Re : The Librarian

 I spoke to her on the phone today. She's fine, both mentally and physically.

She claims being on good terms with her late husband's family, especially with his son.

She was in a hurry to a lecture, and invited me to pay her a visit at her protected facility.

I'm very glad of the conversation with her.

The Librarian

We had a small professional library at our working place. It was efficiently managed by the lady in charge of it ( a registered librarian). 

She was a Holocaust survivor, divorced without children.

I was on  good, correct daily terms with her as my room was adjacent to the small library.   After her second marriage,  I  started  to greatly appreciate her , for her genuine efforts  to integrate in her new  husband's family. She was very generous and kind with his two grown up children and their kids.

Despite her vast knowledge and skills, she was not always  popular among the library visitors . There was some toughness about her, probably acquired during her Holocaust days, that put people off ,   so much so that according to gossip she was afraid some won't even show up to her retirement party when the time comes. Well, she was wrong about that . Full attendance, great respect shown to her.

Anyway, she kind of organized her own party as she wasn't pleased with the standard  way done by the office .

Indeed, it was something different, and original , at the end of which everyone got a gift from her,  a reading book with her dedication. and signature.   

After retirement, she and her husband moved to another region, and I lost any contact with her.   A few years ago, I heard her husband had died,  and  that before his death, they had managed to move to a sort of protective facility unit in a proper senior village.

I was curious:  now that he was gone, would his children (son and daughter) and grandchildren be kind to her as she was to them? I had no one to ask about it as she sort of estranged herself from our mutual acquaintances.

Last week,  she had  appeared in my  dreams ,  so I decided  to make some inquiries. I tried  to contact her through the village phone number  and  submitted a  form filled with my personal details.  but, so far, was unsuccessful. I might try later,  (in case I don't get any reply from them) to contact her late husband's family to ask about her.

                 in the library (Ai generated image)

Pompeii

                                                 on Vesuvius -  Bay of Naples in the background

I visited Pompeii, many years ago. The sun was merciless  on that day (though it was not summer, but autumn) , making it difficult for me to concentrate on the archeological findings. I managed ,however, to spend  about three hours there.

The ancient  Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed by the 2-day Vesuvius  volcano eruption in 79 AD. The city got burried in volcanic ash  just like its neighbor Herculaneum and other villages in the  area.  

Pompeii was excavated in the 19th and 20th century in a fabulous state of preservation giving great insight into Roman everyday life.

I've recently read in an article, that the  activity of Vesuvius ,volcano overlooking the entire Bay of Naples,   was not the only cause of destruction. There was an earthquake going on at that time; perhaps stirred by the volcanic eruption.

It's amazing, how after so many years, scientists find new evidence, and reach new conclusions. They say, this is due to disciplinary interaction that wasn't  available before: geologists, forensic doctors, historians, architects - use an approach that connecta and integrates several methods and specialties in the pursuit of a common target.

Vesuvius overlooking archeological site of Pompeii (ai image)

Engelbert Humperdinck

 youtube video

I thought he was no longer with us, and then, I came upon a piece of news informing the reader that he would be on tour till the end of 2024.

He, the 88 amazing, popular british pop singer Engelbert Humperdinck (professional name),  Arnold George Dorsay  (real name).

I always had some trouble with pronouncing his professional name (originally the name of a german composer), but I loved his velvety voice and his romantic songs, so, no big effort.

Engel was one of ten children, born in India to a british couple.  His wife of 57 years, Patricia Dorsay, with whom he had four children, died in 2021, battling with both Alzheimer and Covid.  He was, of course, devastated,  by her suffering and death.

Among his famous songs (performed mostly in solo concerts format, but also in duet with other singers)  :    'Man without Love', 'Spanish Eyes', 'The last Waltz', 'I can't stop loving you',  'Quando, Quando', and many others.  Each of the songs - a pearl of great music, great lyrics and great performance.

youtube

Ticks and Tricks

 

Recently, there has been an outbreak of West Nilus Virus in Israel.

