The Return of Jameel

I'm back!

And what an interesting 2 days it was (Sunday/Monday)...an MDA Ambulance Driver/Senior EMT course at a hotel in the Jerusalem hills.

Besides the general review of anatomy, physiology, pathology, trauma and different cardio/respiratory/cardiovascular illnesses, we also practiced real life ambulance-type scenarios where a team of 3 goes out of the room, the instructor picks a person to be the victim, picks another 1 or 2 volunteers to be the hysterical spouse or siblings or relatives or neighbors to make our lives as difficult as possible, (the screaming, knife-throwing wife was rather scary), and then we have to deal with the scenario as effectively as possible....

We also practiced giving saline infusions to each other...which was rather painful. Of all the MDA EMT techniques I've had to do this is the only one I never had to do on a patient and therefore had the least practice with. I've had my share of CPR, trauma, car accidents, illnesses and the like, but I never had to give an infusion to anyone so I'm glad I got to practice today.

And then...the weirdest story occurred (with some minor modifications to protect the guilty). While talking to one of the senior EMT's who I've never met before, we started playing Jewish Geography.

He threw out a name and got a hit...I threw out a name and got a hit. We were pretty proud of ourselves.

My turn...I throw out the name of a blogger I know of who's sister lives in the same town as him, even though I don't really know the sister...and don't know the blogger that well either.

This was sort of like a weak softball lob that's not that serious to begin with. Little did I realize what I was getting myself into.

The anonymous blogger I was thinking of is one the dozens and dozens I've met in the virtual JBlogopshere and have been in touch with over the past 6 months.

The EMT and I are walking down the hall, who suddenly he stops in his tracks and stares at me. He says, "the person you know...his name is (lets use the generic name ...Fred)...how didn't I realize it before...you're so much like him!!"

"Huh? How am I like him?" I stammered.

He replied, "Well, for starters, you sort of look like him, but more than that, your mannerisms, your body language, the animated look you have when you describe things...there's an uncanny resemblance between you and Fred..."

All of a sudden, another person from the same town walks into the hall only hearing the last word of the above sentence, "Fred." He looks at me, and says, "Yeah...Fred...you're just like him...do you know him?"

I'm stunned.

He noted my shock and commented, "I hope you're not offended by the comparison...its just the resemblance is so uncanny..."

Now, these people don't know I blog at all...I don't think they know that "Fred" blogs at all, and yet, they made this totally strange connection between me and "Fred."

And based on WHAT?

We both blog, but they don't know that...they just found this uncanny comparison...

I wonder if I can assume the mannerisms of other bloggers around the planet?

Is this some sort of super-power I can use for the good of mankind? Or at least make some extra money from?

Or help someone make aliya?

This is definitely something to ponder.

And to my soul brother blogger out there -- I wasn't offended by the comparison, and I hope you aren't either....but it was still rather freaky!

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael