"Slowly the Sabbath descends and in her hand the flower, and in her hand the sinking sun." (Click for link)

It's almost Shabbos and I'm feeling better than I was earlier today. Any up-and-around-ness is hard on my foot and by extension my whole being. I'm better due to some Tylenol (not too much, I listen to the news) some rest and a special boot I need to wear for two weeks. I asked the Dr. to explain to me exactly what the issue was, mainly so I could answer people who ask. He offered to do better and give me what the radiology place sent him. Here are the parts that made the most sense to me:

Non-displaced fracture of posterior distal tibia with marrow edema, soft tissue edema, tibiotalar joint effusion with synovitis, plantar fasciitis w/5 mm spur, achilles tendinopathy w/6 mm retrocalcaneal spur, posteriortibial tendinopathy w/tenosynovitis, tibiofibular ligaments demonstrate partial tear - anterior, partial tear of anterior talofibular ligament.

Blog-wise, it feels like 2005 because it's been a while since I've written the words, "I just found a blog I really like." It's called 3:17 a.m. and it was this post that got my attention, because the poem it addresses (which I posted here - along with another poem I really like - resonates for me).

The blog 3:17 A.M. remembers Marshal McLuhan, here, in honor of what would have been McLuhan's 100th birthday. McLuhan was known in the sixties for his scholarly yet accessible books. He became known to me and my peers via his appearance in Annie Hall. He was an expert on media and a a strong critic of TV, saying, "Television: A medium - so called because it is neither rare nor well done." Here's another example of McLuhan's wisdom: “Anyone who tries to make a distinction between education and entertainment doesn’t know the first thing about either.”

This being a leap year, I don't think there have been any double parshiot. I like the fact that each parshah gets it's own week. I disagree with those who feel that certain parshiot are not rich in content. Every parshah is pregnant with pearls.

On Shabbos I learned an essay in the wonderful sefer Ahavat Torah by Rabbi Chaim Sabato. He addresses the question of where the half tribe of Menashe come from in the story of getting land along with Reuven and Gad's tribes. When the appeal is made for the land only the two tribes are mentioned. When the wish is granted it has become two and a half tribes. Some are satisfied with the technical answer that because they were just part of a tribe they aren't mentioned at the outset. The answer that Rabbi Sabato likes and that I like too is that of the Ramban: They are not mentioned as having asked Moshe for land because they never asked. It was Moshe's idea to give put part of Shevet Menashe within the settlement of Reuven and Gad. They were separated from the rest of the Jewish People and Moshe was concerned for their spiritual health. He assigned part of Menashe to strengthen Torah in the community of Reuven and G-d. I find that fascinating.

I try to represent myself honestly to the world (and to myself, and to G-d). I think often about one of my earlier posts called Role 'Em, in which I discuss the face we present to the world.

While I was in with the doctor, my friend who drove me there (from one part of Jersey to another) explained that we were late because of traffic on the bridge. I know that's how the world works, and her words came from kindness. When I heard that, while I waited for the doctor who was treating another patient in another room (does anyone fall for that - thinking that you're actually being treated by the dr., just because they moved you to wait in one room instead of another?), I wrote these two haiku:

I don't blame the bridge

and I don't blame the subway

The blame stops here

I breathe in chaos

I breathe out and knock it down -

The wall blocking peace

Shabbos is approaching...