs people would use to fair beat!

However at 5 cents a fare the transit system has had great financial success and supported 100,000s of New Yorkers and their families. Change is good along with sobriety, enjoy your journeys!

The Story of Eliza Doolittle

I think Eliza Doolittle is going to forgive Mr. Higgins for the way he talk to her. They make peace with each other. I think Eliza has a good heart but Mr. Higgins has a crush on Eliza; not in a romantic way. Just has a friend and Eliza feel the same way they are just close friends.

DarrylArmour

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/eliza-doolittle-svetlana-pelin.jpg

Darryl’s Chronicles

There is a lot of rich and famous celebrity that made it out of Newark, East Orange, and Irvington and other parts of New Jersey. First you have Whitney Houston, Queen Latifah, and Tisha Campbell, from house party and Martin movies and TV shows she went to Arts High School in Newark, NJ. It is a music and drama acting school. Michael B., Jordan from Creed boxing movies he went to Arts High School too. Taye Diggs from the movies “The Best Man” and he made other movies and TV Shows and the comedian and actor he made the movie “How to be a Player” and he was in a lot of movies and TV Shows. Plus he do stand-up comedy shows. He use to be on Def Jam Comedy with Martin Lawrence was the host. You know he from Martin Lawrence TV shows where my homegirl from Jersey Tisha Campbell was on there.

Back to Whitney Houston she was one of the all-time diva singer in the 80’s and 90’s. She has a hell of a voice and she was a good actress too. She did her thing in the movie “The Bodyguard” with Kevin Costner. But her life got turn around when she got on drugs that mess her music and acting career up. She die tragic in 2012 in the bathtub in LA California Hotel. She getting for the music show the Grammy. And her daughter Bobbi Christina. The daughter by Bobby Brown this singer from the group New Edition. When Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston was marry drugs play a part in their marriage. That mess it up but life goes on.

Then you have Queen Latifah her real name is Dana Owens. She lives in all three area of New Jersey. Newark East, Orange, and Irvington. She start it as a rapper. Then she got into acting and movies and TV Shows. She had her own TV show, she had her own record company, she is a business woman too. Her record company The 45 Kings has a lot of artists. Lakim Shabazz from Newark he a rapper I grow up with in the neighborhood in Newark. I knew his family I use to hand out with his uncle in Newark. He went to Arts High School to with Tisha Campbell. They graduate in the same year 86 that was ten years before I move to New York from New Jersey in 96 that a coincidence small world.

Sarah Vaughn she wa a jazz singer in the 40’s and 50’s. She went to Arts High School. The same school Tisha campbell, Michael B. Jordan, Lakim Shabazz. She is a Arts High School alumni. So that end of this story God bless the city, the country, and world.

Peace and Love

Thank you

Darryl Armour 11

Anthony Thomas

Mar 24 Thinking back when I was living in Newark City in Jew Jersey. Walking from my house in the southward area on ChadwickAve 100 was the apartment building that I live for 24 years. I moved there in 1969. When I was 7 years old going on 8 but when I got older I use to walk to my house to the downtown area in Newark on board and Market or go to the Ranford movies and watch movies all day and night on the weekends we use to have a lot of fun back in the day and go to Club Sanibas on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays that was my second home Thank you

DarrylArmour