Neither Nilly nor Sheryl has offended me in the least.

I am not Jewish, but working in a Jewish high school this year has immersed me in Jewish culture and faith. I'm picking up more and more Hebrew, and I'm so much more aware of the holidays--not just their existence, but their meaning. Their rituals.

My Connecticut friend Meredith (who is Jewish) called me on Rosh Hashanah to wish "a Happy New Year to my Jewish friend...because I think you count as one of my Jewish friends now." She was somewhat joking and somewhat not, and I felt honored to be included in her celebrations.

I have become so much more conscious of Shabbot, and though I certainly do not follow Jewish law completely, I have found myself trying to take it easy from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. I try not to work or to be too busy--I try to carve a little peace out of my busy week.

I am not Jewish, but I am immersed in the rhythms of Judaism.

This year I am looking at Yom Kippur approaching and feeling that same need to reach out to the people in my life and say I'm sorry. I cannot claim to be doing it in a religious sense, since I am not thinking about my name being written in the Book of Life, but I think there is a value in this tradition that goes beyond my personal faith.

Be it karma or just human kindness, I want to say that I am sorry if I have done anything to offend or hurt any of you in this past year. Please let me know what I have to do to make it right.

This year I am feeling in need of a little forgiveness.

Sheryl, you have done nothing to offend me either.

Theodosia and Kristin, neither of you have offended or hurt me.

OK, I am off for fun with friends. Let's hope the rain stays off for a while longer.

Seattle's death toll was 1600 out of approximately 400,000 people, a death rate half what was seen in other US cities.

I love walking through graveyards. It's a thing. There's a beautiful graveyard in Hollywood that I've been to a number of times, and there's a whole section where all the death dates are clustered in August through November, 1918.

Also, that article notwithstanding, the 1918 outbreak is like the quiet plague -- I've read so little about it, compared to other plagues in history. It's like it was so scary to people of modern times, few people like to talk or write about it.

Doesn't everyone have HPV already?

According to several different OBGYNs I've talked to, yes, nearly 90% of adults has some form. The trick is that there are dozens of different strains--some dangerous and some not. I believe the vaccine is to prevent the HPV strains that have been shown to lead to cervical cancer.

Oh, and religious groups who oppose the vaccinations can bite me, and I'm not saying sorry for feeling that way. Grrr.

Nilly, Sheryl, and Kristin -- none of you have even come close to offending me this year. May you have a peaceful holiday.

I was going to go into the office today. I have work that I need to do to make up for making a really stupid mistake a few weeks ago. But it's a beautiful day and the traffic would be bad because it's Fleet Week and the Blue Angels are here -- and I was just in the city last night (to see Serenity again with some fannish pals).

So I think I'm going to be irresponsible and take the dog for a walk, buy my book club book, do yard work, and make a pot of curry. Maybe I'll write a little.

I figure I've offended everyone at some point this year. I'll have to also ask forgiveness for calling in sick on Yom Kippur because I have so little vacation time.

I'm a bad, bad Jew.

I don't actually think you've offended me this year, Allyson. Hard though that may be to believe... t grin

Kristin, that was a lovely post. Also, msbelle is, yup, still the nicest.

[Edited to wave to Suela. My, I miss posting with you guys!]

I figure I've offended everyone at some point this year.

Not me, not that I can remember. Of course, now the former sentence makes you a liar, so it's not like I helped you with that.

calling in sick on Yom Kippur

This year's Jewish holidays are in the worst possible days-of-the-week for anybody who doesn't get Jewish-Holidays-off, all middle-of-the-week. A friend (it's her family that hosted me on Saturday in NYC) is in college now, and she misses so many classes.

And on better news, because the unspoiled me can't post it on the proper thread, a friend just e-mailed me that she got us tickets for "Serenity", on the 18th.

A side note--I feel uncomfortable being included with those who are truly Jewish, so please don't feel you have to acknowledge my post in thread right now. Please just let me know via email if I have offended you so we can talk about it privately. Thanks.

Allyson, you don't get Yom Kippur off as a religious holiday? Seriously? You shouldn't have to take a sick day OR a vacation day. That's just wrong.

We have classes cancelled at my school, but the offices are open. Sucks for the Jewish staff.