Author: Miriam Drori

Author, editor, attempter of this thing called life. Social anxiety warrior. Re-Connections, a collection of short stories, published with Ocelot Press, 15/10/2025.

Israel

New Year’s Day…

… is today!

Yes, it’s Tu B’Shvat – the new year for trees. The name means the 15th of Shvat, which is today’s Hebrew date. In Israel, this is traditionally an ecological awareness day. People plant trees on this day. Schoolchildren are taken on trips to plant trees and learn about nature.

The weather today, here in Jerusalem, is cool and sunny, an excellent day for planting trees.

I decided it would be appropriate to take some photos of our garden.

But the typical photo to take on this day is of the almond tree. Somehow almond trees always blossom on this day. We don’t have one in our garden, so I went out in search of one. Where we lived before, in Yemin Moshe, there were always almond trees.

I couldn’t see an almond tree in any of these:

This didn’t look like an almond tree:

and neither did this:

nor this (I think):

This certainly didn’t look like one:

And so I returned home without seeing any almond blossom. Next year, I’ll have to visit Yemin Moshe.

Happy New Year to all trees!

Tags almond blossom, Jerusalem, Tu B'Shvat, Yemin Moshe

Social anxiety

Let’s all have social anxiety

Post author By Miriam Drori
Post date Jan 13, 2014
8 Comments on Let’s all have social anxiety

One of the words I found hard to get used to when I moved to Israel was “angina.” People used it to describe a trivial illness when I thought it should mean a very serious illness. I felt that by using that word to describe their trivial illness they were making light of the serious illness or giving too much weight to their own illness.

I could have looked up the word, of course. Not online, because online didn’t exist then, but in a dictionary. Looking it up now, I see there are two meanings. One is the meaning I knew: severe chest pain arising from inadequate blood supply to the heart. The other meaning is: a sore throat. So I was right and so were they.

It is said – and, I think, probably true – that too many children these days are being diagnosed with ADHD and given drugs to counteract it. Catdownunder wrote about this the other day. Apart from stopping healthily active children from learning to cope with what they are, it seems to me that, in the eyes of the public, it lessens the seriousness of ADHD in children who have it badly and probably takes resources away from those who really need them.

Let’s turn to social anxiety and what Rachael wrote in a comment here a week or so ago:

I was at a party recently and when a girl (of about 20) was asked to get up and speak, she commented ‘this is terrible for my social anxiety’ and was pleased to explain when someone asked her about it… However, her explanation sounded more like she was mildly embarrassed by being asked to stand and talk in front of a crowd than real social anxiety. Of course I don’t know what’s happening inside her head and should not make any assumptions but it got me thinking and I have noticed that among some of the younger generation it does seem to have become a bit ‘fashionable’ to say they have social anxiety. I’d love to know your thoughts on this.

My first thought was that this is wrong. That if every other person claims to have social anxiety, this will detract from the attention that needs to be given to those who really have it. In other words, I was comparing it to the ADHD issue I mentioned above.

My second thought was that these social anxiety claimers are probably right. Most people have some form of anxiety in certain social situations. Not all social anxiety is chronic and disabling. When it is, it’s called social anxiety disorder.

So maybe it’s more like the angina definition. Maybe social anxiety means more than one thing. Maybe when I refer to what I mean by it, I should say social anxiety disorder. But that’s a bit long and its acronym makes me sound pathetic.

If I had the chance, would I try to stop people from using the term social anxiety to describe a mild fear of talking to an audience? I think I would. But I can’t, just as I can’t prevent readers of a book like The Mill River Recluse from getting a rather warped impression of social anxiety.

All I can do is to explain my version of social anxiety and how it affects people like me who neither have a mild fear of presenting but are fine in most other social situations, nor are recluses.

