Hey There Hi There Ho There!

I saw, back home in S Francisco, a button which read, “The Hippies Are Back – and They’re P***ed!” Yeah; that about says it all. Onward!

Being Jewish in the U.S. of A means having two birthdays, one by the solar calendar seen on most walls and desks, and the other by the Jewish lunar calendar. Tuesday past was my Jewish birthday and I was expecting it to pretty much suck, as my birthdays have in recent years.

Monday night I get a call from a casting director telling me that I’m on for Law & Order the next day. Afternoon call time; easy. But, “because you’re one of my Real Chassidic Guys, I have to warn you that you’ll be in the shot – and in holding – with about forty women trying to be naked, but this is TV, so they’ll be wearing the minimum the FCC allows,” knowing that this sort of thing would deeply upset a real, orthodox Chassid.

But he momentarily forgot who he was talking to.

“Someone told you it’s my birthday,” was my response; and so I got to spend one birthday this year in a candy store. It definitely did not suck.

* * * * *

In the Days of Moshiach, when “those who sleep in the dust will rise,” it’s generally agreed that the first ones back will be the great tzaddikim, guys like R’ Akiva, Moshe Rabeinu – the big, historic names – all led, of course, by King David himself, reborn as his own descendant, Moshiach.

The Talmud, however is well-stocked with references to the holiness of comedians and musicians and the work they do – at least as much column space as any Tanna. My friend Yitzchak Biton brings a word from R’ Nachman of Breslov, of all people, that Moshiach will be brought to this world through music and theatre. That’s impressive.

Does this mean, then, that we can expect Mickey Katz and Michael Bloomfield to be running the band in the Third Temple? That would rock.

* * * * *

We tried to shoot some video last night, and wound up with some footage of MC Sage. Good choice. Sage is a brilliant, extremely talented guy, and really should be seen and heard a lot more. He pretty much owns the hidden extension of Od Yeshama on Yerachmiel’s Ahava v’Achva, still one of the best, and best-produced, collections of new Jewish music to be found. Anyway, where and when Sage’s video will be up is TBA; watch this space.

* * * * *

I’m proudly well-known to have never had a minute’s time for the previous administration – going all the way back to Reagan – but this now-departed pack of chuckleheads did do one thing – and only one thing – right (aside, of course, from providing endless grist for the Comedy Mill), which was to, for the most part, stay out of Israel’s way. One has reason to be concerned about the New Guard in D.C. in this regard. I do hope they do the right thing.

Speaking of the previous administration (they’re still funnier), there was much made when they took office that their stock portfolios would be put into a Blind Trust for the duration of their terms in office, supposedly so that their personal financial considerations would not influence policy – like they’re likely to forget how much Halliburton stock they have. In any event, they’re gone now (yay!), and a thought occurred to me: it would be the ultimate stroke of cosmic justice if Bush, Cheney, and their gang discover that the executors of their blind trusts put all their money into Bernie Madoff’s hands.

* * * * *

We are now seeing the “trickle-down” economic theory working at last. It’s no secret that the preposterous amounts of money being generated and manipulated stayed pretty much where it was (and that continues; the Big Money guys aren’t rattling coins outside your nearest Starbucks); no “trickle-down” there. Now that it’s all imploding, though, the disaster is trickling down generously, concentrating in the lower brackets as firmly as the wealth remains in the upper brackets.

* * * * *

Then there’s Rubashkin in a Federal holding cell in Iowa, while Bernie Madoff gripes about having to say in his penthouse. What does this tell us?

* * * * *

Today’s a day on the nickel-and dime day job, which entails the two-hour Commute from Hell (to far Hell) each way, made yet more annoying by a track closure which necessitates the deployment of shuttle buses. All this in about 35 degrees. Totally a day in golus.

Add to this that today’s my other birthday, the one I share with the late, great Geo. Washington himself, the one that used to be a national holiday before it got sucked into a three-day weekend (thank Nixon, another Republican, for that), the birthday I always knew I had and when it was, a day I usually resist working, especially when it entails the two-hour Commute from Hell (to far Hell) each way. An especially egregious day in golus.

But wait! There’s More! Due to an aberrant calendrical convergence, it also happens to be my mom’s yahrtzeit, what I call “the gift that keeps on giving.” Thanks, mom. How much more atrociously golusdik can it get?!?!?

So join the growing chorus. Through all the Laughter, through all the Tears, say it Loud, say it Proud:

Golus Sucks! Moshiach Now!