May 31, 2011 Driving through the city today I was struck by the tall buildings. Ezi always wanted to live in a high penthouse but I am a down-to-earth type of person. Anyway he commented on one of the new buildings on Derech Petach Tivka - self-contained star-studded little cities. "This one looks like a match that could break easily in an earthquake." "Earthquake? Earthquake? Nor dos felt mir!" I burst out. "That's all I'm missing in my life!" "We're not really on a fault-line," says Ezi. "There is no evidence of earthquake in the past here." "That's because earlier people were too smart to build a city on the sand, so there's no evidence!" June 1, 2011
"In summer 2012, Southbank Centre launches Poetry Parnassus. This visionary festival sees poets from all participating Olympic nations come together for a week of readings, talks and performances. Poetry Parnassus marks the first time that so many poets from so many parts of the planet have converged in one place; it is a monumental poetic happening worthy of the spirit and history of the Olympics. My hunch is that there will not be a representative from Israel, but perhaps you can change that by voting
here .
June 2, 2011 These past few months Wednesday nights are for Trinny and Suzanna. I love the way the British ladies confront the lifestyles of Israeli women. We live so casually, sensually, constantly shopping and totally ignorant of the way we look or what looks good, and to get a British fashion perspective is really wonderful. Too bad it's finished. They have covered the entire country and didn't get to me.
Well, this morning when we were in the neighborhood of Yad Harutzim, we sat in Coffee Joe after a recording session and watched the people passing. There aren't all that many women in that area - mostly garages and offices in the daytime. At night the revelers come out. But the women I saw looked like there were dressed for action even at noon. Mini-skirts, platform heels, low-cut t-shirts, heavy jewelry. Where were Trinny and Suzanna?
June 3, 2011 I must have waited for over an hour in the Veterinarian's office before he remembered to turn on the air conditioning. By then I had hair and who knows what else all over me and was itching madly. But since he's so wonderful I usually forget it all when I see him. This time I was watching a mixed rottweiler who really wanted to leave but couldn't disobey his master. His response was to yawn. It's a familiar canine response to double-binds. I remembered it tonight at 8 when the news came on but our guest was too fascinating to interrupt. It's not boredom that makes me turn from the news, but helplessness.
June 4, 2011 Lots of my friends grew up in a kibbutz. Some of them say it was a terrible trauma and they had an awful childhood living in the childrens house and seeing their parents only for a few hours in the afternoons, but my visits there are a young person filled me with envy. To spend entire afternoons with parents seemed amazing to me. To have children around to keep you company looked like heaven. I can't imagine that the way kids grow up today gives them more time with their families. Anyway i am sure someday society look back at the kibbutz education with longing.
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"‘My hunch is this will be the biggest poetry event ever – a truly global coming together of poets.’ (Simon Armitage, the poet behind the idea and Artist in Residence at Southbank Centre)
"You can Nominate a Poet
Southbank Centre is offering people around the world the opportunity to nominate their favourite poet to come to the UK. You are invited to recommend poets by filling in this quick Nomination Form. The closing deadline for nominations is 22 July 2011. We will be shortlisting poets in 2011 and will announce which poets have been selected in 2012."