Tags ADHD, angina, audience, recluse, SAD

Israel

About life in Israel

The other day, catdownunder wrote in a comment:

…if you want to know what to write about then you can always tell the rest of us more about life in Israel because, to us, it seems foreign and exotic and most of us also need to know more about it because we mostly get a very lopsided view in the news. Please?

I replied

OK Cat, I’ll try. But most of it seems very ordinary and maybe that’s what’s special here. Because the countries all around us do seem foreign and exotic – not necessarily in a good way.

Since then I’ve been wondering what I can write. Then I saw this post, and… well, you’d better read it first. It’s not long. I can wait.

And that’s the thing. It wouldn’t even have occurred to me to photograph or remark on that non-incident because it’s so ordinary. Is that the sort of thing you want to read about on here, Cat? Is it the sort of thing anyone wants to read about?

Tags Is life in Israel foreign and exotic?

Israel

Change is in the air

A lot has happened in the past eight years.

Eight years ago I had three children at school. Now they’re all grown up and following their different paths.

Eight years ago I was just beginning to write. Now I’ve been writing seriously for some time.

Eight years ago I was working as a technical writer. Now I doubt I’ll return to that job.

The world is quite a different place from what it was eight years ago.

One thing has remained constant during that time. Ariel Sharon has remained in a coma. But today his health is deteriorating and his life is in danger. That’s today’s front page news. Eight years ago, Ariel Sharon was our prime minister. But eight years is a long time.

Thirty-eight years is even longer. When I went out today, I took this photo:

Thirty-eight years ago, when I visited Israel, hubby-to-be was living in that building. It was an absorption centre – a place for new immigrants to stay until they moved on. Now it’s empty and is being offered for rent. I wonder who would want to rent such a large building. The building opposite that used to be a bank is, according to an official notice, about to be torn down and replaced by a block of flats.

All around us building is going on. Our neighbours on both sides are making changes to their houses.

Things change, whether for good or for bad. Even Ariel Sharon can’t remain in a coma for ever.

Tags absorption centre, Ariel Sharon, coma

Blogging Books Social anxiety

One one fourteen

I realised what I want from 2014 when I commented on Annalisa’s blog: “I had fun in 2013. I want 2014 to be fun, too, but more productive and fulfilling. I want to push myself more.”

Last night I had more fun when we welcomed 2014 with a little celebration at folk dancing. The January New Year in Israel is always a bit subdued compared to many other parts of the world. Although we know it’s not religious, there’s a feeling that this holiday isn’t really ours. “Happy New Year” refers to a different time and today is a normal working day.

Before that I made a decision about the 100k in 100 days challenge. I’m going to do it. I’m going to write lots of blog posts and stories and more and hope to reach the target. I succeeded at NaNoWriMo in November, so there’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to do this.

The only problem is that I haven’t done enough planning and will have to decide what to write as I go along. Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

One of the ways I think I should push myself is by blogging more about social anxiety and how it comes into play in everything I do. Because not mentioning it is like trying to pretend it doesn’t exist, which I did for much too long. I started writing in order to raise awareness of social anxiety and I need to carry on doing that.

So that’s what my ‘Fourteen will be about: Fun, Fulfilment and Forcing myself to cross new boundaries.

What will your 2014 be about?

Tags 100k in 100 days, 2014, folk dancing, nanowrimo, New Year

Blogging Books

My Blogging Year

In 2013, I blogged about

memoir writing, from which I learned a lot
my three trips abroad
writing courses
various aspects of living in Jerusalem
a couple of books in review
social anxiety
snow

and more.

And I tried various challenges:

100k in 100 days
A-Z challenge
100 word challenge
NaNoWroMo

WordPress sent me my stats for 2013:

I posted 91 posts. This must be number 92.

My visitors came from 79 countries.

My 5 most active commenters were:

Thank you, Angela, Jean, Rachael, Rosalind and catdownunder and all the other commenters and visitors. Without you I wouldn’t be here.

