I really like the word 'llama' because of the double 'll' at the beginning.

Arnon, I'm curious about a few things: is this the first time you met your godson's father? Does he live in that village or were he and his mother also just visiting? How do you feel?

Noa

I have met the father of my godson a long time ago already, the first time in 2004.
They live near Cochabamba, where both the climate and altitude are less harsh for humans. (My godson and his mother of course spend quite some time outside Bolivia.)
Your questions implies that I'm supposed to feel something. Ilanit pointed out that I'm the man without feelings.
After the man without qualities it's time for the man without feelings. Don't you think?

Arnon,

I didn't say you have no feelings. But would you deny the fact that feelings are not the main source and motivation of your actions?

Ilanit

It is often war between me and my feelings and I'm happy to report that I'm winning the war, so I don't object .
But then again other people might know me better than I know myself.
And I would say there is a distinction between the public persona and the private citizen.

Arnon

It was you who told me to stop being afraid that I misinterpret human behaviour and trust my feelings I’m sorry to realise I was interpreting the public persona. So I guess I’m way off. I’m sorry.

Ilanit

The fact that there is a distinction between the public persona en the private citizen does not mean that there is no connection.
No need to apologize.
After having read more of your comments I regret my advice to you to trust your feelings.
Because I really wish you well -- my advice to you will be:
Don’t trust your feelings -- trust me.

hahaha

trusting you? a person who can hide behind the concept of a public persona? I don't think so.

Arnon

Your patience with some of the readers of this blog borders on that of a Saint.

Oscar W

My sainthood is a work in progress. How is your girlfriend doing?

Arnon

Laura is concerned that your love letter may become a perpetual work in progress.

Oscar W

Ah, you are a teaser.
Or Laura is a teaser?
Or you are both teasers?

Arnon

I tease Laura more than Laura teases me. (I consider teasing a form of affection.)

As I do not believe in winning a war against drugs, nor in war against terror, so I don not believe in war against feelings. I tend to believe into some kind of control or supervision, a never ending life task, like mastering a talent. It involves fighting and negotiating and some boredom too, etcetera.

Feelings

Arnon, Ilanit - I'm feeling jealous. Could we turn the communication into a threesome or would that be too overhwelming?

Llanit

How can you feel proud to "protect" your country if this protection entails the killing of innocent civilians? I've lived in Ramallah and I've seen the suffering this 'protection' has lead to. (But I guess entertainment stuff in Eilat is no sunshine either)

spit

Llamas rock!

Dear Batta,

I don’t think this blog is the right place for serious political discussions, but I will say this:
1-The suffering is on both sides. I hope you aware of that.
2- Killing innocent people is and will never be a target of the IDF. It does happen sometimes like in every war, but it’s never the purpose.
3- Last year I organised a big event and raised quite some money which I donated to war child in order to help a theatre project for Arab and Jewish children in Israel. By that I want to emphasise I am not your enemy.
Entertainment stuff in Eilat for a 17 years old was great. Really!

Noa

Are you being cynicle or are you truly feel excluded?

Oscar Wilde

What about our patience?

I'm not being cynical, although the fact that I always feel excluded may relativate the feeling somewhat. Anyway, I'd lke to write a story about a blogpee who disappears (virtually) after he's fallen from grace with his idol. The idol starts worrying about this blogpee and sets out to look for him, embarks on a journey leading to a dark second life. What I'm saying is: this blog sometimes offers comfort, sometimes a reality check. And in a funny way, I'm starting to understand how a cult is able to exist. But I'm sure we're all aware of this.

Theatre

Theatre projects are great, but what the Palestinians could really use is for the Israeli's to stop bombing their villages and stop confiscating their land. I do not believe that human suffering can be put aside as collateral damage; a simple residue of a protection policy. It should instead form a resaon for questionning the legitimacy of any such policy.
And you're right. This is not the place for a political discussion. Apparently it's a place for discussing emotions without any self-criticism.

Noa

Although I don’t know what blogpee means, I have the feeling your refer to me.
My answer is then:
1-things are not always what they seem
2-You are probably right. I also feel my days here are almost over, so virtually disappearing will be a good way to describe my end.

@natta
So you're proposed solution is the Israeli's stop bombing Palestinian villages and confiscating their (let's just suppose we all agree to the definition of 'their') land. Then what? Honestly, I'm truly interested. Please could you sketch out for me what -in your opinion- will then happen, next how things would be/look like the moment Israel does what you want Israel to do (and does your proposal also entail the Israeli's should simply give up being Israel?)?
What of -for example -all the refugees from Darfur in Israel, do you think the Palestinians (once nobody bombs them anymore) will welcome them and other refugees, provide them safety and a home and a future?

