Hey, all–
Just a quick note to let you know that I”m OK. There was a bombing at a checkpoint last Wednesday, though as I am out of the habit of reading the news (I tend to go on media fasts in America, sometimes it’s just better that way) I didn’t actually find out ’till Friday. Am trying to get back in the habit of at least checking the local paper every day. Anybody have tips on reading the news–which is, after all, mostly not great news–without it causing daily dispair?
Also, not quite sure the deal on this one, yet: I went to this a hotel where some friends were staying while in town for Shabbos; it has a lovely view of the Old City, and we were sitting by the pool, feeling very Western and decadent when we noticed some nefarious-looking smoke rising from the middle of the Old City. One of my friends guessed that it was coming from either the Jewish or the Armenian quarters; I don’t know. We didn’t hear an explosion, or sirens, and after awhile the smoke let up and eventually vanished. So I’m guessing (hoping) that, whatever it was, everybody’s OK. Just checked the news and there didn’t seem to be anything about it, so I still dunno what happened.
Every once in a while I notice that this is a country where nefarious smoke has a whole different set of associations. Also found out last week that cafe Moment, which was bombed a couple of years ago, has closed down due to financial difficulties, evidently stemming from debt (which, I would guess but don’t really know, probably stems from the efforts to rebuild the place.)
Anyway, more soon on war, joy, and the other little things in life. Now I have several essays, workbook exercises and a test to study for, for tomorrow. Yuck.