Someone emailed a bunch of questions about blogging. Forgive me for being lazy, but I am going to submit a bunch of old posts. I'll try and address it again later on.
How Long Will You Keep On Blogging?I really should read these again and see if I still agree with what I said.
Building The Blog
Blog Questions We Ask Ourselves
Blogging for Ego, For Experience, For What
How Many Blogs Do You Read?
How Do You Not Run Out Of Material
Commenting on Comments
Coming home to discover that the queen of destruction has managed to paint walls and floors of our house with black splotches. I'd like to say that at 3.5 she was trying hard to emulate Jackson Pollock., but....
Credit given to her for the effort to hide her handiwork. She waited until her mother went to the bathroom and then went to work. Had she been able to decorate without covering herself in black she might have avoided the consequences until the next day, probably not, but you never know.
Believe me when I tell you that I haven't shared all of the chaos caused by her antics. All I know is that she is going to be a teenage terror.
What Would Treppenwitz Do? This not the name of my new blog, although I did mull it over. It is kind of catchy, maybe not as fun as the Na Nachman crew, but then again maybe it is.
I suppose that it would make more sense to phrase this as What SHOULD Treppenwitz Do? Maybe I'll ask Shola Rhodes for his input, but then again, maybe I won't.
I am torn about his question. Since when did I become so cynical and mistrusting of people.
I found this list to be disappointing. Just not that creative. I much preferred the list here. Here are a few examples:
#6: Nixon for PresidentIn 1992 National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation program announced that Richard Nixon, in a surprise move, was running for President again. His new campaign slogan was, "I didn't do anything wrong, and I won't do it again." Accompanying this announcement were audio clips of Nixon delivering his candidacy speech. Listeners responded viscerally to the announcement, flooding the show with calls expressing shock and outrage. Only during the second half of the show did the host John Hockenberry reveal that the announcement was a practical joke. Nixon's voice was impersonated by comedian Rich Little.#7: Alabama Changes the Value of PiThe April 1998 issue of the New Mexicans for Science and Reason newsletter contained an article claiming that the Alabama state legislature had voted to change the value of the mathematical constant pi from 3.14159 to the 'Biblical value' of 3.0. Before long the article had made its way onto the internet, and then it rapidly made its way around the world, forwarded by people in their email. It only became apparent how far the article had spread when the Alabama legislature began receiving hundreds of calls from people protesting the legislation. The original article, which was intended as a parody of legislative attempts to circumscribe the teaching of evolution, was written by a physicist named Mark Boslough.#15: The Case of the Interfering BrassieresIn 1982 the Daily Mail reported that a local manufacturer had sold 10,000 "rogue bras" that were causing a unique and unprecedented problem, not to the wearers but to the public at large. Apparently the support wire in these bras had been made out of a kind of copper originally designed for use in fire alarms. When this copper came into contact with nylon and body heat, it produced static electricity which, in turn, was interfering with local television and radio broadcasts. The chief engineer of British Telecom, upon reading the article, immediately ordered that all his female laboratory employees disclose what type of bra they were wearing#62: FreewheelzThe April 2000 issue of Esquire magazine introduced its readers to an exciting new company called Freewheelz. This company had a novel business plan. It intended to provide drivers with free cars. In exchange, the lucky drivers had to agree both to the placement of large advertisements on the outside of their vehicle and to the streaming of advertisements on the radio inside their car. Strict criteria limited the number of people eligible to receive a free car. Not only did you have to guarantee that you would drive over 300 miles a week, you also had to complete a 600-question survey that probed into personal information such as your political affiliations and whether you were concerned about hair loss. Finally you had to submit your family's tax returns, notarized video-store-rental receipts, and a stool sample. The entire article, written by Ted Fishman, was a satire of the much-touted "new economy" spawned by the internet. Attentive readers would have caught on to the joke if they had noticed that Freewheelz's official rollout on the web was slated to occur on April 1. But readers who didn't notice this tip-off flooded the offices of Esquire with calls, demanding to know how they could sign up to drive a free minivan. The satire also went over the head of the CEO's of a number of real internet start-ups with business plans similar to that of the fictitious Freewheelz, companies such as Mobile Billboard Network, Freecar.com, and Autowraps.com. Larry Butler, the CEO of freecar.com, later confessed to Fishman that he was so scared at the prospect of this new competition that he cried when he first read the article.
A good friend of mine just received his P.H.D. in Literature. So in honor of his new title we engaged in highbrow humor, or attempted it, sort of.
The question was this:
Who would win in a fight between Edgar Allen Poe, Mark Twain and Charles Dickens?
Would a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court call it the best of times, or the worst of times. Would his tell-tale heart be strong enough to defeat Injun Joe.
In the end we couldn't come to a consensus upon the winner, so we decided to wait for our friend Godot. And would you believe that we are still waiting.
Yes ladies and gentlemen it is another post containing the keywords you used to find your way here. It never fails to amuse me. Apparently I must write about sex fairly often.
lyrics breathless at dawn again i could feel myself growing older i could feel myself
the heart wants what the heart wants
Stacey Will You
Mary by sarah mclachlan meaning
Me and my shadow
do you stand 'in line' or 'on line'
average per day lovemaking in marriage
questions to ask about the meaning of life
what do you call giving oral sex in a car while driving
being sex incompatible
how to live in the back of your truck
the love you take is equal to the love you make meaning
do men have emotions
valentines day should be banned or not
daughter who has seen my erection
pros of polygamy
have a hammer in the morning meaning
what is the meaning of in my bag mean
what do people do when they have sex
heroes are born not made
heroes are made - not born
pc or apple computer
jews sex with sheets
fall in love again
do snails attract scorpions?
mlbf
johnny loves june
Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike sitting in a waiting room at the hospital.
Here is a simple observation about telephone calls that come late at night or early in the morning. They make me nervous. They almost always seem to be about someone dying or being on the verge of death.
It never used to be that way. They used to fit into one of three areas.
1) The buddy who called to ask me to join him at a club or bar.
2) The friend who called because their girlfriend/boyfriend had broken up with them and they needed to talk.
3) The friend who called because they needed me to come serve as in-house counsel.
I didn't mind those calls at that much. People used to laugh about how it seemed like I never slept. You could call at 3 am and find me wide awake.
Those days are gone now. There is still an open phone policy. If you really need me you can call at any time, but make sure that it is serious.
Lately the policy has been abused and I am starting to become quite cranky. The worst offenders are my parents. Smart people who don't wear watches and ignore the huge time difference between the states and Israel.
No wonder I am so &$&#^$@ grumpy this morning.
Disappointed and Angry is the name of the chapter I am working on for Fragments of Fiction. This chapter has been rewritten a number of times as I just don't like the way it reads. It is about the feelings you have when someone you love gives up on you and the impact of that moment.
What I find most challenging is that I think my best writing comes from when I really feel things. So to write this section I have been trying to put myself in that place. It is quite unpleasant and I find myself falling into a foul mood, but I do want to get it done. As in all things music helps set the tone.
"What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end"
Hurt- Nine Inch Nails
Here are some sections that I am trying to weave together:
How I Deal With PainThe goal is to tie everything into the material here.
The Movies
It Made Me Spit Blood
The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants
Welcome To The Insomniac's Theater
Letting Love Go
The Day After
The Day Joy Left My Life
Married To the Wrong Woman
Jimmy Cox- First try
Alone In The Dark
And people ask why I make fun of cleveland. A couple of questions for you. If you noticed your neighbor was fornicating with the furniture would you:
A) Watch and keep an eye out to see if it happened again.
B) Film the incident and burn it onto a DVD.
C) Have the balls to submit the footage to the police.
What about choosing all three. Now I don't know about you, but if I was the tipster I might be a little nervous about my neighbor. You don't know what he might do in a fit of rage. Imagine your poor rocking chair. Consider the feelings of your own wicker furniture. Think about the impact this might have on your ottoman.
"BELLEVUE, OH -- A man in central Ohio is accused of having sex with his picnic table.
The investigation began when a tipster gave police three DVDs showing Arthur Price having sexual intercourse with a metal round table on his deck.
The incidents occurred between January and March 2008.
Police say the DVDs show Price involved in a sex act in his bedroom. He walks out to his deck, tilts the table on its side and has sex with it.
Police say Price lives near an elementary school.
Price admitted that he had sex with the picnic table when police questioned him.
He confirmed to police the incidents caught on the DVDs and said he had also had sex with the table inside the home.
Price faces four counts of public indecency. He is free on a $20,000 bond."
This sort of stuff happens to me all the time, except I know how to use the force. Sorry, I shouldn't laugh about a guy getting his butt whipped by Darth Vader, but it just cracks me up.
A Star Wars fan got closer to his idols than he would perhaps have liked when he was attacked in his garden by Darth Vader.Jedi Master Jonba Hehol - known to family and friends as Barney Jones, 36, of Holyhead - was giving a TV interview in his back garden for a documentary when a man, dressed in a black bin-bag and wearing Darth Vader's trademark shiny black helmet, leapt over his garden fence.
Wielding a metal crutch - his lightsaber presumably being in for repairs - the Sith Lord proceeded to lay about his opponent, whose Jedi powers proved inadequate for the task of defending himself.
After besting Master Hehol in single combat, Vader, who The Sun reports was under the influence of alcohol, went on to assault the camera crew and a hairdresser.
Master Hehol, a hairdresser, who founded the first-ever British Jedi Church in loving homage to the world-famous science fiction franchise with his brother Daniel, was unimpressed by the revenge of the Sith.
"This wasn't a joke. This was serious," he said.
Music that accompanies this post includes:
My Way- Frank Sinatra
Suspicious Minds- Elvis Presley
Hurt- Johnny Cash Cover version
Whiskey Lullaby- Brad Paisley & Allison Krauss (Live version here)
You're Gonna Miss This- Trace Adkins
Believe it or not my children and I talk about a lot of things besides body parts and funny noises.
