Prof K Made A Good Point

Big cheers to Lion of Zion (see sidebar for link) for linking to it. It's worth a relink, here.

A Kindness A Day / Areyvut

(the calendar)

My pop hooked me up with one of these. At the end of the day, I cross off the day of the week and the year, so it can become a perpetual calendar. You can get one here for $3.95, "hurt," or for $8.37, new in box. This isn't an ad; I just like the calendar. You can find it here. It is spiral-bound (plastic spiral), and stands on the desk. Total desk / countertop real estate is about 4"x6", toward the end or halfway point of the year (each page is printed on both sides).
Content may be too fluffy from more well-versed readers, but I've yet to meet a rav who doesn't think constantly reviewing more basic materials isn't a good idea; ideas of how to apply ideas in today's world are neat, too; the indices (sp?) and resource lists are well done. If you do decide you want one, you can enter code "KADC-2009" for 10% off your purchase. I'm not familiar with any of the company's other books.

I learned what Areyvut is, and that's kind of neat. Pasted from their page (I wish they had that sort of thing when I was that age):

Areyvut: Mutual responsibility, accountability; the notion that every Jew is responsible for another. It comes from the principle found in Talmud Shavuot 39a where it states, “kol yisrael areiveim zeh b’zeh” meaning that all Jews are responsible for one another.

Areyvut enables Jewish youth to infuse their lives with the core Jewish values of chesed (kindness), tzedakah (charity), and tikkun olam (social justice).

Areyvut reaches out to Jewish day schools, congregational schools and community centers, regardless of affiliation to promote the values of chesed, tzedakah and tikkun olam and offers innovative and meaningful programs to make these values a reality for students and educators alike.

Of course, I would like to extend this notion Kook's fourfold song-style and reach out to every kid, and I try to do that when I volunteer. Spring Judo ended last Sunday; the gym floor will be resurfaced over the summer. Hopefully there will be summer judo of some sort. I should be well enough to get back on the mat, if not by then, then certainly by the time we start again in September. I love working with the kids, helping teach them how to apply martial arts philosophy to their daily lives. It's great.

Moving forward

"Our answers must be given in deeds, not words." -Chovot HaLevavot, 7:10

Looking forward to having opportunities to do just that. :)

Other than that, my leg is healing and I'm hunting jobs.

How are you?

I'm getting better

It has felt like it was taking forever, but I see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Warm weather is in the forecast for the next few days. I can't wait for all the snow to melt and to spend time outside getting my gait back. Yee-hah!

Other than that, life is good. There were concerns, but now they are less worrisome. I have much gratitude to all who have lent a hand, physically and emotionally, over the past few months, even just by being themselves and doing their thing, out in the world.

I hope everyone is doing well, and if you're not, that things improve for you soon.

Sarah

PS to all the frummy dudes who friend-request me on facebook: If I know you from a blog, please let me know which blog. If I don't know you, please say hi. If you don't know how to write a sentence, I have no idea why you're getting in touch with me. Surely it's not 'cause you think we're hashkafically compatible. :)

Learning to Walk Again

I'm told that I'm making good progress, but it's not going quickly enough for me. My mother has knee surgery on Monday. My dad is recovering well from his recent surgery. Everyone else is doing okay. I can't wait to walk again. I do realize I'm getting there. Emotional development and other learning are going well. Primary foci will be walking (until I can, well) and helping out at my mom and grandmother's (next week), then, on climbing the ladder into my loft bed. I miss my mattress. It's wonderful. I can't wait to get up there again. (I could get up there, I just couldn't get down quickly, if I needed to.)

How are you? What's new?

Karudner does 121

Hat tip to my cousin in Yad Binyamin, who is one of my favorite people whom I haven't seen in way too long and whose blog can be found here.

