Back to the Future...

Greetings and salutations, my trusted readers. As many of you know, I've begun writing for the Diplomatic Post which, unfortunately, is not online at this stage. Since a few of you have been clamoring to see my columns, I received the approval of my editor to post them here. The column below appeared in the second issue of the magazine, which was distributed on August 31st (to Jerusalem Post subscribers only). The column is known as "Page Before Last".

BACK TO THE FUTURE...

When it comes to dealing with the future of Israel and the Middle East, it seems that there are primarily two kinds of people – those who like to talk about it and those who try to do something about it (and then, there's a fringe third group – those who like to talk about the fact that they're doing something about it, a group comprised almost solely of politicians. But I digress...). Seminars and conferences focusing on the subject of Israel and the Middle East abound, and indeed, the complexities of this region provide a never-ending supply of fodder for think tanks and institutes around the world.

What is it about this region that causes the ears of otherwise apathetic individuals to perk up at its mention? The lad who probably can't tell you where the Middle East is located fancies himself an expert, and the local English professor goes apoplectic whenever the subject comes up in conversation. The quest for knowledge is seemingly insatiable, and academics and politicians hot on the lecture circuit make the rounds, recycling nuggets of information to wide-eyed audiences hungry for information. After all, the future of the Middle East has been a hot topic for thousands of years, and while the names and faces change, one fact remains constant – nothing ever changes.

Okay. Maybe that's not completely accurate. On the plus side, Israel (whose creation itself was certainly one of the bigger changes the region has seen during the past 100 years) has garnered peace agreements with two of its neighbors and maintains low-level ties with several other countries in the region. Changes for the worse are too numerous to mention. They're also too repetitive to mention; when it comes down to it, the changes don't really change. You'd think that given all the time spent discussing the future of this region, we'd have been treated to far more success.

Which brings us (albeit rather circuitously) back to our main topic – the proliferation of conferences purporting to shed light on the future. One can't help but be amazed, not only by the diversity of sub-topics, but also by the diversity of approaches to each sub-topic. Who knew? Who knew that there were so many ways to discuss the intricacies of the Arab world? Who knew that there were so many perspectives for analyzing Israel's prospects for peace? Who knew that these same subjects would be dissected ad nauseum for generations without resolution, with each speaker trying to put a unique spin on things, attempting to sound original?

The past few months in Israel have seen at least two events on this subject, one entitled, "Israel and the Middle East at a Crossroad", and the other creatively named "The Future of the Middle East", a symposium that included a staggering number of panels on a wide variety of topics. These affairs were organized by the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies and the Israel Council on Foreign Relations – organizations that might not catch your attention were it not for their voracious ability to organize conferences and produce a dizzying array of publications.

It's starting to become a bit too predictable, these conferences. "The Future of the Middle East"? "The Middle East at a Crossroad"? The names say it all. Or perhaps they don't say anything. I suppose these names allow for a certain amount of latitude with regard to subject matter, but seriously. We need a new angle, something to get us into the proper frame of mind given the grand scheme of things.

First on the agenda is a unique line-up: We’d need someone like Jimmy Carter, Shimon Peres or Bill Clinton telling us how great the future can be, and someone from the World Bank to extol the virtues of how lucrative it will be. Then, we need a few historians to explain whose fault it is that we’re still in this mess (without alienating anyone, of course). This would, of course, be followed by the resident Arab-basher (probably from the Foreign Office or some such, in order to lend a degree of credibility) explaining how dangerous Iran is becoming and – just to make it even – your token Arab (preferably a poet). For a change, maybe the venue should be a Bedouin tent or perhaps a casino… in New Jersey (or possibly a Bedouin-themed casino in Vegas...). Oh, and we need a catchy title. Something that broadcasts a new trend in thought.

I was thinking along the lines of "The Future of the Middle East: Rehashing it all yet again", or perhaps "Israel and the Middle East: Past, Present and Future – It's all the same, really". Or maybe, someone should just make a movie.

