Comments on: Men are from meat http://jcarrot.org/men-are-from-meat/ Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:19:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Another Boy http://jcarrot.org/men-are-from-meat/#comment-215 Another Boy Sun, 11 Feb 2007 22:52:46 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/men-are-from-meat/#comment-215 And speaking of the subjunctive: here's Mr Safire, in today's NYT Magazine. His piece helpfully asks us to note, when a subjunctive is being used, that the usage has three quite different potential implications... Placing myself in the shoes of the Republicans who had been the original switchers, I posed the question they must have asked: “If Labor was to be replaced, then with what?” “I am not insensible to the declining use of the subjunctive mood,” writes George Brucks of Des Moines, “but I thought that standard usage still required it.” He was joined by Gertrude Cohen of Westfield, N.J.: “Wouldn’t it be correct to say, ‘If Labor were to be replaced,’ since this is clearly in the subjunctive mood? Or is this no longer the practice?” To prevent the onset of a bad mood, we should use the subjunctive - when expressing a wish, - making a suggestion or - describing a circumstance that we know just ain’t so. Which makes one wonder: which subjunctive is this one...? And as Dan Bern might ask: which one is it; how can you know...? AB x And speaking of the subjunctive: here’s Mr Safire, in today’s NYT Magazine. His piece helpfully asks us to note, when a subjunctive is being used, that the usage has three quite different potential implications…

Placing myself in the shoes of the Republicans who had been the original switchers, I posed the question they must have asked: “If Labor was to be replaced, then with what?”

“I am not insensible to the declining use of the subjunctive mood,” writes George Brucks of Des Moines, “but I thought that standard usage still required it.” He was joined by Gertrude Cohen of Westfield, N.J.: “Wouldn’t it be correct to say, ‘If Labor were to be replaced,’ since this is clearly in the subjunctive mood? Or is this no longer the practice?”

To prevent the onset of a bad mood, we should use the subjunctive

- when expressing a wish,
- making a suggestion or
- describing a circumstance that we know just ain’t so.

Which makes one wonder: which subjunctive is this one…?
And as Dan Bern might ask: which one is it; how can you know…?

AB x

]]> By: Another Boy http://jcarrot.org/men-are-from-meat/#comment-180 Another Boy Thu, 08 Feb 2007 17:39:20 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/men-are-from-meat/#comment-180 Not all boys are fleishig. Some quite like cheese. So long as it's not _too_ ripe... ... though a cheese can age nicely, in certain circumstances, for quite a while. Which reminds me: "Do you know why Jewish girls wear bikinis...?" "... to separate the milk from the meat (!)" [I don't make this up; I'm just reporting it...] Another Boy xx Not all boys are fleishig.
Some quite like cheese.
So long as it’s not _too_ ripe…
… though a cheese can age nicely, in certain circumstances, for quite a while.

Which reminds me:

“Do you know why Jewish girls wear bikinis…?”

“… to separate the milk from the meat (!)”

[I don’t make this up; I’m just reporting it…]

Another Boy xx

]]> By: Phyllis Bieri http://jcarrot.org/men-are-from-meat/#comment-179 Phyllis Bieri Thu, 08 Feb 2007 17:17:32 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/men-are-from-meat/#comment-179 "I couldn't have a home where my family can't eat," said Sarah's subjunctive Boy. Meaning, paper and plastic, or double-wrapped aluminum foil would not work. That is how I feel when I'm trying to host a kosher event in my home. I've tried to get used to the all-disposable environmental insult, and avoiding my heirloom serving pieces. But it sometimes feels like I'm an imposter in my own home. I've often thought it would be much easier to keep kosher, especially in our upper west side, immersed in Jewish day school life. But I could only go as far as the "ingredient kosher" kitchen, and would that be enough? As it is, I never cook meat on Friday nights, in deference to the majority of our guests. I was relieved to see Sarah find a solution by the end of her story. Maybe my kids will help me find a solution to my kashrut issues, if and when they decide kashrut has personal relevance for them. With my luck, we'll end up with 10 sets of dishes. “I couldn’t have a home where my family can’t eat,” said Sarah’s subjunctive Boy. Meaning, paper and plastic, or double-wrapped aluminum foil would not work. That is how I feel when I’m trying to host a kosher event in my home. I’ve tried to get used to the all-disposable environmental insult, and avoiding my heirloom serving pieces. But it sometimes feels like I’m an imposter in my own home.

I’ve often thought it would be much easier to keep kosher, especially in our upper west side, immersed in Jewish day school life. But I could only go as far as the “ingredient kosher” kitchen, and would that be enough? As it is, I never cook meat on Friday nights, in deference to the majority of our guests.

I was relieved to see Sarah find a solution by the end of her story. Maybe my kids will help me find a solution to my kashrut issues, if and when they decide kashrut has personal relevance for them. With my luck, we’ll end up with 10 sets of dishes.

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