Heading Into the Home Stretch
Apr. 25th, 2008 07:02 pmTonight starts not only Shabbat but also the observance of the last two days of Pesach. So I will be offline not only over Shabbat (as usual) but also through Sunday night, when the holiday ends.
Have a good weekend, all, and Shabbat shalom and chag sameach to all those observing.
Something in my brain wants me to say "g'mar tov," but that's a completely different holiday.
Have a good weekend, all, and Shabbat shalom and chag sameach to all those observing.
Something in my brain wants me to say "g'mar tov," but that's a completely different holiday.
Pre-Pesach Confusing-Thursday Rambly Bits
Apr. 17th, 2008 11:00 am-- Still progressing on the Passover preparation front. I did the big CVS run yesterday (though, as I could've predicted, forgot one thing, so I'll go back today for it), and tonight's tasks are numerous but not overwhelming. When ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mabfan gets home from class, we'll do one or two last things, do bedikat chametz, and then go to bed.
-- The confusing part of all of this is that, traditionally, we do the searching for the chametz the night before the night of the first seder and the burning of the chametz found during the search on the morning before the night of the first seder. That morning is also the day of the Fast of the First Born, traditionally. This year, however, with Passover starting on Saturday night, the Fast of the First Born is today (Thursday), we burn the chametz tomorrow morning, and then Saturday night is the first seder.
-- My plan is, as it has been past years, to head up to the fire station on Chestnut Hill Ave. in Brighton before work to burn the chametz, and then I'll head, smelling slightly of smoke, into work.
-- I will be dusting off the excellent, topical icon made for me bymadmadharri for the period of the Omer again this year.
-- In non-Pesach news, I used a line this past Shabbat that I haven't used since college: I said to one of the guests at the boisterous Shabbat gathering, the one who was not known to the rest of us, "Did they warn you about us?" I used that line a lot when my college friends brought someone new to meals, but I haven't really had to use it since then. But given that this was a largeish (11 people including the new guy) gathering of people who had a large number of random references peppered throughout their conversations, I thought a warning was in order.
-- I've been known to talk to inanimate objects (my father's philosophy on talking to oneself: "It ensures you of an interested and intelligent audience"). When we were in NYC for Shabbat a couple of weeks ago, I was digging through my luggage looking for my nylons (as I was changing into Shabbat clothes from my travel clothes). And they were nowhere to be found. So, I mumbled under my breath at them – "You can run, but you can't hide!" As it came out of my mouth, it occurred to me that, in fact, that was among the most appropriate things one could say to nylon stockings.
mabfan gets home from class, we'll do one or two last things, do bedikat chametz, and then go to bed.-- The confusing part of all of this is that, traditionally, we do the searching for the chametz the night before the night of the first seder and the burning of the chametz found during the search on the morning before the night of the first seder. That morning is also the day of the Fast of the First Born, traditionally. This year, however, with Passover starting on Saturday night, the Fast of the First Born is today (Thursday), we burn the chametz tomorrow morning, and then Saturday night is the first seder.
-- My plan is, as it has been past years, to head up to the fire station on Chestnut Hill Ave. in Brighton before work to burn the chametz, and then I'll head, smelling slightly of smoke, into work.
-- I will be dusting off the excellent, topical icon made for me by
madmadharri for the period of the Omer again this year.-- In non-Pesach news, I used a line this past Shabbat that I haven't used since college: I said to one of the guests at the boisterous Shabbat gathering, the one who was not known to the rest of us, "Did they warn you about us?" I used that line a lot when my college friends brought someone new to meals, but I haven't really had to use it since then. But given that this was a largeish (11 people including the new guy) gathering of people who had a large number of random references peppered throughout their conversations, I thought a warning was in order.
-- I've been known to talk to inanimate objects (my father's philosophy on talking to oneself: "It ensures you of an interested and intelligent audience"). When we were in NYC for Shabbat a couple of weeks ago, I was digging through my luggage looking for my nylons (as I was changing into Shabbat clothes from my travel clothes). And they were nowhere to be found. So, I mumbled under my breath at them – "You can run, but you can't hide!" As it came out of my mouth, it occurred to me that, in fact, that was among the most appropriate things one could say to nylon stockings.
Monday Morning Rambly Bits
Mar. 24th, 2008 10:15 am-- Purim was good, if busy. Megillah at night, then Megillah-seudah-mishloach manot delivery, then Shabbat prep.
-- Friday dinner with![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
arib's parents and Shabbat lunch with lucretia_borgia and sethg_prime removed *some* of the pre-Shabbat crazy, but it always seems like, even when I don't have a ton of Shabbat cooking to do, the amount of prep spreads to fill all available time.
