treppenwitz

The voices in my head

No, the title of this post is not a hint that I’ve gone off my meds… It is a reference to [surprise] the Anglo-Israeli Blogger Bash last night.

You see, I am a slow reader… a really slow reader. I am an A.D.D. boy with mild dyslexia. Yes, that s l o w. Anyway, a long time ago I discovered a trick to keep my mind focused on any sort of written narrative: Giving a specific (and consistent) voice to the narrator.

Many of the blogs and journals I read are pretty easy to put a voice to… others, not so much. In addition to the blog crush aspect of most of my Good Readin’ list, there is the inevitable investment one feels in most narrators we ‘listen to’ on a regular basis. In the case of the Anglo-Israeli blog community, it especially tantalizing that these people to whom I feel such a strong connection are both close at hand, and out of reach.

One of the most frequently asked questions at the Blogger Bash was, “Why did you want to come?” My answer was simple: If I am going to hear a voice in my head while reading a person’s blog… it may as well be their actual voice! Secondary to that, I have such fond feelings (yes, blog crushes) for so many of my daily reads that I couldn’t possibly resist the opportunity to meet them in the flesh.

How was it, you ask? It was wonderful.

The evening started with Zahava and I (and of course Yonah) picking up Chayai Sarah and Michal (one third of Tone Cluster) at Teddy Stadium. I’ve known Sarah for a little while now, but it was great to have a nice car ride to let her get to know Zahava. Michal was charming as charming could be.

Seconds after parking the car outside the venue, a very pleasant voice from the sidewalk said something to the effect of, “You must be David”. And in this enjoyable way I found myself face-to-face with the charming Imshin. Hers is a voice that exactly matched the one I hear when reading her blog, but her appearance was a complete mismatch. Out of respect for her anonymity, I won’t delve into what specifically was different… but suffice it to say that her self-deprecating remarks about her advanced age are just that.

Once inside we made the rounds and were treated to a pretty nice representation of the Anglo-Israeli blogging community (including a talented vacationing Canadian who was invited to join the fold)

Many of the bloggers sounded as I expected (Adrian of Expat Egghead, Jennifer of Just Jennifer, Imshin of Not a Fish, Shai (although I somehow expected him to look like the guy on the left side of his banner), as well as Harry of The View From Here).

But others will require me to adjust the voices I hear in my head when I read them. Allison (of An Unsealed Room) sounds very different than I expected (For some reason I had assigned a Midwestern newscaster’s voice to her... maybe because of her journalism background). So did Dave of IsraellyCool (From his many Aussy references, I had assigned the most obvious voice for him; Crocodile Dundee). Gil Ben Mori (of If I forget Thee)has mentioned several times that he is a Brit… but he writes so much like an American that I had arbitrarily assigned him a neutral Northern California voice. In 'real life', he could be a narrator for Masterpiece Theater! Noa, of Jerusalem Revealed is someone I’ve met before, but her voice and sassy delivery always take me by surprise… I’ll have to work on that one! Brian Blum of This Normal Life was also a bit of a surprise. He writes with a very mature voice… but his actual voice and appearance are surprisingly youthful.

There were Many more talented writers there (please don’t take offense if I missed mentioning you… I wasn’t taking notes) - some who I read, and others who I hope to begin reading. There were also the inevitable (and sorely missed) absentees. Of these, I was most dissapointed to have missed the opportunity to meet Ashley, of Anglosaxy… maybe next time.

To recap: The conversation was lively, the coffee and food were great (thanks to those who suggested the venue), and I can say without hesitation that I would jump at the opportunity to do it again some time. However, now that I have gathered up the proper voices for many of the soundtracks that play daily in my head… the next meeting will be to simply sit and talk with friends.

Thanks everyone…it was grand.

Enzymes

Thank you to everyone who left comments or sent e-mails in the aftermath of yesterday's bombings. Your concern meant more to me than you will ever know. As several bloggers have already suggested, I hope you will channel you concern into ongoing support for Magen David Adom (Red Star of David) in Israel by going here or here.

One common aspect of the comments/e-mails was particularly gratifying: Many of you said that you thought of me when you heard the news about the attack in Beer Sheva. Personally, I was touched by the concern of friends and even strangers for my safety. But as an Israeli, I am relieved that people outside of Israel hearing of an attack here are beginning to see more than 'just another bombing' and 'X numbers of casualties'.

When a ferry capsizes in Bangladesh resulting in staggering loss of life, I find that I have trouble personalizing the tragedy because I don't know one person in Bangladesh.

When I read about the genocide taking place in Sudan, I am horrified by the numbers... but for the same reason, the numbers themselves prevent me from connecting on a molecular level with the essence of the tragedy. Again, I can't put a name or face with one person in Sudan.

So why the odd title for today's post?

Enzymes are proteins - biological catalysts, actually - that help the body digest and absorb otherwise inaccessible substances. I chose this title because, if nothing else, my journal will have done the one thing that all the news stories and political commentary invariably fail to do: Help the reader digest and internalize the real personal tragedies behind the news.

There are quite a few people who stop by treppenwitz on a regular basis who are either not Jewish... not particularly interested in Middle East politics... or who would probably otherwise feel about a bus bombing here the way I do about a tragedy in some remote country like Bangladesh or Sudan.

Being able to put a name and a face with a living breathing human being here seems (for many) to have acted as an enzyme... making the information more accessible, and therefore more real.

Unfortunately, not all substances that enzymes allow us to digest are particularly good for us... and in fact many can make us quite sick. But in a world where we are becoming increasingly resistant/immune to the horrors being perpetrated, I think it is important to occasionally allow something to make us sick.

If that is the role that I sometimes have to play... that of an enzyme which allows a distant reader to digest, and become sickened by unhealthy information... than so be it.