You know what sucked about Purim?
Collecting.
For years, I'd go collecting every year with my yeshiva. MAYBE the first year was fun, afterwards, it sucked.
You go for long hours door-to-door shnorring, sweating in these stuffy costumes, and you don't get paid a red cent (it's a "mitzva," of course). Trying this guy's red wine, that guy's white wine. Ugh. Listening to some yutz from your group harassing the baal habayis to cough up more dough. Drunken mishuganas running all over the street, singing at the top of their lungs, and saying the dumbest things. Jesus Christ.
One thing for sure I won't miss about this year's Purim is collecting.
However, I will miss the old days, dressing up, and eating tons of nosh. Those were good times.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Ooh, I Know One!
Buying stuff in honor of rosh chodesh! That was fun!
I was reminded of this because it's been exactly a month since the last post :)
I used to buy something special every rosh chodesh in honor of rosh chodesh, I miss doing that. And that reminds me that I also used to buy extra nice stuff/food for shabbos. Great excuse to try that really expensive cheesecake, eh? ;)
I was reminded of this because it's been exactly a month since the last post :)
I used to buy something special every rosh chodesh in honor of rosh chodesh, I miss doing that. And that reminds me that I also used to buy extra nice stuff/food for shabbos. Great excuse to try that really expensive cheesecake, eh? ;)
Monday, January 19, 2009
OTD
By: Margo
You know, when I go to my dashboard, I see the Ballroom blog, with fairly frequent updates. I see the OTD blog, with even more frequent updates. I see the Haven blog, with updates that happen more often than the time it takes to say the Shema Yisroel backwards (anyone else here love Savta Simcha while growing up?). Then I see this Frum blog, with updates more infrequent than the time it's been since I last said Shema Yisroel (well, not really, but in a hyperbolic manner). So I think, and think, and think about what I miss from being frum. The trouble is, I don't miss it. At all. Of course now and then I'll miss something or other, but not often enough to post about it regularly.
However, today, after much effort, a burst of inspiration hit me and I thought of something that I miss!
I miss going OTD! That's part of the life of a frum community, right? People who go OTD.
I've already gone OTD, so I can't go OTD anymore, and I kind of miss that. It felt very intellectually invigorating to attend all those frum classes and dispute the rabbis, challenge everything I heard, talk it over with frum and non-frum friends of mine. It felt freakin' awesome to wear a tank top and pants to the Kotel. Now, I just don't go to frum programs. I don't go to the Kotel (I'm also not in Israel at the moment, which stops me from going, even if I wanted to.) I have better things to do with my life. But that was nice, going OTD. Ah, to be frum again so that I could go OTD again! Lovely thought... :)
You know, when I go to my dashboard, I see the Ballroom blog, with fairly frequent updates. I see the OTD blog, with even more frequent updates. I see the Haven blog, with updates that happen more often than the time it takes to say the Shema Yisroel backwards (anyone else here love Savta Simcha while growing up?). Then I see this Frum blog, with updates more infrequent than the time it's been since I last said Shema Yisroel (well, not really, but in a hyperbolic manner). So I think, and think, and think about what I miss from being frum. The trouble is, I don't miss it. At all. Of course now and then I'll miss something or other, but not often enough to post about it regularly.
However, today, after much effort, a burst of inspiration hit me and I thought of something that I miss!
I miss going OTD! That's part of the life of a frum community, right? People who go OTD.
I've already gone OTD, so I can't go OTD anymore, and I kind of miss that. It felt very intellectually invigorating to attend all those frum classes and dispute the rabbis, challenge everything I heard, talk it over with frum and non-frum friends of mine. It felt freakin' awesome to wear a tank top and pants to the Kotel. Now, I just don't go to frum programs. I don't go to the Kotel (I'm also not in Israel at the moment, which stops me from going, even if I wanted to.) I have better things to do with my life. But that was nice, going OTD. Ah, to be frum again so that I could go OTD again! Lovely thought... :)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Recent Thoughts
Okay, my humor's nothing to write home about.
I hope you all don't mind, but I'm going to get a bit more serious here. And yes, I will be turning off comments for now.
My other blog is more of an anti-religious place, while this place can be more pro-religious.
I wanted to discuss reasons why I might want to go back on the derech. No, not to get anyone's hopes up, just to clear my head a little.
Well, I don't believe in God, and I wasn't that happy being frum anyway. However, it's the community I was raised in, and I'm much more familiar with it than anything else. I might even go so far as to say I'm more comfortable there than anywhere else. Maybe.
Mayebe I can be somewhat Orthoprax, and just be a regular frum guy again, with less obligations? Kind of just play the part, without committing too much?
Just thinking.
I hope you all don't mind, but I'm going to get a bit more serious here. And yes, I will be turning off comments for now.
My other blog is more of an anti-religious place, while this place can be more pro-religious.
I wanted to discuss reasons why I might want to go back on the derech. No, not to get anyone's hopes up, just to clear my head a little.
Well, I don't believe in God, and I wasn't that happy being frum anyway. However, it's the community I was raised in, and I'm much more familiar with it than anything else. I might even go so far as to say I'm more comfortable there than anywhere else. Maybe.
