July 5, 2011 A reporter from Ma'ariv came by the Writers' House today and saw the chair of the Federation of Writers' Unions, Efraim Bauch, emptying out his office. The Ministry of Culture has decided not to continue to support the Federation this year because of its limited activity. But the limits of the activity is determined by the limits of its budget. So essentially the fate of the Writers' Federation was determined by the ministry of culture. "Who needs poetry?" said poet performer M.L.Liebler today to the audience at Tel Aviv University, "Who needs poetry while people are out of work?" He of course has an enormous audience, and most likely know William Carlos Williams' "It is difficult to get the truth from poetry/Yet men die daily/For lack of what is found there."
I've personally been supporting the English Writers Association for the past few years while hoping for the government to kick in again. In the old days, when there was money, there was a warm optimism and much enthusiasm. Now, when there is less money needed but much less available, and so much could be done with telling the truth about life here, there's no support. How interesting. July 6, 2011 Cucumber season. That's what they used to call the summer when there was nothing to do, nothing to see, no where to go. I'm in need of some cucumbers. July 8, 2011 Had my stitches out today. The periodonist gave me a "frequent flyer" discount, and the pain went away. Just a general ache and a feeling of weakness remains. I could even exercise without feeling I was going to faint. But my medical contretemps not what this blog is about, That's just by way of an excuse. The big issue is - whenever I complain that I have no energy I am given the response "me either - it must be the weather." July 9, 2011 So with a major effort we ordered ourselves out of the house. Me, I would have preferred a museum, but I have a family that has to eat and a bad back and a healing mouth so all I can make is reservations. Ha! Try to get reservations on Saturday afternoon. There is rest.co.il or click a table for reservations but the classy places are filled. Pappas, my personal favorite, is great fun but I don't like to load down the restaurant with family on high-pasta-demand days.
And the thought of cooking anything just makes we want to stay in bed. So we went to Yulias on the port. Good food. The price of the meal includes the great view and sea breeze, but the service was slow. As if they were affected by the hot weather, but it was probably that they were one waiter short.