Lately my son and I have spent quite a bit of time talking about what happens when you grow up. He wants to know if you have to get married and how you decide what kind of job you are going to have.
I really enjoy these discussions. He is still so very innocent and open to so many different ideas and possibilities. A blank tablet. I often wonder what he is going to draw there. What kind of man is he going to grow up to be. I do my best to try and give him some guidance, teach him what to look out for, who to avoid and how to get all that he wants.
The bottom line is that I want my children to live a life without regret. One day, a thousand years from now when they look back I want them to have more than a wistful smile. I want them to talk to their grandchildren about having lived a very full and rich life. I suppose that some people might ask what that means.
The answer is that it is different for everyone.
I am not sure if anyone can really say that they lived a life without regret. There are always things that we do that we look back upon and shake our heads. We're human. We're fallible. You can't always hit a homerun, sometimes you can't even get on a base. But if you can stay above the Mendoza Line things are probably going to be ok.
It is funny in a weird coincidental sort of way that the big guy decided to have these conversations with me. This is the first year in a long time that I have really been aware of my birthday. For the longest time I have been between milestones. I still am. In May I'll turn 39. Just one more year until 40.
Forty doesn't sound old to me. As a kid I remember people making a big deal out of it. So many comments about 40 being when you have a midlife crisis. I have two grandparents who are 94. That is more than double my age so I figure that I still have a while before anyone can truly call me middle aged.
Still, it is hard not to take a look at myself and wonder if this is all there is. It is hard to look in the mirror and not recognize the guy looking back at me. In my mind I see that 19-20 year-old guy. Flat stomach, full head of hair, metabolism that let him eat with reckless abandon. He is still there. I know that he is.
Yet, the look in my eyes is different. My mother used to speak of a mischievous glint in my eye. My sisters all say that they can always tell when I am up to something. That glint is accompanied by a smile and sometimes a full laugh.
Except, the guy looking back at me seems to be missing those things. It is an older face, worn and a bit weathered. The lines and the never ending five o'clock shadow give an edge that never used to be.
Musical interlude:Still, I am not as melancholy as I might sound. Sentimental, but not totally mired in sadness. Confused and unsure about a few things, but age has given me a few gifts, more on that later.
Boys of Summer- Don Henley
Just Another Day- Jon Secada
Just Another Day live- Oingo Boingo (Video version)
"And if you come to meSo I sit on his bed and listen to him read a story to me. This boy, this very large boy who once fit into my arm. The baby I held in a pretend Heisman Trophy stance asks me what he should be when he grows up.
And if you touch my hand
I might just slip away
I might just disappear
Who am i?
And if you think Im worth it
And if you think its not too late
We might start falling
If we dont try to hard
We might start falling in love
(chorus)
We're on the healing path
We're on a roller coaster ride
That could never turn back
And if you love me
And if you really try
To make the seconds count
Then we can close our eyes"
A friend sent a request for some cheesy 70s love songs. So per his request I have decided to provide a list of tunes from our childhood. Some of these are going to make him scream. Hee hee.
It's too late - CaroleKing
Annie´s Song- John Denver
If- Bread
You'll never find another Love Like Mine- Lou Rawls (Confession- I sang this at a karaoke bar..once.)
Where Is The Love-Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack (Old man, how does that elevator feel.)
Southern Nights - Glen Campbell
I'd Love You To Want Me - Lobo
Without You (Harry Nilsson)
The Hustle-Van McCoy (and here are your favorite dancing inmates.)
Go Your Own Way- Fleetwood Mac
Several people have recently contacted me to inquire about how I create these audio posts. Some of the relevant information is contained below.
Content is just as important in the audio posts as it is in the written. If you are not coming up with compelling content than you are not going to be able to retain your readers/listeners.
The other thing I suggest you do is listen to your post to determine if the sound quality is good. Sometimes I stutter, stammer or slur some words. If it fits the post, then I leave it as is. But if I feel it detracts from it I will go ahead and redo it.
What do you think about all this?
A special thanks to Mike at Crooks and Liars for including us in his blog roundup this morning. For those of you who are new to the blog what you will find here is a collection of posts about all sorts of topics, some happy, some sad, some funny and some that are just kind of out there.
There are about 5,500 posts here. To give you an inkling of what you might find here is a snapshot of some posts that are worth a read.
Anyway, I appreciate your time and hope that you'll come back to visit again.
- The Many Layers of Hell
- The GermoPhobe
- Jack's Experience In the Ladies Room
- What The Hell Happened to Courtesy
- Inside the Blogger's Studio- A Dream, Er Nightmare
- The tears that do not fall
- She Needs To Know About Boys
- Great Moments In Parenting- Parts of our Body That Grow
- Letting Love Go
- The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants
- Alone In The Dark
- He Put a Gun To My Head
- Stumbling Through Life
- Me & The UItimate Fighter- Road Rage
- The Bearer of Bad Tidings- One Less Set of Footsteps
Here is a snapshot of some of what I have been listening to today.
Springsteen:
Hungry Heart- When I was younger I used to just get in the car and drive, destination unknown. Every now and then that wanderlust hits me again. Sometimes the road not taken is the one that I miss the most.
Tougher Than The Rest- So many memories tied up in this one.
Tunnel Of Love- Can it really be 20 years. This song always makes me wonder.
Better Days- In my mind he is a master poet.
Leap Of Faith- Not his greatest song, but I like the idea behind it. And I enjoy the opening monologue.
No Surrender- This was high school for me, or should I say that it came out when I was in high school.
Dead Man Walkin'- I suppose that you could say that I like songs with stories behind them, don't have to be real.
Waitin' On A Sunny Day- Hope springs eternal.
Mick Jagger
Visions of Paradise- Another story that might have been, could still be or never was. Love this stuff.
Gimme Shelter- It is The Rolling Stones and not just Mick. Great song, the video fits.
Paul McCartney and miscellaneous others.BTW, had a conversation at the office with a few of the fellows and decided that Styx ranks right up there with the sappiest love songs. Somehow we all got stuck slow dancing to one or more of those.
Maybe I'm Amazed- Another song that makes me smile.
Day After Day- Bad Finger fits right into the 70s, but I like it anyhow.
God Only Knows- You have to love the Beach Boys.
Vincent- Love the painting.
Yes, you read the title of this post correctly. I am asking everyone who comes by the blog to join me in celebrating The Second Annual Link To Jack Day.
Last November I blogged about dancing with the children. For my daughter and I it has become a nightly ritual. Most evenings you'll see us spin around the room a time or two. I am not sure that I could say it any better than I did here:
More often than not she grabs my hand so that I can pick her up. I look down and see these twinkly eyes and a mop of curly hair and I melt. Click here. If you close your eyes you can see my princess and I waltzing around the room. Just hearing the music makes me smile. I can hear her giggle as we spin. I can hear her shriek with laughter. And sometimes, just sometimes you might even catch me with a little tear in my eye.But she has added to her repertoire. Now she likes to hold onto my hand and spin in little circles. Apparently she has been paying a lot of attention to Dancing With The Stars. Not just that, but she has grabbed onto some more tunes for us to dance to.
The new phone and I are still getting acquainted with each other.Overall it has been a mixed bag.
The honeymoon isn't quite over yet, but the lack of makeup sex isn't going to help.
The truth is that I haven't been good about reading the manual. Instead I have been doing the old touch and feel. That works well for reading in Braille and ok for people. You know that if you put your band in the wrong place they'll let you know.
The phone is less forgiving. Piss it off and it gives you the finger.
But I am optimistic about this relationship. Overall things look good. Maybe its that silver man that keeps smiling at me, or maybe it is the Uncle Noah The Monkey doll that came with it. Whatever it is, I am ok with it.
Disappointed Gourmand. It sounds like a name that I should have included in this post. But the point of this post is not to come up with a better name for this blog. Rather it is my chance to share my disappointment in a couple of meals.
Yesterday afternoon I headed off to enjoy a meal at what appeared to be a cool restaurant in Koreatown. My lunch partners and I were the only three white guys in there. The rest of the customers were all of various Asian nationalities, yes Jimmy, there is a difference.
Anyway, whenever I go out for some sort of ethnic meal I pay attention to the clientèle. I consider it to be a good sign when it is populated by members of the tribe of whatever sort of cuisine I am eating. In this particular situation my metric failed to protect me from a thoroughly unsatisfying meal.
The menu was really very limited, especially for me. You see it was written in Korean and as of yesterday I still hadn't learned how to read or speak it very well. Fortunately there were pictures so I was able to order off of the old point and grunt method. It is something that I learned from the Shmata Queen, the old point and grunt thing. If you have ever spent time with her in the morning you know exactly what I am talking about.
Anyway, I ordered some sort of noodle dish. It wasn't my first choice. My first choice was to get some sort of steak, but as they didn't offer meat, at least none that I could identify I played it safe.
A short time later my meal comes. It is a bowl of noodles. Stacked on top of the noodles are shredded cucumbers and an egg. The waiter told me that the noodles were spicy. That is ok with me, I like spicy. But the truth is that these weren't all that spicy,or all that tasty.
Lack of taste is never a good recipe. Unfortunately I was quite short on time so I had to deal with the meal as best I could. I can't speak for anyone else, but I really hate paying for meal that leaves me feeling bleah.
Today I was again jammed for time so I headed off to a place that I had been before. I played it safe and ordered a turkey sandwich. Somehow these yokels messed it up and turned it into some sort of sandwich nightmare. Had you been with me you would have heard me say &#$U&*^I*($%&#$Y$Y^ and &$& jackasses!
