2007 is the Year of the Bruins!
Archives for March 2007
Passover Lunch Menus
Miriam is providing a public service by providing a post about Passover brown bag lunches. Click here.
A Few Thoughts About Blogging
In December of 2005 I wrote a post called Why I Blog.
“Why do I blog. Why do I spend so much time sitting here at the computer staring a monitor that is filled with the fingerprints of tiny people. Why do I surf the net and engage in 21st century voyeurism.
The very simple reason is that I derive a tremendous sense of joy and satisfaction from using words to express my thoughts. I have a great love for the language and I appreciate those people who can use words to construct a mental image. I appreciate their ability and craftmanship and wonder how it is they can take my mind and send it on a journey out of my body and into another world.
For surely it is a bit escapist to sit at the keyboard and scroll down the pages and read about the lives and trials of others. And in a different way I find it comforting. I am part of a community of bloggers, a part of the overall blogosphere and at the same time I am also part of many other groups within the blogosphere.
I am able to reach out and click someone. I can see that there are others who are facing the same challenges I face or have already overcome them. I take strength in their words and I offer my own.”
I am slowly approaching my third blogiversary and I can say unequivocally that I still stand by everything I wrote there. I still have things to say and things to share. I still enjoy the interaction. I still appreciate reading other blogs and in spite of the nastiness that we encounter I am still comfortable here.
Maybe it is because I am evil but the trolls don’t bother me all that much. On a side note every time someone mentions troll I think of the old kids book Three Billy Goats Gruff.
The blogosphere is growing in power. Each day I hear more people discussing it. It is quickly evolving from a thing that some people did to something that many people do. I still think that most bloggers will not last, but that is a post for a different date.
Spring Is Supposed To Be About Renewal
Someone once claimed that native Californians could not and did not really appreciate the arrival of spring. I suppose that on the surface that might appear to be true, but that is really limited to a question of weather. If you spend months living a snowbound life amid gray skies I can understand how you might think that blue skies and sunshine are wasted upon us.
On the other hand I see the start of spring as a period of growth and renewal. I know, that sounds pretty hokey. It is. But there is a lot of truth to it as well. Spring makes me happy because it brings so much promise. The start of daylight savings means longer days and we’re that much closer to my favorite time of year, summer.
Right now I am having a little trouble with spring because it doesn’t have the same feeling of promise. Or should I say that the promises I hear whispering in the wind are not particularly exciting. I have more than a couple of friends/family who are battling serious illnesses and the prognosis is not great. I remain optimistic and hopeful that things will change and they will all enjoy a speedy recovery but at the same time I am realistic.
It is hard to reconcile how many funerals I have been to of contemporaries with my age. At the moment I feel a bit beat down. It is not something that will last. I am too ornery to feel down for very long. I learned how to use negative energy to motivate myself.
Still…
Struggling With Pesach
In a short time Pesach will be here again. I am excited about it. It really is one of my favorite holidays but lately it has been quite a struggle for me. I am not really sure why but I have less motivation than normal to try and clean the house of chametz.
I look around the JBlogosphere and I see many posts about the craziness that has enveloped their homes. One story after another in which mothers /wives speak of the challenge of getting the house ready and the fathers/husbands talk about how to keep everyone happy.
Perhaps it is because I am short on caffeine. Or maybe it is something else, but I can’t say that I know exactly what bothers me this year.
On a different tack I can say that I am looking forward to the seders. My son has been working with me on the Four Questions as well as hammering me on the same question from last year.
Abba, tell me why pharoah was bad. Tell me why the plagues happened. Tell me why the Egyptians killed the babies and why G-d killed theirs. Do you think that Moshe is really dead. Does Elijah get a stomach ache from eating all that food?
Whew!
A number of years ago some friends and I played around with creating a Star Wars seder. It was kind of a goofy, nerdy concept but it would have been a lot of fun.
I am still not convinced about kitniyot. This is going to lead back to the age old discussion/comment about picking/choosing what to follow.
Anyhoo I have to get back to reality. Here are a couple of links to other posts I have written about Pesach.
Some Passover Musings
Passover
LeBron’s Castle
Sports Illustrated has a story about LeBron James’ new house:
AKRON, Ohio (AP) — LeBron James‘ 35,440-square-foot house under construction in nearby Bath Township is shaping up as a castle fit for a king — with a theater, bowling alley, casino and barber shop.
I have a question about it all. Who needs a casino in their own home. Isn’t the goal to beat the house. Isn’t that part of the fun. It seems to me that when you are the house there is no point in trying to beat it.