Back to the Future, anyone?

The Diplomatic Post - Where's my anonymous commenter?

To the well-spoken anonymous commenter who left the most recent anonymous comment regarding the "Diplomatic Post" magazine, please contact me offline ASAP using the email address I've given in the "Send me an email" link. My editor would very much like to publish your comment as a "Letter to the Editor" (as he indicated below your comment), but he cannot do so as long as you remain anonymous.

Keeping Busy, Helping Others

Life is hectic hectic hectic these days. While trying to meet my deadlines for the next edition of the Diplomatic Post, I've also been blogging over at Israelity, getting work done at the day job, trying to clean up the house in prior to my parents' arrival last Thursday afternoon and fighting off a stomach virus. I was supposed to attend what promised to be an interesting meeting last Wednesday, but my stomach wasn't having any of it, and it looks like I'll have to play catch-up by picking the brains of those friends whose health was clearer in better shape than mine.

I've also gotten myself marginally involved in another project of interest. As those of you who read this blog are probably aware, the journey to bring the Little One into the world was not a journey of smooth sailing. There were problems every step of the way, and more than our fair share of tragedies. After we lost our first son, I made a promise to myself that whenever I could draw on my experiences to help others, I would do so. For me, doing so would mean that everything we had been through had not been completely in vain. Several months ago, I was contacted by Angie Boss, co-author of a book called "Living with PCOS". She and her co-author, Evelina Sterling (herself the author of a book about egg donation), were in the process of writing a new book about funding fertility treatments. Angie had come across my blog, liked what she'd read, and wondered if I would be interested in sharing different aspects of my story for her book. I was happy to help, and am pleased to have the opportunity to take part in a project that will help other women who are going through experiences similar to mine. After coming to an agreement with regard to certain technical aspects of my contribution, I sent Angie several pages that I'd written, and in subsequent correspondence, she asked if I would mind posting the text to below to my blog. I periodically receive similar requests, and those most are turned down as a matter of my own personal policy, I was happy to acquiesce to Angie's request. Take a moment to read it. If you or someone you know can help, please do so. Most of the people I know who have gone through fertility treatments of one kind or another have always been hungry for information on all aspects of the subject, including myself. I read anything I could get my hands on (especially personal stories), so the more information that's out there, the better.

The Request...

"We are currently co-authoring a new book to be published by Simon &Schuster next fall called "Funding Fertility—How to Bring Home a Baby without Breaking the Bank." In this book, we address many of the barriers associated with paying for the high costs related to infertility treatments and adoption. This includes the "sticker shock" that we all get when we find out how much everything is going to cost, how to make cost-effective decisions (i.e., finding cheaper medication options, selecting certain clinics, undergoing certain procedures, considering "special deals") without sacrificing quality of care, actually having to come up with the money without completing going broke, dealing with insurance companies and the lack of coverage, and much, much more.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!! We are currently compiling stories from people struggling with infertility (or considering adoption)—either currently, in the past, or in the future—to include in our book. These stories can highlight the good, the bad, or the ugly in terms of having to come up with the money to pay for your treatments and/or adoption. Through this book, we hope to shed more light on this nearly completely fee-for-service (and not covered by insurance!) side of medicine so we can allow more of the 10 million people out there experiencing infertility access to the ability to have a baby that they so desperately want without having to suffer financially. Having a baby should be a basic human right available to everyone, not a commodity in which some people make a lot of money! Please help us change the current system for the better by sharing your stories and experiences.

You can remain anonymous and all correspondence will be treated with utmost confidentiality. PLEASE SEND ALL STORIES, EXPERIENCES, AND QUESTIONS TO FUNDINGFERTILITY@YAHOO.COM.

Thanks so much for your help!

Evelina Sterling and Angie Boss"

Toot toot toot - there goes my horn

On July 31st, those of you who acquired the print version of the Jerusalem Post may have received a copy of a brand new magazine – The Diplomatic Post. As a writer, I happen to think it's rather interesting when something new hits the newsstands, and indeed, I enjoy hearing about all of the wildly different publications that are out there, allowing me to muse over the various (and often unusual) target audiences, as well as the potential writing opportunities available.

Even more exciting than hearing about the birth of a new publication is actually taking an active role in the process, and no one was happier (not to mention more surprised) than I to receive a phone call in early May from the editor of a certain, yet-to-be-named-at-the-time magazine, several months after I'd sent in my initial writing sample (and promptly forgot having done so). One planning meeting later, and I suddenly found myself responsible for two monthly columns in the newly branded Diplomatic Post, both involving commentary on current events and political issues, which must come as a huge shock, given how infrequently I tackle such topics here...

Since becoming a writer for this mag, I've managed to get myself on all sorts of fascinating mailing lists, and have even started receiving telephone calls from local embassies asking to confirm my contact information. I've discovered that saying "my editor" takes the same amount of getting used to as saying "my husband", and I haven't decided whether or not I can actually call myself a journalist, or if I'm simply a writer, or maybe a columnist. I feel rather silly referring to myself as a journalist when spending time with my friends who really are journalists and have been for years, but on the other hand, it sounds infinitely more exciting than telling people that I'm a technical writer (though, in all honesty, most things do sound more exciting than that...). Telling people that I'm "a writer" allows them to think that I'm far more interesting than I actually am, and hey – we all want to be perceived as being interesting, don't we?

But I digress... The magazine. Unfortunately, The Diplomatic Post isn't available online at this point, though I'm hoping that will change so that I won't have to grab another six copies at the next editorial meeting (to be fair, only one is for us – one copy goes to my parents, another one goes to NRG, and three went to another friend on-staff who wasn't able to make the last meeting). The next edition should hit local newsstands on the 31st of August, and I can be found writing Headliners and the Page Before Last.

So all in all, it hasn't been a bad summer as far as freelance writing goes. I'm finally getting paid for my efforts, and the added pocket change (which is really all that it amounts to) from this gig and another gig have allowed me to upgrade to the 16-shekel grande-sized latte. Toot toot toot – there goes my horn again!

Oh my God, it's been two whole years!

It all began two years ago today with this post, after my former blogging partner convinced me that I needed to start blogging again, following an approximately year-long hiatus brought on by my general inability to get my shit together multi-task on a grand level after the Little One was born. He even agreed to be my partner in crime, figuring that between the two of us, we would certainly be able to maintain a decent blogging schedule. We all know how that worked out. Despite our little "break-up", we've remained good friends, and he even helped me out with a minor blog emergency yesterday, when I suddenly realized that I needed to make an urgent change to yesterday's post but was nowhere near a computer. Two text messages and a phone call later, and I can safely say that my reputation has been preserved. It's amazing how the lack of a simple strike-through can send a writer into a tailspin...

Two years full of rants, politics, humor, and burn-out combined with more or less equal parts of cynicism, sarcasm and merriment (not to mention copious amounts of caffeine), and I'm astonished by how much this one little website has changed my life. It's given me many wonderful new friends, including several who I hope to meet face-to-face one day (and for those of you who feel left out, this is just a short list. Obviously, I'd love to meet most of you, and I didn't include those I knew before I began blogging, or those regular commenters who don't have their own blogs).

Not only has this blog provided me with some pretty amazing people in my life, but it has also been a platform for getting my writing noticed, something I have always wanted to do, but prior to blogging, was never quite sure how to go about it. This blog has been mentioned in a variety of publications and other websites, and excerpts have been reprinted in a variety of venues. I have been interviewed for different websites, and thanks to posts I've written about bringing the Little One into the world, I've been asked to share my experiences for a book that is currently being written. I'm often in awe of all the places where links to this blog have turned up, and am honored to be included in the blogrolls of several well-connected, well-respected bloggers. This blog has led to various writing gigs, and I'd be lying if I didn't say I was both proud of and pleased with what I've managed to create. I'm also proud of the community that has developed (for the most part) and the exchanges that have taken place in the comment sections, despite differences of opinion. Even some of my regular commenters have managed to connect with one another, as evidenced by a recent meeting in Oslo between nrg and Rami (I have photo proof), who was in the city for a conference last week.

