There is a conversation going on in the parent’s group of my daughter’s university about the protests and what impact there has or hasn’t been.
It is how I found out the current study body president is a member of the tribe. Reminded me that I came across an Instagram video of the one protest I am aware of that took place when the head of the ADL spoke on campus.
The video captured some people I know in it but I didn’t see my daughter or her roommate which is ok. I know they remember what happened.
Something about the comments in the conversation reminded me of a trip back to LA when I was asked when I got remarried and how long I was married for the first time.
I told one person I was on my third marriage and another that someone else was waiting to take my hand. They scrunched up their face and said it didn’t make sense and I laughed.
“If you have to ask these questions you don’t need to know the answers now do you.”
Passover In Austin
A work colleague flew in from Atlanta and asked if I could meet him in Austin. I told him it would have been easier to connect when I was in Atlanta last week.
“It is only like an hour from Dallas right?”
I laughed and told him it was more like three hours and that I hadn’t planned on spending Passover in Austin. He asked if that would make it harder and I told him I was certain I could arrange for an invitation to a seder at UT, Chabad or through friends.
That led to a conversation about Jewish geography. I explained to him that years of being involved in Jewish groups provides connections all over the country and world.
I know a half dozen people in Georgia from camp, got a camp friend who is a rabbi in Paris now and a camp friend who is a cardiologist in Austin not to mention the people I know who moved there from LA.
I have told more than a couple of Jewish friends one of the best gifts they can give their kids is to send them to camp.
On a related note if it wasn’t a work colleague I would have shown him the video below in which a guy from London talked about an experience he had.
The wife of one of the owners of the company he refers to was one of my campers, she was from Hawaii though she doesn’t live there any more.
I knew a few other kids from camp who grew up on the islands, though I am not sure if any of them are still there.
It Doesn’t Match
My old graphic arts professor would have yelled at me for mixing fonts the way I just did but he isn’t here to yell at me.
Not that it matters, I wouldn’t be concerned about his approval of this because my focal point is on the words and people reading them.
I already know the majority of visitors aren’t coming to see the layout or the pictures but to read the pictures I paint.
Some of you even prefer to speak with me because you find the sound of my voice and my presence soothing, albeit sometimes pretty damn frightening cuz you don’t know what to do about me.
Or maybe that is what I heard yesterday from someone who wanted to know how I can be so willing to blow crap up.
More specifically they asked if I was concerned about the email I sent and I said no.
“When I am on my game I have taken a moment to consider what I am saying and who I am saying it to. Can’t say I have never made a mistake because I have made plenty but if the words flow freely upon my work laptop there is an extra eye placed upon them.
Sometimes you have to put yourself out there but if you do it in a professional way that helps.”
He laughed and asked what I would do if people react poorly to it.
“I’ll handle it and I’ll do my best to handle them. If you want to cause trouble go tell them I said that.”
Given all that is going on I have tried to give myself an extra moment to compose and craft because I know I am a bit edgier than normal.
The younger Mr. Wilner heard me talking to someone on the phone and asked me if I was irritated with them.
I wasn’t, but I don’t think I was conscious of my tone at that moment. I am relatively confident they didn’t catch the irritation either but not surprised my son did.
He speaks fluent ‘Dad’ and rarely misses an inflection, makes me smile. Reminds me of my relationship with my own father.
****
Got two days to see if I pull another rabbit out of my hat. Two days to see if I still know how to move heaven and earth.
Still waiting to hear if I am going to have to go to Ohio and South Carolina and when. Got all sorts of irons in the fire and feel changes in the air.
Been one hell of a ride.