A few hundred  people have been infected , several people (elderly and immuno-compromised) have died.   In hebrew, the infection is shortly  called  'Kadahat  HaNilus' (Nilus Fever).

As it is summer with strong waves of heat and humidity, the Ministry of Health has issued some warnings concerning  flying /crawling insects and their bites.   People are advised to use repellents,  wear long sleeves and long pants to cover exposed skin, avoid places with a large population of bugs (parks, woods , gardens). 

Keeping bugs out  by sealing entry points (cracks, gaps etc..) and using mesh on windows , is the way to go. However,  these measures don't completely solve the problem.

Whenever I see any of the insects in the house, I try to act immediately. For ants I use water, for cockroaches  I've got a proper spray that eliminates them.  It goes without saying, that we have to maintain clean kitchen and bathroom; 

So far, I've not used any repellents. I might do, if necessary.

I've noticed that mosquitos (the ones biting us ) are active mainly in the dark; so,  lights on to prevent biting , is a good measure. A fan (near the computer or bed) is also  a good preventive measure; it keeps the flies away.

When outside, I sadly,  avoid the shadowy places with bushes and trees. It so happens that when I sit on a bench to rest for a few minutes, I get bitten (even through the sleeves and pants) and that's very annoying.  

So,  I'll prefer to walk on the sunny side of the street until I get to my destination ( applying sunscreen  prior to getting out of the house is a Must!). 

Hopefully, the crisis of the Nilus Virus , and the heat of the summer will both soon end.   I have no wish at all , to get adventurous and deal with bugs of any kind, neither at home, nor outdoors.

                                                                              insects among flowers (AI image)

Food Security.

I like it that our Ministry of Agriculture is going to add to its title - Food Security (It used to be- Ministry of  Agriculture , then  addition of ...Rural Development. Now it would be - Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security). 

There's Climate change and Military conflicts  out there, as well as increase in population - all of which  might endanger food supply ,  cause shortage, and hunger ( just to mention  one hazard of the last year - the yemenite Houthis terrorists attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea).

The current process of encouraging import and  dependence on other countries, has to be  reversed!   It is local agriculture and self- production   that have to be encouraged , nourished, and fortified  for our own sake.  Farmers should be given incentives to practice cultivation of sustainable crops.

Where there's need for import, as in the case of wheat, most of which is not grown in Israel ( or grains to feed the animals), diversifying import sources is important.  And , indeed, agreements have been signed with more than one country.  After all,  wheat is our bread - the most basic food!

Food security is seen , and rightly so, as a vital component of national security. Shortage of  food, lack of food diversity,  rise in prices, can lead to social unrest.

wheat  fields (AI image )

 

Authority

 

We all need  authority in life;  it guides us, protects us, defends us, if neccessary. When we are children and teenagers, we fear/ respect/ obey our parents and teachers.    Parents and teachers are the first phase authority.  

When we grow older, there's  the authority of the boss at the place of work. Unlike parents, and even teachers, there are ways to replace a boss  if he's hard on us,  or...  we could just move to another workplace. 

As  to  political authority,   so far, it has failed us bitterly. Sometimes it's not even existent. Other times, it makes us wonder about its neccessity. Most of the time it gets on our nerves.

God,  is  the highest, ultimate authority ,  as everything that exists was created by Him.  There's a spark of God  in everyone of us.

I believe in God, pray to Him, ask Him for help. So, do others, individually,  or as part of religious worship.   My own belief has very little to do with religion.  It is basically  based on my wish for a direct link to Him, to that Spark he left in me and in everyone else.

Belief in God  can prevent us from doing evil to ourselves and to others. Not always., perhaps.  There are those among us, that are more concerned with the outer, superficial aspects of God's worship than with good and evil done to fellowmen.

Anyway, God stays with us forever.