And so, as 2013 draws to a close, I have to make a decision: will I attempt the 100k words in 100 days challenge again, starting tomorrow? If I do, I’ll have to come up with more ideas of what to write. Hmm….

What I’m sure about is that I will continue blogging in 2014 as long as I still have visitors.

Tags book reviews, commenters, New Year, snow, travel, writing challenges, writing courses

Israel

I’m not offended…

…when someone wishes me merry Christmas or happy holidays or season’s greetings. I’m just amused.

Because, while we have plenty of holidays here, only the Christians celebrate Christmas, and not all of those celebrate it on 25th December. The Greek Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7th according to our calendar, the Armenian Church on January 19th.

When I lived in England, the day was special for us because it was a day off for most people. We used to spend it with my uncle and aunt and cousins in their house, and we always enjoyed it.

But here in Israel it’s a non-holiday for us, a normal day. If I went to the Old City, I expect I’d see signs of celebration in the Christian Quarter, but elsewhere there are no signs at all. What amuses me is the assumption by some people that the whole world celebrates Christmas in some way. So if I send greetings, I usually get the same back.

People who think about it a bit more might say, “Happy Chanuka.” Most years that would be suitable, but Chanuka came early this year.

Only one person replied in the same way as I usually do when people wish me a happy whatever: “Thank you.”

Today I went into town to get a new battery for my watch and do some shopping at the market. I took some photographs to show how normal everything was. Well, almost.

The train was crowded, as usual.

More so on the way back when it would have been hard to take out my camera.

All the shops were open, including the watch shop that I needed.

Ben Yehuda Street looked as usual,

except for the piles of snow, still there eleven days after the last snowfall.

All over the Machane Yehuda market, it was business as usual,

including my favourite sweet shop.

Back at the end of the light rail line, a bus weaved between

the mounds of snow.

And I carried my shopping home.

Tags Ben Hillel Street, Ben Yehuda Street, Christmas, Jerusalem, light railway, Machane Yehuda market, Old City of Jeusalem, piles of snow

Israel

A White Christmas

No, I’m not dreaming of a white Christmas. We’ve had quite enough snow for this year, thank you. In fact, I wouldn’t mind if I never saw another snowstorm like the one we had last week, beautiful as it was.

But as we did have a snowstorm so close to that holiday that’s somehow connected with it, I thought I’d post some links to posts about one or the other.

Lisa remembered a visit to Ein Karem last year.
The Real Jerusalem Streets shared lots of snow photos.
Brian of London showed how unused to snow we are.

I also saw pictures on Facebook of a snow bride, a snowman wearing a skullcap by the Western Wall and a snow toilet and basin.

It’s a good thing Chanuka was early this year and over well before the storm began.

To all those of you who are celebrating Christmas, I hope it turns out exactly as you want it to and you have a lovely time.

Tags Christmas, Ein Karem, Jerusalem, snow

Israel

Powerless

Thursday was fun. We ventured out into our snow-covered garden. I took photos, saw lots of other photos on Facebook, read comments about the snow and blogged about it. In the afternoon we received a phone call from the supermarket. They wouldn’t be able to deliver our order the next day. We looked to see what food we had. OK, we could manage.

On Friday we woke up to more snow and no electricity. Not so nice. We had no heating, no hot water and no Internet. And batteries that wouldn’t last for long.

On Saturday the snow was thicker. Thicker than I’ve ever seen it anywhere. And the electricity only came back in the evening after being off for 40.5 hours.

But it could have been worse.

We were able to cook on gas rings. When we moved here we considered using electricity because it would have been easier. But we decided we prefer cooking on gas. Just as well!
We also turned on the gas to heat up the kitchen.
We had enough food to keep going.
If they’d delivered the food we ordered, it would have gone off.
There were four of us at home. I wouldn’t have liked to be alone in that situation.
We saw a lot more of each other than usual.

It’s good to look at the silver lining.

Updated with photos: same place, different days.

Tags gas for cooking, power cut, snow