The Kvetch Thread

The two major dialects of Ashkenazic Yiddish are Litvak and Galitziano. The former was spoken mainly in the Baltic countries, the latter in Polish possessions. In Russia it was a tossup. (Btw, I think I use the past tense correctly here: hardly anyone in Eastern Europe knows Yiddish any more.)

Thanks, Andy. My family (both sides) comes from Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Germany, and France (maybe). They all spoke Yiddish, but I don't think they all understood each other all the time.

When my parents didn't want me to know what they were talking about and didn't feel like waiting until I wasn't around, they would speak Yiddish to each other. They didn't always understand each other. I used to complain, "Talk American!" This didn't work, so I got my grandmother to teach me Yiddish. I was never fluent, but I understood a lot more.

It was times like these that my mother would tell me that I was too smart for my own good. When I learned other languages (for fun), she would say, "Gezunter in kupf." When my friend and I spoke Spanish to each other so our parents didn't know what we were saying, I was too smart for my own good again.

I'm rambling. Sorry. I just received a harrowing letter which led me to make a harrowing phone call. I'm semi-unharrowed at the moment.

Stay unharrowed, dear, and bleibst du gesund.

I wondered who left this parked out front...



(((B)))

After I had radiation on my throat, there were a number of foods I could no longer eat. They made me choke, gag. These included very sweet foods (milk chocolate), hard candies, some citrus fruits, strong spices. And on and on. I adjusted.

Also as a result of radiation, my teeth started rotting, breaking, getting loose. I can no longer bite into things--corn on the cob, sandwiches, apples, pizza, etc. There are some things I can't chew--most meats, lettuce, crisp things like chocolate chip cookies. The list goes on and on. I adjusted. Not happy, but I adjusted.

Now my blood pressure is too high. I've cut back on salt and have cut out caffeine (no Pepsi). Not only am I eating mush, but it's tasteless mush.

I might as well be eating pictures of food. They would taste about the same. I'm bored. And I'm pissed.

I'm not looking for suggestions. I'm not looking for sympathy. I just needed to kvetch on general principle. And I managed to keep the entire kvetch PG rated, language-wise. I guess I'm learning restraint.

(Languishing in Manhattan)

BTW, I've lost over thirty pounds, but I can't recommend the diet.

Well...pooh to that.

Articulate possum, aren't I?

This somehow seems appropriate as the mascot for this thread:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/solrepublic/gym-supplies-to-carry-with-you-at-all-times

Enjoyed my 2.3 mile walk to Whole Foods this morning. Gorgeous weather. Skip in my step.

Went shopping with my large already purchased Whole Foods reusable bag. Wasn't too heavy. Planning to walk back. While talking to my mother on the phone (two blocks into the walk home) all four connections between the bag and its handles simultaneously break. Immediately lose a bottle of blood orange ginger ale. Somehow the bag becomes heavier despite the loss of soda bottle and weight of two handles. Physics is weird that way.

10 minutes later I stumbled to the train platform (ordinarily would have take me 3 minutes to walk to). End my call with my mother and get on the G train. Sit down and notice a sand grain size piece of glass in my right ring finger. Cute cut.

Now I'm home and only after I finished my lunch did I notice the 1/4 cut on my right hand middle finger. Could have been worse.

Sorry for the rank amateur kvetching. Figured this thread needed a push start since it has been inactive for too long.

Hiya tsar, Definitely kvetch-worthy material. I salute you.

Here I am back like a bad penny. Cancer light is still in remission. The worry is still in the background ... lurking like a hungry wolf. Every 8 weeks I get a dosage of maintenance chemo. No side effects and not much to kvetch about either. Lots of hot flashes, though ... a few more than before. I can deal with this standing on my head 'cause my bloodwork numbers are good. Trying an iron supplement to handle my mild anemia, etc. Summer is here big time.

I've lost the fine art and knack of kvetch. arrrgh! I'm a waste of space.

Not true.

Let's face it. Neither one of you is going to win any awards for kvetching. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something is missing.

Ragman, Glad things are relatively calm on the cancer front. I find out on Wednesday about my latest PET scan.

You'd think that with all the radiation and innards photography that I would glow in the dark. But no. My electric bills are unchanged.

Twas watching an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and thought of you Roberta.

I think this is only done in Israel.

American Heritage Dictionary

kib·butz
kiˈbo͝ots/
noun
a communal settlement in Israel, typically a farm.

Quite good reasons for kvetching.

Correct. But you responded to a different response

Your response to Foofie and mention of kibbitzing is wrong. Look up the definition. Speak to a person of Jewish heritage of who has lived in a community where Jews are living as well.

I supect you may have been confusing kibbitz and kibbitzing with a kabutz, which is an entirely different animal (although it really ain't an animal).

I have a legitimate kvetch--not health or money related.

I belong to a book group. Two meetings ago, I read the book and one other person read the book. We discussed it.

This past meeting I was the only one who read the book. I'm peeved and pissed. Is this a book group or a group group? Some people started the book but didn't like it, so they stopped reading. I started the book, didn't like it, and finished the damned thing, expecting to come to the meeting and discuss the book's failings. We couldn't discuss anything, since I was the only one who read the book. Who will I have a discussion with?

Despite the lack of someone to discuss the book with, the leader asked me to discuss the book!

I stated my opinions. People just stared or nodded. The members usually like when I don't like a book. I can work myself up into a hot discussion, and they like when I get emotional.

Not this time. I'm not gonna have an argument with myself--at least not about a stinko book.