Browsing the web,  I came upon some over ten types of authority (or sub-authority if you wish),  regarding the obedience of rules or orders given by a person or entity:

1. academic authority   2. charismatic authority (based on the charisma of the individual  3. expert authority   4. founder authority 5.  ownership  authority  6. administrative authority   etc...

adult and policeman authority (AI image generated)

Paying Attention

 

Sometimes, we could help ourselves just by paying attention to our body's reactions to food, to environment, to people.  After retirement from work, we've got the time  and patience to do it. 

Like any other human being I seek interest, pleasure and relaxation in Nature,  and in whatever the Outside world has to offer in terms of entertainment, culinaria,  travel .

However, I also try to devote some time to  sort of  'exploring' my soul and body to find out about their needs, and how this could help my physical and mental issues. 

I once wrote a post ( 'A Matter of Health'  - July 7, 2021) on this topic.      I mentioned , among other things, how I discovered after intensive 'detective' analysis, that the rather heavy  backpack  I  was carrying on my back, caused me palpitations.  Palpitations is no light matter. 

There's a medical procedure for the above condition (if meds  are not effective), known as ablation  (eliminating heart tissue which when triggered , interferes with its electrical system).    However, this procedure doesn't work for everyone .  In certain cases people turn to the doctor  again and undergo a second, third...  ablation.  Just reading about this and the various stories behind it,  kept me away from even thinking about the subject.

Anyway, since the backpack discovery ten years ago  -  no backpack, no palpitations either,  thank  God.  Everything heavy gets in my shopping cart or a wheeled duffel bag, when leaving home.

During Covid 19, we were encouraged to take vitamin D3 - something to do with immunity strength .   After a while, I noticed that the intake of this vitamin caused   boosting of hair and nail growth. Though it didn't prevent hair loss, the mere boosting of hairgrowth pleased me .

(I'm not sure the above  has happened to others too, as things are often individual. Haven't done any research on that:).

Anyway, I've stopped taking this vitamin since then, yet , so far I don't see any change  in the hair/nail growth.  Perhaps the vitamin has 'awakened' something that used to slow down the growth. Go figure!

Doomsday Clock

Until quite recenly I knew nothing about the Doomsday Clock . Never heard of it.

Apparently, this clock, set and maintained since 1947 by experts - atomic scientists actually-  measures nuclear risks, climate change, biological threats,  disruptive / inovative technologies (such as AI).

It's in fact a symbolic clock, an imperfect one, used more as a metaphor than a prediction;  still  - an important device which draws attention to existential threaths, and might show us how close we are, God Forbid,  to destruction.

Judging by most headlines, the world is a mess. Climate Change is doing its terrible work of heavy floodings, scorching fires, lava eruptions,  melting of ice, hurricanes etc.... Arms of all sorts are produced  and shipped to any part of the world for money.  Instability caused by political and social unrest,   leads everywhere to corruption,  wars, and terrorism.

I believe Humans won't be surprised if all the above might lead somehow, someday, to the extinction of the present world.   In the meantime,  they all play the  'elections game'. In many cases, elections are but a farce meant for the gullible- naive people. These elections won't change reality into something better.

On a more dangerous note, elections might lead to  civil war  and bloodshed  due to the diversity of the population, and activism of violent groups within it.

In ny country,  demographics plays a major role in the outcome of the elections. The people in power and their supporters whose majority's completely assured by demographics, are the least knowledgable, the least productive  people in the country, and yet they are the ones who get the state funds and make up the rules. How bad does that sound ? Very bad!

corruption (AI image generated)

The Decline of the Printed News

 

Whenever I read a news article, I tell myself - that's  how decline of journalism looks and feels like. One of the major  reasons for this decline is the rise of the competing digital media platforms (internet, mobile phone), but not only.

There seems to be no critical, experienced eye on the material before it gets published - and that  sometimes leads to shameful spelling errors, and factual inaccuracies.  

We would expect a true journalist to ensure that the facts are correct, verified , balanced,  and objective, that the  sources on which the published story is  based are available to the reader, to make it credible to him. But in most cases, no such thing.

