Post Tzom Gedaliah Post

What to write and where to write it? I think I'm a writer, because I write. And yet I don't have me and writing all figured out.

Another thing that I don't have figured out is the kosher grocery near my house. And another thing is my stomach. And the two things are connected. After having a couple of bad incidents with smelly chicken I bought there many years ago I stopped buying "fresh" meat and poultry there for a long time. Under new ownership I was still reticent about buying their chicken. And yet I convinced myself that it would be okay. I have bought it twice. Even the little I'm going to say is not quite as discrete as how I most prefer to write. It was not okay.

No more trusting of the poultry in this store. And in a sentiment very much connected to something I'm working on in my life I'm tempted to say, "No More Mr. Nice Guy." That's the name of a book (by Robert Glover) that's recently been strongly recommended to me. (Of course it's also the name of an iconic Alice Cooper song.) I'm not ready to say "no more" in the absolute because I don't see a reason to say that I'm not going to be "nice" (or anything else) in a completely black and white way. On the other hand, like Ben Carson (to make a timely reference), I think I need to balance my gentleness with my boldness. And speaking up to the owner of this store and following through seems right now like a good place to start.