I love reading a good book. A feeling comes over you, of actually falling into the book. You feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper into the story, it draws you in, until the world falls away. You forget about everything, you forget your hunger, you forget your responsibilities, and all you want to do is read, and find out where the enthralling story will take you.
I like fiction because it allows you to experience a different world, a world that is unreal, a world that does not exist and never will. Whether one enjoys science fiction, horror, thrillers, mysteries, or romance, there are stories for everyone. Books allow you to forget about your own life for awhile, put your worries on hold. They distract you. Sometimes distraction is exactly what you need, so you can return to your life refreshed and renewed.
But be sure not to read any scary books before bedtime, unless you like sleeping with the lights on.
So go ahead, put aside the laundry, the dishes, the homework, and curl up in your favorite chair in your comfortable sweats, with a really good book, and let yourself get lost for awhile.
Don't worry, reality will be waiting for you when you get back.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Eat. Pray. Love.
The book, Eat, Pray, Love is a memoir written by Elizabeth
Gilbert. It is the story of a woman's spiritual journey after a
painful divorce.
It starts off with the author writing how unhappy and depressed she was in her marriage, to the point of spending nights sleeping on her bathroom floor. There is one part of the book that I really like, at the very beginning. For her, I think, that is where it all began.
Here is an excerpt: (No Copyright infringement intended)
Of course, I've had a lot of time to formulate my opinions about divinity since that night on the bathroom floor when I first spoke directly to God. In the middle of that dark November crisis, though, I was not interested in formulating views on theology. I was interested only in saving my life. I had finally noticed that I'd reached a state of hopelessness and life-threatening despair, and it occurred to me that sometimes people in this state will approach God for help. I think I'd read that in a book somewhere.
What I said to God through my gasping sobs was something like this: "Hello, God; how are you? I'm Liz. It's nice to meet you."
That's right—I was speaking to the creator of the universe as though we'd just been introduced at a cocktail party. But these are the words I always use at the beginning of a relationship. In fact, it was all I could do to stop myself from saying, "I've always been a big fan of your work..."
"I'm sorry to bother you so late at night," I continued. "But I'm in serious trouble. And I'm sorry I haven't ever spoken directly to you before, but I hope I have always expressed ample gratitude for all the blessings you've given me in my life."
This thought caused me to sob even harder. God waited me out. I pulled myself together enough to go on: "I'm not an expert at praying, as you know. But I am in desperate need of help. I don't know what to do. I need an answer. Please tell me what to do. Please tell me what to do. Please tell me what to do..."
And so the prayer narrowed itself down to that simple entreaty— Please tell me what to do, repeated again and again. I don't know how many times I begged. I only know that I begged like someone who was pleading for her life. And the crying went on forever.
It starts off with the author writing how unhappy and depressed she was in her marriage, to the point of spending nights sleeping on her bathroom floor. There is one part of the book that I really like, at the very beginning. For her, I think, that is where it all began.
Here is an excerpt: (No Copyright infringement intended)
Of course, I've had a lot of time to formulate my opinions about divinity since that night on the bathroom floor when I first spoke directly to God. In the middle of that dark November crisis, though, I was not interested in formulating views on theology. I was interested only in saving my life. I had finally noticed that I'd reached a state of hopelessness and life-threatening despair, and it occurred to me that sometimes people in this state will approach God for help. I think I'd read that in a book somewhere.
What I said to God through my gasping sobs was something like this: "Hello, God; how are you? I'm Liz. It's nice to meet you."
That's right—I was speaking to the creator of the universe as though we'd just been introduced at a cocktail party. But these are the words I always use at the beginning of a relationship. In fact, it was all I could do to stop myself from saying, "I've always been a big fan of your work..."
"I'm sorry to bother you so late at night," I continued. "But I'm in serious trouble. And I'm sorry I haven't ever spoken directly to you before, but I hope I have always expressed ample gratitude for all the blessings you've given me in my life."
This thought caused me to sob even harder. God waited me out. I pulled myself together enough to go on: "I'm not an expert at praying, as you know. But I am in desperate need of help. I don't know what to do. I need an answer. Please tell me what to do. Please tell me what to do. Please tell me what to do..."
And so the prayer narrowed itself down to that simple entreaty— Please tell me what to do, repeated again and again. I don't know how many times I begged. I only know that I begged like someone who was pleading for her life. And the crying went on forever.
Until—quite
abruptly—it stopped.
Quite abruptly, I found that I was not crying anymore. I'd stopped crying, in fact, in mid-sob. My misery had been completely vacuumed out of me. I lifted my forehead off the floor and sat up in surprise, wondering if I would now see some Great Being who had taken my weeping away. But nobody was there. I was just alone. But not really alone, either. I was surrounded by something I can only describe as a little pocket of silence—a silence so rare that I didn't want to exhale, for fear of scaring it off. I was seamlessly still. I don't know when I'd ever felt such stillness.
Then I heard a voice. Please don't be alarmed—it was not an Old Testament Hollywood Charlton Heston voice, nor was it a voice telling me I must build a baseball field in my backyard. It was merely my own voice, speaking from within my own self. But this was my voice as I'd never heard it before. This was my voice, but perfectly wise, calm, and compassionate. This was what my voice would sound like if I'd only ever experienced love and certainty in my life. How can I describe the affection in that voice, as it gave me the answer that would forever seal my faith in the divine?
The voice said: Go back to bed, Liz.
I exhaled.
It was so immediately clear this was the only thing to do. I wouldn't have accepted any other answer. I wouldn't have trusted a great booming voice that said either: You Must Divorce Your Husband! or You Must Not Divorce Your Husband! Because that's not true wisdom. True wisdom gives the only possible answer at any given moment, and, that night, going back to bed was the only possible answer. Go back to bed, said this omniscient interior voice, because you don't need to know the final answer right now, at 3 o'clock in the morning on a Thursday in November. Go back to bed, because I love you. Go back to bed, because the only thing you need to do for now is rest and take good care of yourself until you do know the answer. Go back to bed, so that, when the tempest comes, you'll be strong enough to deal with it. And the tempest is coming, dear one. Very soon. But not tonight. Therefore:
Go back to bed, Liz.
Quite abruptly, I found that I was not crying anymore. I'd stopped crying, in fact, in mid-sob. My misery had been completely vacuumed out of me. I lifted my forehead off the floor and sat up in surprise, wondering if I would now see some Great Being who had taken my weeping away. But nobody was there. I was just alone. But not really alone, either. I was surrounded by something I can only describe as a little pocket of silence—a silence so rare that I didn't want to exhale, for fear of scaring it off. I was seamlessly still. I don't know when I'd ever felt such stillness.
Then I heard a voice. Please don't be alarmed—it was not an Old Testament Hollywood Charlton Heston voice, nor was it a voice telling me I must build a baseball field in my backyard. It was merely my own voice, speaking from within my own self. But this was my voice as I'd never heard it before. This was my voice, but perfectly wise, calm, and compassionate. This was what my voice would sound like if I'd only ever experienced love and certainty in my life. How can I describe the affection in that voice, as it gave me the answer that would forever seal my faith in the divine?
The voice said: Go back to bed, Liz.
I exhaled.