I rambled about candle-lighting a bit

on TRS's blog, the other week (The Real Shliach). If I were cooler, I'd give you a link. Maybe tomorrow. Other than that, life is good. Sleeping a lot, knitting bones. Can't wait to get out of this cast. Things are good, though. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying whatever you celebrate and the fact that there's a little more sunlight, each day. I am.

If you showed up here from Heshy's

Here's one of my favorite posts. The first one in this blog is another of my favorites. Feel free to poke around, make yourself at home.

My cast is hot pink

Eema got a no-bend brace for her knee. I was able to ditch the splint this morning, got the stitches out and a bright pink cast. I'm allowed to drive, but I shouldn't drive long distances, for now, since not having my foot elevated makes it hurt. I'm so happy to be out of the splint! I'll be in the cast for anywhere from 8-16 weeks. I'll see the surgeon again in a couple of weeks and try to find out more about that. I saw my X-ray. I have 6 titanium screws and a metal plate in my ankle now. Who says a diamond is forever? Titanium hardware -- that's forever. lol. I can't wait to be able to get the cast off and start rebuilding the muscles in my calf and ankle. My toes are exposed. I can wiggle them, in the meantime, to help maintain the muscles in my lower leg.

Gratitude / Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm feeling more like myself again (not thinking about my leg hurting), which is great. Still can't wait to get the splint off. Able to sit in a chair in front of a computer without my leg hurting more.

Getting a little of my sass back. And my desire and drive to clean up/take care, more.

Just when things were getting boring, my mom dislocated her knee this morning, then popped it back into place. Then it popped out again. I believe she will go to the doctor tomorrow (or I will rat her out to her mother and then my Bub will drag her to the ER, and won't that be fun? Nope.).

((Eema))

I'm glad I know I'm not MacGuyver or House. My mom is as stubbornly autonomous as I am. It's kind of amusing. I love her. I'm running low on vics and will be able to drive again, soon. Can't wait.

I hope everyone's doing well. I've been having a hard time dealing with Mike's death, but some days are better than others. A friend said he's my angel, now. He would believe that, so I'll go with it. He wanted nothing less than for me to be happy. I'm very happy he's not in pain anymore. Love is funny, but it's good. I learned a lot about love and friendship from him. That lives in me.

99 bloggles of post on the wall ...

It's my 99th post. Who knew? I didn't, until I logged in. The good news is that I'm all clear to have surgery to fix my leg tomorrow. I'm so excited that at the end of this road, I'll have my leg back! Surgery's scheduled for 1pm. The surgeon seems competent. Quick in-out, I should be home on Wednesday, I think. Anyway, I hope all is well in your world. Things just got a little better in mine.

since my last post

my best (male) friend died (he was 50, a stroke survivor, had brain cancer, so it wasn't a surprise, but we love(d) each other very much and I miss him daily). i'm glad he's not in pain anymore. I dealt with stuff related to that on the board, and I don't feel like getting into it here.

a couple of weeks later, I got my leg broken in 3 places at judo. i'm scheduled for surgery this friday. going to have some metal in me, for a while. also dealt with this mostly on the board.

so this post is basically, hi, i'm not dead. I also decided to go back to school to become a cross between a physical and an occupational therapist. I want to help people apply principles of tai chi to live better in their houses. just need to find a local program and get into it.

Great Art (J surfability)

Dan Weinstein makes some neat-looking stuff! The Eshet Chayil in blue and white first caught my eye on facebook, led me to his site. If Little Steven's Underground Garage (a radio show) were a sukkah, Dan's art would line the walls.

Nashuva's / JTN's Kol Nidre Webcast

It's pretty cool. Still running.
Not traditional; contains kol isha, musical instruments, etc., but it reached lots of people who wouldn't otherwise have had any sort of YK shul experience, and that rocks. And Naomi Levy's pretty neat (it can be argued she is occasionally inappropriate, but I'm not one to knock her; outreach far outweighs inappropriate). Kind of makes me want to go to JTS.