-- Soon I will segue into the pre-Pesach crazy. This year we're not traveling (except tolcmlc and Abba for the sedarim), so the whole place has to be Pesach-friendly. I will likely start the process this week (I couldn't bring myself to start yesterday, even though that would've been smart).
-- Speaking of Pesach, I said last night to a friend that I had a wish: that Jewish leap years (such as this one) had, instead of Adar I and Adar II, Nissan I and Nissan II. Following the Adar pattern, we'd have Pesach Katan (little Passover) in Nissan I, and the real Pesach would be in Nissan II, thus giving us a whole extra month to do Pesach prep.
-- What did I do instead of Pesach stuff yesterday? I knit. Specifically, I worked on these socks:
( Well, this one is finished now and I'm working on the second, but same deal )
-- Relatedly, now that they've been received, I can show off these, which I knit forthespisgeoff:
( This way to the picture )
-- Friday dinner with
arib's parents and Shabbat lunch with lucretia_borgia and sethg_prime removed *some* of the pre-Shabbat crazy, but it always seems like, even when I don't have a ton of Shabbat cooking to do, the amount of prep spreads to fill all available time.-- Soon I will segue into the pre-Pesach crazy. This year we're not traveling (except to
lcmlc and Abba for the sedarim), so the whole place has to be Pesach-friendly. I will likely start the process this week (I couldn't bring myself to start yesterday, even though that would've been smart).-- Speaking of Pesach, I said last night to a friend that I had a wish: that Jewish leap years (such as this one) had, instead of Adar I and Adar II, Nissan I and Nissan II. Following the Adar pattern, we'd have Pesach Katan (little Passover) in Nissan I, and the real Pesach would be in Nissan II, thus giving us a whole extra month to do Pesach prep.
-- What did I do instead of Pesach stuff yesterday? I knit. Specifically, I worked on these socks:
( Well, this one is finished now and I'm working on the second, but same deal )
-- Relatedly, now that they've been received, I can show off these, which I knit for
thespisgeoff:( This way to the picture )
According to Some...
Mar. 4th, 2008 07:59 am...today, 4 March, is National Grammar Day in the US.
In observance thereof, as the icon says, "Practice non-random punctuation and sensible acts of grammar."
In observance thereof, as the icon says, "Practice non-random punctuation and sensible acts of grammar."
Behind the Channukah Song: Ma'oz Tzur
Dec. 4th, 2007 08:36 pmOne of the best-known Channukah songs is "Ma'oz Tzur" (midi here). But it really has little to do with the holiday of Channukah. Only one of its six verses (the fifth, actually) is about the events celebrated on Channukah; three are about other Jewish historical events, and the other two -- the first and the last -- form a frame for the historical events.
( The full story, next on Behind the Channukah Song )
So why has this song become associated with Channukah?
My guess (and that's all it is; I've done no research into this) is that it's because it has the word "chanukah" in the first verse -- "Az egmor b'shir mizmor chanukat hamizbe'ach": Thus, with a hymn of praise, I will complete the dedication of the altar. "Channukah" means "dedication," which is one of the main points of celebration for the holiday. We celebrate the reclamation and rededication of the Beit HaMikdash, the Temple in Jerusalem, following the Maccabees' victory over the Greeks.
A freilachen Channukah to everyone celebrating!
( The full story, next on Behind the Channukah Song )
So why has this song become associated with Channukah?
My guess (and that's all it is; I've done no research into this) is that it's because it has the word "chanukah" in the first verse -- "Az egmor b'shir mizmor chanukat hamizbe'ach": Thus, with a hymn of praise, I will complete the dedication of the altar. "Channukah" means "dedication," which is one of the main points of celebration for the holiday. We celebrate the reclamation and rededication of the Beit HaMikdash, the Temple in Jerusalem, following the Maccabees' victory over the Greeks.
A freilachen Channukah to everyone celebrating!
The Next Holiday...
Sep. 26th, 2007 09:32 am...in the month of Tishrei starts tonight: Sukkot.
This Sukkot is different formabfan and me for one major reason: lcmlc and Abba are spending the holiday down with beckyfeld, osewalrus, and A., and we're staying in Brookline. And since we live on the 3rd floor and have nowhere to build our own sukkah, we're having all our meals out. I did some cooking, since one of the meals is potluck, but the amount of cooking I had to do for this yom tov is much less than I usually have to do (and that I'll likely end up doing for Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah next week (though we're already invited out for two meals next week).
Lulav and etrog and machzorim for the yom tov have all been acquired.
Chag sameach to all who are celebrating Sukkot.
