Got Brothers? I've Got Chills!

You're thinking I'm all spoofin' the Got Milk? campaign.

Nope.

More like the Gat Brothers.  Arye and Gil Gat to be specific.  The guys who I spotted, like many others, back in the spring, and was searching for them to resurface.

The Nunever, praised be he and thank you for the kesher as always, sent me the link to the other day's post referencing the Gat's recent Jerusalem street performances of Pink Floyd's "Shine on you Crazy Diamond" and Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven."

And now we see then surface on the Israel reality tv show "Rising Star" ("Kochav haBa") which I guess must be similar to American Idol, just a few days ago.  Currently this YouTube video is at 20,404 hits.




My prediction?

The Gats go Viral.

However my other prediction didn't come true so I don't think I would trust my predictions.  I'm kinda like The Mighty Wind of predictions.  Meaning it's not coming true.  Shoot, this whole blog could be a Christopher Guest/Harry Shearer mockublog.  Not.  Best In Show this is not.

Remember!  Like 'em?  Email 'em at BreslevBrothers@gmail.com

My girl friend here I will for all intents and purposes call Blondie (not her real name, but it really fits for so many reasons) saw the link of the Gats and she told me she had "chills." upon watching it.  I consider her opinion highly because she knows good music.

And so I thought of Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in a seminal movie from my childhood.

Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Jerusalem style

Ever since I first saw these guys perform a Beatles tune this year, I have been curious if they had anything else in them.

Well, it's clear they do.  Roger Waters, Syd Barrett:  look out.  Here are two Breslovers covering Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" in the heart of Jerusalem.  Zion Square, affectionately know in Hebrew as Kikar Tzion, has never looked this shiny, and, dare I say it, sanitized!  With the light rail that passes by on Jaffa Road, you'd think this was a shmancy European city. What I want to know is where is the Kent Stand we all used to visit to exchange currency?

What a wild, wacky, beautiful sight. Just love the motley of people surrounding Reb Arye and Reb Gil, young to old, secular to religious, male, female, and who knows maybe something in between. Just people listening to great tunes in the holy city, albeit the new part.

We need to check our preconceived notions at the door in case you thought "what are these payos-clad guys doing singing these beautiful tunes."  Good music is good music.

If you love 'em so much, email 'em and let 'em know!
BreslevBrothers@gmail.com

Just last night I wore my Cream t-shirt (also my brother's recommendation) to an Amy Helm show, the daughter of Levon Helm, who has already been gone for a year and half.

And now I see that the brothers performed a classic Clapton Tune "Tears in Heaven."  (for those not musically-literate, just Google the band Cream and you'll see the connection).





As Dustin Hoffman said in Tootsie, "Joy. Sheer joy."

Here's Amy Helm & The Handsome Strangers from last night







Buried at the bottom:

Here's my little Floyd story.  They are my brother's favorite band, so in high school he suggested some tapes of theirs I should get. "Dark Side of the Moon," the album on which "Shine On" appears, ended up being one of the few I did actually buy. Probably at Sam Goody or Record World (where I bought tapes not records) in the mall.  Being a suburban kid we didn't have Tower Records...my visits there in 1988 and '89 in Manhattan are a whole other story that involved skipping the Columbus Day journalism seminars at Columbia University. Maybe if I didn't skip those seminars I would actually know how to write instead of my gabbable run-ons.

I brought my Floyd tapes on my teen tour, and one of the girls on the trip was excited to see I listened to them. I liked the music:  who doesn't relate to the lyric "two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl year after year?"  But I knew nothing of the band itself.  So when she started waxing poetic over Roger Waters I felt like a real poseur and shied away.

I have learned a bit more about modern rock since then, but I imagine kids these days wouldn't have that type of experience since we live in a wiki, Googled out society. Surely it was a more innocent time. I miss my Sony Walkman and looking out onto the Montana landscape while dozing off to the sounds of cash registers churning and falling bricks in a wall.

Thanksgivukkah...It's Chocolate Lollipop Time

Other than Rainbow Loom, I guess all the rage in the next month among people I know is the once in a lifetime convergence of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah.

It also happens to be both my Jewish and Secular birthdays as well as wedding anniversary.  Take that for putting private info out there.  Do you think I really care?  It isn't like I'm putting my social security number out there.  Do the numbers 329-29-1127 mean anything to you, anyway?

As if that's REALLY my social security number. C'mon, what do you think I am...an irresponsible person?

Anyway...lots of articles are out there about Thanksgivukkah.

Personally I'm getting in my order for Thanksgiving and Hanukkah lollipops, like I have done many years over.

