We didn’t wake up, but when we listened to the news we understood that 2 rockets had fallen right off the shore of Tel Aviv and there was not a chance that it was actually in error, despite Gaza’s declaration. And then of course they emptied their basis in preparation for the response clearly requested. So it may well be time to hunker down again. How sad, just when things were beginning to look up in terms of health.
january 1, 2022 – rockets again Read Post »
Everyone seems to be writing and talking about forgetting the past year, but I’ve been wondering about taking what we learned in the past 20 odd months that we can take into the new year and maybe use to improve our future years. Me, I’m not even going to begin to talk about what I’ve missed, what I’ve lost, and what can be recovered. But I can begin to plan how to use what I learned, and what my future will look like. Okay, one of the first things I want to work with is what I learned by translating my Yiddish poems into English. There’s something so stark, so bare, so real in these poems precisely because of my limited vocabulary, that even though I thought I was writing the translations as a favor to the publisher, I was getting to the bone, and even if I never write another Yiddish poem (and I will) I am somewhere better.
january 1, 2021 – A Better Year Read Post »
This is definitely one of the longest Sabbaths ever. It begins in 2021 and ends in 2022. But I seem to remember the Sabbath at the turn of the century was even longer. So, if I have insulted or offended you in any way, or said anything to hurt you… wait a minute! I’ve got the wrong new year! So just celebrate the new year and enjoy yourselves.
And if you’re looking for a reason to celebrate – Ezi will be getting his fourth vaccine on Sunday!
december 31, 2021 – longest Shabbat Read Post »
Even though i’m a bit of a mess right now, healthwise, I got myself together to go to Rony Someck’s 70th birthday party that was arranged for him at the University of Haifa the night before by Rafi Weichert. There was a huge audience, for the middle of an epidemic, and Rony was feted with readings of translations in numerous languages of his poems.
One of the most wonderful characteristics of his poems is that they are up to date. here’s a poem about teaching on-line:
Ronny Sommek
Zoom
I count the bears on R’s pajamas
from twelfth grade listening
to me reading a poem
about ballet shoes.
The teacher T’ in the next square
missed a hair above the left eye
when she tried to be exact
Plucking her eyebrows.
The beard of Teacher Y’
is more manicured
than the Gardens of Luxembourg
and the cat on the lap of H
deserves an embrace.
D’ judging by his shirt is a member
of the Nature Conservation Group,
And the flowers in the vase behind him
I identify as those permitted to pick.
K’s turtle-neck sweater is black and,
she looks like the raven in the old Scottish ballad,
And I hope that T doesn’t fix that eagle nose
that really complements her,
and while we’re on the subject of the nose:
The fact that P’ is the ideal
of painters of Aphrodite
that N’ is freckled
and H’ is too close to the camera.
She’s the last to turn off the video
and my eyes suddenly center on my own
the screen that fills
with squares of chocolate.
To me, the best part of the evening was the enjoyment Rafi had in arranging the surprise for Rony. Even though he was familiar with the Russian, Polish, Arabic, French, Rumanian, etc, he didn’t know about the Japanese translation at all. And when I finished reading an English translation and moved to a translation by Rivka Bassman in Yiddish, his jaw dropped.
Rony has had a huge influence on poetry of the next generation here, and he sees it as part of his role as poet, to teach. He’s taught in high schools, prisons, old age homes, and you can see that it’s out of love of the people as well as poetry.
december 30, 2021 – Rony Someck Read Post »
Just a few words about the Cardiology outpatient. I asked Ezi if he knows how to get there and he answered, “Sure! It’s in Lushik’s building.” Who could understand what that means? Only someone who has been married over 40 years to a guy who tells more stories about his childhood and his parents’ friends than he tells about me. “Lushik” was the nickname for Arieh Sharon, who designed many important projects in this country. In the ‘5o’s he built this wing of the hospital. It’s called the “founders’ wing.”
And it looks like it.
Ezi left me off at the entrance, which is really the entrance to another spanking new building you have to go through to get to the founders’ wing. And I walked through to find myself in the laundry basement, before a sign that indicated that the cardiology clinic is 2 floors up. But as I stood before the doors of the elevator that open and close over and over, I realized that I would have to walk up. And I’m lucky that my heart is probably fine because it is no problem for me to do those stairs.
Maybe that was one of the cardiology tests!
december 29, 2021 – Cardiology Read Post »
Nah. no update. But I will spend a few hours at Ichilov today and hope to have the murderous beta-blockers changed and a more specific and merciful diagnosis given. will let you know
December 28, 2021 – Cardiology update Read Post »
Notice that I’ve finally given up and asked someone for advice about editing this site? But now that it’s looking professional I’m feeling I can never live up to these fonts.
Nevertheless, I will do my best to ignore the ‘look’ and stay as simple and true as possible.
Today we learned over the radio that the new booster will be good for Omicron too, and they’re testing it at Sheba. It reminded me of how vulnerable we are and how dependent on the medical system. If Ezi can get vaccinated and it works, our lives will change.
For me, the Omicron would probably not be fatal, even with the kvetches I live with. Still, it would be nice to have the vacccine.
There remains a lot of information I do not have that makes me suspicious. For example – I don’t know what immunity unvaccinated people who recovered from Corona have. Do you? Strange, isn’t it?
december 27, 2021 – omicron vaccination please Read Post »