That's two days in a row that I have paid to be disappointed in my meal. On a side note it reminds me of a guy I used to know. You can him Jim.
Jim used to tell me that he never spent good money on a woman until after they had spent the night with him. Actually that is not how he said it, but it is probably safer for me not to use his exact words. I don't suppose that I have to tell you that I never double dated with Jim or that he and I somehow managed to lose touch with him.
This is just downright frightening. I just have to shake my head at the ignorance being spouted here. Hat Tip to Pharyngula.
Some people from the law firm of Teepesh, Kof and Hamor have been digging through the archives. I am not quite sure what they are looking for, but they did spend more time on these posts:
Oingo Boingo- Danny Elfman
My Third Blogiversary- Not Quite a Farewell
The Evolution of Math- A Joke
Songs That You Have To Sing Along With
It is Better Than Toilet Paper
Here is something you don't see every day:
To our neighbors, my wife, Nancy, and I don’t appear in the least unusual. To those in the quiet Oregon community where we live, we are viewed just as we are -- a happy couple deeply in love. Our desire to work hard, buy our first home, and start a family was nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until we decided that I would carry our child.
I am transgender, legally male, and legally married to Nancy. Unlike those in same-sex marriages, domestic partnerships, or civil unions, Nancy and I are afforded the more than 1,100 federal rights of marriage. Sterilization is not a requirement for sex reassignment, so I decided to have chest reconstruction and testosterone therapy but kept my reproductive rights. Wanting to have a biological child is neither a male nor female desire, but a human desire."
One of the reasons that I began this blog was to serve as a sort of a diary of my life and my family. I thought that it would be kind of neat in the years to come to revisit things that had happened, especially those involving my children. (Links to some of the older posts will be provided below.)
What I didn't realize was just how much blog fodder there would be. These children provide an enormous amount, far too much to ever record. So I try to hit the more interesting parts. It'd be nice to hit it all, but there is only so much time in the day.
As a point of reference I asked my parents if I was as inquisitive as my children are. They laughed and said yes. My mother made a point of telling me that my pre-school teachers said that I had one of the most active imaginations of any child they had ever met. It appears that I passed both of these attributes down, which is why you get to read another story about body parts and creative names for them.
If you are a long time reader you know that my son and I seem to be engaged in a never ending conversation about our bodies, sex and everything that goes along with. The questions are innocent enough. There is nothing in there that makes me worry about him, but he does make it challenging. I don't want to lie to him, but I don't need to provide all of the details.
Here is a recent transcript of one of those conversations.
Son: Dad, do you know what a boner is. (Said with a big Cheshire cat grin.)
Dad: Yes, I do.
Son: It is when your penis grows bigger.
Dad: Yes. You can call it an erection.
Son: An erection?
Dad: Yes, an erection. It is not related to an erector set.
Son: What is an erector set?
Dad: It is a toy that you may get when you turn eight.
Son: Ok. Do all boys get boners?
Dad: Yes.
Son: Why?
Dad: (Pause as I decide whether to rehash this conversation.) Remember our conversation about making babies?
Son: Yes. But I still have questions.
Dad: Like what.
Son: Can you do tricks with your boner?
(Quick comment. I have to bite my lip so that I don't give an answer like: Sure, I can put out fires, swing hula hoops from it and use it for batting practice.)
Dad: What sorts of tricks are you talking about? (The old answer a question with a question is a beautiful parenting trick.)
Son: Can you make it dance?
Dad: Sure. I can even make it sing. You ought to see me in the shower. (Relax, I didn't really sat that either.)
Son: When it grows I can make it move.
Dad: Well that means that you are perfectly normal. All boys can do that.
Son: (Whispering) When I have one it is hard to pee.
Dad: (Whispering back) Me too.
Son: Do you think girls wish they had a penis?
Dad: (I so very badly want to make a crack about penis envy.) Nah, they are happy with what they have.
Later on I'll have to post part two of this conversation. In the meantime if you are interested you can find more of these tales by clicking on the children label.
Updated to include a few new posts including those with Jameel The Waffle King.
Welcome to the Purim is over edition of Haveil Havalim. I noticed today that someone spent a lot of time reading my old post You Just Aren't that Funny. They probably are wondering why it is not called "You swear Like a Sailor." See, the computer is giving me grief, but I am not here to kvetch...much.
Ok on to the carnival. There are some outstanding posts this week. Read carefully. As a warmup you can begin with my post Death Comes For Us All- When Do you Start Saying Goodbye.
Politics
Bookworm Room shared Obama’s speech. Here are more comments from Jewish Atheist, JoshuaPundit, Seraphic Secret, Althouse and Andrew Sullivan.
Fiery Spirited Zionist has a post that says Obama's Church Supports Hamas. Bizzy Blog asks similar questions and so does Yid With Lid.
CK at Jewlicious had this to say about Obama: From Unimpressive to…. Jewschool provided this about Obama.
Kung Fu Jew is jumping on the bandwagon or drinking the Kool Aid. I'll let you decide. Solomonia also had this to share about Obama The downside of perpetual victimhood.
Soccer Dad is Speech less.
I thought that this was kind of interesting:
Blogging While Female Part 2: Five Women Bloggers Talk About Gender Issues And The Blogosphere.
You might want to read Rabbi attacked by Muslims in Brooklyn. Don't forget to read the Colossus of Rhodey and the Watcher's Council results.
Judaism
Planck's Constant asked What Happened to the Fearless Jew? Unfortunately at Brittanica Blog we see: Anti-Semitism, Alive & Well.
From Sigmund, Carl and Alfred Iran, The Bomb And The Purim Holiday.
At TRH Purim vs. Shabbat? A Seudah Showdown And I suppose we should include Derashah: The Poetry of Purim Meshulash.
From Daled Amos we have Noah Feldman Is In The New York Times Again.
One blogger shouted Will someone please remind me next year that I SUCK at making hamantaschen? Please?!!! I have seen similar sentiments elsewhere. If could find those posts I would share them here. Unfortunately I can't quite remember where those posts were. I suppose that is the way the cookie crumbles.
Ah, at last I have located one of the missing posts. Try Pick A Pastry.
From The Seforim Blog The Origins of Hamentashen in Jewish Literature (Revisited). Rafi shared a joke.
Ask Frume Sarah about Agunot.
Cosmic X had Some Food for Thought on The Fast of Esther.
Neither a blogger nor a lurker be: What if Shakespeare was Not a Man, but a Jewish Woman.
Go wish Baila a Mazel Tov for Tali's Bat Mitzvah. Or ask Elie about Maseches Grynegznham.
At Rechovot read about The Parent Versus the Rosh Yeshiva. From there I suggest you read TherapyDoc's Decisions, Decisions.
Technorati tags: haveil havalim, blog carnival.
It was dark when I woke up. I didn't have to look at the clock to know that nature was telling Mr. Sluggo to get up five minutes prior to the alarm. Some days it is kind of nice to be up before sunrise.
I am not a farmer or a broker. Work doesn't mandate that I shave hours of sleep off of my schedule. It is my own choice, sort of. I just have too much to do. There is work to be done to ensure that I have enough money to pay bills. There is housework to be done. A leaky sink, light bulbs to be changed, sprinklers to be fixed, a fuse in the car to replace, trash to be taken out, smoke detector to be installed and a host of other things here.
This doesn't include family time. There is homework to help with, stories to read, discussions about school and more questions about anatomy.
In fact, I just may post about the string and mom. That is quite a tale. I may even share the real name of the mother who explained to her son what a tampon does and where it goes. Because he told my son all about it and as you can imagine this led to one hell of a talk. I am certainly not prude or afraid to discuss these things but I am ready for a short break. Can't I spend more time filling the lad's head with stories about baseball and March Madness.
All of this is just filler for the meat of this post. I love to read. It is not an exaggeration to say that I devour books and magazines about all sorts of different topics. I read quite quickly and fortunately have good comprehension and retention skills.
Our home is filled with a ton of books and a host of magazines. The problem is that I have reached the point where I simply do not have enough time to read all of the magazines I receive. I have to cut back. I have to reduce the load. I can't give up anymore sleep. I can't give up working out or anything else. They have already received reductions.
But I love my magazines and am trying to come up with a compromise in which I read more of the online versions. It is a reasonable compromise. That is what I tell myself. But it is not the same as holding the hard copy of the publication. I like to hear the swishing of the pages. I like the feeling of holding something substantive in my hands.
Magazines aren't the same as books. I am very selective about what I hold onto. Books are not to be thrown away. Magazines aren't either, they're recycled, but I still send them on their way.
If any of the candidates can promise to create a 36 hour day that doesn't involve drugs or anything harmful they'll probably get my vote. I just have too many magazines to read.
It is Purim 2008 and we just returned from shul. My head is pounding. It was loud. It was raucous. It was fun...until the kids melted down. We're talking nuclear meltdown. Unusually loud and exceptionally long. Ok, it really wasn't that long, but when you are tired time has a way of dragging its lazy butt around.
Purim is an exceptional holiday. It is one of my favorites which is why I always write something about it:
Purim
The "Purim Code"
Triage For a Goldfish- Resuscitating The Fish
Purim is one of My Favorite Holidays
The Boy Pummeled Me
As I look back at these posts I cannot be help but be struck by how many changes have taken place in my life. In a short period of time the world I knew changed...dramatically.
I can't really say that I am surprised by any of it. Life doesn't stop moving. You can't stop time. You can't go back. All you can do is move forward. But there is something very exciting about that. It is the tingle I get when I remember that life is what we make of it. Esther and Mordecai could have sat back and let things take their course. They could have watched, but they didn't.
If I look forward I see the opportunity to do more than grab the brass ring. I can get the silver man. It just takes a little patience and the ability to remember that the world is not black and white.
Life can be fulfilling or it can be incredibly dull and distasteful. It is what you make of it. Purim is another reminder of that.