Recently, two well-known journalists were sued by the PM, for writing  lies about his health. I'm rather surprised.  After all, they,  the journalists, should know better than us, the ordinary people, what's possible and what not in this defamation game.

To write about someone's health you should have before your eyes a valid document, such as a doctor's report. They probably didn't have one, but based their assumptions on rumors and speculations.

So, they'll probably pay compensations to the suing party, unless they can convince the judge that a man in the PM's position should perhaps directly disclose his real health conditions to the public. 

We don't have to guess about it or rely on various questionable sources to reach a conclusion.We should know the truth, and nothing but the truth, about the man that runs the country and its people.

                                                                                                *(AI image generator)

The Inseparable Bond

 

As a young boy, my elder brother Hersh (diminutive version: Hershole),  spent a lot of time in the kitchen alone or with Mum. He liked the place and learned in it all aspects of food preparation.  

He also liked to be close to Mother, and she to him. During the Holocaust, they got separated ; he as a child of four was put in an orphanage whereas my mother was placed in ghetto Mogilev , Ukraine to face hunger, beating, sickness.

After returning from the Hell of Ukraine,   mother and son  became inseparable. 

Despite his obvious preference for the kitchen, he was not encouraged , though, to choose a culinary profession; it was not considered proper for young men .  At that time, young men were persuaded to acquire a technical or commercial line of profession.

Hersh (official name - Herman), liked neither of the above two categories. Besides  attraction to culinaria (and to amateur soccer), he had musical aptitudes, and wished to study music, precisely, violin playing. The sad truth was that we lived in a small town with no musical school and possibilities.  Culinary professional school or courses were inexistant either. My parents didn't have the means to keep him at studies in another town.

 So, he went on studying the violin with a private teacher, and in the meantime studied commerce and accounting to get a certificate that would enable him to start working and earn a living.

Years later, in Israel, he acquired a technical profession too, but lost any ambition for culinaria . He liked to cook for friends and family, displaying  his great skills on the matter, but nothing more. 

The inseparable bond between mother and son tragically came to an end,  in 1998 when Hersh died untimely (at  age 58.5)  during a tour abroad with his wife. The tragic irony was his final collapse  - while watching the Mondial  (Soccer World Cup) on TV (soccer being a great passion of his).

After his death I wrote a few words in all my three languages : romanian, hebrew, english.

"Hersh, my beloved brother  /Tall, handsome, a real charmer. Suddeny taken away from me, while on a trip to Hungary.

As a Holocaust child survivor/ You should've been given more years/  To wipe out your childhood suffering and tears".

Paper Shredder

Several years ago, I bought a small, cheap paper shredder to dispose of confidential documents.  I've barely used it in the past. Now,  with my decluttering projects, I've discovered it.

It shreds 2 minutes and  rests....45 minutes !

That's even written (in small print) on a label placed on the front  (shredding cycle 2 min, pause 45 min). Haven't seen the label till now.    I checked the instructions. Unbelievable! It's written there too.  

Who sells such a device? Who's the stupid person (Me, me) to buy such an item?

0f course, it soon got on my nerves , and I decided to take care of my documents, manually. 

I've learnt two things from this experience - both already known to us :1.   cheap is expensive 2. one should carefully read instructions before starting work (I could have immediately returned it to the store) and pay careful attention to any label on the front or bottom of the device.

Anyway, I might have to buy a more solid  shredder that will do proper work for old CDs  floppy diskets, credit cards. ( buying a new item?!  - here goes my decluttering principle).

I know things could be destroyed manually, but it's not that effective, and not without risks. 

Perhaps the better devices also have the same working cycle (which is probably meant to prevent motor overheating). Who knows? What a disappointment!

Paper  Shredder  (AI  picture generator)

Blinken

 It seems the camera likes Antony Blinken (America's  Secretary of State). I think he knows that, and cooperates with it.  His profile looks good in most of the pictures I've seen so far.

Blinken is jewish, and his wife christian. They met at the White House where they were both working  for the Obama and Clinton administrations.  