It was so immediately clear this was the only thing to do. I wouldn't have accepted any other answer. I wouldn't have trusted a great booming voice that said either: You Must Divorce Your Husband! or You Must Not Divorce Your Husband! Because that's not true wisdom. True wisdom gives the only possible answer at any given moment, and, that night, going back to bed was the only possible answer. Go back to bed, said this omniscient interior voice, because you don't need to know the final answer right now, at 3 o'clock in the morning on a Thursday in November. Go back to bed, because I love you. Go back to bed, because the only thing you need to do for now is rest and take good care of yourself until you do know the answer. Go back to bed, so that, when the tempest comes, you'll be strong enough to deal with it. And the tempest is coming, dear one. Very soon. But not tonight. Therefore:
Go back to bed, Liz.
We know that there are many stages in life. There is:
"A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break, and a time to build;
A time to cry, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to discard;
A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace."
And sometimes, there is another time. A time to simply, go to sleep. You can't solve all your problems in one night. So put them aside. Do what is physically and emotionally best for you. Go to sleep.
And trust in Hashem that He will help you make the right decisions, to start you on your own journey.
"A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break, and a time to build;
A time to cry, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to discard;
A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace."
And sometimes, there is another time. A time to simply, go to sleep. You can't solve all your problems in one night. So put them aside. Do what is physically and emotionally best for you. Go to sleep.
And trust in Hashem that He will help you make the right decisions, to start you on your own journey.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
I need you to need me
I want you to want me.
I need you to need me.
I'd love you to love me.
I'm beggin' you to beg me.
Everyone wants to feel needed, sometimes to the point of desperation. Some people have the need to help everyone, even those who do not want help or cannot be helped. If you stick out your hand to a person to help them up and they refuse, leave them be. Why do you have the need to push or force yourself on them, telling them, convincing them, that they need your help? Who are you really trying to help, them, or yourself? Some people do acts of 'kindness' only because it makes them feel good about themselves. They are giving only for what they will gain through it.
Everyone wants to feel wanted. It is the most horrible feeling to want/like someone and not have that feeling returned. Ask anyone who was ever rejected in their lives. Some people try to convince themselves that maybe one day the feelings will be reciprocated, if they only stick with it, or try to make that person see how much they are meant for each other. To them I say, at the end of your rainbow is waiting a pot full of pain.
Everyone wants to be loved. More than a desire, it is a necessity. I have heard of countless teenage love stories, and I roll my eyes and say, that is not love, it is a crush/obsession. Some people never find love, or they don't even know what they are looking for. Some people convince themselves that they don't need love, or worse that they don't deserve it, which is why they stick around with someone who clearly doesn't love them and never will. And to them I say, you deserve so much better.
To all those out there looking for love, just waiting for your Prince Charming to come along- I beg you not to settle for less. Because you deserve the real deal, not some washed out version of the truth.
And he is out there somewhere, waiting for you.
I need you to need me.
I'd love you to love me.
I'm beggin' you to beg me.
Everyone wants to feel needed, sometimes to the point of desperation. Some people have the need to help everyone, even those who do not want help or cannot be helped. If you stick out your hand to a person to help them up and they refuse, leave them be. Why do you have the need to push or force yourself on them, telling them, convincing them, that they need your help? Who are you really trying to help, them, or yourself? Some people do acts of 'kindness' only because it makes them feel good about themselves. They are giving only for what they will gain through it.
Everyone wants to feel wanted. It is the most horrible feeling to want/like someone and not have that feeling returned. Ask anyone who was ever rejected in their lives. Some people try to convince themselves that maybe one day the feelings will be reciprocated, if they only stick with it, or try to make that person see how much they are meant for each other. To them I say, at the end of your rainbow is waiting a pot full of pain.
Everyone wants to be loved. More than a desire, it is a necessity. I have heard of countless teenage love stories, and I roll my eyes and say, that is not love, it is a crush/obsession. Some people never find love, or they don't even know what they are looking for. Some people convince themselves that they don't need love, or worse that they don't deserve it, which is why they stick around with someone who clearly doesn't love them and never will. And to them I say, you deserve so much better.
To all those out there looking for love, just waiting for your Prince Charming to come along- I beg you not to settle for less. Because you deserve the real deal, not some washed out version of the truth.
And he is out there somewhere, waiting for you.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Following (Former hurricane) Sandy
Will you be staying up all night with cookies and hot cocoa, nice and dry inside while you hear the wind howling outside? I can't help feeling like the whole world is in suspension. Who knows when this will end.
Follow the live news coverage here.
Flashback to last summer, spending the hurricane in New Haven, being shut in, no power, no trains, missing my close friend's wedding. Miserable.
Pro's of the hurricane:
- No work
- I feel like a little kid on a snow day
- Perfect weather to fly kites
Cons:
-Boredom
-Being shut in all day
-Feeling like the world has disappeared outside.
UPDATE: "Just before it was expected to blow ashore in the evening, the National Hurricane Center announced that it considered Sandy no longer a hurricane but a wintry hybrid known as a post-tropical storm." Hopefully this will be over soon.
Stay safe, and get your floaties ready!!
Follow the live news coverage here.
Flashback to last summer, spending the hurricane in New Haven, being shut in, no power, no trains, missing my close friend's wedding. Miserable.
Pro's of the hurricane:
- No work
- I feel like a little kid on a snow day
- Perfect weather to fly kites
Cons:
-Boredom
-Being shut in all day
-Feeling like the world has disappeared outside.
UPDATE: "Just before it was expected to blow ashore in the evening, the National Hurricane Center announced that it considered Sandy no longer a hurricane but a wintry hybrid known as a post-tropical storm." Hopefully this will be over soon.
Stay safe, and get your floaties ready!!
Short guys and sissy boys
Short guys are cute. Like 'put-you-in-my-pocket' cute. I have already determined that I cannot marry a short guy because I look down upon them. (Pun intended.)
I'm not tall. I'm of average height, though for a female some might say I am above average. Either way, there are plenty of tall guys out there, I know because I've seen them. And yet somehow really tall guys end up with really short girls and leaves us all wondering- why couldn't the short girls have left the tall guys for the taller girls and marry short guys instead? Short guys can marry tall girls but it is not so common, especially being that some guys feel intimidated or emasculated by taller girls. And girls in general want to feel physically smaller then their man so they feel protected. It is all about evolution really.
Now sissy boys- they are another story altogether. I know Freud came up with the Oedipus complex, which in short says that a child desires to sexually possess his/her mother, and kill his/her father. Understandably, Freud was nuts. However, we do know that many people end up marrying someone who has some of the same qualities as their parents.
I rarely remember ever seeing my father cry. Maybe once. (My mother is a whole other story.) My father is practical, down to earth, a realist, a strong solid force. The saying 'Real men don't cry' is wrong on so many levels. Real men should cry. When they marry the girl they will spend their whole life with, when they hold their first child in their hands. Crying is a natural state of emotions. However, it should be limited to certain periods of time for certain reasons and certain lengths.
Guys that cry for no reason or for reasons that are not very valid- I would call them girly. To them I say, 'buck up chuck', and 'walk it off', and 'get over it'. Because men are not supposed to cry. They are supposed to be strong, pull it together, roll with the punches. In a stressful situation, there is only one person that is allowed to fall apart and that is not the man. A blubbering man makes no one feel reassured.
So, no short guys and no girly boys for me. Anyone else?
I'm not tall. I'm of average height, though for a female some might say I am above average. Either way, there are plenty of tall guys out there, I know because I've seen them. And yet somehow really tall guys end up with really short girls and leaves us all wondering- why couldn't the short girls have left the tall guys for the taller girls and marry short guys instead? Short guys can marry tall girls but it is not so common, especially being that some guys feel intimidated or emasculated by taller girls. And girls in general want to feel physically smaller then their man so they feel protected. It is all about evolution really.