It hasn't always been easy, and there have definitely been times when I've considered quitting, times when I've wondered what I'd gotten myself into. Then I take an overall look at what I've accomplished both personally and professionally, and I think of the joy I've taken in writing many of the posts (peruse the "Favorite Posts" section in the sidebar to see those entries of which I'm most proud), and I know that at this stage, quitting is just not an option. Besides, it seems that I've got a few incredibly supportive, amazing friends who can be even more stubborn than me (imagine that!), and they always push me to continue and cheer me on from the sidelines (thanks, guys! you're the best!). So yeah, if I had to lay a wager, I'd say that you're definitely going to be stuck with me for the time being, for better or for worse.

A Brief Display of Shameless Self-Promotion...

I've been busy busy busy these days, and it looks like I'm finally taking the freelance writing plunge, without actually giving up the dreary but lucrative technical writing.

First, check out the post I've uploaded to my newest play area - Israelity. Be sure to let the powers that be know what you think. Feel free to leave comments here and there. I'll be popping up there from time to time, and you can expect to see quite a few posts from me over there in the future.

Second, while I can't go into the finer details, I'm going to have two columns in a new monthly publication, which is being produced by one of Israel's daily newspapers. Once column involves political/current events commentary, while the other deals with domestic news and commentary. Pretty exciting stuff, if I do say so myself. And, if that weren't exciting enough, you'll never guess who the magazine's photographer is going to be...

Oh, and in case you haven't noticed the new links on my sidebar, I've joined both Facebook and MySpace, ostensibly for networking purposes, but I must admit, I've been enjoying the opportunity to find old friends as well. Serious time suck...

Writing Meme

I've decided that today is a meme day. I've got two waiting for me in the pipeline, and today is the day.

For the first meme, the fabulously talented Jessica (check her out, folks – the woman is a brilliant writer) challenges me to describe my favorite kind of writing. Well, I know that it's definitely not technical writing... Seriously, though, it's a tough question. I love to write. I love to create perfect sentences, I love to watch my words flow and take on meaning. I am attracted to good writing and I seek out friendships with writers. The world of writers and writing turns me on, and it excites me to know that I have friends who are such gifted writers. Aside from wanting to be the first baseman for the New York Yankees, all I have ever really wanted to do is write, and I've been doing it for as long as I remember, even winning a few writing competitions sponsored by one of the local newspapers when I was growing up. That's me. A writer. Always. It's why I blog. It's why I've got constant inner turmoil as I try to figure out, at age 39 (almost), what I want to do with my life, what I want to be when I grow up.

To be honest, I'm not sure that I've got one genre that I favor above all others. I enjoy writing when I feel passionate about something, when specific incidents stir my emotions for either good or bad. I love to write about my son. I love to write in such a way that it affects others, makes them think. I love to write humorously, imagining the sounds of my friends' laughter as they read what I've written. I enjoy writing a good rant every now and then, anger and excitement working in my favor as words effortlessly spill all over the page, thoughts popping up faster than I can type. I love to write well. I derive immense pleasure from reading something I've written, knowing that I've managed to successfully convey whatever message I'd been trying to get across. I derive great pleasure from my writing, whether it be the act itself or the final product. I'm even pleased when I create well-written sentences for technical documentation, or when I've taken someone else's poorly content and turned it into clear, user-friendly text, even though I don't find a lot of joy in the overall creation of such documents.

What can I say? Writing, reading something well-written, and being around great writers all make my socks roll up and down. That's all there is to it, really. So, Jessica, I'm not sure how much this answers the meme, but it's what came out. Hope you like it!

