Feeding the Muse – Literally

Malawach and Schug 

Guess what?

It’s a big deal this year, because as some of you may remember, I wrote like a mad woman last NaNoWriMo (and even wrote on my phone while riding trains and sitting in a theater during intermission). But then I got the flu, the real kind, and I ended up spending one of the last nights of NaNo in the emergency room. . .

Still ended 40,004 words, but it’s not the same.

But onto happier things, like malawach. Here’s the story:

A teacher friend dropped me off at a grocery store after school, and well, that grocery store, being on Avenue M and all, is full of Israeli and kosher products. In truth, I was there for mini cupcakes to bring to my fourth graders tomorrow. They’ve been doing a fabulous job with their animation and their morning prayers (I teach technology and Tefillah – I multitask). And I got to 50K. So I figured it was time for a party.

But I digress.

I passed the freezer section and had an idea.

The hero in my WIP is Yemenite (in case you’re wondering why, see #28 on the list of things that make me happy). Actually, he’s Israeli, of Yemenite descent. Yes, there used to be Jews in Yemen. So I’ve been listening to Yemenite music all month, in his honor.

Here are some classics:

and. . .

Here’s something more modern:

So there I was in the freezer section, and suddenly my basement divas just had to have malawach. And schug. I bought them hummus, too because why not. All in honor of my hero, Ishay.

See?

Now, the divas were a little unsure about the schug idea. The stuff’s H-O-T. But I assured them that even though I’m Ashkenazi, I can handle it.

So that’s what I had for dinner, while listening to this episode of StoryWonk Daily and my novel playlist. Afterwards, I topped off my word count with 305 more words. Nothing like a blast of hot peppers to spark the words, right?

Point is. . . Feeding your muse works! So it doesn’t matter that my mouth is still on fire from the schug.

P.S. Don’t be mocking the paper plate. I just finished NaNoWriMo. I need dishes like a hole in the head.