Yankees Rule the World (series?)!!!!

So...if you want all the stats, play by plays and video highlights of last night's Yankee's game - click here.

This blog is about the game - but not for die hard sports fans who need the nuts and bolts.

We took off from work, me and Chewbacca, at noon. We reasoned that driving to the Bronx on a good day takes about an hour, so with traffic, construction and rush hour (which is a total misnomer because NO ONE moves on the highways at that time of day) we'd never get there unless we went early.

We got to the bronx at 1:30 and went to see the Chihuly exhibit at the Botanical Gardens. Now, I love Chihuly - hes my favorite sculptor (along with Henry Moore and Michelangelo) and his website is at http://www.chihuly.com - so I was anticipating an AWESOME exhibit. He is a glass sculptor and they place his pieces in with the plants and flowers to dramatic effect - at least, in the other 2 exhibits I saw they did (One in Jerusalem in 2000 and one in Atlanta Botanical Gardens in 2004). But this was a HUGE disappointment. I mean, really. There were maybe one or two nice pieces, the placement was no big thing, and the gardens were not especially beautiful. Maybe it's because of the season and I'm not being fair to the flowers who probably already blossomed and died this summer, but still. I was really disappointed. I took a roll of film, so hopefully it wasn't a total loss. I felt kind of silly too after talking it up to Chewy this whole time, and it being really lame. Oh well.

We then drove to my old stomping grounds in the Bronx. It is interesting how time changes things in your mind. I remember my 'hood being larger, cleaner and more vibrant. But driving around yesterday for the first time in 6 years was a real shock and changed my memory. The buildings and streets looked so old, dilapidated, small, crowded, dirty. The stores looked run-down and tired. And the life, vibrancy and teeming masses of busy people were gone. Ok, it was a random Wedensday evening, but it was still a shock to me. Though I was impressed how easily I navigated the highways and streets as if some dormant part of my sense of direction woke up and shook off the cobwebs and directed me around my old 'hood. It was kind of sad, and a huge moving on moment. Dinner was yummy though. I was happy that of all the things that had changed, or been changed in my memories, the chinese place I used to love *still* has the best spare ribs in the Eastern half of the US.

Then, and only then, did we make our way to the shrine of the bombers, the house that Ruth built, the stadium where the ghosts of DiMaggio, Mantle, the Babe and the unforgettable presence of Yogi live on in modern greats like Jeter, Giambi, Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neill (he will always be a Yankee to me).

We had excellent seats. I didnt realize how close we were to the field until we passed a gate on the way to our seats and I glanced in, only to stop short in amazement, my mouth hanging open. We were right by home plate, where the Orioles were having batting practice, and we were really close. Chewy had to pull me over to our seats, which were in the Loge Box section, to the right of the press boxes and a little to the right of first base. I've never been to that side of hte stadium before. It-was-so-cool.

The game was unbelievable. One hit after another, one home run after another, Posada came out of nowhere to smash it out of the park and the crowd had a 4 times around wave going on. It was the most electric, supercharged, pumped up experience I have ever had at a ballgame.

Chewy and I were wearing matching Bernie Williams shirts, and I had a Yankee cap on, too. We jumped up and down, yelled, hit high fives and went crazy - it was majorly cool, majorly fun and a super night!

Blahs....

I’ve been feeling sickly for a few days.

Nothing really specific, a general malaise, and some stomach issues. Have you noticed that I get stomach issues around holidays when I have been stressing myself out? I didn’t think you noticed that pattern, I sure didn’t. *smile*

There are a lot of exciting things to look forward to: tomorrow’s Yankee Game (box seats in the Loge section), Red Hot Chili Peppers Concert and Big & Rich Concert. Plus a friend’s gallery opening in Pennsylvania exhibiting her sculptures (I will miss the opening, but will see the exhibit).

But I have to get rid of these blahs. My stomach has been upset, I have a headache and I’m generally tired. Too much partying, huh?

Yeah. Right.

I have also been feeling really unmotivated at work. I can’t seem to muster up that caring I used to have about my job and the tasks I needed to complete. I’m in a general funk about it. I am not challenged and that always spells trouble - and the death of a job for me.

So, in theory, I’m looking for a new job. But I am also kind of at a loss so I haven’t really started looking yet. I need to earn more money. Besides that, I am not sure what the criteria are for this job search and that’s baffling me. You’d think I have a great earning power with a Masters Degree - but I really don’t - unless I go into the field of International Relations - which I have no experience in so I probably only qualify for an entry-level position anyways.... so there you have it, even in the field of my degree I’m not able to earn anything really significant.

That sucks.

I’m not really complaining. I’m explaining my thoughts about where I am at and what I have to do, and expressing my stymied state in some of this. But I’m not really complaining. I’m just in a funk. And feeling kind of yukky.

Blah...

Not for the Faint of Heart.... The Dildo Song :)

A parody of a 1950's commercial for the Slinky. This is a raunchy parody, not for children, bosses or the prudish:)

Holiday Headache

Been a while...

Why do I feel like I write that a lot?!?! Probably because I do. I don’t have the time that I wish I did to properly update this blog/journal and keep it current. Then I have to backtrack and fill in stuff, and try to remember what I was thinking then, but of course, you can’t really. So that makes the whole thing a little silly because it’s less genuine. But I guess that’s part of the rant.

Somewhere I believe there is a dictionary that says Holidays = Family, (see “insanity, lunacy and morbid fascination”). I am beginning to dread EVERY holiday, not just Passover, and that is just so sad. Have you ever witnessed the mating dance of a crane? The male bird delicately steps around the female, looking out of the corner of his eye to see if she’s noticing his gorgeous plumage, his straight walk, his manliness, all the while keeping his other eye out for rival males who are also strutting around looking impressive. If he felt there was another male moving in on “his” woman, he attacks, they brawl and someone goes away. And that polite dance starts again.
Sounds lovely, no?

I feel like the negotiations for Who spends What holidays Where is a lot like that. Its a delicate and polite dance around the issue, no one really comes out and says what they are thinking and feeling, and if someone makes a “wrong” choice, they are attacked and pecked into place. Its exhausting. And quite frankly, I am ready to walk away from it all and say “screw you all”. If holidays are supposed to be family time, and a fun atmosphere where everyone is together, then why doesn’t it say “leave your issues, baggage and agendas at home” on the bottom of the invitation? Instead, these times become the arena for everyone’s pent up aggravation, issues, insults, and bruised egos to play out in the open with each other, something which can really become a spectator sport! Unless you are stuck on the field with YOUR issues, aggravations, pent up hostility and barely concealed intolerance. Then its just a free for all with no winners and a lot of walking wounded. Thanks for playing and see you next holiday for the next round. Kiss, kiss, hug, hug. Bu bye!

So now the holidays roll around, and I get SO tense. And so uptight about it. Its not like I am married and can hide behind the “oh, this year its my in-laws turn” line. I’m me. One. Alone. And expected to tow the party line, behave like a dutiful daughter and tag along with the rest of the freak show. You know, I have spent a lot of years “doing the right thing” and I have to say, that though I may be racking up some points up there, its not really doing it for me anymore. Its aggravating, annoying and making the holidays less palatable for me at all. It affects my health, my mental well-being and destroys my energy. Does that sound healthy?! I don’t think so.

The biggest shame is that in isolation, I like a lot of the holidays. (Not Passover, NEVER Passover!) The crisp air, the changing leaves, the earth slowly, drowsily settling down to dormancy. I have good memories of the food, of the fun, of the ignorant bliss of youth where you don’t catch the edge in people’s voice, and the undercurrent of anger, hatred, impatience, etc. I resent the loss of that innocent joy!!

This year, I’m stuck. I had given up and decided not to fight anymore - to tow that damn party line and stay drunk for as much of the holiday as I could manage. But passivity is not really me and its beginning to grate on me. Again.

So - Yeah, Happy Jewish New Year. Wahoo.

Love & Israel

A close friend of mine, Ilana Lipski is co-producing a monologue show called "Love & Israel" with Sissy Block, who has the coolest energy I have met in a long time. (You can write them at loveandisrael@yahoo.com if you want more info.)

I offered to help out, and was to facilitate the Q&A after the reading, though people just wanted to mingle after the performance and so there was no Q&A in the end. But that's ok. The show was really cool and they chose a nice mix of monologues some more serious, some lighthearted, and all about the writer's relationship with Israel - as if it were a romantic relationship. How did you meet? Fall in love? fall out of love? etc.