For this meme, I tag TAFKA PP, Maryam and Tololy (who is having an extremely busy month, so I'll understand if she doesn't get to it right away, but I've tagged her anyway, because I think her answer will be very interesting. Whenever you get to it, my dear.).

A note from the present...

The latest edition of "Here - Notes from the Present" is out in print and online (in both English and Italian!). This journal was "launched in Italy in Italian in 1999 to gather testimonies, descriptions and observations of and reflections on the private-public times we live in". A number of something something blog entries were reprinted in the last edition, as well as in this one. The journal is a fascinating read, and in addition to the online version, subscriptions for the print edition are available at 30 euros/36 dollars for three issues. Check out the exact details regarding subscription rates here.

A contract with myself...

I've been tagged by Beth to make a contract with myself about writing. When I noticed that she'd tagged me, I was really hoping that she was referring to a different Liza, because I knew that writing such a contract would force me to think about issues I prefer to keep safely tucked at the back of my mind instead of at the forefront, where I'd feel pressured to take a plunge that, to some extent, scares me. Anyway, my contract is as follows...

"I, Liza R, pledge to be the best writer that I can be. I promise to do my best
to believe in myself, my talent, and the compliments and kind words of those who
believe in me (none of which comes easily). I will do my best to accept the
possibility that my writing is as good as people keep saying it is, and will try
not to doubt myself so much. I will work harder to take my writing to new levels
and wider audiences, asking for help when necessary. I will make serious
attempts to market my work, and do my best to create opportunities in pursuit of
my dream to be a "real" writer. I will continue to use my skills to help others,
and will continue to use my writing to promote ideas and issues about which I am
passionate. I will do my best to rise to any writing challenges placed before
me, and will try not to let self-doubt get in the way of facing such
challenges."

Beth, I hope you don't mind that I added your bit about asking for help. It's definitely not my strong suit either, as I noted in your comments section.

Now I'm tagging Rami, Lisa, Stefanella, Allison and anyone else who fancies him/herself to be a writer.

Random thoughts on a Monday...

Just a few random issues that I've been dealing with lately...

The concept of having to watch what you say around your kids was really brought home to me recently. While fiddling with the home computer one morning, it suddenly froze up. Fearing that I’d just lost all my work, I swore, emphatically repeating the same word three times. Suddenly, a small voice next to me called out, “Puck! Puck! Puck!” and giggled. Sigh…
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How depressing that everyone seems to be in agreement that the best thing to come out of the Israeli elections will be a day off on election day…
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I met up with two new friends last week, one is a journalist and the other a professor. We were discussing our careers – the benefits and perks, etc. The journalist mentioned that she gets kidnapping insurance. “That’s interesting,” I remarked. “You get kidnapping insurance, and I get dental.” Hmmm… Whose career is more exciting, do you think?
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Why couldn’t I be good with numbers instead of writing (going on the assumption, of course, that I am, indeed good at writing. I know I am because my father told me! Hi Dad!)? Then I could find a job I enjoy that pays well, instead of the job I don’t enjoy that pays well or the job I know I’d enjoy, but I also know that the pay is serious crap. The sad truth is that I suck at anything having to do with numbers – can’t add to save my life, nor can I figure out my own part of the restaurant bill. As far as figuring out the tip, well, let’s just not go there, okay?
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Can anyone recommend a hotel in Amsterdam? A friend and I are planning a girls' weekend away, and I've spent hours upon hours poring over websites. Some hotels look better than others, but if anyone has any specific recommendations, we'd love to hear! We're looking for a small hotel, preferably non-smoking, within walking distance of most major sites, and definitely not expensive.
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Now that I’ve been given an opportunity to do some real freelancing, I can’t think of a damn thing to write about (which may be evident, given the way this blog entry is going)! This could very well be my shortest blog entry ever! What the hell am I going to write about?