Now sissy boys- they are another story altogether. I know Freud came up with the Oedipus complex, which in short says that a child desires to sexually possess his/her mother, and kill his/her father. Understandably, Freud was nuts. However, we do know that many people end up marrying someone who has some of the same qualities as their parents.
I rarely remember ever seeing my father cry. Maybe once. (My mother is a whole other story.) My father is practical, down to earth, a realist, a strong solid force. The saying 'Real men don't cry' is wrong on so many levels. Real men should cry. When they marry the girl they will spend their whole life with, when they hold their first child in their hands. Crying is a natural state of emotions. However, it should be limited to certain periods of time for certain reasons and certain lengths.
Guys that cry for no reason or for reasons that are not very valid- I would call them girly. To them I say, 'buck up chuck', and 'walk it off', and 'get over it'. Because men are not supposed to cry. They are supposed to be strong, pull it together, roll with the punches. In a stressful situation, there is only one person that is allowed to fall apart and that is not the man. A blubbering man makes no one feel reassured.
So, no short guys and no girly boys for me. Anyone else?
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Desperation is not a good color on you
They say the storm is coming, but I don't see it, I don't feel it. They are all running away, and I think, coward! Stay and fight it like a man. Stand in the eye of the storm and defeat it. Why are you running?
You are hungry, but you can't eat. You are tired, but you can't sleep. You are neglecting everything you have to do. Why? Why do you run away when the storm comes?
I want to run a marathon. I want to feel my feet hitting the pavement, I want to run until I can't breath, I want to feel exhilarated. I want to run into the eye of the storm, not away from it, and feel the wind whipping around me at 70 mph, I want to feel the rain lashing at my skin. I want to experience it and know that THIS is powerful, because G-d created it so.
And they say things like, "G-d, you know what to do now" and I laugh, because does He know what you are talking about? Do you think He listens when you make a 'friendly suggestion'?
They say all you have to do is believe and I try so very hard to. But it is like monkey bars and my hands are slippery and I just can't reach that next rung.... And I fall, again. And again. And the landing just gets harder every time.
They have an answer for everything, and it is beautiful, and it is meaningful. But it doesn't penetrate because, well, they are not me. And do they even know what they are talking about? Do they even believe the words they say?
Just believe and- it'll be good. Just believe and- everything will work out. Just believe and- you have no more worries, no more fears, no more problems.
Belief. Is that all? I don't believe so. Is it a trick then? Is life just one big game, and I have not yet mastered the rules? Tell me, because I want to know. I seem to be missing something.
The storm is coming, and I will be here, riding it out.
Alone.
You are hungry, but you can't eat. You are tired, but you can't sleep. You are neglecting everything you have to do. Why? Why do you run away when the storm comes?
I want to run a marathon. I want to feel my feet hitting the pavement, I want to run until I can't breath, I want to feel exhilarated. I want to run into the eye of the storm, not away from it, and feel the wind whipping around me at 70 mph, I want to feel the rain lashing at my skin. I want to experience it and know that THIS is powerful, because G-d created it so.
And they say things like, "G-d, you know what to do now" and I laugh, because does He know what you are talking about? Do you think He listens when you make a 'friendly suggestion'?
They say all you have to do is believe and I try so very hard to. But it is like monkey bars and my hands are slippery and I just can't reach that next rung.... And I fall, again. And again. And the landing just gets harder every time.
They have an answer for everything, and it is beautiful, and it is meaningful. But it doesn't penetrate because, well, they are not me. And do they even know what they are talking about? Do they even believe the words they say?
Just believe and- it'll be good. Just believe and- everything will work out. Just believe and- you have no more worries, no more fears, no more problems.
Belief. Is that all? I don't believe so. Is it a trick then? Is life just one big game, and I have not yet mastered the rules? Tell me, because I want to know. I seem to be missing something.
The storm is coming, and I will be here, riding it out.
Alone.
Complaints about the iPhone 5
I don't have an iPhone. I probably will never have one. I am just not iPeople. Here is a funny skit about the iPhone 5:
Saturday, October 27, 2012
If I was a rich man...
Money is the language of the land. Ever see a guy at a restaurant slip
the Maître d' money to be seated first, even after he says that all the
tables are full? (Or does that only happen in the movies?)
Money corrupts people. The rich have it, the poor don't, everyone wants it, few achieve it, bribes are bad, the weak take them, money causes discordance, jealousy, corruption, disunity, unhappiness. And yet, the world revolves around it.
“Money may not buy happiness, but I'd rather cry in a Jaguar than on a bus.”
― Françoise Sagan
“While money can't buy happiness, it certainly lets you choose your own form of misery.”
― Groucho Marx
“Too many people spend money they earned..to buy things they don't want..to impress people that they don't like.”
― Will Rogers
“Money cannot buy health, but I'd settle for a diamond-studded
wheelchair.”
― Dorothy Parker
“Money isn't everything...but it ranks right up there with oxygen.”
― Rita Davenport
“The two most beautiful words in the English language are 'cheque enclosed.”
― Dorothy Parker
“Disagreements over money are the biggest cause of divorce."
― Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Match Me If You Can
“[Credit is a system whereby] a person who can't pay, gets another person who can't pay, to guarantee that he can pay.”
― Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit
"Money isn't everything, but it keeps you in touch with your kids." (As seen on my fridge at home.) In "Fiddler on the roof" Tevye sings 'If I was a rich man'. He asks G-d, "Dear God, you made many, many poor people. I realize, of course, that it's no shame to be poor. But it's no great honor either! So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?"
If I was a rich man...
I'd build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen,
Right in the middle of the town.
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.
There would be one long staircase just going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.
If I was a rich man...
The most important men in town would come to fawn on me!
They would ask me to advise them,
Like a Solomon the Wise.
"If you please, Reb Tevye..."
"Pardon me, Reb Tevye..."
Posing problems that would cross a rabbi's eyes!
And it won't make one bit of difference if i answer right or wrong.
When you're rich, they think you really know!
Lord who made the lion and the lamb,
You decreed I should be what I am.
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan?
If I were a wealthy man.
So why couldn't G-d have made us all rich? So that people have an opportunity to give tzedaka? Doesn't seem good enough to me. People only think about money when they don't have any. And what is this 'middle class' which everyone keeps talking about?
If I had a million dollars... I'd be rich.
Money corrupts people. The rich have it, the poor don't, everyone wants it, few achieve it, bribes are bad, the weak take them, money causes discordance, jealousy, corruption, disunity, unhappiness. And yet, the world revolves around it.
“Money may not buy happiness, but I'd rather cry in a Jaguar than on a bus.”
― Françoise Sagan
“While money can't buy happiness, it certainly lets you choose your own form of misery.”
― Groucho Marx
“Too many people spend money they earned..to buy things they don't want..to impress people that they don't like.”
― Will Rogers
“Money cannot buy health, but I'd settle for a diamond-studded
wheelchair.”
― Dorothy Parker
“Money isn't everything...but it ranks right up there with oxygen.”
― Rita Davenport
“The two most beautiful words in the English language are 'cheque enclosed.”
― Dorothy Parker
“Disagreements over money are the biggest cause of divorce."
― Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Match Me If You Can
“[Credit is a system whereby] a person who can't pay, gets another person who can't pay, to guarantee that he can pay.”
― Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit
"Money isn't everything, but it keeps you in touch with your kids." (As seen on my fridge at home.) In "Fiddler on the roof" Tevye sings 'If I was a rich man'. He asks G-d, "Dear God, you made many, many poor people. I realize, of course, that it's no shame to be poor. But it's no great honor either! So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?"
If I was a rich man...
I'd build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen,
Right in the middle of the town.
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.
There would be one long staircase just going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.
If I was a rich man...
The most important men in town would come to fawn on me!
They would ask me to advise them,
Like a Solomon the Wise.
"If you please, Reb Tevye..."
"Pardon me, Reb Tevye..."
Posing problems that would cross a rabbi's eyes!
And it won't make one bit of difference if i answer right or wrong.
When you're rich, they think you really know!
Lord who made the lion and the lamb,
You decreed I should be what I am.
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan?
If I were a wealthy man.
So why couldn't G-d have made us all rich? So that people have an opportunity to give tzedaka? Doesn't seem good enough to me. People only think about money when they don't have any. And what is this 'middle class' which everyone keeps talking about?
If I had a million dollars... I'd be rich.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Ve'Yakov Halach Le'Darko
Yes, we are well into the month of Cheshvan, but I would just like to say goodbye to the Tishrei guests who graced out streets with their presence (not presents), and would also like to thank them for leaving. Take back our streets!
There is a normal amount of foot traffic, the stores are not overly crowded, there is no longer a multitude of foreigners swarming through the streets...
:-) Come again next year! (Insert sarcastic emoticon here.)
Have a good Shabbos.
There is a normal amount of foot traffic, the stores are not overly crowded, there is no longer a multitude of foreigners swarming through the streets...
:-) Come again next year! (Insert sarcastic emoticon here.)
Have a good Shabbos.
Mama I'm still your baby
"Mama why is everybody looking at my icy?"
"No one is looking at your icy, shut up and eat your damn icy."
Thought: mmm I really want an icy right now...
"Mama I'm still your baby."
Maybe it was her first day of school and her mom needed some encouragement.
Children are such funny creatures. I find some kids cute and adorable, while others get on my nerves. One thing all children have in common is their dependency on their parents. When a child is lost, hungry, tired, or upset for any reason, they call out 'mommy, mooommmmy!!!!!" in a loud grating voice. They sound like a broken record and all you want to do is scream 'will somebody find this kids mother?!" You want to tell the kid to shut up, but that would be perceived as rude.
It is like an alarm clock. When it is your own alarm, yes maybe it is annoying, but you get up with a sigh cuz you know it's time to wake up. When it is someone else's alarm- you want to rip it out of the wall and throw it across the room. (I am still talking about an alarm clock.)
But then sometimes, kids just say the darndest things, and you just wanna laugh at how cute they are.
I'm not a mom, so I can't really complain. Maybe one day I will not hate hearing a kid screaming 'mommy' so much.
Here are two perspectives:
Mom
Daughter
And then they say things like "Mama I'm still your baby", and that makes it all better.
"No one is looking at your icy, shut up and eat your damn icy."
Thought: mmm I really want an icy right now...
"Mama I'm still your baby."
Maybe it was her first day of school and her mom needed some encouragement.
Children are such funny creatures. I find some kids cute and adorable, while others get on my nerves. One thing all children have in common is their dependency on their parents. When a child is lost, hungry, tired, or upset for any reason, they call out 'mommy, mooommmmy!!!!!" in a loud grating voice. They sound like a broken record and all you want to do is scream 'will somebody find this kids mother?!" You want to tell the kid to shut up, but that would be perceived as rude.
It is like an alarm clock. When it is your own alarm, yes maybe it is annoying, but you get up with a sigh cuz you know it's time to wake up. When it is someone else's alarm- you want to rip it out of the wall and throw it across the room. (I am still talking about an alarm clock.)
But then sometimes, kids just say the darndest things, and you just wanna laugh at how cute they are.
I'm not a mom, so I can't really complain. Maybe one day I will not hate hearing a kid screaming 'mommy' so much.
Here are two perspectives:
Mom
Daughter
And then they say things like "Mama I'm still your baby", and that makes it all better.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Why you gotta be so hatin'?
It sucks to be the messenger. I hate when it is my job to give people bad news. Or when someone else screws up, and leaves me the mess to clean up. I hate cleaning up other people's messes. My reaction? 'Not my problem'. But what if it becomes my problem?
I'd imagine Yonah hated the job he was assigned to do. Telling people that they were sinners and they had to repent? Sucky job. What about Noach? "Sorry guys, G-d will bring a great flood that will destroy you all. Repent, sinners!"
Please don't hate me, and stop screaming at me. I'm only the messenger. This is my job. Why you gotta take it out on me?
And I have to smile and say, 'Uhu, you're right, I'm so sorry, it's our fault, we apologize for the error.'
Bla bla bla. We all know that's a lie. I am not sorry in the least.
Lies make the world go round.
I'd imagine Yonah hated the job he was assigned to do. Telling people that they were sinners and they had to repent? Sucky job. What about Noach? "Sorry guys, G-d will bring a great flood that will destroy you all. Repent, sinners!"
Please don't hate me, and stop screaming at me. I'm only the messenger. This is my job. Why you gotta take it out on me?
And I have to smile and say, 'Uhu, you're right, I'm so sorry, it's our fault, we apologize for the error.'
Bla bla bla. We all know that's a lie. I am not sorry in the least.
Lies make the world go round.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Reunion
I'm too young to have a reunion. There are movies made about high school reunions. "What will my 10 year reunion be like?" Are the popular girls still popular? Have the quiet girls become leaders? Who changed? Who stayed the same? Who has kids? How many? Who is successful? Who is (still) a loser?
Well, that is all great, but not much has changed with me since high school. Okay, a lot has changed, but most of it internal. I'm not married, I don't have kids, I'm not making millions. So, what have I to say for myself?
A teacher from my high school sent an email asking who would be interested in having a high school reunion. I don't think the email was meant for me. The first graduating class has their 10 year anniversary coming up. Pretty big accomplishment.
Given the chance, would you go back to high school? Would you do it all over again? Change anything? Do it exactly the same?
Would you go to your high school reunion? Wear a name tag that proudly says "Hi I'm so-and-so" in case no one remembers you? And hear them all say, 'weren't you the girl who __________________? '
I think I'll give it a few more years before I meet up with my past. By that time, I hope I have something to show for it.
Well, that is all great, but not much has changed with me since high school. Okay, a lot has changed, but most of it internal. I'm not married, I don't have kids, I'm not making millions. So, what have I to say for myself?
A teacher from my high school sent an email asking who would be interested in having a high school reunion. I don't think the email was meant for me. The first graduating class has their 10 year anniversary coming up. Pretty big accomplishment.
Given the chance, would you go back to high school? Would you do it all over again? Change anything? Do it exactly the same?
Would you go to your high school reunion? Wear a name tag that proudly says "Hi I'm so-and-so" in case no one remembers you? And hear them all say, 'weren't you the girl who __________________? '
I think I'll give it a few more years before I meet up with my past. By that time, I hope I have something to show for it.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Go Inside
Ever tried to find the purpose of life? 42. The answer is always 42. (According to my father, the answer is always 'gravity'.)
It is hard to do a job when there seems to be no purpose to it. Or if the goal is 'money'. Yes, we need money to live. So should one work at a job for the sole purpose of making money? And then what? Would it not be better to do a job where you can make a real difference?
My aunt volunteers at a place called 'Shake a Leg'. It is an organization that teaches paraplegic people how to sail. The people who volunteer for Friendship Circle and work with children with special needs are making a real difference too.