Rainbow Loom. When will the madness stop?

I think it's safe to say that every parent of an elementary-school aged child in America knows by now about the Rainbow Loom.  The kids who were really on the ball knew about it this summer.  Who knows, maybe some kids knew about it in the spring.  For sure if you were at the beach or camp in the Northeast this summer, the rainbow loom loomed large.  To say it's all the rage is an understatement.  It's everywhere.  And I mean everywhere.  You can even get knock offs of the elastics from Michael's and probably every local dollar store.

Concealed Light, The Wolfman and The Wolfman's Brother received their first Rainbow Loom as a gift when Eddie was born.  I hadn't heard of it, but our friends, who joined us late in the summer at Sesame Place, told us it's the thing to have.  Within that one week I heard it mentioned numerous times, and now that school is in full swing pretty much all the kids (and many teachers) are wearing the bracelets.


My children started off wearing just one bracelet made of the "original" stitch.  Now they are increasing exponentially up their wrists.  They've got fishtail, triple single, and probably a lot of other stitches we don't know yet.  Kids are learning how do it on YouTube.  There's a special way to roll off the bracelets.

When will it end?  Then again, better they loom than zone out on the iPad, right?

My guess is this craze will outlast Silly Bandz, which were just bracelets you bought.  Here, you're actually making something.  So it's somewhat redeeming.  Kind of reminds me of the ribbon barrettes we used to make in the early 80s with the beads at the end.  In the beginning it was so hard to find the special Goody brand barrettes and particular width satin ribbon needed to make the barrettes.  The way to make them was a carefully-guarded secret:  even a family friend wouldn't teach me because she was in the business of selling the barrettes.  But now with the Internet nothing is sacred and all kids are created Rainbow Loomingly equal.

It's pretty easy to find out the "creator" of the Rainbow Loom, though Concealed Light said the loom is nothing more than a glorified finger knitter.  Still, the gentleman from Michigan, Choon Ng, who created this product is to credit.

I wonder if there is a pot of gold at the end of Mr. Ng's rainbow (loom).

Anah el Nah: Jonah Adels

My main memory of Jonah Adels, who passed away last week due to injuries sustained in a tragic car accident, was that he planted the beginnings of a fruit orchard in Putnam County, New York..

Jonah worked at Concealed Light's camp.  Neither of us actually knew his name until recently.  But we totally "knew" him.  He seemed so sweet and kind.  I don't know why things like this happen, but here is a video that some of Jonah's friends put together a few months ago when they were praying for his healing.

The chant in this video is "anah el nah refah na la":  Answer us, please, God, heal us please, God.  I have never heard this particular melody of this classic Jewish prayer but it is so amazingly beautiful.  When I played it today for Concealed Light she said, "oh, yes, we sing that at camp."  Like it was just so familiar to her.   Then she was like, "wait?  The video is 14 minutes?  We don't sing it that long at camp."

I am so glad to learn that she knows this melody.  It took Jonah's accident for me to learn that my daughter knows a most gorgeous melody to this important tefilah.

Concealed Light saw some of the photos in the video and recognized Jonah.  "Oh, yeah I know him."  Sadness with a mama and her 10 year old daughter.

She didn't know what the additional images in the video were doing there, but I told her they are there to help people get to a place of healing through prayer.  Something like that.  It's hard.

Jonah planted a fruit orchard that will continue for years to come.  What bittersweetness.  All is meant to be.  Children at Concealed Light's camp will bear Jonah's fruit.  How do things like this happen?

From what I was told, Jonah's car accident happened because his car was trying to avoid hitting an animal in the road.  They didn't hit the animal but their own car swerved and crashed.  What kindness, what bittersweet kindness.

It was Rebbe Nachman's yahrtzeit a few weeks ago during Sukkot when  I learned that Jonah was journeying from this world into the next.  His friends were coming that exact shabbes to gather at a friend's home where a woman was about to bring a new life into the world.  I want to believe that Rebbe Nachman was there, holding Jonah by the hand, dancing and rejoicing with him in all that he contributed to the world, and leading him personally into the next world.

Baruch Dayan haEmet.

Nursing is a Great Hobby

Check out how nursing is portrayed in Mister Rogers.  No way would such a natural, normal part of life be on tv like that today.  How sad.

Anyway, I am really enjoying nursing my little baby, the Wolfman's Brother's brother.  I haven't come up with a name to call him yet on this blog.  Truth be told, I don't really mind putting up real names here.  Pretty easy to find that out anyway with a quick Google search.

