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My observance of my adopted religion has been fairly minimal in recent years, and I fear I'm not improving that by sitting here posting on my computer on Yom Kippur.
But I think one tradition that is of value no matter what else I do or believe is that of using this last week for reflection and for seeking forgiveness from G*d and from people for things I have done wrong.
I've been pretty wrapped up in other things going on in my life, beginnings that may (or may not) lead to important changes. But it's necessary to be aware of, to acknowledge the past as well as to be excited and happy about the future.
So to those to whom I have been unkind, or unfair, or ungenerous, I ask you to forgive me. To family I have not kept as close in my heart as I should have; to friends I have not communicated with as often or helped as much as you needed; to co-workers or housemates (yes, even landlords) to whom I have been short-tempered or abrupt or even rude; to others I have judged unfairly or avoided giving the time and attention you deserved from me; to the charities I've bypassed so I could spend my money on my own pleasure... I apologise, and I ask for your forgiveness. I will try to make amends and to do a better job in the coming year of being a responsible, caring, understanding, and involved person.
But I think one tradition that is of value no matter what else I do or believe is that of using this last week for reflection and for seeking forgiveness from G*d and from people for things I have done wrong.
I've been pretty wrapped up in other things going on in my life, beginnings that may (or may not) lead to important changes. But it's necessary to be aware of, to acknowledge the past as well as to be excited and happy about the future.
So to those to whom I have been unkind, or unfair, or ungenerous, I ask you to forgive me. To family I have not kept as close in my heart as I should have; to friends I have not communicated with as often or helped as much as you needed; to co-workers or housemates (yes, even landlords) to whom I have been short-tempered or abrupt or even rude; to others I have judged unfairly or avoided giving the time and attention you deserved from me; to the charities I've bypassed so I could spend my money on my own pleasure... I apologise, and I ask for your forgiveness. I will try to make amends and to do a better job in the coming year of being a responsible, caring, understanding, and involved person.
The odd things that the waves of happenstance cast up on the shore of history.
The first Jew to be killed fighting for the Transvaal in the Second Boer War was an American from Columbus, Ohio.
A little more detail in this entry.
The first Jew to be killed fighting for the Transvaal in the Second Boer War was an American from Columbus, Ohio.
A little more detail in this entry.
(no subject)
Feb. 27th, 2011 10:28 pmI gather tonight is the Oscars; I suck at keeping track of stuff like that.
I spent part of the afternoon finishing the second season of Rome, which I had borrowed from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
gr_c17 . What an amazing series! I'm so sorry they weren't able to make another season.
Tonight I watched Defiance, itself nominated for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe. I can't speak much to the historical reality--I gather that some of the actions of the Bielski partisans may have been questionable, but when do partisans engage in war without some bad things happening? For a film about people trying to survive and fight back against a deadly enemy, and about Jews looking after each other when no one else will, I thought it was excellent, with good acting, a decent plot, and good cinematography. It's not one of the greatest movies of all time, but it's definitely a very good movie, IMO.
In unrelated commentary, I would eat more vegetables if they didn't go bad so damn fast. I also had to chuck a pound or so of ground lamb that I just wasn't able to eat soon enough. I would spread my grocery buying out more, but one of the reasons I don't cook often enough as it is, is that I end up working late and don't have time to cook. Add in more shopping trips, and I'll never be home to cook at all.
I spent part of the afternoon finishing the second season of Rome, which I had borrowed from
gr_c17 . What an amazing series! I'm so sorry they weren't able to make another season.Tonight I watched Defiance, itself nominated for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe. I can't speak much to the historical reality--I gather that some of the actions of the Bielski partisans may have been questionable, but when do partisans engage in war without some bad things happening? For a film about people trying to survive and fight back against a deadly enemy, and about Jews looking after each other when no one else will, I thought it was excellent, with good acting, a decent plot, and good cinematography. It's not one of the greatest movies of all time, but it's definitely a very good movie, IMO.
