So...it's been a while
The guys are still around, believe me. During the month of November, I wrote a long (over 230K) story that will, eventually - following significant editorial work - be posted here. It's a future look at Dani and Avi, where they are 10 years from the "now" of "Flying Without a Net."
They've chosen to answer some more questions so that people don't completely forget about them. So, without further ado:
Avi:
Questionnaire #11
What is your favourite mode of transportation?
Used to be my bike, until I got hurt in a bike accident. Now I have to replace my bike, so I'm confined to walking or using public transportation. Or driving. Problem is, once I've taken the car into the majority of places I need to go on a regular basis, there's nowhere to put it. So I usually just take the T.
Can you cook?
Yes.
Do you have big feet?
I'm 6'5"; what do you think?
Avi, there's no reason to be testy.
Sorry. Yes. I have large feet.
What is the square root of 169?
13. That's a weird question, just for the record.
If you could change your name to anything you wanted, what would you change it to?
Actually, I like my name(s). There's historical significance to Abraham Joshua (seeing as it's the name of Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the early leaders of Conservative Judaism). And I've used Avi or AJ for years; I can't imagine using anything else.
What is the sound of one hand clapping?
Silence
Questionnaire #12
Do you believe in a higher power?
Yes.
Do you belong to a formal religion?
Yes.
Do you have any religious rituals?
Heh. I'm an Orthodox Jew. We're all about religious rituals.
Do your people have any sort of coming of age ritual?
Yes, but it's not nearly as significant as people seem to think. At age 12, all Jewish girls become bat mitzvah whether or not there is a ceremony involved. At age 13, all Jewish boys become bar mitzvah. The ceremony, the ritual is secondary.
Do you have any personal rituals?
I don't know if you'd call them 'rituals' per se. I have breathing/relaxation exercises I do before each concert; I have warm-ups I do vocally as well. And for interpretation gigs, I have a series of wrist and hand exercises I do to warm up before I start.
Do you have any sexual rituals?
*blushes* Not yet.
Questionnaire #13
If you do not have a lover/mate/significant other/spouse, please answer the questions about your best friend.
How long have you been together?
We met in mid-August, so almost 4 months.
What do you like to do together?
All sorts of things. In the past four months, we've been to movies and concerts (though, I must admit, all the concerts have been ones I've been performing in), out to dinner a couple of times at restaurants. Mostly, we just enjoy spending time together, and what other activity we engage in is secondary.
What do you do to make your lover happy?
He seems to be happy with just about everything I do. But he recently asked me to teach him American Sign Language, so sometimes I'll do a lesson if he seems down. It takes his mind off whatever is bothering him.
What do you do even though it upsets your lover?
*blush* *mumble*
I'm sorry, Avi; I couldn't hear that.
*whispers* I denegrate my social skills. Dan hates when I speak badly of myself that way.
If someone was going to meet your lover for the first time, what one thing would they need to know?
That he's very protective of me.
What's your absolutely favourite thing about your lover?
His loyalty. The knowledge that he'll be there for me if and when I ever need him.
Questionnaire #14
If you were a _____ what would you be?
a metal
Aluminum. No specific reason; it's just the first thing that came to mind.
a plant
*grins* A Wandering Jew.
a fault
*blushes* shyness
That's not necessarily a fault.
It feels like one. I'm not changing my answer.
a virtue
Fairness
a colour
Green. Again, I have no specific reason why.
a season
Fall. It's my favorite.
Questionnaire #15
What is your most distinctive...
Physical feature?
My height. Being 6'5", especially within the Jewish community, is very uncommon.
Physical mannerism?
I talk with my hands, even when I'm not signing. My hands move a lot.
Character trait?
I'm having trouble answering this one. Maybe my religiosity? Not sure.
Turn of phrase?
Something I use a lot? Or something people think of me when they hear it?
Either one. Go with what you think.
Then I have to go with "easy peasy." It probably fits into either of the above categories.
Pet peeve?
People who use words to sound more erudite but end up using the wrong word. It drives me absolutely crazy. Does that make me a snob? An elitist? I don't think so…I hope not.
Habit?
I hum under my breath. A lot. There's always music in my head, and it comes out frequently.
And...
Dani:
Questionnaire #12
Do you believe in a higher power?
Yes, for the most part.
Do you belong to a formal religion?
Yes. I'm a lo dati Jew (which means that I'm non-observant except when it comes to Yom Kippur and Passover, at least by my definition).
Do you have any religious rituals?
Me personally? I go to synagogue every Yom Kippur and I go to a seder every Passover.
The religion in general? Oh, yeah. Lots of ritual.
Do your people have any sort of coming of age ritual?
Bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah.
Do you have any personal rituals?
All sorts. Too many to list.
Give me a couple, OK?
Nothing happens before coffee. Never insert anything into any of my piercings without putting alcohol on the ring/stud first. Always call my mother to tell her I'm safe if I hear about something bad happening near where I was expected to be (this is a holdover from when I was in Israel, but it still applies). Jogging as stress relief. And many, many more.
Do you have any sexual rituals?
Not per se. I've got things I like and that I try to return to as often as possible, but it always depends on my partner. I hope, some day, to have some with Avi.
Questionnaire #13
If you do not have a lover/mate/significant other/spouse, please answer the questions about your best friend.
How long have you been together?
Close on 4 months.
What do you like to do together?
Almost anything. You name it, I want Avi along with me for it.
What do you do to make your lover happy?
Try to refrain from coming on too strong, from pressuring him.
What do you do even though it upsets your lover?
Talk with my hands in front of my mouth. It drives Avi nuts - something about his training in ASL and in Deaf studies.
If someone was going to meet your lover for the first time, what one thing would they need to know?
He's shy, so don't take it personally if he doesn't warm to you right away.
What's your absolutely favourite thing about your lover?
When I'm being shallow, his hands. When I'm being less shallow, his candor.
Questionnaire #14
If you were a _____ what would you be?
a metal
Brass
a plant
*grins* A Wandering Jew.
*laughs* Avi said the same thing.
See? bashert.
a fault
Pushiness
a virtue
Loyalty
a colour
Blue
a season
Duck Season! Rabbit Season! Duck Season! Rabbit Season!
Rabbit Season!
Duck Season!
Bang!
Questionnaire #15
What is your most distinctive...
Physical feature?
Not sure I have one. I'm on the tall side, but not as tall as Avi. And I'm mostly average other than that. People have told me that my eyes are striking. They're green, which I enhance with green contact lenses. So I think it's really the lenses that are striking.
Physical mannerism?
I'm a fidgeter. I play with anything put in front of me. Female friends have tried over the years to get me involved with various handcrafts, and at one point I was a pretty good crocheter. But my parents have always told me that I never actually sit completely still.
Character trait?
I'm protective of my loved ones.
Turn of phrase?
"Eh, zeh mah yesh" - that's how it is.
Pet peeve?
Closed-minded people.
Habit?
See above re fidgeting.
ETA: Dani's cut doesn't want to work properly; you may have to scroll down to read his answers.
They've chosen to answer some more questions so that people don't completely forget about them. So, without further ado:
Avi:
Questionnaire #11
What is your favourite mode of transportation?
Used to be my bike, until I got hurt in a bike accident. Now I have to replace my bike, so I'm confined to walking or using public transportation. Or driving. Problem is, once I've taken the car into the majority of places I need to go on a regular basis, there's nowhere to put it. So I usually just take the T.
Can you cook?
Yes.
Do you have big feet?
I'm 6'5"; what do you think?
Avi, there's no reason to be testy.
Sorry. Yes. I have large feet.
What is the square root of 169?
13. That's a weird question, just for the record.
If you could change your name to anything you wanted, what would you change it to?
Actually, I like my name(s). There's historical significance to Abraham Joshua (seeing as it's the name of Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the early leaders of Conservative Judaism). And I've used Avi or AJ for years; I can't imagine using anything else.
What is the sound of one hand clapping?
Silence
Questionnaire #12
Do you believe in a higher power?
Yes.
Do you belong to a formal religion?
Yes.
Do you have any religious rituals?
Heh. I'm an Orthodox Jew. We're all about religious rituals.
Do your people have any sort of coming of age ritual?
Yes, but it's not nearly as significant as people seem to think. At age 12, all Jewish girls become bat mitzvah whether or not there is a ceremony involved. At age 13, all Jewish boys become bar mitzvah. The ceremony, the ritual is secondary.
Do you have any personal rituals?
I don't know if you'd call them 'rituals' per se. I have breathing/relaxation exercises I do before each concert; I have warm-ups I do vocally as well. And for interpretation gigs, I have a series of wrist and hand exercises I do to warm up before I start.
Do you have any sexual rituals?
*blushes* Not yet.
Questionnaire #13
If you do not have a lover/mate/significant other/spouse, please answer the questions about your best friend.
How long have you been together?
We met in mid-August, so almost 4 months.
What do you like to do together?
All sorts of things. In the past four months, we've been to movies and concerts (though, I must admit, all the concerts have been ones I've been performing in), out to dinner a couple of times at restaurants. Mostly, we just enjoy spending time together, and what other activity we engage in is secondary.
What do you do to make your lover happy?