I leave you with...Rules of the Sukkah, by Rabbi Arthur E. Gould.
This Sukkot is different for
mabfan and me for one major reason: lcmlc and Abba are spending the holiday down with beckyfeld, osewalrus, and A., and we're staying in Brookline. And since we live on the 3rd floor and have nowhere to build our own sukkah, we're having all our meals out. I did some cooking, since one of the meals is potluck, but the amount of cooking I had to do for this yom tov is much less than I usually have to do (and that I'll likely end up doing for Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah next week (though we're already invited out for two meals next week).Lulav and etrog and machzorim for the yom tov have all been acquired.
Chag sameach to all who are celebrating Sukkot.
I leave you with...Rules of the Sukkah, by Rabbi Arthur E. Gould.
Back from Yom Tov, Heading Toward Shabbat
May. 25th, 2007 08:52 amI'm back, but I'm unlikely to be able to catch up with the past 2 days, given that we're heading into Shabbat. Please let me know if there's anything I should see.
Shavuot was lovely. We had a couple of meals with friends, a meal at the shul, and one at home. The second meal with friends was an unexpected surprise, inasmuch as they invited us as we were heading out to eat at home, and it was with people we didn't know too well before the lunch and have now gotten to know better.
Much food was cooked by me; very little got eaten, given the only-one-meal-at-home thing. This turns out to be an excellent thing, however, given that I won't have much Shabbat prep time. I just have to figure out dessert for Shabbat, and other than that I'm set.
Shavuot was lovely. We had a couple of meals with friends, a meal at the shul, and one at home. The second meal with friends was an unexpected surprise, inasmuch as they invited us as we were heading out to eat at home, and it was with people we didn't know too well before the lunch and have now gotten to know better.
Much food was cooked by me; very little got eaten, given the only-one-meal-at-home thing. This turns out to be an excellent thing, however, given that I won't have much Shabbat prep time. I just have to figure out dessert for Shabbat, and other than that I'm set.
...and now that we have done so, we celebrate the holiday of Shavuot.
I'll be offline from tonight through Thursday night. For those celebrating, have a chag sameach. Everyone else, have a good Wednesday and Thursday!
I'll be offline from tonight through Thursday night. For those celebrating, have a chag sameach. Everyone else, have a good Wednesday and Thursday!
Post-Pesach Rambly Bits
Apr. 12th, 2007 12:31 pm-- Y'know, when people order a specific item and I send them that item, they shouldn't then get all cranky that I didn't send them the item they meant to request but didn't actually request. I'm just saying.
-- There's an outside chance that the 111th running of the Boston Marathon will be canceled due to snow. That's just wrong.
-- One of the best things about Pesach this year? Getting to know family members better than I did before and finding unexpected things we have in common.
-- Related to the above,osewalrus and his brother the rabbi are scarily good at earworming me with 80s pop hits.
-- In early March, I got called for jury duty in late April. I asked for a change of venue (due to the inaccessibility of the Dedham court house to public transportation) and got it. When we picked up our accumulated mail from our time away, I found another notice from the courts: my jury service has been canceled (no further information). This does not remove me from the potential jury pool for the next 3 years, alas.
-- Related to the above, I now have to see if I can un-cancel the appointment I'd canceled due to the aforementioned jury duty.
--mabfan and I are slowly converting our tape collection to mp3. This is a fun, if time-consuming, project.
-- Omer, day 9
-- There's an outside chance that the 111th running of the Boston Marathon will be canceled due to snow. That's just wrong.
-- One of the best things about Pesach this year? Getting to know family members better than I did before and finding unexpected things we have in common.
-- Related to the above,
osewalrus and his brother the rabbi are scarily good at earworming me with 80s pop hits.-- In early March, I got called for jury duty in late April. I asked for a change of venue (due to the inaccessibility of the Dedham court house to public transportation) and got it. When we picked up our accumulated mail from our time away, I found another notice from the courts: my jury service has been canceled (no further information). This does not remove me from the potential jury pool for the next 3 years, alas.
-- Related to the above, I now have to see if I can un-cancel the appointment I'd canceled due to the aforementioned jury duty.
--
mabfan and I are slowly converting our tape collection to mp3. This is a fun, if time-consuming, project.-- Omer, day 9
Tags:
Home from Maine
Apr. 11th, 2007 04:49 pmWe're back from Maine and from Pesach-ness. It was odd to have real chametz for breakfast this morning (they brought in rolls/bagels to supplement the Pesach-friendly breakfast foods they'd been serving all week).