Mayebe I can be somewhat Orthoprax, and just be a regular frum guy again, with less obligations? Kind of just play the part, without committing too much?
Just thinking.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Chanuka
Chanuka is one of my favorite holidays. Eight days of fun, with almost no restrictions. Lots of food, lots of presents, what's not to love?
Latkes are the best.
Doughnuts--not bad, though the icing sugar gets really messy. The songs are great.
Cleaning and preparing the candles are a pain in the neck.
What's my favorite part of Chanuka? Standing around with family after the candles are lit, just before digging into the latkes. It's a special feeling.
Latkes are the best.
Doughnuts--not bad, though the icing sugar gets really messy. The songs are great.
Cleaning and preparing the candles are a pain in the neck.
What's my favorite part of Chanuka? Standing around with family after the candles are lit, just before digging into the latkes. It's a special feeling.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Israel
You may have noticed I've been neglecting this blog. Sorry.
To me, a blog is a big party. If you're interested in being a contributor, just give me a shout (offthed@gmail.com) and you're in.
I spent a year and a half in Israel a few years ago, and thought I'd share some of my positive memories.
- The weather. I loved how it never rained in the summer, and you barely ever needed a coat in the winter. Loved it.
- The food. Okay, lots of it was crap, but lots was great. Like bread for fifty cents a loaf (seriously). During bein hazmanim, I lived off of that stuff. Also hummus (a kilo tub for like two bucks). Oh, you know those shoko bags kids take to school? Those rock.
- Buses, tiyulim. Loved the buses, and how you were never too far from your next tiyul. Went on lots of tiyulim. LOVED Ein Gedi! Didn't go to Masada:(.
- Shabbos. LOVED it. People were always inviting us to their homes for the meals, and had LOTS of fun. Also, walking around Yerushalayim Friday night was pretty cool. It sometimes seemed like the whole city's population was walking down Shmuel Hanavi, cracking garinim.
- Carefree attitude. A lot of Israelis are mad chilled. Lots of unique personalities to hang out with. You never know what you're getting yourself into; the place is one big balagan, and it's a laugh a minute. Basically, what I'm saying is it's a lot of fun:).
To me, a blog is a big party. If you're interested in being a contributor, just give me a shout (offthed@gmail.com) and you're in.
I spent a year and a half in Israel a few years ago, and thought I'd share some of my positive memories.
- The weather. I loved how it never rained in the summer, and you barely ever needed a coat in the winter. Loved it.
- The food. Okay, lots of it was crap, but lots was great. Like bread for fifty cents a loaf (seriously). During bein hazmanim, I lived off of that stuff. Also hummus (a kilo tub for like two bucks). Oh, you know those shoko bags kids take to school? Those rock.
- Buses, tiyulim. Loved the buses, and how you were never too far from your next tiyul. Went on lots of tiyulim. LOVED Ein Gedi! Didn't go to Masada:(.
- Shabbos. LOVED it. People were always inviting us to their homes for the meals, and had LOTS of fun. Also, walking around Yerushalayim Friday night was pretty cool. It sometimes seemed like the whole city's population was walking down Shmuel Hanavi, cracking garinim.
- Carefree attitude. A lot of Israelis are mad chilled. Lots of unique personalities to hang out with. You never know what you're getting yourself into; the place is one big balagan, and it's a laugh a minute. Basically, what I'm saying is it's a lot of fun:).
Monday, December 8, 2008
Davening
By: Margo
I sometimes miss davening. Not the praying to an invisible God, nor the mandatory aspect of it, but I miss the intense concentration and meditation. I felt like I was delving deep into myself and simultaneously drawing closer to what I thought of as God. That part was lovely; it helped me reach self-knowledge, it brought me to a self-centered place, it enabled me to focus. Even after I stopped believing that the Torah is divine, I would talk to "God" intensely, just talk. That was great. Then I realized that God almost definitely wasn't there, and I stopped talking to myself.
Maybe I'll look into meditation. Or maybe I'll just resume talking to myself. It was easier when I thought I was talking to another being, though. Now I just feel crazy, except that it's crazier to talk to yourself and believe you're speaking to an invisible being than it is to just talk to yourself, fully knowing what you're doing. ;) Maybe I'm not so crazy, after all.
I sometimes miss davening. Not the praying to an invisible God, nor the mandatory aspect of it, but I miss the intense concentration and meditation. I felt like I was delving deep into myself and simultaneously drawing closer to what I thought of as God. That part was lovely; it helped me reach self-knowledge, it brought me to a self-centered place, it enabled me to focus. Even after I stopped believing that the Torah is divine, I would talk to "God" intensely, just talk. That was great. Then I realized that God almost definitely wasn't there, and I stopped talking to myself.
Maybe I'll look into meditation. Or maybe I'll just resume talking to myself. It was easier when I thought I was talking to another being, though. Now I just feel crazy, except that it's crazier to talk to yourself and believe you're speaking to an invisible being than it is to just talk to yourself, fully knowing what you're doing. ;) Maybe I'm not so crazy, after all.
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