Those jobs are voluntary. Why does it seem like the jobs which bring change and good feeling are always voluntary positions? I think I just answered my own question.
I've always had a problem with authority. My mother taught me to not be chuzpadik. I try. Or I get around it. I sailed through high school and seminary skipping class, doing what I wanted when I wanted, and still had a pretty decent relationship with my principals. I just like to do my own thing, I don't like having rules imposed upon me.
I hope one day to be self-employed and to be able to make a career out of what I love to do. Until then, I must suffer at the hands of bosses who tell me what to do. They want me to adopt their love for the business, their drive, their goals, their purpose. But what if I disagree with it, or if I find no purpose in it? Should I just 'get by', like all the other weary unhappy working class?
I've recently been studying philosophy. And what I learned is, if you question everything, you'll go insane. Should you stop asking? Leave things alone? Convince yourself that a job is a job and you don't need a purpose?
I never claimed to have all the answers. (Gravity!)
It is hard to do a job when there seems to be no purpose to it. Or if the goal is 'money'. Yes, we need money to live. So should one work at a job for the sole purpose of making money? And then what? Would it not be better to do a job where you can make a real difference?
My aunt volunteers at a place called 'Shake a Leg'. It is an organization that teaches paraplegic people how to sail. The people who volunteer for Friendship Circle and work with children with special needs are making a real difference too.
Those jobs are voluntary. Why does it seem like the jobs which bring change and good feeling are always voluntary positions? I think I just answered my own question.
I've always had a problem with authority. My mother taught me to not be chuzpadik. I try. Or I get around it. I sailed through high school and seminary skipping class, doing what I wanted when I wanted, and still had a pretty decent relationship with my principals. I just like to do my own thing, I don't like having rules imposed upon me.
I hope one day to be self-employed and to be able to make a career out of what I love to do. Until then, I must suffer at the hands of bosses who tell me what to do. They want me to adopt their love for the business, their drive, their goals, their purpose. But what if I disagree with it, or if I find no purpose in it? Should I just 'get by', like all the other weary unhappy working class?
I've recently been studying philosophy. And what I learned is, if you question everything, you'll go insane. Should you stop asking? Leave things alone? Convince yourself that a job is a job and you don't need a purpose?
I never claimed to have all the answers. (Gravity!)
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Balancing act
In life you have to find the perfect balance. Try putting a wooden board on top of a ball. Then stand on top of it. (Don't try this at home boys and girls.)
It can be hard. Balancing work, and school. Friends with obligations. Vacation with regular life. How can you do it all?
What happens when it gets overwhelming? You go away for Shabbos, you come back, and life hits you in the face. Laundry, food shopping, preparing stuff for the week.
You have to slow it down. Ever watch a video in slow motion? They do it all the time in sports, to show you the play-by-play that gets lost when you watch it in real time. Take a deep breath and slow things down. One thing at a time. What is your top priority right now? What can be pushed off for another time? What is your first and foremost immediate concern?
Making lists can help you organize what you need to do. Some people find it helpful, while others find them tedious. You have to find what works for you.
The main thing is, stay calm. Don't freak out. You have a lot to do? That's great. That means your life is full, you have a purpose. So do everything, but in a certain order.
And at the end of the day, I watch reality TV because it makes me feel so much better about my own life.
It can be hard. Balancing work, and school. Friends with obligations. Vacation with regular life. How can you do it all?
What happens when it gets overwhelming? You go away for Shabbos, you come back, and life hits you in the face. Laundry, food shopping, preparing stuff for the week.
You have to slow it down. Ever watch a video in slow motion? They do it all the time in sports, to show you the play-by-play that gets lost when you watch it in real time. Take a deep breath and slow things down. One thing at a time. What is your top priority right now? What can be pushed off for another time? What is your first and foremost immediate concern?
Making lists can help you organize what you need to do. Some people find it helpful, while others find them tedious. You have to find what works for you.
The main thing is, stay calm. Don't freak out. You have a lot to do? That's great. That means your life is full, you have a purpose. So do everything, but in a certain order.
And at the end of the day, I watch reality TV because it makes me feel so much better about my own life.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Pure Awesomeness
Awesomeness,
this feeling of bliss,
excitement, running through me,
ecstasy.
I feel so free,
so liberated,
so validated,
by me.
Spring in my step,
easy breathing,
lightheaded,
in a good way.
Life is good.
It is.
Knowing that
everything will be okay.
Coming home to
my simple abode,
still on a high,
applause ringing in my ears.
Coursing through my veins,
I hope this feeling
will last forever
every night and day.
I want to wake up tomorrow,
happy, at peace,
like I can do anything
that I am unstoppable.
I want to bottle this
elixir of life,
and drink little sips
when I'm feeling down.
Tonight is good,
I will remember this high
and not let it get away
this time.
Because I want to feel this good
forever.
this feeling of bliss,
excitement, running through me,
ecstasy.
I feel so free,
so liberated,
so validated,
by me.
Spring in my step,
easy breathing,
lightheaded,
in a good way.
Life is good.
It is.
Knowing that
everything will be okay.
Coming home to
my simple abode,
still on a high,
applause ringing in my ears.
Coursing through my veins,
I hope this feeling
will last forever
every night and day.
I want to wake up tomorrow,
happy, at peace,
like I can do anything
that I am unstoppable.
I want to bottle this
elixir of life,
and drink little sips
when I'm feeling down.
Tonight is good,
I will remember this high
and not let it get away
this time.
Because I want to feel this good
forever.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Real Men Wear Suits
My heart beats faster
As I see all the suits aound me.
Walking fast, ties flapping,
Shiny shoes tapping
On the pavement.
Going here, there and everywhere.
Nice suits in many colors,
With stripes, and patterns,
Blue shirts, and white shirts underneath.
Pressed pants, straight from the cleaners,
Expensive looking,
Distinguished, well-dressed.
Feels so familiar,
Makes me feel safe, secure.
Makes me want to call my Dad and say,
"I miss you."
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Silent night
"Hi, how are you?"
'I'm good, how are you?'
Silence.
Dot dot dot....
Nothing.
[-Blank- is offline and can't receive messages right now.]
Sigh. There are so many things I want to tell you. So much I wish I could share with you. I sit here and wait. And wait some more. The sink is filled with dishes that need to be washed, I need to prepare a lunch for tomorrow. I should really do the responsible thing and take a shower and go to bed. Tomorrow is too close to ignore it.
But I sit here. The house is quiet. The screen is dark and still.
And you are out there somewhere, unawares.
My tea is getting cold, and it is just no fun drinking alone.
'I'm good, how are you?'
Silence.
Dot dot dot....
Nothing.
[-Blank- is offline and can't receive messages right now.]
Sigh. There are so many things I want to tell you. So much I wish I could share with you. I sit here and wait. And wait some more. The sink is filled with dishes that need to be washed, I need to prepare a lunch for tomorrow. I should really do the responsible thing and take a shower and go to bed. Tomorrow is too close to ignore it.
But I sit here. The house is quiet. The screen is dark and still.
And you are out there somewhere, unawares.
My tea is getting cold, and it is just no fun drinking alone.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Like me, LIKE me!
I don't understand the Facebook 'like' button. I dislike it. It allows you to like anything. Friend's statuses, their photos, and anything else they choose to post.