The rest of Pesach since I last posted was wonderful. On Thursday, the ladies of the family went on an excursion to Kittery and did some shopping. On Friday, we mostly hung around the Cliff House and enjoyed the weather (it had started to get warmer, and the snow from Wednesday melted) and then got ready for Shabbat. Shabbat was relaxing. On Sunday, the family went to the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company and Museum and rode the train and then browsed the museum for a bit. We returned in time for lunch and with plenty of time to prepare for the observances of the last 2 days of Pesach, which were Monday and Tuesday.
The holiday ended last night, and we started preparing to come home. This morning, we got up, had breakfast (including chametz in the form of fresh rolls and bagels), and then packed the car, said goodbye to the family, and came home.
I'm behind on LJ like whoa and do not anticipate catching up. Please let me know if anything important happened while I was away.
Omer, day 8
The rest of Pesach since I last posted was wonderful. On Thursday, the ladies of the family went on an excursion to Kittery and did some shopping. On Friday, we mostly hung around the Cliff House and enjoyed the weather (it had started to get warmer, and the snow from Wednesday melted) and then got ready for Shabbat. Shabbat was relaxing. On Sunday, the family went to the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company and Museum and rode the train and then browsed the museum for a bit. We returned in time for lunch and with plenty of time to prepare for the observances of the last 2 days of Pesach, which were Monday and Tuesday.
The holiday ended last night, and we started preparing to come home. This morning, we got up, had breakfast (including chametz in the form of fresh rolls and bagels), and then packed the car, said goodbye to the family, and came home.
I'm behind on LJ like whoa and do not anticipate catching up. Please let me know if anything important happened while I was away.
Omer, day 8
PesachCon, day 2.5
Apr. 4th, 2007 10:11 pmAm here in Maine for PesachCon. Having an excellent time. Sedarim were beautiful. Family is beautiful. Even the orchestra is beautiful.
GOH Elijah the Prophet/Eliyahu ha Navi no show again this year.
Planning next year's PesachCon, as we do every year, for Jerusalem. Watch this space for location change should Messiah/Moshiach not come this year.
Like at many good cons, sat up late into the evening singing with filkers. Filkers in question sang "Ki Lo Na'eh," "Adir Hu," "Echad Mi Yodeah," and "Chad Gadya" a cappella and with great gusto.
Snow fell. Doonesbury ("I'm a reasonable man, MacArthur...") was quoted frequently by numerous family members.
Tomorrow is the first day of Chol ha Moed. Weather permitting, photos will be taken.
I'm positive that by the end of my stay here, I will have fallen hopelessly behind on my friends list. Please update me here with links if there's stuff I should see/know.
GOH Elijah the Prophet/Eliyahu ha Navi no show again this year.
Planning next year's PesachCon, as we do every year, for Jerusalem. Watch this space for location change should Messiah/Moshiach not come this year.
Like at many good cons, sat up late into the evening singing with filkers. Filkers in question sang "Ki Lo Na'eh," "Adir Hu," "Echad Mi Yodeah," and "Chad Gadya" a cappella and with great gusto.
Snow fell. Doonesbury ("I'm a reasonable man, MacArthur...") was quoted frequently by numerous family members.
Tomorrow is the first day of Chol ha Moed. Weather permitting, photos will be taken.
I'm positive that by the end of my stay here, I will have fallen hopelessly behind on my friends list. Please update me here with links if there's stuff I should see/know.
All Sorts of Stuff
Apr. 1st, 2007 10:47 pmFirst off, birthday greetings. As of tomorrow, I'm not going to be reliably online again until some time late in the day on the 11th. We're off to Maine for Pesach (Passover), and while we believe there is Internet connectivity available, we can't be sure until we're there. Thus, I'm going to wish everyone celebrating holidays this week and next a very happy holiday; I'm going to wish those celebrating Pesach a chag kasher v'sameach (a happy and kosher holiday), and I'm going to do a bunch of birthdays that I know I'm likely to miss otherwise:
One for today (late in the day, I know, but no less heartfelt):
Happy birthday,interlock!
I hope your day was excellent!
***
One for tomorrow:
Happy birthday,vbseth!
I hope this coming year brings you all your wishes!
***
And one for the 4th, when I know I won't be getting online:
Happy birthday,madmadharri!
May you have a year full of wonderful things!
One for today (late in the day, I know, but no less heartfelt):
Happy birthday,
interlock!I hope your day was excellent!
***
One for tomorrow:
Happy birthday,
vbseth!I hope this coming year brings you all your wishes!
***
And one for the 4th, when I know I won't be getting online:
Happy birthday,
madmadharri!May you have a year full of wonderful things!
Mostly Rerunning From Last Year...
