Considering Seder

I considered having/attending a Seder this year. Passover has become a time of reflection for me since my mom passed. This was her favorite observance. I don't know if it was the remembering and release of hardship or the re-bonding with family and friends. Instead, I lit a memorial candle which my husband questioned since it had no fancy scent.

I haven't attended a real Seder since I was 16 or so. I'm not big on the eastern European versions of Passover food. I'm more of a 'arugula, boiled egg, leg of lamb' kind of gal. Kugel and gefilte fish just didn't roll into the Black lifestyle that well.

Fast forward to 2009 and there's a seder in the White House! So cool. SNL made the best joke - something like "to show the popularity of this president, even Elijah showed up!" Too funny. As a kid I always wondered who drank that extra glass of vino.

Maybe next year I'll attend the local D.C. Freedom Seder, although I've heard they substituted grape juice (Baptists whats up with that?).

Personally? I miss the Manischevitz.

LRB | Eliot Weinberger : What I Heard about Iraq

I want to hear that this ridiculous war on the lack of terror is ending. Sadly, all I hear is emptiness.

LRB | Eliot Weinberger : What I Heard about Iraq

Why so nice?

My mother often told me that I had a sharp tongue. That I could be so "nice-nasty". She was speaking of my tone and words of course and I never thought it was a problem. Words can hurt, and I always tried to draw first blood.

Age however, and perhaps a bit of hard earned and learned wisdom have blunted my tastebud embedded instrument. For some totally weird reason, I cannot go one day without giving a total stranger a compliment. Just as I learned early on how dangerous my words could be, I've also learned the simple joy created with the tiniest of loving words.

In short, it makes me feel good and that is today's shabbat moment.

Shabbat Everyday

This is dedicated to Connie, my hero.