You can't like people, but you can like groups. Some groups are desperate for 'likes', going so far as to make contests for who can get the most people to 'like' their page, and win a prize. One such contest was by a photographer, and the prize was a free photo shoot. A friend of mine asked me to 'like' the guys page, and say who referred me, so she could win the free photo shoot. I helped her out, and when the contest was over I 'unliked' the page.
I don't think that many likes necessarily equals popularity in any way. If anything, it just means that that group was particularly pushy and annoying.
'Like this page for a chance to win a free...'
Facebook has not complied with suggestions to create an opposite 'dislike' button. I suppose they feel people will be far too free with their criticism.
I don't understand desperate cries for attention or 'like'. It is really unseemly.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Stuck to the bottom
'Tis the season for soups! I love to sit down to a steamy bowl of hearty soup, as the weather frosts up the windows outside. They are also fun to make. Sometimes I loosely follow a recipe, but most often I just throw in whatever I feel like.
Somehow I ended up making a Soup of the Week for a few weeks in a row. One week it was turkey soup. I like the turkey necks as opposed to chicken necks, I think it has more flavor, and of course more meat on the bone, due to its bigger size. I usually only use green vegetables, since I have an aversion to any remotely sweet vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, parsnips, etc. I favor leeks, zucchini, onions, potatoes, dill, (no parsley), scallions, sometimes mushrooms, green peppers. For spices I keep it simple, salt and pepper. The dill adds a lot of flavor.
Last week I made a tomato soup. It came out very thick and hearty. I added chopped up vegetables, so I let it cook for awhile. Unfortunately, I wasn't watching it so closely, and the bottom of the pot ended up burning. It took me days to scrub the burnt stuff off.
Once the pot was clean, I was in the mood to cook again. This week I made a mushroom-barley-split pea soup. My mother used to make it all the time when I was little, and while mine did not come out quite as good as my mother's, it still tastes pretty great. The process involves cooking the split peas for about an hour until they are tender, (including any vegetables you feel like adding), and then adding the barley and letting it cook for another while. Of course, I forgot to watch the pot and the barley stuck to the bottom. I managed to coax them back to life, and my soup did not burn.
There are many analogies I can find between life, and a pot of soup. One of them that struck me was action, or inaction. Either you are moving, or you are stuck. Stagnant is not a healthy state to be in.
When you stir the soup, it bubbles merrily, it cooks as it should. If you let it sit and don't watch it, it can burn, it can get stuck to the bottom, which will require major clean up afterwards.
We have to be constantly moving in our life, physically and spiritually. Bump up your exercise routine. Make time to learn new things, in Torah and in other areas. If not, you will become lethargic, your life will become stasis. This is not good.
Don't get stuck on the bottom. Keep moving!
Have a good week, and be sure to try out your favorite soup recipes :)
Somehow I ended up making a Soup of the Week for a few weeks in a row. One week it was turkey soup. I like the turkey necks as opposed to chicken necks, I think it has more flavor, and of course more meat on the bone, due to its bigger size. I usually only use green vegetables, since I have an aversion to any remotely sweet vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, parsnips, etc. I favor leeks, zucchini, onions, potatoes, dill, (no parsley), scallions, sometimes mushrooms, green peppers. For spices I keep it simple, salt and pepper. The dill adds a lot of flavor.
Last week I made a tomato soup. It came out very thick and hearty. I added chopped up vegetables, so I let it cook for awhile. Unfortunately, I wasn't watching it so closely, and the bottom of the pot ended up burning. It took me days to scrub the burnt stuff off.
Once the pot was clean, I was in the mood to cook again. This week I made a mushroom-barley-split pea soup. My mother used to make it all the time when I was little, and while mine did not come out quite as good as my mother's, it still tastes pretty great. The process involves cooking the split peas for about an hour until they are tender, (including any vegetables you feel like adding), and then adding the barley and letting it cook for another while. Of course, I forgot to watch the pot and the barley stuck to the bottom. I managed to coax them back to life, and my soup did not burn.
There are many analogies I can find between life, and a pot of soup. One of them that struck me was action, or inaction. Either you are moving, or you are stuck. Stagnant is not a healthy state to be in.
When you stir the soup, it bubbles merrily, it cooks as it should. If you let it sit and don't watch it, it can burn, it can get stuck to the bottom, which will require major clean up afterwards.
We have to be constantly moving in our life, physically and spiritually. Bump up your exercise routine. Make time to learn new things, in Torah and in other areas. If not, you will become lethargic, your life will become stasis. This is not good.
Don't get stuck on the bottom. Keep moving!
Have a good week, and be sure to try out your favorite soup recipes :)
Occupation: Superstar
When I was little, I wanted to be British. When we played 'make-believe', I tried so hard to put on a British accent. I don't remember ever desiring a specific profession as little children tend to do, such as princess, fireman, nurse, etc.
When you were little, did you ever think about what you wanted to be 'when you grew up'? Or rather, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Some people in this society merely have jobs, not careers. Some go to school for a specific profession, some don't go to school at all. Some people start out with a plan, and others do not. Whatever the case, plans don't always work out. But there are bills to pay and food to buy, so people take jobs wherever they can get them.
Do you enjoy what you do? Once, when I was job hunting, my father said to me, "Take any job you can get, regardless if you are happy there. If you need the money, you are not at liberty to wait for the perfect job." While I understand his viewpoint, I thought that was kind of a sad outlook on life, especially considering that my father does enjoy his job. I don't think that a person should do something that makes them unhappy.
Ideally, it would be great if everyone could do what they loved to do, and get paid for it. For some people, that might mean shopping all day, or watching movies, or eating. So, there are personal shoppers, and movie critiques, and writers for food blogs. It may not be likely, but it is possible. Some people just enjoy being famous, and they get paid for that.
Whether you have a job, or a career, the main thing is that you have to enjoy what you do. If you are not happy there, it affects your performance, and your attitude, which can affect your health, and your lifestyle.
There was recently this 'quiz' going around Facebook. Personally, I think a lot of the Facebook apps are dumb, and a waste of time. They say things like 'Which Disney Character are you most like?', or 'What type of personality are you'? This one was for which profession you should have gone into. Not, could have, would have been good at, but should have been. Does Facebook think that people will drop whatever they are doing to start a whole new career because it is what they should have gone into? yes, these quizzes are meant to be fun and playful. But even so, do you really need to look back and say, "I should have done something else with my life"?
Ironically, my friend took the quiz 4 times, and got 4 different results. Guess it all depends on how you answer the questions.
I was speaking to a lawyer recently, and the topic of college came up. He told me he had majored in accounting for his undergrad, as many people told him that it would help him for law school. He said he got straight C's, that he should have majored in English because that is the subject he is best at, that had he majored in English he might have gotten into a better law school, etc etc. Then he stressed that he is happy with where he ended up, and he doesn't regret the path that he took.
But he obviously has thought about it. Do you want to go through life thinking, 'what if'? How would my life have turned out if only I would have done....
If you have a goal, or skills, or a desire to be something, then go for it. While not everybody can afford to follow their dreams, ambition will get you far in life.
But don't look back with regrets and say "I should have been...."
When you were little, did you ever think about what you wanted to be 'when you grew up'? Or rather, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Some people in this society merely have jobs, not careers. Some go to school for a specific profession, some don't go to school at all. Some people start out with a plan, and others do not. Whatever the case, plans don't always work out. But there are bills to pay and food to buy, so people take jobs wherever they can get them.
Do you enjoy what you do? Once, when I was job hunting, my father said to me, "Take any job you can get, regardless if you are happy there. If you need the money, you are not at liberty to wait for the perfect job." While I understand his viewpoint, I thought that was kind of a sad outlook on life, especially considering that my father does enjoy his job. I don't think that a person should do something that makes them unhappy.