Batta

Although I feel very tempted to reply I choose not to. Surly you can not be serious when asking me to represent the Israeli politics as a sign for self criticism. You don’t know me, you don’t know my political views and you probably don’t know that in the past 16 years I didn’t live in Israel.
This blog is by the way also not the place to discuss emotions. I am still trying to figure out what is the purpose of this place.

Ilanit, let's just patientlt wait for Arnon to end/slaughter this Israel-Palestine discussion (and more specifically batta) with his knowledge.
The purpose of this blog is as concluded (by both you and I) above. We define its purpose ourselves. Re: definition of blogpee, see one of the previous blog discussions.

What's the meaning of the ritual haircut? Is it related to an indian belief?

@ Ilanit

You can find the definition and discussion of blogpee in 'Homesickness' on the 16th of August.

Noa

I honestly hope Arnon will not do what you hope he will.

Mieke
Tnx for pointing the place of the definition. It scared me to read it, to be honest but arguing with Noa (who's honesty I really appriciate) is probably useless.
Noa,
I am sorry you see us all in such a needy somewhat pitifull light. Arnon's comment about the competition show's he see's us quite the same. Time to move on right?

@Ilanit: if anything, I view myself as needy and pitiful, not you. On the contrary. As said, I'm even jealous of you. And your previous comment regarding me saying I hope Arnon slaughters etc underlines you are the type of person I could only dream of being (no cynicism).
Finally, to me the definition of blogpee is cute and there's nothing wrong at all with being one. Please don't move on, stick around for a while!

second-handers

hoping to be a type of person you are not - does that make you a second-hander? what is it that defines yourself. i do agree input can be very useful to that end; and works of art, literature more specifically, can be very useful for that goal, however, it not something to depend upon is it?

as for the purpose of this place - is it not the same? don't we -the blogpees- define the purpose by being what we are - and do we not, in that line of thought, define by our attempts?

Noa

I still do not know how to reply to your last comment. I will get back to you.
By the way- by asking if it's time to move on, I ment for myself but also for you.

Batta

Could you tell us a little bit more about your background?

Ilanit

You forget to mention the Russian soldiers who fought the Nazi’s. I should say the soldiers from the Soviet-Union.
If you believe that children choose their parents, then maybe you could have chosen other parents? If the question of who are your parents is a matter of free will than you must accept the possibility that your choice was a mistake.
In general I’m not sure why this site cannot be used for serious political discussion. When exactly becomes a political discussion serious?
Don’t you think that it is less abstract to die for a person than for a country?

Mieke

I'm not sure what is the meaning of the ritual hair cutting. What's the meaning of a ritual?

Jan Thys

I didn't mention a war against feelings in general. I said it is often war between me and my feelings and I'm happy to say that I'm winning the war.
Please read carefully.

To die for

Is it less abstract to die for a person than for a country? But then what about the Japanese? They are extremely fond of their Emperor but also think of Japan as some sort of beloved land. Maybe people don't die for people or homelands in general, but for love, and to protect the love(d). Although that may sound very much like a cliché.

Mendie

Do you think Madame Bovary died for love?

Arnon

I think she died of boredom. Or maybe she cried over love so much she died of dehydration. I think you are no the only one who messes around with his own feelings :)

@ Arnon

As a ritual performed in a group it might be an action to establish a kind of bond within the group. I'm just guessing that's why I asked. There are all kinds of rituals.
To Jung rituals are connected with the archetypes, but I haven't read anything by him yet.

Madame Bovary

Madame Bovary died for her sentiments.

Mendie

FYI Madame Bovary ate rat poison.

Oscar W

Her sentiments?
One could also aurge that she died for her lust.

Arnon

I apologize for mistakenly leaving the Soviet Union soldiers out. But let me rephrase all that I mentioned regarding the second world war (I’m obviously not as privileged as a non-Jew) and state: I deeply hope that one day the afghans will thank the Dutch for enabling them to live in a free environment. It will make the death of the Dutch (or other) soldiers, one for a great cause. That will make the issue of own country less relevant.
I am certain this site can be used for a serious political discussions. I choose not to participate in one here. OK? And by serious I mean I don’t have to think twice in regard to your tone of voice. I know you are serious and not cynical or smart. And as of your question weather I think it is less abstract to die for a person than for a country, I will quote a part of my answer to Mieke: “A country is a concept. When I took the oath it was the feeling that I help protect my family and friends. Personally I don’t care for land and no land or temple is in my eyes worth dying for.”

