Some friends who work with Hebrew manuscripts have a theory Moses heard and first wrote the scriptures in a Syro-Phoenician-type alphabet. They said the letter with the line and triangle (“R” to the right) was a “nose,” and “Nose symbolizes authority, because if all noses are pointed to you, you’re in charge.” To me, it’s obvious it’s a flag, and I can “feel” the desert where Moses heard the Lord in a burning bush because I worked near there in Egypt and Turkana, and I understand a desert mentality. Winds bring rain, and of course they’d have a flag symbol. But I compromised, and pointed out that both noses and flags are directional indicators. Noses always point in the direction you’re walking, and camels can sniff out rain or an oasis miles away.

I became very curious about Hebrew, and bought 2 teach-yourself books, including one that lists Hebrew Bible words in order by the number of times they are used: is it ever enlightening! Here’s my name: מלאני

Tonight for a “light dinner,” I felt like I was in the Middle East, and mixed some peppers, onions, olives, trail mix with pine nuts, black pepper and cayenne in with 2 kinds of pasta salad, and the taste was like traveling, a whole other dimension. My new favorite night-time drink is strong instant decaf Nescafe with 1/2 2% canned milk, the kind you’d have if you were working in a desert without refrigeration, water boiled by a fire.

The best decaf is brewed, of course, but it’s usually ground in the same machines as “caf” beans, so can wire you just enough for a restless sleep. Whole Foods has fresh roasted, and it’s better than anything you could get at Starbucks, for afternoons. Mornings, I mix mine with real coffee so I can drink more of it.