Mommy Dearest

While it was indeed Kevin that first gave me my “break” into blogging right here, Wizbang was not the first blog I ever discovered. About 4 years ago I was looking up my favorite writer, Peter David, when I found a mention of him on Meryl Yourish’s page. From her page, I followed links to three other blogs that own the top of my personal blogroll to this day: Peter David’s, Charles Johnson’s, Laurence Simon’s (although back then it was the delightfully oxymoronic “Amish Tech Support,” with a cast of half a dozen or so), and Wizbang. I started entering the caption contests held here, and did better than I thought I would. I came in second the first time I played, scored second again two months later, and finally won in December. My proudest moment of captioning was when Kevin posted a picture of Michael Eisner and a little girl decorating floats for the Rose Bowl; I OWNED that one, and felt robbed that I only took one place.

Anyway, long story short, while Kevin gave me my big break, I never forget that it was Meryl that first introduced me to the world of blogging, and I’ll always be grateful.

Today, Meryl keeps the #2 slot on my blogroll (behind Wizbang itself, and I don’t think she’d object to that), but it’s not purely sentiment. She is THE go-to person for information on the casual anti-Israeli bias and anti-Semitism (and she’ll be PISSED that I draw a distinction between the two) in the mainstream media, the United Nations, and pretty much anywhere. She also started the wildly-successful (and rightfully so) Eat A Tasty Animal for PETA (EATAPETA) Day, the day when we’re all supposed to eat as much meat as possible, just to piss off PETA. (I’ve had veal on those days, just to especially spite them.) I believe she coined the terms Israeli Double Standard Time, Jew Cooties, and first named Syrian dictator (I can’t call him “strongman”) Bashar Assad “The Dorktator.” In fact, right now I’m kicking around a piece on Israel, Lebanon, and the UN that will cite two pieces of hers from the last week or two. If I get it all pulled together, I should have it written and posted today or tomorrow.

When Meryl announced she was beginning her quest to find Mr. Meryl Yourish, I immediately regretted how I had not converted to Judaism when I was dating a Jewish woman, as that was pretty high on her list of criteria.

Anyway, that’s a roundabout way of saying that I like Meryl, and will always be grateful to her. The reason I’m bringing it up now, though, is she’s a bit under the weather. She entrusted Laurence Simon to pass along word that she’s ailing but should be fine, which he did in his own inimitable fashion (first he made sure her cats were being fed).

If you’re so inclined, head on over there and leave my Blog-Mother your best wishes. (Yes, this does render one element of the above slightly Oedipistic. Deal with it. Or, as Meryl might say, ew. And I say again, ew.)

And if you feel like saying less than kind things, I’ll steal another of Meryl’s trademark phrases, the one she saves for anti-Semites: Just die already.