Enough of the Tony Robbins material. I don't know about you, but I got suckered into taking the the kids to two Purim carnivals last weekend. They of course won more goldfish. And as expected the damn fish died today.
What a lovely prize. Not quite as good as the ceramic dogs they used to give away on Wheel of Fortune, but close.
Hope that you all had a great Purim.
Way back in the Jurassic era of my blogging career I spent about 1.2 seconds devising a clever name for this blog. It was so clever that just short of four years later people still can't the name straight.
If you search through the blogrolls you'll find me listed as Random Thoughts, Random Thoughts- Do they Have Meaning? and Jack's Shack. For a while someone had me listed as The Fabulous Jack and his Magical Shack. Unfortunately she has since hung up her shingle and moved on. The worst part is that she deleted her blog. Had I spent more time thinking about it I would have taken a screen shot of it.
I suppose that I could go off on a marketing rant about branding and how I should have spent time to think of a clever title for this little corner of cyberspace. If you have any interest in becoming a successful blogger a good title is a key component. I wouldn't say that it is the keystone in the arch, because outstanding content is critical. I'd like to say that it is the most important element, but I don't believe that to be true.
Dr. Helen asked if your car is a reflection of your personality. Perhaps I should ask if the same holds true of blog names. Want to gain a little insight about some old jbloggers? Try reading What Do You Call Your Blog?
Of course that list is now replete with a number of retired bloggers.
Every so often I consider retiring, I think that I'll hang up my keyboard and just start over. I'll take the knowledge I have gained from this place and apply it to a new venture. But I think that I'd miss this place. There is a certain comfort here, a familiarity.
Would I really want to give that up so that I could come up with some uber cool name. Well, maybe....I'll let you know.
A few moments of music and lyrics and my confession. If I could write and sing like this I might have been single forever.
Reach Out I'll Be There- Four Tops
Now if you feel that you can't go on
Because all of your hope is gone
And your life is filled with much confusion
Until happiness is just an illusion
And your world around is tumblin' down
Darling, reach out
Reach out, for me.
I'll be there with a love that will shelter you
I'll be there with a love that will see you through
Now when you're lost and about to give up
'cause your best just ain't good enough
and you feel the world has grown cold
and you're driftin' out all on your own
And you need a hand to hold
darling, reach out
reach out, for me.
I'll be there to love and comfort you
And I'll be there, to cherish and care for you
I'll be there to always see you through
I'll be there to to love and comfort you
Sugar Pie Honey Bunch- Four Tops
Sugarpie honeybunch
I'm weaker than a man should be
I can't help myself
I'm a fool in love you see
Wanna tell you I don't love you
Tell you that we're through
And I've tried
But everytime I see your face
I get up all choked up inside
When I call your name, girl
It starts the flame burning in my heart
Tearin' it all apart
No matter how I try
My love I cannot hide
Sugarpie honeybunch
You now that I'm weak for you
I can't help myself
I love you and nobody else
BABY I NEED YOUR LOVING- Four TopsBaby I need your lovin'
Baby I need your lovin'Although you're never near
Your voice I often hear
Another day, another night
I long to hold you tight
'Cause I'm so lonelyBaby, I need your lovin'
I got to have all your lovin'
Baby, I need your lovin'
Got to have all your lovin'Some say it's a sign of weakness
For a man to beg
Then weak I'd rather be
If it means havin' you to keep
'Cause lately I've been losin' sleepBaby, I need your lovin'
I got to have all your lovin'
Baby, I need your lovin'
Got to have all your lovin'Empty nights
Echo your name
Sometimes I wonder
Will I ever be the same
Layla- Derek & The Dominos- Much has been said about this song, by people far wiser than I.
Kind and Generous- Natalie Merchant-
It is ten years since we lost 'D.' When he was dying it seemed to be playing a lot, so I just associate it with him. Ten years and this song still can make me get choked up, isn't there a statute of limitations on that.La la la la...
You've been so kind and generous
I don't know how you keep on giving
For your kindness I'm in debt to you
For your selflessness my admiration
For everything you've done you know I'm bound
I'm bound to thank you for it
La la la la...
You've been so kind and generous
I don't know how you keep on giving
For your kindness I'm in debt to you
And I never could have come this far without you
For everything you've done, you know I'm bound
I'm bound to thank you for it
La-la-la-la...
Oh, I want to thank you for so many gifts you gave
The love, the tenderness, I wanna thank you
I want to thank you for your generosity, the love
And the honesty that you gave me
I want to thank you show my gratitude
My love, and my respect for you, I want to thank you
Oh, I want to thank you, thank you; thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, thank you; thank you, thank you
Last night we had the pleasure of celebrating my grandfather's 94th birthday, but if you ask him how old he is he'll tell you that he is actually in his 95th year. In a couple of weeks my grandmother will join him in beginning her 95th year. Come this June they'll celebrate their 74th wedding anniversary.
Oh, did I mention that they have been friends since they were eleven years old.
As we sang happy birthday I watched the glint in his eye grow brighter. A gaggle of great-grandchildren were there to help him blow out the candles. They see an old man who doesn't walk real well. They see a crankier man than the grandfather I knew.
They don't see the man who would sing and dance to Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen. They haven't the heard the stories of his time playing Lazar Wolf or other tales of the Yiddish theater.
That grandfather is still there but, he is clearly begun to slow down. In some ways the changes are so dramatic that you can't help but notice. I remind myself that he is 94. It is natural. It is ok, but it is still hard.
I am not mourning his death. He is very much alive, but now it is clear that he is closer to the end than the beginning. I suppose that I could blame some of this concern upon him. He does talk to me about death more than he used to.
Most of the time it is his fear of what will happen to my grandmother. He has a fierce and burning love for her. He confessed that he sometimes feels frustrated because he is not the man that he was. To paraphrase, "If your grandma fell I couldn't just pick her up, not anymore." And then with a bit of a smirk he said, "you know, I used to do those sorts of things. Don't think that it is just you younger people."
And so he made me promise that if he should die before my grandmother I would see that she is taken care of. I did, but I won't lie and say that for a moment I didn't choke up. He was teary eyed, "You see an old woman, but I see a girl that I still love."
Inside their bedroom are a ton of pictures of the family. There are all sorts of shots of my siblings and I. My kids love to look at them. My daughter looks at some and says "there is baby daddy." My son smiles and asks if the little boy with the curly hair is really me. I nod and smile. He knows that it is me, but it is hard for him to reconcile the pictures of the boy with the father he knows.
My grandfather points to pictures of his grandparents. He shakes his head and says that he can't believe that I never met them. I shrug my shoulders and say that they must have passed something onto him, so I must have a small taste of who they were.
There are pictures on the wall of my Bar-Mitzvah. My grandparents are dancing. They danced at every party. Every time there was a band the two of them were out there gliding around the floor.
I was about 11 when he told me that if I learned how to dance the girls would learn how to hold onto me. I asked him if remembered that and he said yes. Then he laughed and said "and once they learn how to hold on they never let go."
After he blew out the candles my grandmother asked him if he had any money on him. He asked her why and she made some excuse. For a moment they sniped at each other and then he realized that she had been teasing him. She smiled and told him that she'd buy him a gift some other time.
They kissed each other and shared a moment.
I'd like to write more. I'd like to give you a better description of who they are and what they mean to me. As the eldest of their grandchildren I feel a bit of obligation, but I think that for now this is enough.
The sun is setting, but the darkness hasn't quite come, not yet. One day I'll come back to this blog and ease my pain by writing about them. But not yet. For now this is still a celebration of their lives and the joy they take in each other and their family.
We should all be so lucky.
Now here is something you don't see every day.
Karl Rütsche, a spokesman for Schwerzenbach council, said it was not happy when it heard Dignitas had settled in its community but was powerless to act. 'Of course, as a council we tried to stop them moving here and we fought the Dignitas decision tooth and nail. We didn't want the country's biggest sex club and largest death factory side-by-side on our doorstep.' He added: 'Having lost the battle to keep them away at least we can say that - on a positive note - everyone now knows where Schwerzenbach is. And as far as I know there have never been any complaints from any of the people living here, never mind a petition or protest action. Now they have settled in, I have to admit Dignitas seems to be a very professional company.
'As a resident, you don't really notice what is happening. We estimate about 200 people a year will kill themselves there, but we won't notice anything if we don't have to register the deaths. We don't have any hotels. I gather that isn't a problem because Dignitas's customers usually arrive on the day and go straight to the company's offices.
'The only problem ever is that Dignitas doesn't advertise its presence - and a lot of people get lost and have to ask for directions. But there are 300 customers a day going to the brothel, so there is always someone around to ask.'
It is another Monday night at The Shack. Time to share what I have been listening to. I recently purchased Kashmir: The Symphonic Led Zeppelin. I love this album.
YouTube has a couple of cuts off of the album, including a beautiful version of Stairway to Heaven.
So my friends here is a list of some of the music of my evening:
Johann Pachelbel - Canon in D
Samuel Barber - Adagio for Strings, op.11 (I find this to be particularly moving.)
Aaron Copland - Rodeo: Hoedown
Gene Krupa- Sing, Sing, Sing
Metallica S&M live-The Ecstasy of Gold(This always makes me miss riding my horse.)
Metallica - Nothing Else Matters(S&M)
Metallica- No Leaf Clover (San Francisco Symphony)Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman - Time To Say Goodbye
(Special Thanks to Not quite perfect for the Graphic.)
Welcome to the Almost Purim edition of Haveil Havalim. Forgive me, but I couldn't help but produce another audio introduction.
If you want more insight as to the source of my pending madness you need merely read a conversation with my son called For A Good Time Call... That one was right up there alongside Great Moments In Parenting- Parts of our Body That Grow. And people ask why I am losing my hair.