I submitted a monologue that they asked me to revise, and then I was unable to because of my fractured wrist - but I am posting it here, because I think its a nice statement about MY relationship with Israel. Bear in mind, though, that it is a work in progess and needs some fleshing out.

Here goes:

I watch the misty morning fog hang in the deepest pockets of the Wadi. Nebulous yet substantial, it drifts around the craggy rocks until the sun shoos it away, tantalizing me with half formed images and fleeting glimpses of things my eyes could not be seeing, but my brain wants to know are there.

Dawn breaks in Jerusalem. The air is still moist and sweet with dew and early morning blossoms. That quiet, tranquil period before the city truly wakes to its bustling self is shattered by a long, loud, piercing bellow. One voice, soon joined by myriad calls and wails, bellows and screeches from different throats. Each calling out to be heard, protesting their abrupt waking or broadcasting their hunger. The day has begun at the Biblical Zoo.

This is where my love affair with Israel began. In the juxtaposition of rugged beauty; a crucible of a climate; and a volatile political environment. And the simple pleasures of life; the appreciation of nature and the love of the Land. Standing in a pile of animal poop, the smell of manure mingling with muddy, Turkish coffee – I fell in love. Idyllic, no?

Working in the Biblical Zoo was almost like entering a bubble every day, a time warp, where Arabs and Jews co-existed in harmony, working together or visiting together. No matter what was going on in the outside world, we in the zoo kept up a pace of our own. Our concerns were the births, deaths and illnesses of our animals. Violence came to us in the form of one animal challenging another’s authority within the social grouping. Such conflicts were often solved without any major damage to either animal; perhaps some posturing, threatening gestures or calls, and a head butt or two, and the whole incident was over.

We existed outside of time, politics and The Situation. We left our worries about the state of the State outside the gates, and picked them up on our way out after work. We didn’t discuss, argue or protest The Matzav. Our visitors peacefully browsed through our facility, mingling with each other regardless of race, religion or creed. And the outside touched us not at all.

I am not saying that my love affair with Israel began and ended with the gates of the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem, but the zoo was that first glance, the delicate flirting that sets your pulse quickening and makes you start to wonder things. Through my work in the zoo I was introduced to other ruggedly beautiful parts of the country; the Golan where we release captive-bred Griffon Vultures into the wild; The Negev where we repatriate Arabian Oryx back into the wild; The Hula where we track migration routes of numerous species of birds. And as the country revealed more of her secret and startling natural beauty, I was captivated. I wanted to see more, to explore her, to learn everything about her. To understand the co-existence of the lush and fertile with the barren and harsh.

I dated Israel. Weekends would see me exploring some new nook I found, whether it was the stunning stalactites and stalagmites of the Cave of Soreq or the enchantment of the Banyas River. I was intoxicated by the beauty, compelling, expansive and sometimes harsh, and I couldn’t get enough. Like an infatuated lover I would read, explore and learn all I can about the new relationship in my life.

In the process I learned about myself. I learned what makes me feel happy, feel touched, feel….Home.

And as I stood knee-deep in animal poop every morning, my heart felt full. I was in love. And I felt that Israel requited my love.

Labor Day Weekend

I know this is about a week late, almost. But its been a little hectic getting back into the groove of things. And this place just *cant* seem to run without me for too long...

Anyways, the weekend was totally awesome. I was nervous bringing The Boy (aka Chewbacca) to meet my friends because I very much seperate different aspects of my life. And because its hard to streamline a new person into a community which he has no experience with, and only knows by reputation - not to mention that my friends ALSO only know him by reputation, and things have been, well, rocky, so it was understandably an anxious time for me.

But having said that - it was all good. Sunday we had a rocking party and a lot of fun (can you believe i actually drank alcohol and got drunk???) And my friends were warm, welcoming and really cool.

Chewy and I went to Atlanta for Shabbat (sabbath) and I have close friends there who are religious. Again, pleasant surprise for me because I wasnt antsy or restless, it was just so nice to spend time with them and relax (they have the best beds i have ever slept on in my life!) and i picked up some artwork in the process. Then we drove up on Sunday to Nashvegas and the fun began!

Chewy really enjoyed the city and wants to come back already and see more (like the JD distillary and the Honkey Tonks). It was nice for me, to come back to the one place in America that feels like Home to me. Though of course things have changed, no more upstairs neighbors to rely on :-)

Missing you already, Nashville.