Today (Plus Poems)

11:58 AM - Based on feedback (offline) to Sunday's post I am encouraged to post in real time, my day, bit my bit.  My days feel nonstop and are non stop. Woke up at 6ish. Got to my ride at 7:17 and we left about 10 minutes later. Got to minyan and kept an eye on the kids. Touched base with a bunch of students immediately following davening. Taught a Chumash class. Met with two different kids during second period.  Taught another class.  Gave an assignment for a project/essay. Did a full board of fill in notes.  The topic of Chumash today was the idea presented in psukim that Torah makes us wise and good and makes this fact visible to other people in the world. Met with some more students after class. Now I'm logging in students I've met with, and thinking about/preparing for the other classes I have today.

Human connections
With ourselves, others, and G-d
Define who we are

7:18 PM - Been home for an hour. Been up for 13 hours. Spent 3 hours of my day traveling. Last wrote here over 7 hours ago.  Time sometimes (like now, looking back on this day) seems to stand still, fly by, and move slowly all at once.

I had an appointment today with my favorite ENT.  A bunch of years ago I went to seven doctors for my ear infection and the seventh one was the charm.  I've stayed with him as needed. Today he told me at that the new as needed will be every 3 months. My left ear has been hurting and still doesn't feel right.  But I think I need to give it a bit of time.  He was confident (I respect confidence that is not misplace because it has the past and the future and even the present backing it up) that the trouble was wax.  Cleaning out my ears was a painful process.  I was wincing and he told me to stay cool, gently and evenly.  I told him that I'm very sensitive and he said kindly that he was working in a very sensitive area (with a sharp implement).

I asked him about some concerns I have about my swallowing. He was not concerned.  He said to simply drink a little bit first to wet the throat and then drink slowly.  Then I shared what I told myself I wouldn't because I didn't want it to ruin my credibility.  I told the good doctor (that's what his good, longtime secretary calls him) that my father is having swallowing issues.  And he said firmly but kindly, "You are not our father."

It was a schlep that was worth it.  His office is downtown on the East side.  After the appointment I went to Grand Central then To Penn Station and then home.

Since I wrote here last I taught and counseled and wrote recommendations and log ins and and and. In public speaking today one student said the saddest thing.  S/he cited from Malcom Gladwell's Outliers and prefaced his/her remarks by saying, "Guys, don't think badly of me, but- I like to read."

11:39 PM - I've been asked how I decide what to write on my blog.  I don't know.

Many interesting things happened in my day and evening and night on several fronts.

Not sure what to say or where to say it.

I think I'm going to take the old diary out of my pocket and transcribe a poem or two that have been marinating in there.

"Who are you?"
 is a squandered
question
Kind of like
If not now when?

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

Whether or not
I'll make it
into hoary old age
who knows?

Whether or not
it's gone out
I once had a spark
that glowed.

Whether or not
you love me
you once did
and it shows.

Whether or not
it's a blizzard
it was cold enough
that it snowed.