Let's take a look back at last year's Purim mishigoss the JBlogosphere's Muqata Purim Podcast. Now that you are warmed up dive on in to the meat of our carnival.
(P.S. For those who are curious I'll include links to the various songs I listened to while putting this together.)
(P.P.S. Don't forget to check on this throughout the day as it will be updated.
Judaism (London Symphony Orchestra - Stairway to Heaven)
Batya presents Adar, When Everything's Upside Down . Mother in Israel shared an Explosive Purim. Ima on (and off) The Bima shared13 Things I Love About Purim!
Perhaps Lipa should have consulted with The BPS (Bansmanship Policies and Standards) Commission.
This is not a Purim joke Looking For Jewish Wife Swappers. I am resisting the temptation to share a couple of jokes. The Velveteen Rabbi posted Purim: redemption and the true king.
AidelMaidel shared the Danger of Cap Guns.
Y-Love saw The American Jewish Women of the Veil?
Ask Chaim about My Review of Dovid Gabay's Omar Dovid. Or maybe you'd prefer VeRuach Elokim Merachefet...
Eliya presents It does not die.
Carl blogged about Honoring anti-Semites in Berlin. From Gail we learn It's Up to the Jews to Save Judaism.
The Rebbetzin's Husband proffered The Conservative Nature of Halachah. While A Simple Jew shared a Question & Answer With Dixie Yid - A Hardened Heart.
Lion of Zion answers the question: Why We Need the Haftarah: 15 Reasons and Zecher or Zeicher?
Frum Satire says that a Web Yeshiva offers free Purim shiurim this sunday.
A Soldier's Mother: Remembering Our Enemies. Along those lines Shiloh Musings asks/says We'll All Be Arrested.
Leora offers an explanation called Belz? Hasid? Litvak? Yekke? Sephardi?
In Forged in the Crucible of Life Mottel discusses divine providence.
At Jewschool KRG asks Who are we? Redux.
Israel (Battle of Evermore - Led Zeppelin)
Rabbi Daniel Gordis has an outstanding post called The Shame Of It All. Here to Be Us provides a response to that essay.
ShrinkWrapped asks Has Israel Lost the Will to Live? Sigmund, Carl and Alfred offered this response: Israel's Malaise And Resurrection.
Breath of the Beast responded too.
Seraphic Secret presents Getting Stoned in Israel. From Israpundit we have “International law” does more harm than good.
There are a slew of posts about the terrible tragedy at Mercaz haRav. They start just below this:
Soccer Dad shared In memory. The Rebbetzin's Husband says that Without an Endgame, Mercaz haRav will happen again.
At Shiloh Musings Getting "Up" on the Eve of Shabbat Zachor is short but not sweet. From Mystical Paths THE POLICE STOOD BY AND DID NOTHING !!!! and The 8 Kedoshim.
At Esser Agaroth Terrorist Attack At Merkaz HaRav and They Were High School Students!
Harry in Israel asks How do you explain... Dr. Sanity shared her thoughts here.
Baila shared A Little History. Emes Ve-Emunah provided Final Thoughts. And Jameel says that Despite the horrific attack...we still rejoice in Adar.
Meryl continues to show that the media is more than a little confused about what is happening in Israel. Read about it at Rocket barrage strikes Israel, media blames Israel.
It makes me chuckle when the losing side thinks that they can dictate how things will play out. Yourish shares that with Hamas dictates surrender terms. You can watch the video of those terms here.
Solomonia shared more good news about our dear friend: Saudi Scholar Spouts Holocaust Denial and Calls for Genocide on Hamas TV.
It is Almost Supernatural shared Why Israel ≠ Apartheid from a South African Perspective.
Yid With Lid says Palestinians Long Tradition of Celebrating Massacres and that Olmert Is Israel's Embarrassment.
Rafi broke the important news Israel nearly kills Shimon Peres. You probably could use An Idiot’s Guide to Israeli Weddings.
Visit Aussie Dave for the Inaccurate Reuters Caption of the Day. From the AntiRacist Blog: New anti-Semitism disguised by hatred of Israel.
EOZ Shared "Galilee Freedom Batallions" and the 1974 PLO "phased plan"
and Gazans fire mortars at their own "humanitarian aid" (Hasbara failure #2).
Yet another controversy has erupted over land. Read about this at Facebook moves West Bank settlers into 'Palestine'
Imagine the horror of being disabled and knowing that you have 15 seconds to reach cover. Want to know more? Then you must check out Israel Matzav's Life and death for Sderot's disabled.
I have very nice memories from my time at the Golan Heights Winery. Drink enough and you might enjoy the Mad Libs For Peace.
Or lets try and Reword a BBC Headline. At A Time of The Signs they have Just a bit of sophomoric humor.
When words of consolation fall on deaf ears is the title of a post at Treppenwitz . Gateway Pundit offered Hamas Admits to Using Women & Children As Human Shields.
Ask Dry Bones about The Zionist Idea.
On a different tack at Israeli VC on Sand Hill road you can look into Dollars and Israeli start-ups.
Don't forget to be a part of the Online Purim Solidarity Rally For Israel.
Politics (Imperial March and Mess Around-Ray Charles)
JA makes it clear who he is supporting with Hillary's Really Starting to Piss Me Off. Atlas Shrugs offered Financing Jeremiah Wright.
Bookworm blogged It’s not that he was a victim….and asks Is it just me?
From My Right Word Spitzer to See Rabbi? Wonkette to See Hate Crimes Investigator?
Maybe if Spitzer had listened to Bernie things would have worked out differently.
At my own blog I offered Dr. Laura Blames Spitzer's Wife. TherapyDoc has her own take: What Would Freud Say: Eliot Spitzer.
Likelihood of Success presented Mine, yours and hours.
LindaSoG presents In my heart, I knew it and Yadda Yadda.
From FresnoZionism we learn that The Iranian threat is not ‘future’ anymore.
According to Sammy the State Department Says Anti-Zionism is the New Anti-Semitism.My Right Word says a U.S. Report Biased.
Daled Amos asks: Ben Gamla: The Hillary Clinton of Charter Schools?
Schvach discussed The Deception of Christian Zionism and I Didn’t Know He’s Jewish, Either.
DovBear opined about Obama's Pastor. Omri shared Daily Kos: Sure Obama's Race-Baiting Christian Pastor Is Bad. But What About The Jews?
At Jammie Wearing Fool you can learn about Tony Blair's Aide's plan: Let's Chat With Hamas, Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Miscellaneous (Gad Elbaz - Halayla Ze HaZman)
It is almost Purim. Who is thirsty? Check out Kosher Beers Wednesday's Weird But True Cases - Vol III.
Shira asks Napkins Please. Must be all that Southern cooking. ;)
Lubab was Found Out By a Friend. SuperRaizy inquires about Using Children As Fundraisers.
Rivster shared The Learning Curve. Want to see a movie? Check out Jewno.
From Tamara Eden we have Blogging, The Internet, Meet-Ups…and An Article I’m In :)
Dr. Helen asks Are You a Generation Xer? From My Shrapnel Gila discusses what it means to be A Unit of One.
The Holy Hyrax finally opened up his own blog. Sometimes it is a dirty yellow, depressing sky.
Dennis Wolfberg discusses The Bris. Atilla is going to run A wedgie ad campaign.
I am pleased to say that I am still a kid. Here is how I know this. WestBankMama says that she is an adult now. Since she is a few years older than me I know that I must still be a kid. Of course when I turn 40, 50, 60, 130 etc. I'll still be a kid.
On the other hand Shira is searching for older bloggers, The far side—of fifty.Technorati tags: haveil havalim, blog carnival.
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I pulled this from the Huffington Post
VIEIRA: Do you think women play any role in this, Dr. Laura?
SCHLESSINGER: It's interesting. what you said about what men need -- men do need validation. When they come into the world they're born of a woman. Getting the validation from mommy is the beginning of needing it from a woman. When the wife does not focus in on the needs and the feelings sexually, personally, to make him feel like a man, to make him feel like a success, to make him feel like our hero, he's very susceptible to the charm of some other woman making him feel what he needs. These days, women don't spend a lot of time thinking about how they can give their men what they need.VIEIRA: Are you saying women should feel guilty, like they somehow drove the man to cheat?
SCHLESSINGER: You know what, the cheating was his decision to repair what's damaged, and to feed himself where he's starving. But, yes, I hold women accountable for tossing out perfectly good men by not treating them with the love and kindness and respect and attention they need.
I have had moments where I have spent more time in the bathroom then I'd like, but this is too much. Am I the only one who thinks that the boyfriend is weird.
WICHITA, Kansas (AP) -- A 35-year-old woman who sat on her boyfriend's toilet for so long that her body was stuck to the seat had a phobia about leaving the bathroom, the boyfriend said."She is an adult; she made her own decision," said her boyfriend, Kory McFarren. "I should have gotten help for her sooner; I admit that. But after a while, you kind of get used to it."
The case drew nationwide attention after Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said it appeared the Ness City woman's skin had grown around the seat in the two years she apparently was in the bathroom.
"We pried the toilet seat off with a pry bar and the seat went with her to the hospital," Whipple said. "The hospital removed it."
McFarren, 36, said he can't be certain how long Pam Babcock stayed in the bathroom because "time just went by so quick I can't pinpoint how long." He said beatings she received in her childhood caused her phobia.McFarren said he finally called police February 27 after he became worried because Babcock was acting groggy -- like she didn't know what was going on, except she was awake.
What emergency responders found when they went into bathroom has left residents of this small western Kansas town buzzing, and law enforcement officials incredulous.
Police found the clothed woman sitting on the toilet, her sweat pants down to mid-thigh. She was "somewhat disoriented," and her legs looked like they had atrophied, Whipple said.
