Tangents - They're Not Just For Math Class Anymore

This morning someone in a store wished me a good day and I told them to have a good one too. As I walked out I wondered if it sounded like I was saying have a good 1,2 - as in a 1,2 punch.

Reminded me of an episode in West Wing when an advisor says that people in a certain state don't hear that well. And someone clarifies that that was to mean that people there don't like a certain approach being presented, not that they have a hearing deficit.

Which reminds me of Brian Regan's routine about how sometimes he mis-speaks, like when a cab driver leaves you at the airport and says "have a good flight" and he says you too" then doesn't know what to add other than "I'm a moron" and then tries to save it with, I mean if you ever do fly.

I'm cooking fruit soup, something I haven't done for a long time. Brings back sweet memories of long ago, of people long gone... I love fruit soup. I love fruit. Some people call it compote when it's cooked. Call it whatever you want and Ill still love fruit soup. And the same goes for certain dear people.

I feel like I haven't freely written in a while. I'd like to take this opportunity, as I try to let it flow, to thank Mirty for her true kindness in helping me, most recently by archiving many poetry posts. I'd also like to thank all the readers and commenters. And I apologize to anyone that I hurt in any way by writing about or by not appreciating enough. I try to reply to all comments and I appreciate those who take the time to comment even if I slip in how I word my replies or neglect to reply. If anyone has the inkling to comment (in a polite way) please do so.

Every year in classes there are one or two idea that the students get. A few years ago that idea was Rav Hirsch's pshat on Eretz Zavat Chalav U'Devash. I drew a sink on the board and explained that according to Rav Hirsch it doesn't mean that milk always flows in Israel. He says that a zav is a flow that starts and stops like the stream from a faucet. And that Israel is unique because the produce is controlled by G-d like a faucet in direct correspondence to the behavior of The Jewish People.

This came to mind now, as Roseanne Cash serenades me about the flow of milk and blood.

I'm writing on a little table that I've pushed up against a bookcase for a change of pace. Staring me down from the shelf is Days of Awe. And I'm reminded of the time I walked into (the now closing) Eichlers and asked if they had Days of Awe in Hebrew and the response was, "it's been translated to Hebrew?!" (If you got that let me know).

Speaking of Roseanne Cash, did I tell you that I heard her interviewed recently. She said a lot of amazing things. Here's one story she told about her step-mother:

When June Carter-Cash was young she performed with the Carter Family. The shows included many acts from similar cuts of cloth. Once an act's banjo player didn't show up and they frantically asked if anyone from another group could fill in. June stepped forward, played the whole set with them and then sang with her family. When she heard this story Roseanne said to June, "I didn't know you play banjo." And June said, "I don't." So Roseanne asked the obvious follow up question and June said, "Oh honey, when I was on that stage I knew how to play the banjo!" There's a deep lesson there, and I will not belabor the point.

Today I wrote this while waiting for a friend:

Some people can't wait
I don't mean they look forward
I mean they can not wait
So they set up their lives
so that they're rarely early
and surround themselves
with friends who are never late.