Farewell Roger Angell

You may not be a baseball fan, but if you are a fan of a team in any sport, and/or enjoy writing that is more than just a simple description of who won and how, then Roger Angell was and is someone to read. 

The BBC report of Angell's death quotes from a 1982 interview in which he said:

"I think the real fans are the fans of terrible teams, because they know what good baseball is and they know how far their own players fall short ... The rallying cry that has always struck me as so poignant and beautiful is, 'Come on, you bum!' which means, 'We know you're no good but we want to win.'"

My one true love is, of course, QPR. But I have followed my Yankees for many decades, and have in inkling (enough to translate, for example, 'you bum' into 'you w@nker'). I have greatly enjoyed Angell's work, and wish him eternal peace.

An overview from Wikipedia

A kind of obit over on ESPN

In Memoriam from the New Yorker

World Bee Day

It is World Bee Day today. Why is there a World Bee Day? Because people do not seem to understand the vital role bees and other pollinators play in the survival of the human species. And if we do not act to save these creatures, we will soon see far-reaching results.

Learn more about our pollinators and how we may help them!

6 Surprising Things about Bees by CNN

7 Simple Things You Can Do To Help (also via CNN)

BUILD A BEE BATH! On any windowsill or balcony place a small bowl of water with something in it upon which a bee might land, e.g., pebbles, marbles etc. They can drink and also bring a drop home with them!

NB 20th May was chosen because it was the day that Anton Jansa, a pioneer of modern apiculture, was born!

Frying Tonight!

It is nearly midnight here in Modena, halfway through the month of May. The current temperature is 29 C/85 F. In the middle of the night. In May.

Sigh. Soon it will be Lag B'Omer, the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer that takes us from Pesach to Shavuot, from redemption to revelation. L & I discussed what we might do to celebrate this day. It is customary to make bonfires, and L suggested a barbecue. To which I replied that the barbecue has already begun, pointing to the redness of my body in this heat. 

I am frying tonight. Hence the above clip from my favourite Carry On film (Screaming). Stay frosty y'all!

95 Years Ago Today

95 years ago today, my father and his brother were born. Apparently my grandmother had no idea she was having twins, so after the first boy was born, she got out of bed for coffee and a cigarette. The midwife was almost out the door when Mutti called for her once more!

They lived good lives, and were greatly loved. They are missed by so many people. My only regret is that Lior & Albert never got to meet in person. But I know how happy he is that I got to meet her!

May their memories continue to be for a blessing.

Sadness and Good Memories

As I write, many of my classmates are at Temple Emanu-El in New York City, receiving their honorary doctorates for 25 years of service to the Jewish people. This is actually the 26th year since the above photo was taken. We had an online ceremony last year, but with the return to in-person gatherings, we were offered the opportunity to join this year's honourees.

I have written elsewhere about the celebrations. I would like to note that at our online Kaddish minyan this morning, whilst I was delighted to be congratulated by my minyan mates, I also had the honour of leading Kaddish for our service.

In the photograph, in the back row, with the white hair and beard, you see Rabbi Ariel Walsh. In the front row, second from the right, you see Rabbi Suri Friedman. The two of them were present last year at our Zoom ceremony, but they have both died since then. In the front row on the far right you also see Rabbi Joel Braude. He died in 2014.

As we celebrate our contributions, and hope that we have the chance to continue, we remember our classmates. And so we said Kaddish for them at the minyan today. May our memories of them continue to bless us.