"She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body," Whipple said. "It is hard to imagine. ... I still have a hard time imagining it myself."
Apparently a couple of the boys in my neighborhood have decided that today is a good time to tap into the Purim spirit. Outside my window I can hear them booing and cheering.
If I am not mistaken that brown paper bag holds something other than their lunch.
Way back in the annals of time old Ann Stacey remarked that while I am not clumsy I am most certainly not the definition of grace. It is a fair assessment. I have a body that was built for demolition and hard labor. The only time you'll hear my name alongside of Baryshnikov is if you read this sentence out loud.
I tore my pants today. If my life were a sitcom it would have happened while tying my shoe or bending over to pick up a paper clip. It is not hard to picture, I'd bend over and a loud tearing noise would emanate from the seat of my pants.
Since I don't embarrass all that easily I'd stand up and waltz on out to the car, thankful that I wore a pair of clean boxers.
But my life is not a sitcom. In this particular instance the right pocket on my slacks reached out and latched onto my chair. Who knew that the two of them had such a torrid love affair going on. I'm a believer in love and challenging relationships.
Had they asked for my help I would have gladly found a way for the two of them to spend time together. Instead they tried to sneak around behind my back and tragedy struck.
Now there is a large gash running along the right side of my pants leg. If these were jeans I might be able to say that it is intentional. It might even be considered fashionable. But these aren't jeans and I am not Beau Brummel.
I am tempted to use the various desk accoutrement's to pierce various parts of my body. I can use a paper clip to pierce my ears, take the scissors and stapler to engage in some sort of nifty body modification. If I can find a mirror I'll use the marker to create a really cool tattoo across my chest and maybe, just maybe the gash in my pants will look like it belongs.
Or maybe I'll casually get up and walk on out the door. I'll keep going until I reach my car, ignoring the tremendous breeze running up and down my leg. That breeze is not really all that refreshing. In fact it makes me want to yell "There was shrinkage!" Did I get the Seinfeld reference down? Does it matter.
All I know is that somehow I wrecked a good pair of pants. Maybe I should have stayed in bed today, or maybe I should call Julie and see if she can help me find a tailor.
And now if you'll excuse me it is time to take the walk of shame. ;)
This number might make me do a double take.
For the full story click here.
"Someone with a little knowledge of musical golden oldies is jangling nerves in Delaware.
Some people getting late night and early morning telemarketing calls in the Wilmington area have been doing a double take when they see the number on their caller ID: 867-5309. That's part of the title of a 1980s hit — "867-5309/Jenny" — by the band Tommy Tutone."
Good Old Ann Stacey knows that I know better than she does on many things, but even she knows that this is not Ray Charles. It is that one hit wonder Percy Sledge. Ok, maybe that is not fair, but I am a bit fan of Ray's. I went to four or five of his shows and own most of his albums.
Just for kicks here are some links to a selection of his music, some you definitely will know and some you won't, but I like them.
Song For You- I love these lyrics:
"I love you in a place where there's no space or timeI Got a Woman
I love you for my life, 'cause you're a friend of mine
And when my life is over, remember when we were together
We were alone and I was singin' my song for you"
I have quickly learned that having children who can read presents all sorts of new challenges. My son reads everything and anything he sees. I love it. I love watching the excitement in his eyes as he sounds out new words. I love it when he asks me to what words mean and how to use them. But sometimes it does present challenges.
During a recent trip to the mall we had to make a stop at one one of the bathrooms. The interior of the stall was decorated in the latest graffiti. This was one of those unforeseen challenges that parenting seems to be chock full of.
Son: Who is Julie?Ok, that last line was totally fabricated, but it fits in with the theme of the post. I tuned out graffiti so long ago that it didn't occur to me that it would lead to such a wacky discussion. Actually, I can't really say that it was a wacky discussion either. In it is own crazy way it made sense.
Dad: Julie who?
Son: I don't know her last name.
Dad: Why not?
Son: It didn't say.
Dad: What didn't say?
Son: It just said her first name.
Dad: What did.
Son: The writing in the bathroom.
Dad: It did?
Son: Yes. It said "For a good time call Julie."
Dad: Oh.
Son: Is she fun to play with?
Dad: I don't know.
Son: Does she have a lot of good toys?
Dad: I don't know.
Son: Why did it say to call her? Does she like playing with boys?
Dad: I don't know. Maybe someone is playing a trick on her.
Son: Would you like playing with Julie?
Dad: I don't know her.
Son: It says that you'd have fun. Maybe you should call her. You've been grumpy lately.
Dad: I don't think Julie wants to hear from me.
Son: She might. You could teach her things. She might like to learn some tricks from you.
Dad: That's ok. She probably has better things to do.
Son: But why is her name there?
Dad: Someone is playing a trick on her.
Son: I don't really like playing with girls.
Dad: I know. One day that might change.
Son: No way!
Dad: I wouldn't worry about it.
Son: I am not. I run too fast, besides I know what to do.
Dad: Oh? What do you too.
Son: Sammy and David's mommy have babies in their tummies.
Dad: That is called being pregnant.
Son: Right, their pregnant. They always say that they're tired.
Dad: Pregnant women get tired pretty easily.
Son: We should get all the girls pregnant.
Dad: What? Why would you say that?
Son: Because if we get them all pregnant they'll be too tired to bother us.
Dad: There are probably better ways than that.
Son: Sammy's dad told him that getting his mommy pregnant was really fun.
Dad: Why did he tell him that?
Son: Sammy said that he heard having babies was hard and he didn't want his daddy to get hurt.
Dad: He did?
Son: Yes, he said that he told his daddy he didn't want him to yell like that pregnant lady on television.
Dad: So what Sammy's dad say?
Son: He said that getting mommies pregnant is something that boys like to do, but I don't think I want to.
Dad: You probably should wait until you're married.
Son: But girls bother us. If we get them pregnant they'll be too tired to chase us.
Dad: Believe me, that won't stop them. Anyway, I don't want you and your friends running around talking about getting girls pregnant. That is for grownups who love each other.
Son: Jonah's mom and dad must really love each other. They have a lot of kids.
Dad: $*%*(**U*$
Apparently not for this couple.
For the full story click here."It was just puppy love, their parents promised.
As the years passed, Bob found a wife. And Sue found a husband. They built careers and raised kids. Bob wound up retired in San Clemente. Sue wound up retired in Iowa.
And that might have been how this story ended. Except that in early 2003, Sue's cousin Maureen Paulson tracked Bob down through Classmates.com. She had some bad news: Mike Kilkelly, Maureen's high school sweetheart and Bob's old buddy, had been killed in a car wreck. Maureen and Mike used to double date with Bob and Sue.
Bob sent an email back, confiding that his wife of 24 years, Lucie, had died of cancer a few months before. In fact he was heading back to Bayport in a few weekends to find some comfort in a visit with his sister and 97-year-old mother. Maybe they could meet for lunch?"
iTunes Shuffle Snapshot
Back In The Saddle Again- Gene Autry"Lean back in my strong arms and I'll carry you home, cradle your heart and heal your soul. One kiss is all it takes. One moment that lasts an age. One more chance to make it happen, one more chance to get it right......."
Do You Wanna Go Party- K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Who Are You- The Who
Dust in the Wind [Live]- Kansas
One Less Set of Footsteps- Jim Croce
Allentown- Billy Joel
Bye Bye Blackbird- Joe Cocker
Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue-Leonard Bernstein; New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Knockin' on Heaven's Door-Bob Dylan
The Diva Megamix- Bonus Track (Somewhere Anne Stacey is dancing to this tune.)
Neto: Brazil (Around The World)- The Three Tenors
Feelin' Sad- Ray Charles
Love Will Keep Us Alive- The Eagles
Seven Seas Of Rhye- Queen
Calling All Angels- Train
The Creative Carnival - March 2008 is up. It features my post A Bigger House & More Money.
The "Live From the Fleshpots of Tel Aviv" Edition is at My Shrapnel.
Don't forget to check out my two posts
The Shame Of It All
They Slaughter Our Children With Malice
More to come.
Daniel Gordis still produces some of the finest essays I have read. In his latest he discusses how the mindset of Jews was supposed to be changed from viewing themselves as victims and the role of the state of Israel in that.
"When you've lost the sense that Jewish statehood is about changing the condition of the Jew, and when you can no longer recall that independence was designed (inter alia) to end the era of hunting seasons in which the Jews are the ducks, just because they're Jews, when any semblance of a Jewish conversation is thoroughly absent from your worldview, it's hard to say much about why the Jews need a State. It's hard to say why the high cost of living here (and I don't mean financial) is worth it. How do you explain to your friends, and to yourself, why you should drive your eighteen year old son to the base where he'll be inducted, and hope and pray for three long years (or more) that he'll be OK, if you have no idea why a Jewish State matters?Read the whole thing, it is worth it.
When you can't articulate why you need this State, you fret. You worry mostly about what the world thinks of you, because more than anything else, you simply want to be "normal," indistinguishable, just like everyone else. So, just like the "men" in Bialik's poem, you don't allow yourself to be horrified by the fact that almost 8,000 rockets have been fired at Sederot, that life there has been transformed into hell. You don't allow yourself to remember that for years, yes seven years, kids (and old kids, sometimes in their teens) have been sleeping in their parents' rooms, making any kind of normal family life utterly impossible, elementary school kids have been wetting their beds, half the businesses are vacated, more than half the town is empty, the economy doesn't exist and everyone is scared to death, all the time.
You don't allow yourself to focus on the fact that this is exactly what Zionism was supposed to prevent. You get so used to it that you don't see that Jews sitting like ducks, simply waiting to be hit by homemade missiles while the region's most powerful army sits on the side and polishes its boots, is a bastardization of what Zionism was supposed to be.
