Sunday, February 04, 2007

Daily Duality

The longer you stick around in one place, the more you become de-sensitized to its unique characteristics. What once grabbed your attention, evoked laughter or raised the hairs on your nape becomes the daily daily. What, there was a tremor today? 4.5 you say? Didn't feel it. OR Well sure it takes 3 hours to open a checking account at the bank. Isn't that the way it is everywhere?

Occasionally, the odd visitor will point out something unusual he/she has noticed thereby pulling you out of your cynical fog.

Today I coffee'd with such a person - It was our first meeting; she's in Holy Land Central (HLC) from Jersey for a visit & contemplating moving here full time. She was hoping I could hook her up with some job contacts. After giving her a list of people to phone or e-mail, she commented:

This would not happen back home. People wouldn't meet with you if they didn't know you and just hand out contacts. It's really amazing because even top level people have been so forthcoming.

And I contemplated what she said and remembered years ago when Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated. A few months after the event, I made some phone calls within the biz and got his wife Lea's phone number from a colleague. Even then, already a full fledged jaded journalist, I was amazed at the accessibility of higher-ups.

It's the oddity of this place. It has the tremendous scope because of the political ramifications but at the end of the day, it's really just a very loud small town.

2 comments:

SavtaDotty said...

It's a relationship-based society. Access is easy, but jobs are harder, and getting paid is the hardest of all!

Stefanella said...

Don't I know it, payment-wise. Isn't that the irony? You have the job contacts but getting paid is hell...mwahahahaha!!!!! slf