Ideally, it would be great if everyone could do what they loved to do, and get paid for it. For some people, that might mean shopping all day, or watching movies, or eating. So, there are personal shoppers, and movie critiques, and writers for food blogs. It may not be likely, but it is possible. Some people just enjoy being famous, and they get paid for that.
Whether you have a job, or a career, the main thing is that you have to enjoy what you do. If you are not happy there, it affects your performance, and your attitude, which can affect your health, and your lifestyle.
There was recently this 'quiz' going around Facebook. Personally, I think a lot of the Facebook apps are dumb, and a waste of time. They say things like 'Which Disney Character are you most like?', or 'What type of personality are you'? This one was for which profession you should have gone into. Not, could have, would have been good at, but should have been. Does Facebook think that people will drop whatever they are doing to start a whole new career because it is what they should have gone into? yes, these quizzes are meant to be fun and playful. But even so, do you really need to look back and say, "I should have done something else with my life"?
Ironically, my friend took the quiz 4 times, and got 4 different results. Guess it all depends on how you answer the questions.
I was speaking to a lawyer recently, and the topic of college came up. He told me he had majored in accounting for his undergrad, as many people told him that it would help him for law school. He said he got straight C's, that he should have majored in English because that is the subject he is best at, that had he majored in English he might have gotten into a better law school, etc etc. Then he stressed that he is happy with where he ended up, and he doesn't regret the path that he took.
But he obviously has thought about it. Do you want to go through life thinking, 'what if'? How would my life have turned out if only I would have done....
If you have a goal, or skills, or a desire to be something, then go for it. While not everybody can afford to follow their dreams, ambition will get you far in life.
But don't look back with regrets and say "I should have been...."
Friday, October 12, 2012
No Joke
So I was on the bus today, and this older lady was sitting there, talking on her phone. She looked to be maybe in her late 40's early 50's, no real way to know. She had a smartphone, meaning to say it was way cooler than my phone. It was a touch screen, no idea what make or model, but pretty current. Like, my mom would never be able to figure it out.
I see her start taking something out of her purse. It was a purple wire of some sort. I thought it was a phone charger, but that made no sense being that there are no outlets on a bus. At the end of the wire I see something big and bulky coming out of her purse.....
It was a phone! Not her cell phone. A hand held old fashioned big phone, one that you can hold between your ear and your shoulder. The kind that is usually connected to the wall in your house. Only, this one had a wire that connected to her... you guessed it. Her sleek small so-tiny-can-fit-in-your-shirt-pocket new and improved cell phone.
And I'm thinking, are you kidding me? The point of the cell phone was to unplug you, to make your burden lighter. The best simile I can think of- a pair of earbud headphones attached to a boombox. Why would you want to lug that around?
Here are some photos for illustration:
And there you have it Ladies and Gentleman.
I see her start taking something out of her purse. It was a purple wire of some sort. I thought it was a phone charger, but that made no sense being that there are no outlets on a bus. At the end of the wire I see something big and bulky coming out of her purse.....
It was a phone! Not her cell phone. A hand held old fashioned big phone, one that you can hold between your ear and your shoulder. The kind that is usually connected to the wall in your house. Only, this one had a wire that connected to her... you guessed it. Her sleek small so-tiny-can-fit-in-your-shirt-pocket new and improved cell phone.
And I'm thinking, are you kidding me? The point of the cell phone was to unplug you, to make your burden lighter. The best simile I can think of- a pair of earbud headphones attached to a boombox. Why would you want to lug that around?
Here are some photos for illustration:
And there you have it Ladies and Gentleman.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
And they didn't change their names...
I used to work at a dental office in Williamsburg. I found it funny every time a frum chasseedish mother walked in with her kids in tow, curly peyos at their ears, and said, "This is Barry, this is Joseph, this is Henry." Like, really? Who are you kidding?
Or when I call up a company that is run by frum guys and the guy who answers, in a heavy Yidish accent, says his name is 'Jake'.
I don't understand why parents give their children English names at birth. You should be proud of your Hebrew name. Maybe some people find it hard to pronounce the 'ch' sound, but so what. A name is the essence of a person. It connects to your soul. Does 'Barry' connect to your soul?
My brother adopted an English name for his job. My co-worker recently decided to introduce himself as Richard to customers. No idea why he picked that particular name.
Maybe when people do it they just want to fit in, they just want to make it easier for secular people to say their name. But in Egypt, one of the three things it says the Jews did not change was their names. So why should we? Especially these days, when freedom of religion is so accepted everywhere, we do not have a need to hide.
Be Yoel, or Yossi, or Yitchok, or Chaya, or whatever your parents named you. Your name is special, and you shouldn't change it.
Or when I call up a company that is run by frum guys and the guy who answers, in a heavy Yidish accent, says his name is 'Jake'.
I don't understand why parents give their children English names at birth. You should be proud of your Hebrew name. Maybe some people find it hard to pronounce the 'ch' sound, but so what. A name is the essence of a person. It connects to your soul. Does 'Barry' connect to your soul?
My brother adopted an English name for his job. My co-worker recently decided to introduce himself as Richard to customers. No idea why he picked that particular name.
Maybe when people do it they just want to fit in, they just want to make it easier for secular people to say their name. But in Egypt, one of the three things it says the Jews did not change was their names. So why should we? Especially these days, when freedom of religion is so accepted everywhere, we do not have a need to hide.
Be Yoel, or Yossi, or Yitchok, or Chaya, or whatever your parents named you. Your name is special, and you shouldn't change it.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Find Me
They ask me,
again and again.
I make up answers as I go along.
Different versions of the truth.
But the thing is, I don't really even know myself.
Did you ever have a dream in life?
A shining goal
that stares you in the face.
Did you ever fear failure
before you even began?
Fear.
It cripples you.
It immobilizes you.
It is a game stopper.
I want so much to play the game.
But my fears paralyze me.
They hold me back from
discovering
if I even have what it takes.
They say if you never even try
you have already failed.
What happens if you do try
and you fail?
Was it worth the effort?
It says, "yagati velo matzati - al taamin."
Does that mean if you fail
you have not truly tried?
That the goal should become the reality-
this is the dream.
Find me-
off the beaten path,
amongst the old twisted gnarly trees.
Find me-
around the bend in the road,
where no one thought to look.
Find me-
and take my hand
and help me across the finish line.
No one,
not even the strongest of men-
can do it alone.
Find me.
again and again.
I make up answers as I go along.
Different versions of the truth.
But the thing is, I don't really even know myself.
Did you ever have a dream in life?
A shining goal
that stares you in the face.
Did you ever fear failure
before you even began?
Fear.
It cripples you.
It immobilizes you.
It is a game stopper.
I want so much to play the game.
But my fears paralyze me.
They hold me back from
discovering
if I even have what it takes.
They say if you never even try
you have already failed.
What happens if you do try
and you fail?
Was it worth the effort?
It says, "yagati velo matzati - al taamin."
Does that mean if you fail
you have not truly tried?
That the goal should become the reality-
this is the dream.
Find me-
off the beaten path,
amongst the old twisted gnarly trees.
Find me-
around the bend in the road,
where no one thought to look.
Find me-
and take my hand
and help me across the finish line.
No one,
not even the strongest of men-
can do it alone.
Find me.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
One less thing to worry about...
