The suspense is high
As a crocodile’s eye
As Newt and Mitt
Struggle a bit
Without their coats
For Florida votes.
It’s hot down there
As they’re aware
No stone unturned
All bridges burned
Survival’s at stake
In the Sunshine State
This run’s over
No more cover
Stay and play
Or Slink away.
Go Gators!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
The Group
I joined a writing group at my synagogue tonight. It was our first meeting. There were six of us plus our group leader, a nice young man who is having his first novel published.
I tried a creative writing course a few years ago at a nearby adult school and I enjoyed it. I also took a course in how to start a Blog, which is how I started this blog.
I think the writing group will be different than blogging each night. I suspect we'll be trying longer-form stuff, essays perhaps. Or short stories, even short-short stories. Some will try personal memoirs.
Some of our group have interesting stories they'd like to try writing. I've sort of nestled into the blog-type commentary format. I'm comfortable in it and it gives me great freedom to write about anything.
My wife still wants me to write a book. I have a collection of titles I created for books or stories I thought I'd write someday. One of them was for a satirical musical. You know what they say abut satire. “Satire is what closes on Saturday night.” That one will be a non-starter.
Meantime, the next meeting is in two weeks and I promised to submit something.
Now where did I put those titles?
I tried a creative writing course a few years ago at a nearby adult school and I enjoyed it. I also took a course in how to start a Blog, which is how I started this blog.
I think the writing group will be different than blogging each night. I suspect we'll be trying longer-form stuff, essays perhaps. Or short stories, even short-short stories. Some will try personal memoirs.
Some of our group have interesting stories they'd like to try writing. I've sort of nestled into the blog-type commentary format. I'm comfortable in it and it gives me great freedom to write about anything.
My wife still wants me to write a book. I have a collection of titles I created for books or stories I thought I'd write someday. One of them was for a satirical musical. You know what they say abut satire. “Satire is what closes on Saturday night.” That one will be a non-starter.
Meantime, the next meeting is in two weeks and I promised to submit something.
Now where did I put those titles?
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Pictures Already!
Ain't the modern world wonderful! Yesterday I told you about the birth of a new great grandchild in Israel. And today we received two pictures of him via email. Just a day old and already a star. What could be nicer?
I think he looks just like his older brother. My wife doesn't see the resemblance. No matter. He IS cute.
And all is well with the rest of the family. We couldn’t be more pleased.
We expect to hear from the newborn's grandfather (our son) tomorrow. Can only imagine how he feels.
Till then.
I think he looks just like his older brother. My wife doesn't see the resemblance. No matter. He IS cute.
And all is well with the rest of the family. We couldn’t be more pleased.
We expect to hear from the newborn's grandfather (our son) tomorrow. Can only imagine how he feels.
Till then.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Hello, Number Five
You don't know us yet but we're your great grandparents. This is a very long distance greeting since you were born just this afternoon to our granddaughter (your mother) Rivka in Jerusalem.
You are her second son and our fifth great grandchild, all in Israel. You'll be just a little over a month old when we first see you so I doubt you'll remember our visit.
Don't worry, your mother and father will take lots of pictures of us and when you're old enough they will show them to you and say, look – those nice people are your Great Grandparents. We hope you'll smile, maybe point a little finger at the picture and try to say “grandpa” or “grandma.”
We don't know your name yet because it hasn't been given to you but we're sure we'll love it whatever it is, just like we love your older brother, Yonatan. We know he's going to have fun having a younger brother to play with. Of course he'll have to wait a while until you can get around.
We bet your uncles Shmuel (10) and Shragi (7) are very excited about you joining the family. You are only the fourth boy in a family of nine girls. Go Boys!
My goodness, we almost forgot but you are also the fifth grandchild for our younger son, Rick, known in Israel as Yerachmiel. We know how we felt when our grandchildren starting to come. He must be in a state of pleasant shock.
Well, you're no doubt exhausted from your long journey to life so we won't keep you any longer. Sleep tight. We'll be there soon to personally welcome you to the family.
Hugs to all.
You are her second son and our fifth great grandchild, all in Israel. You'll be just a little over a month old when we first see you so I doubt you'll remember our visit.
