Poor ltc and family. I hope she is feeling better quickly. Hugs to all.

Aw, poor ltc. And poor mommy and daddy.

Laura, when I feel frustrated with my kids, I remind myself that none of them are alcoholics, drug dealers, convicted felons, or prostitutes for crack, all of which can be found around the family tree (lots of good, happy, successful people too, but they don't stand out quite so much in neon).

I was talking to my therapist about how I'd thought I was fat when I got pregnant with Nick and mentioned that I wore size 10 - 12, and she said "that's what I wear!" And I was kind of shocked because I thought of her as skinny.

Some of my textbooks for the genealogy course arrived today (I think that's the fastest Amazon has ever delivered anything -- that was about 12 hours from ordering until delivery, and they delivered on a Sunday), and I'm starting to do the readings. A lot of the stuff that these books look at as "any experienced researcher knows this" is stuff that I don't know, because I've done almost no US research into anything before the twentieth century, since none of my own family was here then. So I've definitely got to learn about things like Civil War pensions and homestead claims and all of that stuff. And land records! I think that, in my family, the first of my direct ancestors to own property in the US were my parents.

And, if I want local clients, and I want to look into historical records, then I've definitely got to improve my German skills. Though that's something that I've been trying to do anyway, for my own research.

It appears that I volunteered to host the Seder this year. Sure, we'll be four people and they'll be friends and non of them is orthodox to the point of checking if the floor underneath the closets is clean, and yet I suddenly question my sanity.

How cool, Hil! That sounds really interesting.

Shir, oof! I have no idea how involved that is, but it sounds scary.

It appears that I volunteered to host the Seder this year. Sure, we'll be four people and they'll be friends and non of them is orthodox to the point of checking if the floor underneath the closets is clean, and yet I suddenly question my sanity.

Me too - we normally go to my mom's or my grandmother's but neither of them are hosting this year and my 11 year-old asked if we could do our own. It will just be immediate family + my sister, but I don't actually own a Haggadah, so I've been piecing one together at this DIY Haggadah site.

And searching up "modern liberal atheist Haggadah" gives you WAY MORE EXTRA THINGS to put on a Seder plate than I was previously aware of. Like I knew about the orange, but there's also a pine cone and a tomato?

And searching up "modern liberal atheist Haggadah" gives you WAY MORE EXTRA THINGS to put on a Seder plate than I was previously aware of. Like I knew about the orange, but there's also a pine cone and a tomato?

I have my own humanistic Haggadah (which I will update this year with some parts of the queer-feminist Haggadah I saw last night). I got rid of every violent part I could find and added stuff I liked about freedom and liberty and social responsibility. It's in Hebrew, but I'm happy to send it if it helps. And I'm sure that the Humanistic Judaism Society will have some suggestions...?

And oh, Lord. The Seder plate. Do I have one? I'll have to get one. And understand how to make it vegan. And in the spirit of the Seder I'm trying to arrange. Huh.

I have no idea how involved that is, but it sounds scary.

Deena, it's just a lot. Mentally. How else can you value being free, if you're not subjected in one evening to thousands of years of tradition and social expectations and norms?

I'm in the hot water heater club, although like "ATM machine" and "VIN number," I've mostly trained myself not to say it.

blackberry margaritas made with fresh berries, orange juice, hot peppers, and booze

I don't know, Laura. That there sounds like it might be the key to health.

Shir, I'm good for now, but thanks for the offer.

I'll have to get one. And understand how to make it vegan.

The usual suggestion I've seen is a beet instead of the shank bone, and either a small white eggplant or a wooden egg from a craft store in place of the egg. The beet can be roasted to symbolize the Temple sacrifice, plus roasting it makes it drip red juices, which kind of adds to the whole bloody symbolism thing.

I saw a suggestion this year to add Ruth's Cup to symbolize welcoming converts. That's in addition to Miriam's Cup. And Elijah's Cup, of course. And I think there was one other cup. We might be getting to the point of too many symbolic foods and cups.

I'm going to my aunt and uncle's, and they're Orthodox, so it's entirely the traditional seder.