Shop Talk

By the time I got home yesterday, word had already got around about yesterday's post that I had made in the morning. Thank y'all for paying attention and giving feedback. Someone said I had "outed" people by using real names, but I disagree. Those that I mentioned don't have other identities and don't take any great pains to hide their identity. I don't think they'd mind being mentioned in the context of what happened, and if they do mind I will make amends.

I'm just reporting the news. I will, of course, maintain secrecy for those who do have other identities or those who make it known to me that they don't want their names on the site. I guess what I posted yesterday was the first time I had mentioned full names, but that's only because those people don't have their own blogs or a relevant link (and y'all don't want me to post your pictures, do you?) So yeah, yesterday's post had a different agenda than, for example, the description of the last Risk game, in which I purposely hid the players' identities. You know why? As the late, great comedian Sam Kinison once said screamed, "There's a reason. There's a FUCKING REASON!!!"

The reason is that some players may disagree with my interpretation of the events that transpired, and I wouldn't want to discolor the journalism nor offend those players who indulged in the giving and receiving of "table talk", that rude, lewd, boastful, insulting battle chitchat that is only meant in the spirit of the game and should stay at the table.

I feel justified that I don't have to revise any postings and I will continue to report news and views in my way. Free blogs, and my comment area, are open for public debate (although the comments section was once edited and somewhat censored because of table talk from said Risk game entering the blogosphere).

Those that didn't get mentioned yesterday... don't worry! There's plenty of stuff to dish about-- I just can't remember it all at once. I am reminded of someone who once said, "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about." Someone else once said, "Even bad publicity is good publicity."

While I'm here, let's try to stay current and review yesterday and today. I'm enjoying some new responsibilities at work until the end of this week, when my "lease term" on being borrowed from my regular office is up. Back to 8 hours a day in the education building after that. Yesterday we used an hour and a half at a ceremony for the unveiling of a new study center. The donors and MK Tommy Lapid and others were present, with speakers, honors, and nice food (fruit and pastries). Keren came over to our place later for a brief visit. According to Tamara I missed her and "the other" Jeremy rapping with H. about adult responsibilities, which soon turned into a shouting match. Wish I was there to act as a calming influence or at least have a few laughs. Today I got another email praising my curent work in the other building. We got a free lunch from the army. I dropped in on Tamara doing her first tour of the new museum. Her friend Tali is in town, and I hung out with him and Tamara's cousin last week in H.'s backyard. Tali is very funny, constantly in motion, smokes very quickly, and works at a pizza joint on long Island, which I can definitely relate to. Also today some woman came into our office and bitched about a project that she didn't like-- disturbed the whole office for no good reason. Tonight we'll do some food shopping (Sam, Dina, and a friend will stay over for Shabbat) and pay a shiva call to a friend. Liz is a new gal in our office and will hopefully show me some techniques for Flash animation. I'm reading Ireland, a novel by Frank Delaney covering legends and history of the Emerald Isle, and also reading Preacher again, one of my favorite comic series ever.