Don't worry, your mother and father will take lots of pictures of us and when you're old enough they will show them to you and say, look – those nice people are your Great Grandparents. We hope you'll smile, maybe point a little finger at the picture and try to say “grandpa” or “grandma.”
We don't know your name yet because it hasn't been given to you but we're sure we'll love it whatever it is, just like we love your older brother, Yonatan. We know he's going to have fun having a younger brother to play with. Of course he'll have to wait a while until you can get around.
We bet your uncles Shmuel (10) and Shragi (7) are very excited about you joining the family. You are only the fourth boy in a family of nine girls. Go Boys!
My goodness, we almost forgot but you are also the fifth grandchild for our younger son, Rick, known in Israel as Yerachmiel. We know how we felt when our grandchildren starting to come. He must be in a state of pleasant shock.
Well, you're no doubt exhausted from your long journey to life so we won't keep you any longer. Sleep tight. We'll be there soon to personally welcome you to the family.
Hugs to all.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Tchotchkes Fly Free
Yes, it is time to prepare for a flight to Israel to visit children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom we are blessed to have.
This means, of course, in addition to our own needs for the two-week stay, we are amassing small gifts for the young ones, known as tchotchkes (the gifts, not the kids). Standard definition of tchotchkes: small items of joy, such as toys, trinkets and what-nots.
They are our pleasure to provide but a challenge to pack. Particularly since Continental Airlines is now allowing us only one free bag each instead of two, as it had previously.
As the spare bedroom begins to bulge with said tchotchkes the brain begins configuring how to get them into as few bags as possible. Some items can be folded others cannot because they are hard-surfaced.
I'm usually pretty good at stowing these items in a rolling duffle and squeezing the foldables into corners of our suitcases. Nevertheless, it would not be pre-travel time (we leave on Feb.28) if I did not begin to panic over packing.
My wife urges calm. Don't worry, she says, it'll all get in as she adds yet another tchotchke to the pile.
The upside: none will make the return trip.
This means, of course, in addition to our own needs for the two-week stay, we are amassing small gifts for the young ones, known as tchotchkes (the gifts, not the kids). Standard definition of tchotchkes: small items of joy, such as toys, trinkets and what-nots.
They are our pleasure to provide but a challenge to pack. Particularly since Continental Airlines is now allowing us only one free bag each instead of two, as it had previously.
As the spare bedroom begins to bulge with said tchotchkes the brain begins configuring how to get them into as few bags as possible. Some items can be folded others cannot because they are hard-surfaced.
I'm usually pretty good at stowing these items in a rolling duffle and squeezing the foldables into corners of our suitcases. Nevertheless, it would not be pre-travel time (we leave on Feb.28) if I did not begin to panic over packing.
My wife urges calm. Don't worry, she says, it'll all get in as she adds yet another tchotchke to the pile.
The upside: none will make the return trip.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
A Tale of Two Kickers
What must if feel like for a seasoned place kicker to miss one with seconds to go when it could have tied the score and sent the game into overtime if it had been good.
My wife asked me that late this evening after Lawrence Tynes kicked a 31-yard field goal for the New York Giants in overtime to defeat the San Francisco 49ers to get to the the Super Bowl. She was referring to what had happened earlier at the end of the Baltimore-New England game when a similar kick was missed.
The Baltimore kicker, Billy Cundiff, was understandably inconsolable. No overtime chance for his team to win. Tynes, on the other hand, was giddy with excitement. His kick won the game. Both players' reactions seemed perfectly normal.
And so the Giants and the Patriots will meet once again in a Super Bowl.
We'll get a kick out of that.
My wife asked me that late this evening after Lawrence Tynes kicked a 31-yard field goal for the New York Giants in overtime to defeat the San Francisco 49ers to get to the the Super Bowl. She was referring to what had happened earlier at the end of the Baltimore-New England game when a similar kick was missed.
The Baltimore kicker, Billy Cundiff, was understandably inconsolable. No overtime chance for his team to win. Tynes, on the other hand, was giddy with excitement. His kick won the game. Both players' reactions seemed perfectly normal.
And so the Giants and the Patriots will meet once again in a Super Bowl.
We'll get a kick out of that.
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