Jan Thys, Sander, Arnon, Mieke,

The concept of a child choosing his parents is a concept within the bigger concepts of the Kabbalah in which reality is more then we perceive with our limited perception ability. In the level of eternal souls there will be no difference between a child or a parent and the choice comes from a deeper love and the wish to help ones spiritual grouwth and healing.

What's this ritual haircutting for? I don't like it when unexperienced people participate in rituals that involve sharp things. Did he like it having his hair cut? (what happened to the hair)

Still, Bovary

I was joking about the dehydration. My humor is not too good.

Arnon

Lust is a good neighbor of sentiment.

Mendy

Your self-criticism seems to function.

Ilanit

Thanks for your clarification. Do you think I'm worth dying for?

Oscar w

Do you think some people confuse lust with sentiment? Could you please react to my thesis that both you and your future wife are teasers? Or are you the only teaser in the family? Before I travel all the way upstate New York to your modest mansion I would like to know what to expect and if I should bring my swimming trunks.

worth dying for?

you as the public persona or the private citizen?

Ilanit

How can the public persona be alive when the private citizen passed away. I'm not interested in anything posthumous.

Die for you

"The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." – Lady Dorothy Nevill

Ilanit

If you only would follow Dorothy Nevill’s advice more often.

Arnon

I’m actually preparing for my virtual death as Noa predicted. Although the details of her story are quite off , I know that any attempt to correct them here will be loosing to vanity. So I’ll leave the reason at the terrible disappointment I’ve fallen from grace by my Idol (that will be you). It goes without saying I will do it earlier (let’s say now) if you ask me. That way I can virtually die for you. Taking into consideration the fact you repeatedly stated how little I know you, a virtual death is more then one can ask for, right?

Ilanit

If your death is only virtual why not wait a couple of months?

Arnon

Laura says that "teaser" is not really a word. I consider myself a teaser, albeit a very polite one. Some people confuse sentiment with lust, but I consider this a lesser crime.
We would be delighted if you would bring your swimming trunks upstate. Are you allergic to cats?

Oscar W

According to my electronic dictionary (Oxford American Dictionaries) “teaser” is very much a word:

teaser |tēzr| |tizr| |tiz|
noun
1 informal a difficult or tricky question or task.
2 a person who makes fun of or provokes others in a playful or unkind way.
• a person who tempts someone sexually with no intention of satisfying the desire aroused.
• a short introductory advertisement for a product, esp. one that does not mention the name of the thing being advertised.
• Fishing a lure or bait trailed behind a boat to attract fish.
• an inferior stallion or ram used to excite mares or ewes before they are served by the stud animal.

Of course I was using teaser as: “a person who tempts someone sexually with no intention of satisfying the desire aroused.”

I assume that Laura’s comment that teaser is not really a word is a tease, don’t you think? Would you mind asking Laura to confirm my assumption?

I’m willing to overcome my allergy to cats in order to be in the neighborhood of a gorgeous teaser as Laura.

As the Polish writer Stanislaw Przybyszewski said: “In the beginning there was lust.”

Arnon

I suspect that Laura's comment was indeed a tease. Notice that she said "I don't think that teaser is really a word". If she didn't believe that "teaser" is a word, she would have said "I don't think that teaser is a word" or "Teaser is not a word".

I will ask Laura for clarification. Would you be interested in meeting Laura's grandmother? She lives in the Bronx and is a voracious reader.

@ Arnon

After carefully reading the definition of teaser, I came to the conclusion it 's definitely applicable on you.

Teasing

Teasing is a powerful weapon in the hands of a cunning (wo)man.

Only virtual?

A virtual death can be very painful. You shouldn’t exonerate it’s impact. Especially when caused by a broken heart.
But let me just check if I understand you correctly. You want me to physically die or virtually live for you?

Ilanit, you are a big tease too.

Mieke

That's very true. Love to tease and love to be teased.

Ilanit

All I said is one day I’ll knock on your door and I’ll ask you a special favor. It’s not for you to decide when I knock on your door, and it’s not for you to decide when to do me a favor.
I do think that you are slowly getting better. For now all I ask is to remember your time in Eilat and to share your memories with us.

Oscar W

I would like to visit Laura's grandmother, but does Laura's grandmother want me to visit her? And where does it end? One day I'll visit Laura's parents, the next day I'll visit Laura's brother, two week later I'll be on my way to visiti Laura's old roommate. Do you want me to become a Petrarca for our days, that is to say a Petrarca that does not limit himself to poetry.