new thread
...when your daughter travels all the way from Boulder, Colorado to the Land of Oz to visit for her winter break. And especially when some of the photos of you having fun with her also manage to convey your progress in 'hair farming.'
Here gazing out to sea at Byron Bay, NSW...
...when in the queue to buy kebab, comes an opportunity to show off the 'queue.'
...when I decided to just let it blow in the wind.
BTW, please forgive me for my lack of presence of late here in the community. Life has been far too hectic. Just before Girlie came to us for her Winter Break, we were in Israel for a month for family issues.
No hair pictures from that trip. I DO have to report, though that my hair caused nary a notice in Israel. Long hair on men is not terribly uncommon there. It is, however, mostly the province of younger men in their twenties; one doesn't see many men my age (58) with long hair. And the bun - as some hereabouts and elsewhere call it, the 'man-bun' is the preferred style.
In the course of that trip, I was also briefly back in the USA, in Virginia, to visit my family for Thanksgiving. On the holiday at my sister's house, one of her mates from work complimented me on my hair. It was interesting because the woman, a few years younger than me, personally wears her hair short. (A crop of somewhere around an inch or two.) After everybody else had left, my sister observed: "I imagine that's the only compliment you're going to get today." Indeed, it was the only time in all my recent travels that anybody had hinted that they'd noticed my hair at all! And mind you, I'm not complaining; of course I don't hide my hair from public view but nor do I deliberately wave it in people's faces, expecting a reaction!
Nu, best wishes for joy and success in the New Year...
Don
...something close to a 'hair' picture from the recent trip to Israel, of my son an me. The woman is my wife's sister. As you can see, he's in the Israeli Army. He had only been inducted the week before and was home at my mother-in-law's for the weekend.
...photo of me with Boychik, here as he's about to return to his base in the Negev after the weekend. Can you tell I'm proud of him?
BTW the Israeli Army allows long hair on its soldiers no more than other armies typically do. Although they are not very strict regarding reserve soldiers when they return periodically for duty. And that makes sense in a country where most men serve reserve duty repeatedly until age 50. The Army does allow men to wear beards, since some religious men consider it an obligation to wear one. One sees bearded soldiers all over, serving in just about every kind of unit. Wearing religious headgear (yalmulkas) in uniform too.
The short hair is not a sacrifice for my son; he's simply not a longhair at all...
Again all the best to all for a sweet year...
Don
....good to hear from you. What a great update on your hair and life.
Thanks for Sharing
WWT
Hey Don,
Your hair looks awesome! How long have you been growing it?
You should be proud of your son, Boychik.
I would like to meet him if I take a trip to Israel. You said that is base is in the Negev. Does he live there?
Your long haired bro,
Raymond
Hey, Raymondo Amigo!
My hair has been growing ever longer since I retired from the Air Force in 2008, but in the past three years I've really minimised cutting and trimming. Every time I think I've reached a good length, I think, NAH! And continue letting it grow.
'Boychik' (actually, his name is Eyal, Boychik is just a Yiddish term of endearment for a young man) is in the Negev right now for training, but when that is finished in a few months his brigade is up on the Golan Heights. His off-duty home is at Kibbutz Sdot Yaakov Ichud, which is just a few KM south of the Sea of Galilee on the Jordanian border. Maybe when you're ready to go on your trip, Clara and I will be there too. Is it in the plans, or just aspirational for now?
A sweet and successful 2016, may your ministry bless many...
Don
Is it in the plans, or just aspirational for now?
Hey Don,
I do not have definite plans for my trip to Israel at this time. However, it is more than just a "someday" wish. I am at the stage of seriously looking at my finances and seeing when the best time for the trip will be. I'll keep you posted.
I visited Israel and the Palestinian Authority in 1994. I was there for one (1) week. I could have spent a month there. I did not go to the Negev. We did travel around the Sea of Galilee and stopped at the ruins at Gurzi, near the Golan Heights. We stopped at a place of baptisms where the Jordan River leaves the Sea of Galilee and heads south; near to your son's off duty home is.
Shalom!
Raymond
Impressive.
My hair is probably at least that long, but it curls so much that it rarely sits past my shoulders unless it's soaking wet.
Maybe someday it will get heavy enough to stretch out like that.
Keep up the good growth.
Great pics, I love 'em!
Although I may not be a father, I am an uncle for 9 wonderful nieces & nephews -- always a joy to be around them, and to be a part of their lives!!
- Ken