Seriousness - but not for long

Another exciting day in my life.

Actually, my life is exciting. Just now, for instance, it's overflowing with other people's problems.

The thing about me being Jewish is that people know they won't spoil my Christmas if they talk to me about stuff. Every year at this time I get a series of phonecalls. Normally it's about divorces or arguments with family. This year I have a Titanic full of other people's problems and quite a few of them are very serious. No-one expects me to solve anything: they just want a friend to know what's happening.

I can't tell you about other people's lives here, of course, but maybe you will understand when I gently indicate that five included life/death stuff, three were about violence or abusethree included mental illnesses and six were perfectly everyday crises.

I don't want to stop receiving these confidences. It really means a great deal to me that friends trust me with their secrets and sadnesses. I just wish that the day of the five big evils had been a bit better timed. You can't control timing, though.

It was so strange to have most of my mind occupied with deaths and private horrors in the lives of some friends while the rest of it was entertaining others at my Chanukah party. I want to apologise again to the friends who calmly played dredels and gave me ten minutes to sit quietly and wish that the most recent very icky events had not happened to such wonderful folks. Combining hostessing with dealing with those eerie, quiet announcements was a strain. What was more of a strain was knowing I had friends who were hurting and even if I hadn't been partying, I wouldn't have been able to do anything. It was good, though, to have other friends there for me, not asking questions, carrying the party for those crucial minutes. I could process some very, very bad news without having to be bright and cheerful at the same time. I'm very fortunate in my friends.

Now that life is less dramatic, I wanted to apologise to everyone about my absent-mindedness recently, as well. Most of it was due to the various excitements of the people around me. Three deaths and a rape are the really agonising bits. I wish I could be there more than I am. So my apologies also to the friends who are undergoing hard times - I will do what I can when I can. This means - mainly - talking on the phone. I am spread a bit thin right now. Don't stop ringing, though, if talking helps.

Last time this happened it was my family: this time it is my friends. Next time it will be all my worst enemies and I shall go 'mwa ha ha' because finally there will be some balance in the world.

Thank goodness for most of you things are going to improve or are already improving. It augurs well for the New Year.

I'm not going to write posts like this very often. Each of our lives is quite challenging enough without reading everyone else's problems on LJ. I thought, though, that one post explaining what's happening would make sense of things for you. If I dedicate days and days to silly posts, this doesn't mean I don't care. And please understand if my mind melts from time to time.

(no subject)

I spent more money today. I have to stop this speed-spending. It's all work-related, though.

I do wonder what the Tax Office will say when I record a moustache cup as a work expense. The thing, is, that it's for my teaching (and also for future research). I've decided to change my approach to the session on tea, coffee and chocolate, you see . I was holding out for a molenillo, but the moustache cup walked into my hands when I was browsing today. Actually, the shop owner kept bringing all the food history things out to show me. It was wonderful :).

If anyone thinking of doing my Food History course in 2008 (starts February) can please grow a moustache, we can get a real, live demo of how effective it is. Or maybe I shuld buy a few false moustaches for my students. That would *really* mess with the Tax Office's corporate brain.