Matt that is bullshit. But I’m glad you’re ok.

Maybe I'll put my computer aside and go bake something.

I made bacon-cheddar biscuits but forgot the step where you cut the dough into biscuits before baking. So now I have a single MASSIVE bacon-cheddar biscuit and incontrovertible proof that I should just not bother trying to be productive today. (Pics are on FB/Insta if you want to laugh at/with me.)

WTAF, Matt.

That sucks, Jessica. And yes, clearly you should stop being productive.

Seen just now, a Mini with the vanity plate “XXXSMOL.”

Seen just now, a Mini with the vanity plate “XXXSMOL.”

Love it! On our last family drive we saw a vanity plate that read "ASOOBAWOO" which immediately became the nickname of our own Forester.

Matt, that is some bullshit. Glad you made it through relatively okay.

I was never really that worried, they were at least respectful even if it was surprising to be asked to step out of the car over a minor traffic infraction. Unlike so many other demographics I don't generally have to worry about police being hostile to me if I'm not giving them a reason.

First, health~ma for Atropa's dad.

Matt, oy! Sorry to hear about it.

Thank you everyone for you wonderful words. I have to say that I don't feel courageous or hopeful, but I find more and more that hope, like love, is rooted into action. I can feel despair and still do something that will make tomorrow, or next week, or next month better. And the more I do so, the more I feel love and gratitude to the world around me. Last week was absolute brutal at work (I worked extra 12 hours in 4 days because of some people's poor planning - I was one of them - including a day of 16 hours). And yet there were times in which I was in my chair, at my desk, looking out through the windows with a cup of tea and an attention demanding cat in my lap, and I felt very lucky to have all of that. I know people 3 hours from me are starving and hurting, and there's nothing I can do about it. I know my government is making things really bad for millions out there, and there's so very little I can do about it either. But I have here and now, and I can use what I have to do things to make the day after better. So that's what I do. The here and now, and the day after. Everything else is truly out of my control. But for my actions - I can focus on that and be responsible for them. (I hope that was coherent)

For hope, I also think of Rachel Goldberg Polin. I was with tears in my eyes by the end of her speech. [link]

I also didn't say anything about antisemitism abroad because there's nothing I know about it and how it feels like - but I'm sorry things here makes things abroad worse for everyone.

And a bit of meara'ing...

Yeah -- I've been thinking a lot about the song "Light One Candle," originally written as a pacifist reaction to the 1982 Lebanon War. [link]

Huh, I didn't know that! Good one from pacifists. Here the Lebanon war songs (the first one) are sad/protest songs. Most famous ones I can think of is Mid September [link] ("The year begins in mid September with great and growing rage/Stormy winds battle on every front/Winter kills and reaps/They say the end of the world is coming/At night the darkness deepens/All summer long the sky was red with pain/The ground's burning beneath it"), written after Sabra and Shatila. And only now that I'm translating this into English I'm wondering how it became Canon in New Jewish Year songs, because that's where I know it from. And, eh, I love this song.

I finished grading!

Yay!

Also, I think I have bronchitis.

No! Speedy recovery.

First, I am oh so grateful it is Friday. As I left the practice where I have been training all week I gave my cell number to the most challenging doctor. I told him to not hesitate to call if he gets in trouble over the weekend. (doctors don't get days off) He replied that if he sent a text it would be to invite me for a glass of wine because we both deserved it. So, I'm going to say it went well.

On Brendon's legs, the good news is they seem to be healing and are not warm anymore. Just itchy, which they should be. Of course, I never could talk him into having them looked at.

We were supposed to go to a huge Boat Parade gala tomorrow, but Fort Lauderdale canceled because of the crazy stormy weather. Very high winds would result in all the small craft piling up on each other. Why they waited until today to cancel is a mystery. I guess they hoped the storm would go elsewhere. I hope they reschedule for next weekend because the party would be super fun.

On other work stuff, my son covered for me all week while I was out and about, so that is going well. We have another 2 months to get him comfortable with what I have done for the last 36 years. I've made it clear to him that it will take some time, as there is no shortcut to experience. I can talk him through anything that comes up, so I feel good about it.

Health~ma for your dad, Atropa.

smonster, I know folks who went from doing theatre carpentry to working in a shop that does commercial displays, occasionally traveling to do installation. So that's an option that's out there.

Catching up after a week away, and sending ~ma all around to those who need it.

I need to report a miracle: I just printed 18 copies of a 3-page double-sided document on our finicky home printer, and the printer did not at any time jam, nor did it pick that moment to run out of toner.

I feel like I should make a shrine and declare a perpetual feast on every 12/15 henceforth because Lo, It Did Its Job and Did Not Jam.