Nursing is one of my favorite things to do in life and I am blessed with a 4th opportunity.  So far I am enjoying it all, despite the spit up, crying, and sleepless nights.

Making the cut into your school's annual report

Wow: the Wolfman is featured prominently in our school's annual report.  He is playing violin and the photo is placed apropos in the extracurricular section.  Of course I would have loved to see a photo also of Concealed Light on flute, and that would have actually been more appropriate because  she actually takes her lessons after school on-site, whereas the Wolfman went last year to an off-site music school.

Still, I am grateful that their school provided a forum through which my children could express their musical skills.  And I am proud that my child enhances their report.  All the shlepping I did last year for violin which he said he disliked is worth it just for the annual directory photo!  The board of directors did a very nice job with the publication, too.  It must be so much work. 

And now that I have a digital image of the photo, into the recycling the whole glossy publication goes.  Actually no.  I will wait for Stango to return from Copenhagen so he can check it out in hard copy.  Like he will have the time?  That doc has his brain buried in brain research and is either reading brainy stuff or Torah stuff.  

Bad Medicine in Mother's Little Helpers

It doesn't surprise me to learn that some of the moms at my friend's children's school in Los Angeles are popping valiums and even, gasp, oxycontins, deal with the day to day stresses of mommying.  And if you ask me, it's no big whoop (yes I know oxy's are highly addictive and the class action a number of years ago associated with it... Ya gotta be careful for sure if you are using off label or not your own prescription).  

Do what ya gotta do to get through the day.  It's socially acceptable to have a "mother's little helper" if you need it.  Maybe it's a shocker that these moms are Orthodox Jews (both sheitel and non sheitel wearers, if that matters to you, which it really shouldn't because people are people so why should it be).

FYI for the iPad / iPhone impaired among us (that includes me), I am including lots of links to various tunes I am referencing in this post and often they don't come up when reading on those devices.  So you are missing out on the best part of this post which is the music.

 

What bothers me, however, is that it's socially acceptable to take pharmies (legal prescription drugs doled out by your doc) but not to find your chill zone via stuff you can get with an Rx in Colorado these days.  For the record, I am not advocating taking any drugs here.  The point of this post is that I have a big problem with hypocracy (sp?  Too lazy to spell check, sorry).

So many folks buy into the idea that if something is illegal it's bad and if something is legal it's ok.  The truth lies in moderation.  (And I'm certainly not talking about an IV drip of propofol a la Michael Jackson or taking out your crack pipe...hey do people still do crack?  And whatever happened to crank?  What with the drug imagery on Breaking Bad, I'm exposed to this whole world of meth which, b'h, isn't part of my ouvre.  And if you clicked that link for crank you'd learn quickly like I just did that crank is actually meth, which is as we all know what BB is all about!  Cool beans.  Not the meth, no that's not cool, but simply the knowledge is cool.  Wow I haven't said cool beans since like 1989.  I have my friend Darren to thank for that phrase).

I don't know much from benzos, but you remember that Stones tune "Mother's Little Helper," right?  For those of you iPad-impaired, you might not see this YouTube video below.  Sorry.

Wouldn't personally be my way to deal, but to each her own.  I say just get out there and do a great workout.  That'll make you feel better and help melt away the stress.

But, that doesn't always do the trick, right?  If you ask me, and you shouldn't cuz I'm not a pharmacist, therapist, or any other health care specialist thereof, percoset and Valium sound like bad medicine when you look at the alternatives. 

You remember that Bon Jovi tune "Bad Medicine," right?  For those of you iPad-impaired, yet again you might not see this YouTube video below.  Sorry.

Maybe my mom friends of friends should put down their pills and vodka tonics (who needs a hangover?) and be open minded to the alternatives.  Then again, what the heck do I know? Then again...

  I'm guessing that more and more people are becoming open to this thought, but people aren't talking about it. At least not in the mainstream Jewish observant world. 

Look, people, there are dangers everywhere, right?  People can blow their minds out if they want, but most Toms, Dicks and Janes aren't going down that route.  I am not advocating for one way or another:  I just find the hypocrisy in the situation.  Nancy Reagan did a number on my generation with her fried brain eggs on drugs.




My question is what about all the kids that are diagnosed with ADHD these days, all the kids that are taking Ritalin for that purpose and then easily reselling it to their high school and college friends?  Isn't ritalin the No Doz of the millenium?  No Doz was such a weak drug if you think of it and personally made me nauesuous from all that caffiene.  Just because Ritalin is legal, that makes it ok?  I don't get it!