In unrelated commentary, I would eat more vegetables if they didn't go bad so damn fast. I also had to chuck a pound or so of ground lamb that I just wasn't able to eat soon enough. I would spread my grocery buying out more, but one of the reasons I don't cook often enough as it is, is that I end up working late and don't have time to cook. Add in more shopping trips, and I'll never be home to cook at all.
awesomely cute Yiddisher cat
Dec. 9th, 2010 08:47 amI look up and Phineas is stretched out on the shelf over the radiator, sleeping on the prayer book I left next the the Hannukkah candles, one arm stretched out and his head pillowed on the book, like one of those romantic pictures of whosis on the tomb of thingummy.
"Ah, I love davening so much, I'm going to *sleep* on the siddur."
or
"I can't haz cheezeburger--and I'ze OK with that."
"Ah, I love davening so much, I'm going to *sleep* on the siddur."
or
"I can't haz cheezeburger--and I'ze OK with that."
Last night was the first night of Hannukkah. Tonight as I was driving home from gaming with my friends I was listening to NPR's Hannukkah Lights and trying to think of a story or a midrash that I could use to relate to Hanukkah.
I've been reading a bit about the American Revolution lately, about the Battle of Trenton in December of 1776 in particular.( Read more... )
I've been reading a bit about the American Revolution lately, about the Battle of Trenton in December of 1776 in particular.( Read more... )
(no subject)
Oct. 8th, 2010 03:23 pmthanks to my friend Harry for this one
Teaneck, NJ, Jewish newspaper whipsawed by negative reactions to gay wedding announcement...and negative reactions to its reactions to the original negative reactions!"
Among my other various reactions, mazel tov to Justin and Avi! :-)
Teaneck, NJ, Jewish newspaper whipsawed by negative reactions to gay wedding announcement...and negative reactions to its reactions to the original negative reactions!"
Among my other various reactions, mazel tov to Justin and Avi! :-)
(no subject)
Jan. 24th, 2010 07:02 amThis is the sort of thing that drives me crazy when it comes to Judaism ( posted recently to a wargames board )
Other things that drive me crazy?
Waking up after six hours of sleep and being unable to go back to sleep. Week after week. (You were wondering maybe why I was up reading wargaming boards at 7 am after rearranging the shelves in my study?) (And what's with it getting *darker* every morning? I thought after the solstice the days were supposed to start getting longer again?)
Of course, the heat that comes on early early in the morning and blasts until it's 70 degrees inside, when it was perfectly content to be 60 degrees when I went to bed doesn't help.
Cats that sit around going licklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklick for hours. No wonder he doesn't have any bloody fur left.
The little bits of schmutz that get in the corners of your eyes when you sleep and then won't come out and irritate your eyes.
The omnipresence of dust. I clean and clean and still the dust comes back (and I'm allergic to dust--yay!) I cleaned the dashboard of my car the other day, which had somehow gotten coated with dust. I went to put the cleaning stuff away, and when I came back the dashboard was coated in dust again!
Auuuuuuuggggghhh!
*sigh*
Other things that drive me crazy?
Waking up after six hours of sleep and being unable to go back to sleep. Week after week. (You were wondering maybe why I was up reading wargaming boards at 7 am after rearranging the shelves in my study?) (And what's with it getting *darker* every morning? I thought after the solstice the days were supposed to start getting longer again?)
Of course, the heat that comes on early early in the morning and blasts until it's 70 degrees inside, when it was perfectly content to be 60 degrees when I went to bed doesn't help.
Cats that sit around going licklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklicklick for hours. No wonder he doesn't have any bloody fur left.
The little bits of schmutz that get in the corners of your eyes when you sleep and then won't come out and irritate your eyes.
The omnipresence of dust. I clean and clean and still the dust comes back (and I'm allergic to dust--yay!) I cleaned the dashboard of my car the other day, which had somehow gotten coated with dust. I went to put the cleaning stuff away, and when I came back the dashboard was coated in dust again!
Auuuuuuuggggghhh!