The good thing about Simchas Torah: Nobody can drink and drive. Please watch your alcohol consumption on Yom Tov. You are supposed to be besimcha, not stone cold drunk. Have a good Yom Tov!!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Growing up way too fast
How do you tell a 10 year old that she knows way too much? Too much about Hannah Montana, too much about boyfriends, and girlfriends. An 8 year old who knows what 'cheating' is, and not in reference to a board game. They tell me Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber are engaged. The 8 year old sings me a song, by Rhianna. About love, or broken hearts, or something.
She tells me she has her whole life mapped out. I listen, fascinated. She knows what kind of guy she wants to marry (Tall, handsome, rich, with a British accent because she loves listening to it.) She knows how many kids she wants to have (8, or however many Hashem wants.) She knows where she wants to live (Georgia. No idea why.) She wants to live in a big house with 3 floors, with a pool. She wants to make $5,000 a month. (She couldn't figure out how much that comes to a year.) She wants to be an artist, photographer, and producer. I asked her what she wants to produce. She said, I don't know, maybe movies.
I tell her she knows too much for her age, and she should go play with barbies. She tells me, in a voice that says 'you are so naive', that ALL her classmates know all this stuff too. That they all watch TV. She tells me, like I am an idiot, that she knows even more than what she is telling me. She teases her 18 year old brother that he has a girlfriend.
Then she asks me, in all seriousness, what kind of guy I'm looking for. Yes everybody, a 10 year old Shadchan. She asks me what he should look like, do I want a tall guy, short, fat or skinny, handsome or ugly. I respond, very diplomatically, that it is the inside that matters more, and that 'Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.'
I can't believe I'm discussing this with a 10 year old. Am I extremely naive, or has this generation deteriorated so vastly? I am discussing things with a 10 year old and an 8 year old that they shouldn't even know. That I shouldn't even know about. Where did it go wrong?
I tell this little girl (she claims she is already a teenager. Maybe THAT'S the problem) that if she knows all this stuff now, what will there be for her to know when she gets older? She scoffs and says, "I won't watch TV when I'm older. I will know like, science and stuff."
Good luck, little girl.
She tells me she has her whole life mapped out. I listen, fascinated. She knows what kind of guy she wants to marry (Tall, handsome, rich, with a British accent because she loves listening to it.) She knows how many kids she wants to have (8, or however many Hashem wants.) She knows where she wants to live (Georgia. No idea why.) She wants to live in a big house with 3 floors, with a pool. She wants to make $5,000 a month. (She couldn't figure out how much that comes to a year.) She wants to be an artist, photographer, and producer. I asked her what she wants to produce. She said, I don't know, maybe movies.
I tell her she knows too much for her age, and she should go play with barbies. She tells me, in a voice that says 'you are so naive', that ALL her classmates know all this stuff too. That they all watch TV. She tells me, like I am an idiot, that she knows even more than what she is telling me. She teases her 18 year old brother that he has a girlfriend.
Then she asks me, in all seriousness, what kind of guy I'm looking for. Yes everybody, a 10 year old Shadchan. She asks me what he should look like, do I want a tall guy, short, fat or skinny, handsome or ugly. I respond, very diplomatically, that it is the inside that matters more, and that 'Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.'
I can't believe I'm discussing this with a 10 year old. Am I extremely naive, or has this generation deteriorated so vastly? I am discussing things with a 10 year old and an 8 year old that they shouldn't even know. That I shouldn't even know about. Where did it go wrong?
I tell this little girl (she claims she is already a teenager. Maybe THAT'S the problem) that if she knows all this stuff now, what will there be for her to know when she gets older? She scoffs and says, "I won't watch TV when I'm older. I will know like, science and stuff."
Good luck, little girl.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Pick a side, any side, I don't care which one you pick
I decided long ago that I would never discuss politics with anyone, for two reasons.
1) What I believe is nobodies business.
2) A large majority of people are ignorant in this area.
Regarding my first point. A lot of people don't care what your opinion is and will not respect it. All they want to do is get the chance to bash it and try to tell you why you are wrong. So what's the point in discussing it with them.
Regarding my second point: why would I take advice from ignorant people? Additionally, it is often painful to hear the things people senselessly spout, without having any knowledge on the matter, or any real substantial facts to back it up.
So, I steer clear.
There's one thing I don't understand. Big Bird. He's cute, furry, yellow, innocent. Why must people put him in the spotlight for something he didn't do?
What about etch-a-sketch? They are a fun children's toy. Again, why must they get such negative media coverage?
It is funny the things people choose to focus on, for no real reason. Jump on it, actually.
What makes one guy better than the other guy? Let's just take a gamble and say, facts. The words they are saying, the things they are promising. Will they follow through?
You know what the President has done over the past 4 years. Many people view him in a negative light. Maybe they have valid reasons for that. But what about the other guy? The new kid on the playground? How much do you really know about him? It's a gamble, really. There's no way to know if he will be any better, if he will carry through on his promises.
I really think that for some people, it is not a thought-out process. Some people make the decision based on prejudices, racism, because they like the other guy's voice better. Maybe they have no reason at all. Perhaps many people make their decision based on what they hear from other people, from their parents, their friends, their co-workers. When it comes down to it- who do you like better?
Believe what you want to believe, but make sure that you have a good solid foundation beneath your beliefs, so they don't one day all come toppling down.
Happy voting!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
T.G.I.O.
Thank G-d it's over.
Someone asked me how my Yom Tov was. My answer: too much food.
My sister did all the cooking. My father made some joke about how my sister said 'we have to eat again tonight'. Less than half my family was home for Yom Tov, and yet we still have tons of food. It's like none of us know how to cook in smaller quantities.
There should be a mandatory fast after every 2 day holiday. I think I'm going on a hunger strike.
There is something slightly melancholy about motzei Yom Tov. When I was little, the sukkahs would empty, everyone would go off with friends, to 'hang out', or 'do stuff', go to simchas bais hashuava. And it would get so quiet. Back to life, back to technology.
Then I grew up and it was my turn to get out as fast as I could the second yom tov was over.
Sure, I want to hang out. Sure I want to have fun, I will definitely go to simchas bais hashuava, I might even stay out all night. But I am older now. More responsible. I have to wake up tomorrow, for work, for life, for whatever it is that I have to do. I don't live life with such abandonment anymore. That is a good thing.
Concerts? Amusement parks? No thank you.
Wishing everyone a fun and healthy Chol Hamoade. Be safe, and stay warm!
Someone asked me how my Yom Tov was. My answer: too much food.
My sister did all the cooking. My father made some joke about how my sister said 'we have to eat again tonight'. Less than half my family was home for Yom Tov, and yet we still have tons of food. It's like none of us know how to cook in smaller quantities.
There should be a mandatory fast after every 2 day holiday. I think I'm going on a hunger strike.
There is something slightly melancholy about motzei Yom Tov. When I was little, the sukkahs would empty, everyone would go off with friends, to 'hang out', or 'do stuff', go to simchas bais hashuava. And it would get so quiet. Back to life, back to technology.
Then I grew up and it was my turn to get out as fast as I could the second yom tov was over.
Sure, I want to hang out. Sure I want to have fun, I will definitely go to simchas bais hashuava, I might even stay out all night. But I am older now. More responsible. I have to wake up tomorrow, for work, for life, for whatever it is that I have to do. I don't live life with such abandonment anymore. That is a good thing.
Concerts? Amusement parks? No thank you.
Wishing everyone a fun and healthy Chol Hamoade. Be safe, and stay warm!
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