After 30 years, my favorite band made a bold statement by performing Peter Tosh's tune "Legalize It" during a 3 - night run at Dick's Amphitheatre in Denver.  I had never heard the tune (it's from 1979 or so?  Who knew! Gotta love that reggae beat), but thought it was interesting they decided to come public with their opinions and in the state of Colorado no less where legalization is happening.  Or maybe it happened already?

It is big industry for our country and on a tachlis (practical) level could do a lot of people a lot of good.  Even Entrepreneur magazine recently had a very discreet ad for a turn key dispensary machine business (think cigarette machine of lore: but remember you need your Rx. Which gets me back to my original point. 

Valium?  Oxycontin?  Xanax?  Not so much. 

This is what happens when you have a two month old and not a lotta sleep and lots to do and the desire to just do it all ... Thoughts get a little stream of concioisness.

Loony's gotta move on:  do other people agree with me about the whole hypocritical thing that suburban moms can openly chat about their pill popping habits but not other stuff?  

I realize maybe this is a controversial topic and you may ask me why would I even want to write about this given that you are members of a community and your children go to school in said community. I think of Ed Rooney, the principal character in Ferris Bueller's day off , when Ferris picks up Sloane from school and pretend he is her dad and gives her a huge romantic kiss and Rooney goes "so that's how it is in their family".  People can think what they want of me and have that (false) Ed Rooney attitude.  The truth is you'll never really no.  And I'll never really know. 

Only the aybishter knows and he is cool with coming to my shabbes table. 

Still, klonopins I don't think are for me. There. I have gone on the record and you can quote me on that. 

Since we are talking about drugs, You can also quote me that percoset is a dirty old drug and I took it anyway after the baby despite knowing how junky it is and messes up my system.  Let's not get too into the details let's just say my GI tract was hurtin' two months ago and I mean bad. 

Now that's bad medicine!

Let's end positive ...

Moral of the story is think for yourself.  Big  government isn't always right.  And go see Phish. They are great musicians; a group unsurpassed. 

Don't Think Twice It's Alright with S'mores

Stango finished our fire pit.  Great weather, chill vibes, s'mores, family, and Bob Dylan tunes.  Can't get better than that..  Oh, I forgot to mention that I had a baby about three weeks ago.  You'll see him in the video. Just call him Marshmallow for now.

Here's my mother's preference for Dylan's tunes, none other than Peter, Paul, and Mary.

While we're at it, here is the prophet, mystic and poet Mr. Zimmerman himself in 1962.

Friendship found, friendship lost...But how would you Know?

Have you ever had a friendship where it seems like there is more effort from one person to keep the friendship up?  I'm sure you have. We all have.  In general, I enjoy the company of most women I meet and can always find something to chat about.  I always try to find something good in everyone.   But the deeper friendship...there aren't too many people in the world that I have been friends with whom I have felt a really deep connection.  One that you can't really put into words.  All it really takes is one or two really good friends.

There is one person that I have known for close to twenty years, but I guess it had to take me to my 40th birthday to really let it sink in that we're not BFFs, to borrow a teeny bopper term.  Naturally, since we haven't lived in the same town for a while, I knew that we weren't best of friends.  Yet I am the person who always went to seek her out, visited her at her place, made the effort to make plans.  Maybe that's a sign of maturing, getting older, that I am trying to deal with this.  The whole Facebook thing doesn't really help.  We see each other every once in a while, maybe once a year, at events of mutual interest.  Usually we just bump into each other.

It's not fun and it's not easy.  I would rather we be closer friends.  I'd rather her visit or call.  I guess that's just not in the cards.  40 is good like that:  my life is otherwise full and vibrant.  Who needs the sadness of a friendship that was never really what I thought it could be?

And yet, after all these years I continue to think about it.

The 1st verse from Dylan's "He Was a Friend of Mine" makes me think of her.  She is alive and well, so the rest doesn't really apply.  But the 1st verse does.

(s)he was a friend of mine
(s)he was a friend of mine
Every time I think about (her) now
Lord I just can't keep from cryin'
'Cause (s) was a friend of mine



"Light," by Phish, a favorite tune of mine especially performed live, also reminds me of this friend.  Especially the less-often heard verse

Obstacles are stepping stones
That guide us to our goals
Fences are filters
That purify our souls

The song has great hope.  It makes me feel like whatever happens in life, this friend and I continue to be connected.  The obstacles that exist in the friendship are there for a reason and perhaps the reason why our friendship hasn't been more than I'd hoped is purposeful and the right thing for me.  Who knows, one day we may cross paths in a meaningful, lasting way.  Doesn't everything happen for a reason?