*sigh*
two more books
Dec. 8th, 2009 06:42 pm51/50: The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. I quite enjoyed Chabon's short novel "Gentlemen of the Road", so I decided to give this novel a try. I am glad that I did; it's a detective story set in an alternative history, a rather noir-ish read with quite entertaining and engaging characters. Ach, I seem to always end up with the same descriptors, and I feel as if my reviews end up being bland and recapitulative. But there's nothing bland about this tale of a man trying to pursue the truth in a murder case that no one seems to care about in a city that's rapidly approaching something very like its own death. The various layers of cultural, religious, and historical reference (including those to a timeline the reader glimpses mostly through allusion) delighted me; I was able to savour forgotten bits of Yiddish, half-remembered bits of mysticism or ritual, and the author's elegant blending of our reality with the creation of his mind.
52/50: Amateurs, To Arms! A Military History Of The War Of 1812 by John Elting. Colonel Elting was a truly gifted military historian, and his history of this early war shows both his exhaustive scholarship and his talent for colourful and accessible prose. That's what I appreciate so much about him--although he did his homework very carefully and had a thoroughgoing grasp of the historiography of any subject he engaged, his writing still gives the effect of a conversation with a seasoned old soldier. Not dumbed down, not simplified, but informed by a familiarity with army life and custom that someone who approaches military subjects without personal experience will not be able to convey. True to it's subtitle, the book gives good descriptions of all the war's military campaigns and the affairs of government that connected them without going far into the politics or diplomacy of the conflict. I've a number of other books on the war that I picked up this autumn, but I know I'll be coming back to this one for help in understanding the operations and battles and for the sheer pleasure of reading the good colonel's writing.
52/50: Amateurs, To Arms! A Military History Of The War Of 1812 by John Elting. Colonel Elting was a truly gifted military historian, and his history of this early war shows both his exhaustive scholarship and his talent for colourful and accessible prose. That's what I appreciate so much about him--although he did his homework very carefully and had a thoroughgoing grasp of the historiography of any subject he engaged, his writing still gives the effect of a conversation with a seasoned old soldier. Not dumbed down, not simplified, but informed by a familiarity with army life and custom that someone who approaches military subjects without personal experience will not be able to convey. True to it's subtitle, the book gives good descriptions of all the war's military campaigns and the affairs of government that connected them without going far into the politics or diplomacy of the conflict. I've a number of other books on the war that I picked up this autumn, but I know I'll be coming back to this one for help in understanding the operations and battles and for the sheer pleasure of reading the good colonel's writing.
Passover seder
Apr. 11th, 2009 09:14 pmI've participated in a number of seders since I converted to Judaism, including some I hosted for very forbearing friends (since I was doing all the cooking and explaining the Haggaddah to people, we didn't usually eat until 10 or so. :-) But it's fun to have a crowd, as I found when a coworker invited me to her family's seder a few years ago. And I discovered tonight it's even more fun to have a *big* crowd. UUCSS had a seder in the worship space--tables, chairs, everyone bringing something to contribute to the meal, the minister (who had one Jewish parent and one Catholic) starting us off and leading us through the tricky bits, and everyone going around the room and reading part. Wine, karpas, matzah, maror, charoset. Singing, laughing, !exciting! things for little kids and little kids to be excited by it. A very community-building event, and a good way to celebrate and commemorate important principles, whatever the 'truth' about the history behind it all.
And several hours of Saturday night to relax before facing all the dishes from my cooking (I brought a Moroccan potato-egg-onion-veggie casserole) plus the ones from earlier in the week. Sufficient unto the next day the dishes thereof...
[Also had a nice game with Bryan int he afternoon, which Peter dropped in on. More about that tomorrow in The Recoiling Knight.
Gud yontif!
And several hours of Saturday night to relax before facing all the dishes from my cooking (I brought a Moroccan potato-egg-onion-veggie casserole) plus the ones from earlier in the week. Sufficient unto the next day the dishes thereof...
[Also had a nice game with Bryan int he afternoon, which Peter dropped in on. More about that tomorrow in The Recoiling Knight.
Gud yontif!