He seems to be happy with just about everything I do. But he recently asked me to teach him American Sign Language, so sometimes I'll do a lesson if he seems down. It takes his mind off whatever is bothering him.
What do you do even though it upsets your lover?
*blush* *mumble*
I'm sorry, Avi; I couldn't hear that.
*whispers* I denegrate my social skills. Dan hates when I speak badly of myself that way.
If someone was going to meet your lover for the first time, what one thing would they need to know?
That he's very protective of me.
What's your absolutely favourite thing about your lover?
His loyalty. The knowledge that he'll be there for me if and when I ever need him.
Questionnaire #14
If you were a _____ what would you be?
a metal
Aluminum. No specific reason; it's just the first thing that came to mind.
a plant
*grins* A Wandering Jew.
a fault
*blushes* shyness
That's not necessarily a fault.
It feels like one. I'm not changing my answer.
a virtue
Fairness
a colour
Green. Again, I have no specific reason why.
a season
Fall. It's my favorite.
Questionnaire #15
What is your most distinctive...
Physical feature?
My height. Being 6'5", especially within the Jewish community, is very uncommon.
Physical mannerism?
I talk with my hands, even when I'm not signing. My hands move a lot.
Character trait?
I'm having trouble answering this one. Maybe my religiosity? Not sure.
Turn of phrase?
Something I use a lot? Or something people think of me when they hear it?
Either one. Go with what you think.
Then I have to go with "easy peasy." It probably fits into either of the above categories.
Pet peeve?
People who use words to sound more erudite but end up using the wrong word. It drives me absolutely crazy. Does that make me a snob? An elitist? I don't think so…I hope not.
Habit?
I hum under my breath. A lot. There's always music in my head, and it comes out frequently.
And...
Dani:
Questionnaire #12
Do you believe in a higher power?
Yes, for the most part.
Do you belong to a formal religion?
Yes. I'm a lo dati Jew (which means that I'm non-observant except when it comes to Yom Kippur and Passover, at least by my definition).
Do you have any religious rituals?
Me personally? I go to synagogue every Yom Kippur and I go to a seder every Passover.
The religion in general? Oh, yeah. Lots of ritual.
Do your people have any sort of coming of age ritual?
Bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah.
Do you have any personal rituals?
All sorts. Too many to list.
Give me a couple, OK?
Nothing happens before coffee. Never insert anything into any of my piercings without putting alcohol on the ring/stud first. Always call my mother to tell her I'm safe if I hear about something bad happening near where I was expected to be (this is a holdover from when I was in Israel, but it still applies). Jogging as stress relief. And many, many more.
Do you have any sexual rituals?
Not per se. I've got things I like and that I try to return to as often as possible, but it always depends on my partner. I hope, some day, to have some with Avi.
Questionnaire #13
If you do not have a lover/mate/significant other/spouse, please answer the questions about your best friend.
How long have you been together?
Close on 4 months.
What do you like to do together?
Almost anything. You name it, I want Avi along with me for it.
What do you do to make your lover happy?
Try to refrain from coming on too strong, from pressuring him.
What do you do even though it upsets your lover?
Talk with my hands in front of my mouth. It drives Avi nuts - something about his training in ASL and in Deaf studies.
If someone was going to meet your lover for the first time, what one thing would they need to know?
He's shy, so don't take it personally if he doesn't warm to you right away.
What's your absolutely favourite thing about your lover?
When I'm being shallow, his hands. When I'm being less shallow, his candor.
Questionnaire #14
If you were a _____ what would you be?
a metal
Brass
a plant
*grins* A Wandering Jew.
*laughs* Avi said the same thing.
See? bashert.
a fault
Pushiness
a virtue
Loyalty
a colour
Blue
a season
Duck Season! Rabbit Season! Duck Season! Rabbit Season!
Rabbit Season!
Duck Season!
Bang!
Questionnaire #15
What is your most distinctive...
Physical feature?
Not sure I have one. I'm on the tall side, but not as tall as Avi. And I'm mostly average other than that. People have told me that my eyes are striking. They're green, which I enhance with green contact lenses. So I think it's really the lenses that are striking.
Physical mannerism?
I'm a fidgeter. I play with anything put in front of me. Female friends have tried over the years to get me involved with various handcrafts, and at one point I was a pretty good crocheter. But my parents have always told me that I never actually sit completely still.
Character trait?
I'm protective of my loved ones.
Turn of phrase?
"Eh, zeh mah yesh" - that's how it is.
Pet peeve?
Closed-minded people.
Habit?
See above re fidgeting.
ETA: Dani's cut doesn't want to work properly; you may have to scroll down to read his answers.