Jan. 17th, 2007 10:27 amToday is the birthday of:
-- Me
-- Naveen Andrews
-- Joshua Malina
-- Jim Carrey
-- Muhammad Ali
-- James Earl Jones
-- Betty White
-- Some claim today as the birthday of Joshua A. Norton, first and only emperor of the United States
-- Al Capone
-- Benjamin Franklin
Among the events that occurred on this day:
-- 1919: Ignace Jan Paderewski becomes the first premier of the newly created republic of Poland
-- 1950: The Great Brinks Robbery - 11 thieves steal more than $2 million from an armored car in Boston, MA.
-- 1966: A B-52 bomber collides with a KC-135 jet tanker over Spain, dropping three 70-kiloton hydrogen bombs near the town of Palomares and another one into the sea.
-- 1971: The Baltimore Colts (now the Indianapolis Colts) beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 in Superbowl V.
-- 1977: Gary Gilmore put to death.
-- 1991: Operation Desert Storm begins early in the morning. Iraq fires 8 Scud missiles into Israel in an unsuccessful bid to provoke Israeli retaliation.
-- 2006: California executes Clarence Ray Allen, the oldest man on the state's Death Row.
Natural disasters seem to occur on this date:
-- 1994: A magnitude 6.7 earthquake occurs in Northridge, California
-- 1995: A magnitude 7.3 earthquake near Kobe, Japan
-- 2002: Mount Nyiragongo erupts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, displacing an estimated 400,000 people.
(source for much of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_17)
-- Me
-- Naveen Andrews
-- Joshua Malina
-- Jim Carrey
-- Muhammad Ali
-- James Earl Jones
-- Betty White
-- Some claim today as the birthday of Joshua A. Norton, first and only emperor of the United States
-- Al Capone
-- Benjamin Franklin
Among the events that occurred on this day:
-- 1919: Ignace Jan Paderewski becomes the first premier of the newly created republic of Poland
-- 1950: The Great Brinks Robbery - 11 thieves steal more than $2 million from an armored car in Boston, MA.
-- 1966: A B-52 bomber collides with a KC-135 jet tanker over Spain, dropping three 70-kiloton hydrogen bombs near the town of Palomares and another one into the sea.
-- 1971: The Baltimore Colts (now the Indianapolis Colts) beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 in Superbowl V.
-- 1977: Gary Gilmore put to death.
-- 1991: Operation Desert Storm begins early in the morning. Iraq fires 8 Scud missiles into Israel in an unsuccessful bid to provoke Israeli retaliation.
-- 2006: California executes Clarence Ray Allen, the oldest man on the state's Death Row.
Natural disasters seem to occur on this date:
-- 1994: A magnitude 6.7 earthquake occurs in Northridge, California
-- 1995: A magnitude 7.3 earthquake near Kobe, Japan
-- 2002: Mount Nyiragongo erupts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, displacing an estimated 400,000 people.
(source for much of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_17)
National Trivia Day
Jan. 4th, 2007 10:22 amI'm informed by the talented and brilliant cbpotts that today is National Trivia Day. I will therefore kidnap her request in that vein:
Post your favorite bit of trivia in honor of National Trivia Day.
cbpotts that today is National Trivia Day. I will therefore kidnap her request in that vein:Post your favorite bit of trivia in honor of National Trivia Day.
This week, Chanukah!
It is traditional on Chanukah to eat foods that encorporate oil to recall the miracle of the oil lasting for 8 days. To that end, I've made 3 side dishes that involve oil (two of which use olive oil). There will also be latkes. Though, because it's a meat meal, there won't be sour cream.
Chag ha Chanukah sameach and Shabbat shalom!
Y'mei ha-Chanukah, Chanukat mikdasheynu
B'gil u'v'simcha m'malim et libeynu
Laila v'yom s'vivoneynu yisov
Sufganiot (note from NSB -- some say "levivot") nochal bam larov
Heiru hadliku nerot Chanukah rabim
Al hanism v'al hanifla-ot asher chol'lu haMakabim.
The days of Chanukah, the dedication of our Mikdash (Temple)
With joy and happiness we fill our hearts
Day and night, we'll spin our sevivonot (dreidels)
Jelly doughnuts (some say "potato pancakes"), we'll eat many of them.
Shine, light the many Chanukah candles
For the miracles and the wonders that the Maccabees perpetrated.
It is traditional on Chanukah to eat foods that encorporate oil to recall the miracle of the oil lasting for 8 days. To that end, I've made 3 side dishes that involve oil (two of which use olive oil). There will also be latkes. Though, because it's a meat meal, there won't be sour cream.
Chag ha Chanukah sameach and Shabbat shalom!