At their wedding, the religious service was performed by a rabbi and a priest. (I wonder how that goes...never been to an interfaith  wedding ceremony).

According to his biography he is fluent in French (he lived in France for a period of time, with his Mother and her husband , and went to school there).  He also plays the guitar and sings. 

Not everybody's happy with his guitar playing ('it sucks' , wrote someone). I believe,  that with the kind of job he does, the guitar saves him. ( Currently, he's got Israel and Ukraine on his head, two very tough  'clients' !) .  

Lately, he was seen in a bar in Kyiv,  dressed in jeans and holding a red guitar, performing  onstage together with a local rock band in celebration of some more military help given  by the USA  to Ukraine. 

He combines diplomacy with music, and it probably works for him; the two domains somehow complement each other. (Bill Clinton as I recall, was playing saxophone).

A. Blinken  (web picture)

        

youtube - Blinken rocks in Kyiv

Yes, to Pockets

I've always liked pockets on my clothing, but I got constantly discouraged by people telling me pockets were for men's garments mainly.

 I feel angry at  clothing  designers, as for decades,  pockets have practically been excluded  from women's fashion.

The famous Christian Dior  made the following claim (according to the Media):  " Men have pockets to keep things in, women for decoration".  His words placed functionality versus decoration.

Pockets are in fact practical receptacles for holding small things such as:   keys, wallet, lipstick, tiny tools, and even a mobile phone. At the same time they could also well be made to look as adding decor and fun to the outfit.  No big contradiction here between practical and decorative.

Anyway,  pockets -  usually made of fabric or leather -  come in different sizes and shapes. They are either sewn into the garment or  on it. 

I like them on most  of my clothes; pants, shirts, jackets, skirts, coats, dresses.   At present,  I'm creating and attaching pockets to some of my pocketless clothes.

I'm glad to mention that I possess a pair or two of Cargo pants (with big utility pockets), and a multi-pocket vest.  Both items have been of great use to me,  especially at travel time. 

However,  I'm not for overloading regular clothes with pockets as it might feel uncomfortable and even damage the fabric.

Warning: please empty pockets before doing the laundry!

multi-pocket vest (AI generated photo)

cargo pants (AI generated photo)

I'll leave you with a short  and quite true  'pocket' quote:

"Deep pockets and empty hearts rule the world."  

Decluttering

 

Decluttering is very much on my mind.  It's not an easy matter. Over the years, we get attached to our stuff;  on the other hand, there comes a time, when we begin to realize that at a certain age,  and under  certain circumstances (such as living in a war zone or seismic zone that might involve evacuation,  lack of money  and food),  a minimalistic way of life would be more apropriate.

There's nothing at the moment, that has actually 'taken over' my home, and yet I feel the need to let many things go ( with or without regrets), and reorganize the freed space.  

There are lots of articles and online courses on the subject of Clutter,  yet I think it's mainly a personal and individual issue.

To my mind,  in order to succeed with decluttering, one has to make a thorough Plan and stick to it. First of all, for the time being, stop buying new stuff. Use up the old items even though they are not in their best shape. Secondly, evaluate  one by one, the various item Categories at your disposal: clothes, kitchenware, books, paperwork, furniture , suitcases/bags, sentimental memorabilia,  etc...

Well, from my own experience so far, I think it's easiest  'to dispose of'  and find decent Homes for  clothes and shoes. These  could be donated to individuals  as well as to second - hand  shops. Books are  hardest  'to dispose of'.  Not all books; fiction books are still very sought after as gifts and  means of escapism.  

Most of my books , however, are non-fiction:  guides, law books, biographies,  health books, encyclopedias - all in good condition.  I'll have to make up a list , decide what to keep . and the rest of it  try to place in libraries or even sell some, if possible.  Let's face it; we live in the world of computers.  and most of the knowledge is online. Besides, books  take up place and need periodical dusting. 

Anyhow, it takes time and patience to make the best of all worlds - my world, and the world of my stuff. 

clutter - AI generated picture