When you can't say anything anymore about why the Jews need a state, about what Statehood was supposed to do to the condition of the Jew, you don't allow yourself to stare reality squarely in the face and to wonder what will happen when they get Grads, and then Katyushas, and hit Ashkelon and then Ashdod - until they start. And then, when they do (which they did, this week), you tell yourself that it's "not so bad." After all, in yesterday's attacks on Sederot, "only" one woman was killed. "Only" one house (not her house, but a different one) was burnt to the ground. And in the roadside bombing of an army patrol, which isn't even on the news anymore, because last night got a lot worse, they "only" killed one soldier, and "only" one soldier was in extremely critical condition. "Only" a few families forever destroyed - we're going to get worked up about that?
When a country's leadership can't express a single coherent thought about why the Jews need a State, when its Prime Minister can articulate no agenda for the Jewish State beyond the hope that it will be "a fun place to live" (and look who gleefully cites that interview), you know we're bankrupt. You're bankrupt because Bialik and Alterman were too successful. They were part of a movement that so utterly disconnected the Jews from the discourse that had nurtured them for centuries that now, aside from being a marginally Hebrew-speaking version of some benign and characterless country, we can't remember why we wanted this State to begin with. So we don't defend it, because we don't want to hurt their civilians (even though they openly target ours)."
When you watch the videos and you see the pictures I want you to ask yourself what an appropriate response would be. Think about it and then tell me that you wouldn't demand that your government respond with something more than platitudes.
I want to see peace. I want to see people living side by side without fear, but we don't live in a time when that can happen. Not now, not for a long time. Too much has happened. It is time to sit down and say we agree to disagree. It is time to stop trying to force an agreement.
Related links:
IDF Special Unit training to fight terror
Inside Terrorism- The X-Ray Project
Defeat Stolen From The Jaws of Victory
Dan Rather, Katie Couric, and an Israeli sergeant were all captured by terrorists in Iraq. The leader of the terrorists told them he would grant them each one last request before they were beheaded.
Dan Rather said, 'I'm a Texan, so I'd like one last bowlful of hot spicy chili.' The leader nodded to an underling who returned with chili. Rather ate it all and said, 'Now I can die content.'
Katie Couric said, 'I'm a reporter to the end. I want to take my tape recorder, then describe the scene here and what's about to happen. Maybe someone will hear it and know I was on the job till the end.'
The leader directed an aide to hand over the tape recorder, and Couric dictated some comments, then said, 'Now I can die happy.'
The leader turned and said, 'And now, Mr. Israeli tough guy, what is your final wish?'
'Kick me in the ass,' said the soldier.'
'What?' asked the leader? 'Will you mock us in your last hour?'
'No, I'm not kidding. I want you to kick me in the ass,' insisted the Israeli.
So the leader shoved him into the clearing and kicked him in the ass. The soldier was sent sprawling, but rolled to his knees, pulled a 9 mm pistol from under his flack jacket, and shot the leader dead. In the resulting confusion, he jumped to his knapsack, pulled out his carbine and sprayed the rest of the terrorists with gunfire. In a flash, all terrorists were either dead or fleeing for their lives.
As the soldier was untying Rather and Couric, they asked him, 'Why didn't you just shoot them in the beginning? Why did you ask them to kick you in the ass first?'
'What?' replied the Israeli, 'And have you two assholes report that I was the aggressor?!'
If you are are a long time reader of the blog you’ll recall that four years ago I received the sort of call we all dread. It is the one in which you learn that a loved one is in dire straits. In this particular circumstance that call was about my father.
While visiting family back east he took ill and came very close to dying on several occasions. In fact, more than one doctor told me that he should have died. As you can imagine this sort of bedside manner leads to a relationship of love and trust between doctor and patient and doctor and patient’s family member.
Anyway, my father survived, proving that the male stock of our family have a long and proud tradition of doing what we want to do and not what everyone thinks we should. Go Dad! Ok, now that we got the background and big cheer let’s discuss the present.
This morning I receive a call in which I learn that my father has pneumonia and has been hospitalized. They think that he is ok, but given his history we have reason to be nervous. But since fate likes to play with my family the story doesn’t really end there.
You see my parents are enjoying a well deserved vacation in Israel, or at least until a number of hours ago they were. Today they made the unscheduled detour to the hospital where they received all the details about my father’s condition, including his need for hospitalization. They began their introduction to Israeli medicine by staring blankly at the Russian doctor who initially saw them. Try as they might they couldn’t figure out what he was saying. He was followed by the Israeli doctor who also attempted to communicate with them as well. His attempt was more successful, but not nearly enough to make them understand what was happening.
The third doc to come see them was originally from Australia. His ability to communicate with them was much better, in spite of his funny accent and love for that dull game that American’s call soccer. Did I mention that sometimes when I am stressed out I make silly remarks.
Anyhoo, there they were in the E.R. With the Aussie Doc when all of a sudden chaos introduced itself in the form of the terrorist attack in Jerusalem. No, the hospital wasn’t attacked, but it is where the victims were taken. And because the attack took place close to my parent’s hotel the roads were closed and my mother was told that unless she wanted to walk back to the hotel, she could also enjoy the view from my father’s hospital room in Israel.
On a serious note, it appears that my father is doing ok and that things will proceed in the right direction. However should his condition deteriorate there is a chance that I’ll make a dash for the holy land. It is certainly not how and why I want to make the trip, but we all do what we must. I’ll keep you posted as to what happens and to how many waffles Jameel brings us to eat.
My Israeli friends and family have a ton of stories about trips they took after finishing their initial run with the army, but I can't say that I remember any of them mentioning almost being eaten by a crocodile.
Credit for the photo and accompanying news story can be found here.
"I began playing with it for a photo,'' Mr Mashiah said. "I was pointing at it when it suddenly jumped up at me - I didn't realise that crocs were so aggressive.''"I was shocked - the animal clearly wanted to kill me,'' Mr Mashiah, from Tel Aviv, told the Northern Territory News.
"One minute I was leaning over the boat teasing it for a picture. The next minute it burst out of the water with incredible speed ... its jaws fully open. I was shaking,'' he said."
I suppose he has never been to Hamat Gader. I don't remember Chazal saying anything about there being any special benefit to becoming croc food. Not very smart.
If you haven't been around here is a quick summary of some recent posts here.
Facebook and My Anonymity
A Sexually Incompatible Marriage
A Better Speaking Voice
Maybe I Won't Keep Riding my Bike
Babe I am Gonna Leave You
Cover Songs- Part 1
Women Are Better Liars
When Does A Cow Not Say Moo
Magazine Renewals
What is Your Dream Job?
Last August I wrote a post called Facebook Reveals Secrets in which I expressed surprise over how some people blog anonymously yet use their real names on Facebook. It just seems a bit contradictory. Why would you be anonymous in one place and not another.
Anyway, I still haven't done much with my own Facebook entry and I can't say that I intend to. I am still trying to maintain some anonymity, but it remains to be seen how much longer I can keep that up.
But what I really want to mention is that when I look at some bloggers Facebook sites I am shocked to see how many people we know in common. I suppose that I really shouldn't be surprised by this. The Jewish community really isn't that big and I have been involved in aspects of it all my life, but still...
Just for kicks I'll give you a partial list of groups/organizations I have been involved with:
Camp Ramah in California
Camp Ramah in Canada
United Synagogue Youth
University of Judaism
N.C.S.Y.
Like I said, I look at some of your sites and I can't help but think "worlds colliding." If we spent just a couple of minutes on the telephone I am sure that we'd find that we know a dozen or more people, or that we have been to the same parties.
And now if you'll excuse me I need to go referee a disagreement between my kids.
CNN has an interesting article about sex and marriage. It caught my eye for any number of reasons.
Just judging from the responses to my old post Does Having Children Prevent an Active Sex Life this is something that many couples wrestle with. (The comments on this post were made using Haloscan. Since I disabled and removed it from the blog you obviously won't see them there. But trust me, there were plenty.)
Let's take a look at the article.
(LifeWire) -- He's a 38-year-old executive. She's a 34-year-old homemaker. He says they never fight, and in many ways they're compatible -- but not when it comes to sex."It's almost like a checklist," says Jon (who asked that his real name not be used) of their once-a-month lovemaking. The problem, he believes, is a lack of desire.
Sexually unfulfilling marriages aren't limited to new parents or aging baby boomers with hormone imbalances. They can ensnare even the relatively young and the recently married. When they are unable to blame kids, stress or physical issues, many couples struggle unhappily to identify -- and resolve -- the problems behind their lackluster sex life.
Couples end up in sexually unfulfilling marriages for a variety of reasons, says Marty Klein, a licensed marriage counselor and certified sex therapist in Palo Alto, California. One reason, he says, is America's obsession with marriage.
Laura Berman, a Chicago sex therapist and relationship expert, agrees. "We put the blinders on when we're dating," she says. "We focus so much on the wedding, we don't notice the warning signs."
Those who believe passion inevitably fades may downplay the sex factor, picking someone they think would be a good father or a good wife even if they're not an ideal lover, Berman adds.
"I chose her because I thought it would enhance me in some way," Jon says of his wife.
Berman has seen it before: "People choose partners who have the right resume but maybe not the entire package."
Other couples enter into relationships with so-so chemistry because they think they're in love and overlook key differences, says Klein.
Bobbie Jonas, a holistic health practitioner in Calistoga, California, acknowledges she ignored obvious warning signs during her courtship. "I was more interested in a way out from home," she says of her first marriage. Poor communication compounded the effects of weak chemistry. After 10 years, they divorced.
"Couples wondering where the sex went should be asking if it was ever really there," says Berman.
