Tuesday, May 15, 2007

5 Questions

There's a thing going around
in which one blogger poses
five questions to another blogger.
Different questions each time -
whatever they want.
These were posed to me by
The Blogger Formerly Known As Mirty.

---------------------------------------------

1. What do you consider your best habit and your worst habit (that you're willing to share with us)?

Creativity and spontaneity are traits that I’m in the habit of using and that I’m proud of. Sometimes when someone chides me for lacking in certain traits that they have I’m tempted to say to them – come up with a metaphor, a rhyme, an idea – on the spot!

Disorganization with papers is a habit that I’ve worked on changing. (I once heard Dr. Mel Levine say that somehow when a piece of paper crosses over his hand it magically disappears. He also claims that when he meets his wife for dinner she’s always an hour late but it doesn’t matter because he’s waiting on the wrong corner.) In recent years I’ve read a book for right side of the brainers about clutter and I’ve worked with a personal organizer. I’ve gotten better with some spacial issues. But keeping track of written information, papers, is hard for me. And the way I presently do it is one of my worst habits.

2. Relate a time that someone (teacher, friend, colleague) praised or admonished you and you learned something important from that.

When I was in ninth grade I was in the third shiur down. The shiur above me was filled with kids I wanted to impress. When my Rebbe asked me to deliver a note to the Rebbe across the hall I was excited. So with paper in hand I tried to walk as coolly as I could into that classroom. I didn’t know what a cool walk was and my attempt came out as a shuffly waddle. When I made it to the teacher’s desk he took the note from my hand and before he looked at it he imitated my walk. The class roared. I turned purple. I learned how hurtful a human being can be.

When I was in seventh grade my music teacher was a joyful frum man who used to sing Gedaliah Goombar with us. He once suggested that Sounds of Silence’s lyrics were borrowed from Hallel. One day he facilitated a discussion about the point of music – asking “why do we sing?” I don’t remember what I said but I remember his reaction. He said that my answer was the Chasidic approach. I took that as a compliment and walked around all during recess singing “I’m a Chasid! I’m a Chasid!” I didn’t know what that meant really, had never seen a Chasid. But I liked that he gave attention to my words.

3. Did you have an allowance when you were a kid? Do you remember how much it was and how you spent it (or didn't spend it)?

There was an allowance; it was different at different ages. I recall buying Wacky Packages and Baseball Cards and Mad and Peanuts books and sometimes a joke book. Also, snacks – Wise Barbeque Potato Chips was a favorite. I recall one Mother’s Day going to Oakland Card and Gifts and buying a trophy for my mom. My brother and I chipped in but were a few cents short. They held it as we walked the 15 blocks home and then came back to get it. At around 12 buying albums and tapes started. I’d sit on the living room floor and listen with headphones to Laurel & Hardy, Pryor, Carlin, Klein…

4. Are you personally close to anyone who survived the Holocaust or their children? How has the relationship affected your Jewish identity and beliefs? (** This is really more a question for me, but I thought you or others might have similar experiences.**)

Well, my grandparents and father and aunt came from Germany in 1938. Having to flee a country where your family has lived for many generations is traumatic and any Jew that left because of Hitler is a Holocaust survivor (according to the organization Selfhelp). My paternal grandfather passed away years before I was born and my grandmother when I was in first grade. My father – HSLABW – has told me a bit about the need to leave Germany and the trip. There’s a cousin that went through Shanghai, but I never heard him speak about it. There may be other relatives that I’m not aware of. No close relative that I know of spoke about it or survived the camps as far as I know. I had a Rebbe in HS who used to tell stories about his concentration camp experience and that left a lasting impression.

5. Do you ever eat dessert first? ("Life is short...")

Instead, but not first.

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for taking time to answer these. Your answer about spending allowance on Wise potato chips... I haven't seen those in years. That's funny, I remember the owl. (Maybe they are only sold on the East Coast, or perhaps no longer in business.) I used to spend part of my allowance on Hershey's Chocolate Bars.

I'm puzzling over which Sound of Silence lyrics were borrowed from Hallel (though I have heard that thought before, maybe here).

May 16, 2007 at 1:43 PM  
Blogger Jack Steiner said...

That was nice. I always enjoy thoughtful responses to these memes.

May 16, 2007 at 4:11 PM  
Blogger rabbi neil fleischmann said...

Thanks for asking.

Sometimes asking makes all the difference.

It may be an east coast thing because I see Wise potato chips a bit too often.

The BBQ chips seem a bit different than when I was a kid. They seemed spicier then.

Sometimes brands use different names on the different coasts. I forget what it is but Hellman's Mayo goes by a different name on the "other" coast (Best Foods?).

The theory was that the Simon lines about hearing without listening and speaking without talking, etc. were based on the King David lines about having eyes and not seeing, mouths and not speaking, etc.

Thanks Jack - My favorite aspect about blogs is the personal. Moreso than the political, etc. And I think that even regarding politics and other BIG issues more is taught and learned through personal blogs than political ones.

May 16, 2007 at 9:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That ninth grade teacher should be stoned!!! I can't stand mean.

I could see how that experience could be one seed in propelling a person to become a comedian.

May 18, 2007 at 12:47 PM  
Blogger rabbi neil fleischmann said...

Thanks Shoshana. I don't want him to be stoned - I' just wish he hadn't hurt me and many others.

Not sure I get the comedian comment. To bring joy instead of pain?

May 18, 2007 at 5:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree, not stoned, literally. Just . .. it's so not ok to treat children/students, anyone, that way.

I see I was obscure, but can tell you the comedian part, if you want, offline.

Have a good Shabbos.

May 18, 2007 at 7:43 PM  
Blogger rabbi neil fleischmann said...

Years later, I realize that I mistakenly called you Shoshana. Sorry about that Maayan.

May 10, 2009 at 12:13 AM  

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