Summer Pix

Henceforth, The Stefanella Drive Thru Summer 2006 Recommended Reading List:

- Dispatches From the Edge Anderson Cooper. Currently on the NY Times bestseller list. A smooth read of Cooper's background, venture into journalism, impressions of his experiences and personal tribulations while covering war zones worldwide. The writing alternates between loose and detached and painfully personal. FYI: He grew up in an esteemed family where private party guests included Andy Warhol and Truman Capote

- Summer Crossing, Truman Capote. I didn't read his other famous novels and have never seen Breakfast at Tiffany's but felt it my duty to at least browse a little something of his. WELL worth it. His writing is sumptuous, colorful, juicy and full

- My Life in France, Julia Child & Alex Prud'homme. Just starting this one so I can't give a solid nada or nod. So far, however, Ms. Child's memoirs recapturing her self-launch into French cookery are evocative and appetizing

- The Devil Wears Prada, Lauren Weisberger. I'm still on the library waitlist for this one. Impatient, I opted for the film which was fresh, funny and illuminating vis a vis the fashion industry. Meryl Streep was fab. Can't wait to read the book. Rumors flew a few years back that it is based upon true life experiences of a former Vogue employee

Short and sweet. Still have the latest Harry Potter to get through!

Prepping

What infinite energies are wasted steeling oneself against crisis that seldom comes: the strength to move mountains; and yet it is perhaps this very waste, this torturous wait for things that never happen, which prepares the way and allows one to accept with sinister serenity the beast at last in view...Truman Capote, Summer Crossing

Getting ready for our return to Tel Aviv I've been wolfing down information and news via blogs, e-mail exchange, IM conversations, radio, telephone talk and copious reading of online & print news.

At times it feels like things might abate and then everything plummets to new depths.

I found today's Y-Net article about soldiers freezing sperm before going into battle, however, quite interesting. Apparently several dozen have opted to do so thus far and if the status quo continues, the numbers will probably increase. Modern solutions for modern times during modern day warfare.

The Honor System

Eberhard Farm, Lebanon Ohio...The Honor System




Imaginative Architecture, Hyde Park, Cincinnati

Going Home

In a few short weeks Rapha & I return home to Holy Land Central (HLC) after spending the summer here in the U.S. of A., more commonly known as Capitalism Central (CC).

Our two months here have been filled with activity, leisure, indulgence, entertainment, visits with family & friends, outings and travel - non-stressful and relaxing, to say the least.

We head back into uncertainty, turmoil, stress and aggro....and our home, more family & friends, pets, a new school year and work and social obligations and events.

To write that the current situation doesn't concern me or to play it off as a "we'll conduct our business as usual" would be to trivialize and falsify for the benefit of appearance. Despite the we go on with life as we always did message sent out on many HLC blogs, the underlying tone and obsession with news and the situation conveys a quite different communique. It is not life as normal. Even though I've been there in the past for turmoil, it's different each time. And now, I'm responsible for someone else's well being.

Yes, I'm worried. About escalated violence, a broadened campaign, the general mood of the country and the ultimate impact of it all on myself, and more importantly, Raphael.

I have contemplated the obvious, as parents do: What would it take for me to grab Rapha & head out of HLC? A ground campaign inside of Israel, air or rocket strikes on Tel Aviv, a large scale war...??? Impossible to know until we're there.

Already, however, I'm feeling the upped ante. While listening to a radio report yesterday in the car, I screamed curses at the top of my lungs hearing Syria's Ambassador to the United States feign a victim's stance to the NPR interviewer.

During yoga class this morning, I was unable to let go of thoughts of THE SITUATION looming ever closer. Despite a yogic teaching emphasizing presence in the moment, my thoughts scattered wildly.

The class, ironically, was held at a studio in Lebanon...Ohio. Historically Lebanon is famous for being home to astronaut John Glenn, for the 70's filming there of the movie Harper Valley PTA and for its early 1800's inn visited by 12 U.S. presidents.



The town's epicenter is filled with tiny specialty shops criss-crossed by a series of tracks traversed by passenger and freight trains chugging through. Corn fields hug miles-long stretches of the 2-lane Route 42 leading into town and magnificent 19th century mansions dot the city limits.

After class I stopped at a roadside Sweet Corn stand and found, instead of humans, a tractor trailer brimming with ears of Silver Queen still in husks. A bucket on the passenger seat marked "Baker's Dozen: $4.00 for 14" held assorted change, singles and five dollar bills. Silence. Not a soul in sight. The honor system. I dispensed my cash and carefully chose fourteen.

While munching one of the fresh purchases back home, I checked e-mail. One from my friend Susie. "Shelters in the Central Area" was printed in the Subject line. Inside was a listing of public bomb shelters in Tel Aviv, Raanana, Jaffa, Kfar Saba, etc.

Reality is seeping in.

2008

1/2 a day later, I am somewhat horrified by my previous trivial entry, today's latest considering. However, Syria's seeming willingness to broker is semi-encouraging...
****

RUDY GIULIANI FOR PRESIDENT!!!

(No offensive Virgin Mary White House exhibits, though)

Oh yeah...and happy belated 25th birthday, MTV ....for the millionth time, will you PLEASE get your feet off of the coffee table?

Strategizing

Reading various analysts today, it's interesting to see the "Syria Card" repeating itself. The suggestion that an attempt be made to drive a wedge between Iran & Syria in an effort to foster stability.

I listened intently to today's Terry Gross interview with Thomas Friedman. Friedman, NY Times' foreign affairs columnist, multiple Pulitzer Prize winner and author of From Beirut To Jerusalem and The World is Flat, is known for left-leaning views included advocacy of a peaceful compromise between Palestinians and Israelis.

When the current crisis started nearly three weeks ago, Friedman headed to Lebanon, Israel and Syria for a first-hand view. He commented on Syria as a landbridge connecting the Iran/Hizbollah weapons gateway and the backroom for Gaza's Hamas.

He went to the region to assess whether or not there may be room for swaying Syria away from the Iran alliance and ushering leadership towards ties with Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

He came away feeling it's a very long shot but that it could happen. The current non-existent relationship with the U.S. would have to be patched and incentives offered.

When referring to Hizbollah, he openly scorned Nasrallah's claims of victory over Israel, saying: (paraphrase) Israel has more companies on the Nasdaq than any other country outside the U.S. and Canada and you can't make a lightbulb and you won? He also liberally paraphrased the late Golda Meir who said: We will have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us. Take a listen to the full interview ..

And incidentally, I heard the first ever interview of its type w/Lebanese Christians saying Hizbollah took up posts between and surrounding their residential, suburban homes - without their permission - and fired rockets at Israel. The crying woman on tape said she feared telling them to beat it.

Bloody Rollercoaster Ride...

...and I'm not even there.

Viewing the UN Security Council Session, hearing Lebanon's acting Foreign Minister Tareq Mitri seemingly plead for support, my heart ached.

Then hearing Israel's Ambassador Danny Gillerman pose the question of how long Israel should be expected to endure cross border raids & katyusha attacks despite withdrawal 6 years ago, my spine straightened as a level of understanding and comradery rushed in.

Things are hot again and each time the temps warm up a sense of foreboding grows stronger. Syria's military on high alert. Iran eschewing, at least verbally, the latest UN resolution calling for a halt to nuclear development... & then Cuba's Castro, in power for nearly 5 decades, goes and puts his brother Raul in charge of the military, government and country at large while he goes under the knife to fix an intestinal problem.

Criminy! Nothing like a little instability (where there never was any to begin with, let's be frank), hmmmm?