That explanation makes sense to Jon. Although he said he and his wife, who live on the West Coast, started off with great chemistry, the cracks in the relationship began to show before they traded rings. After a four-month dry spell during their engagement, his wife brought up the idea of canceling the wedding. "I just really wanted to get married," Jon says. "I felt that it was what I was supposed to do."
Now Jon is having an affair with a woman -- also in a sexually unsatisfying marriage -- for whom he feels intense passion. "I didn't realize the importance of sex," he says.
I know from conversations with the boys that several of them are less than happy with the state of affairs in their bedroom. It is kind of a funny change. During our single years the guys didn't spent much time bragging. You might hear about who they were dating, but in general there wasn't any talk of conquests.
And now I look at what we talk about and I have to shake my head and smile. There is the guy who complains that before marriage his wife loved oral sex and now hates it. There is the guy who complains that his wife is never in the mood and then there is the guy who says that he can't keep up with his wife's sex drive. And let me tell you, he receives an enormous amount of crap about his complaints.Joan Baez
Led Zeppelin's version is so much better, both the link and the one below.
For more on Cover Music see this post.
Friends it is time to talk about cover songs. You know what I am talking about, it is when an artist decides that they can do a better version of a song than the original artist. Sometimes it works and sometimes it is really, really, really, I cannot stress this enough...BAD.
And now thanks to the power of the Internet we can debate this right here and now. Or at least I can rattle off some obvious ones and provide links to others. And of course I encourage your participation.
Credit for the first suggestion goes to the King of all Waffle Makers, Jameel who rightly opined that Madonna destroyed American Pie. I can't decide which is worse, her fake British accent or this song.
Any number of artists have chosen to cover AC/DC. Party anthem "You Shook Me All Night Long" has been done and redone many times. Celine Dion and Anastasia assaulted my ears with this horrific version.
Shania Twain generally doesn't offend me, but she fell prey to the same trap as Celine. It just doesn't work for me. As long as we are talking about AC/DC I'll include Shakira's version of Back in Black. It is not great, not terrible. If you watch the video you might not even notice, but that is probably because her Hips Don't Lie.
Fergie's version of Live and Let Die should have been shot. It would have been more humane than allowing it to pollute the airwaves.
Dave Matthews killed All Along The Watchtower. So did Brian Ferry. Dylan did it well, but I prefer Hendrix. On a side note I have always enjoyed Hey Joe.
Bryan Adams should have remembered that The Beatles were rarely if ever surpassed. Some artists managed to do ok. I do enjoy Ozzy Osbourne's version of In My Life.
"I'll Melt With You" by Bowling For Soup is just horrid. And I just have to bring up Celine again with this just awful version of Bad.
And because I'd rather not end this with a bunch of negatives here are some artists who did well with their covers.
Ring of Fire- Ray Charles
Hurt- Johnny Cash
With A Little Help From My Friends-Joe Cocker
Come Together- Aerosmith
Mr Tambourine Man- The Byrds
And just because I feel like it, here is Led Zeppelin playing Kashmir, one of my favorite songs and one that has been butchered far too many times.
What do you think?
Here is a roundup of posts about the current situation in Israel.
Meryl offered Gaza, briefly. Soccer Dad provided Some coverage of Gaza events.
PTWatch keeps track of all terror attacks from Gaza towards Israel since Israel's withdrawal. EOZ provide his usual March Qassam Calendar.
Aussie Dave is Liveblogging the Conflict: Sat/Sun Feb 29-Mar 1. You should take a moment to read Seraphic Secret's Two Fighting Generals.
Check out Carl's 40 rockets hit southern Israel - 12 in Ashkelon and Reoccupy Gaza or talk to Hamas?
Don't forget to take a gander at As useful as teats on a boar hog and Shackled to the peace process... or free to wage war.
And finally From Laura in Sderot: The last 36 hours...
According to this article women are better liars than men. Now there is a sentence that is probably going to get me flamed. Let's take a look, shall we.
Most females lie "more cleverly and successfully than men" about everything from infidelity and facelifts to barhopping and shopping binges, according to a new book.
"Women lie as a survival technique, but also to get what they want," said Susan Shapiro Barash, author of "Little White Lies, Deep Dark Secrets: The Truth About Why Women Lie," published by St. Martin's Press this week.
Barish said a Rockland County woman stripped of her secrets on Fox TV's reality show "Moment of Truth" last week proves her research true.
Lauren Cleri, 26, admitted on air she had cheated on her NYPD cop husband and preferred an ex-boyfriend. But she failed a polygraph, and lost $200,000, by answering "yes" when asked if she believed she was a good person.
"It supports my thesis that women are talented at lying - but perhaps not enough to pass a lie-detector test," Barash said.
Barash interviewed 500 women nationwide who answered her Craigslist ads seeking females to confide what they fib about. Among her findings:
* 75 percent lie about how much money they spend. For instance, they sneak purchases inside their homes after shopping or hide the price tags.
* 50 percent harbor "mixed feelings about mothering." One told Barash, "I look at these children and I crave sleep and free time. They wear me out and make me jealous of working women who have no children, no husbands."
* More than 60 percent cheated on their husbands. A 32-year-old mother conducted her trysts while telling her trusting husband she was working late. Even in asking for a divorce, she withheld the truth: "I didn't say I had fallen for another man. He was better off with my lies."
Many women use the "betterment lie," as Barash calls it, as a means to an end."
What do you think?
Click the button below for a brief message about Haveil Havalim #156.
And now onto Haveil Havalim #156.
Who said that healthcare in England was subpar.
"THOUSANDS of nurses believe it is justified to break the taboo on having an affair with a patient in their care.
Almost one in 10 nurses think starting a relationship with one of their patients is acceptable while one in six said they knew of a colleague who had a sexual relationship with a patient they were looking after.
The findings, published by the Nursing Times, will add weight to the controversial remarks by Conservative peer Lord Mancroft that nurses are “promiscuous” and “unprofessional”.
Mancroft has faced a huge backlash after claiming that nurses discussed their sexual and drinking exploits in front of him while he was being treated at the Royal United hospital in Bath last summer.
The survey’s findings suggest a significant proportion of Britain’s 400,000 nurses are prepared to run the risk of sanctions – which in extreme cases could entail being struck off – for sleeping with patients. They also reveal that relationships between nurses and patients are not uncommon.
In January the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) issued strict new rules reminding nurses that they face disciplinary action if they embark on a sexual relationship with a current patient.
The rules also say that relationships with former patients will often be deemed unacceptable. The regulations have proved contentious with nurses who say many such relationships end in marriage."
For the full story please click here.
It is about 12:30 or so and the sole light in the house is the one emanating from my monitor. I haven't been home all that long. Earlier I was out at a party for my son's school. It is the annual fundraiser.
I do ok at parties. When I am in the mood small talk is something that comes easily for me...most of the time. There are those moments where it is the last thing I want to do. My gregariousness is easily matched by my ability to sit quietly and watch the people around me.
The D.J. played an interesting mix of music. Maybe I am too sentimental for my own good, but a couple of them got me thinking about writing a story about a boy and a girl who fall in love. It is a tale full of passion. It is a tale full of drama. There are incredible highs and there are moment of utter despair.
A good love story has to have those. They are key elements, at least I think so. There is something interesting about the struggle to keep love going amidst all of the chaos and crap that life throws at you.
Fictional love stories sometimes leave that tumult out. They make it too easy to believe that the hero and heroine will overcome all of the challenges. It sounds good. It feels good. It is what we want to believe, but it is not always real.
I have that darker side that lives inside me. It is the one that says sometimes the hero fails. Sometimes he does everything that he can to get the girl. He fights every battle. He climbs every hills, but it is just not enough. She can't wait. She can't deal. She moves on and he finds himself desperate, despondent and dejected.
The question is whether he lies down and wallows in the muck. Is he defeated. Is he done. Or does he reach down to dig deep to try again.
The answer will be forthcoming. For those who are wondering here is a sample of the music that was played this evening.
The Morning After- Maureen McGovernSee you in the morning.
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face- Roberta Flack
Weekend In New England- Barry Manilow
You Shook Me All Night Long- AC/DC
Wonderful Tonight- Eric Clapton
Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett
Melt With You- Modern English
I always find it interesting to see how people find their way to the funky old shack. Here is a partial list of some of the keywords that led here:
Grandma Ralph
Loved Redhead boy
never let go of true love
monkey beck
a married knowitall
love in a westin
meaning of songs of the 70's
how to win a womans heart
stacey and jack
endless love
interfaith marriages and how to raise the children
to all the boys who thought they would be cool and break my heart
the meaning of nature by ralph waldo emerson
what's bigger disneyworld or disneyland
seven agonies at latrun
thoughts about a man that you are fabricated with
according to garp blowjob
condom middle size
rachel jack wedding
post secret blog questions
how to tell a man is interested and not playing games
what does it feel like when we die
how to deal with a bully husband
libido female children marriage decline
thong doctor's office
Yesterday I received one of my favorite magazines, Consumer Reports 2008 Auto Guide. This is one of my simple pleasures in life. Each year I look forward to receiving it so that I may read it cover to cover.
I wouldn't call myself a gearhead or any sort of car freak, but I do enjoy a nice automobile. And I find it quite pleasurable to read what they have to say about the latest batch of cars and those that are coming down the pipeline.
Typically I use it to identify three to five cars that I would consider purchasing for myself. FWIW, the cars that make the cut are those that I think I have a realistic chance of owning. They're not so expensive as to make them impossible to buy, they're practical enough to meet my needs and I think of them as being fun to own.
Fun and practical are big requirements. If you are going to spend that much money on something it should be something that you enjoy, otherwise it is just an expensive burden.
Updated to include a partial list of cars/Trucks that interest me:
Infiniti G35That is an incomplete list, but it works for now.
Acura TL
Hyundai Azera
Toyota Tundra
Toyota Prius
Dodge Challenger