L'Shanah Tovah!

or, as they say on the ranch, happy Jew year. :) 

love,

Sarah

re: heimish afrobeat (potential lyrics)

The world needs heimish afrobeat. Here are some words for music that has yet to be composed.

I'm drawing from Hillel, as discussed in R'Tzvi Hersh Weinreb's recent address to the DNC. This is Judaism 101; universal message is key.
http://www.ou.org/news/article/leader_of_orthodox_union_addresses_democratic_convention_interfaith_gatheri/

“V’ahavta le-rayacha kamocha.You should love your neighbor as yourself.”

“Ma da’alach sanei, lechavrach lo sa’aveid. That which is hateful to you do not do unto your neighbor.”

I've also seen it as this: Ma d'sani lakh, l'chavrakh al t'avid

What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow

Which one is it? I'm not sure. But here's an essay on Hillel and objectivism. (I am not familiar with the work of Ayn Rand; please refrain from throwing fruit at me.)

“Ki hem chayenu v’orech yameinu. Study is our life, the length of our days.”

“Tzadikim gemurim einam kovlim al horah elah mosifim ohr. The truly righteous do not bemoan ignorance; but they spread knowledge and wisdom.” -Rav Kook

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I am also a big fan of

Im ein ani li, mi li?
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

U'kh'she'ani l'atzmi, ma ani?
And once I am for myself, what am I?

V'im lo akhshav, eimatay?
And if not now, when?

(Hillel)

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"Kamayim HaPanim al Panim, Kach Lev HaAdam" (just like water reflects a face, so too does the heart of mankind). Mishlei [Proverbs] (27:19)

And from the seder:
Ha lachma, ha lachma anya, di achalu, achalu avahatana, b'ara b'ara d'mitzrayim, b'ara b'ara d'mitzrayim. Kol dichfin yeitei v'yeichul, kol ditzrich yeitei v'yifsach. Hashata hacha, lashanah haba-ah b'arah d'yisrael. Hashata avdei, lashanah haba-ah b'nei chorin.
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Pirkei Avot is a veritable wellspring from which heimish afrobeat lyrics can be drawn.
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In the meantime ...

I bartered tuition for the next session of medical qigong by working the front desk at the sensei's practice. Getting ready for fall judo.

I enjoy working the front desk at a medical practice. I don't know much about quickbooks, but the rest of it is pretty cool. I could do that.

Still looking for a full-time gig. Have editing work lined up for this week (rosh hashanah notwithstanding). Happy to be here, happy to be alive.

Keeping the creative juices flowing, getting ready for 5769.

Keeping an eye on the child abuse thing. Terrible stuff. Florida was good; I want to go back. Donna the Buffalo continues to move me. Jeb's solo album is awesome. I've been playing it a lot.

Tons of good shows coming up in the NYC area; picking them carefully, due to budgetary constraints. This, too, shall pass.

Saw my doctor; he switched some stuff around and took good care of me. Got some acupuncture and plum blossom got rid of one issue. Taking an herbal formula for some boo boos that weren't going away, and they're finally healing; YAY!!

Did some laundry, doing some job hunting. It's all good. Realized I have a knack for digging guys who are more observant than I (currently) am. That's okay; if I were dug back, I could easily see me becoming more observant; kind of heading that way, anyway, without losing sight of my own message being more global than insular. Someone who's right for me will understand that tikkun olam doesn't mean living in a terrarium.

In the meantime, I think having a full-time gig will make me feel more able to date (maybe; the other half of me has long been ready to start a family). Slightly concerned re: the desire of a local to hook me back up with the past stopping a potential present from moving forward, but I know that's really bs and if someone likes someone, they do, period. We're not in high school, anymore.

There are some beautiful people in this world. I smile, when I think of them. I like it.

CDC: Sexual Abuse & Falling Prevention Guidelines

For Organizations
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/PreventingChildAbuse.htm

contains link to: Preventing Child Sexual Abuse within Youth Serving Organizations: Getting Started On Policies and Procedures.


CDC published Child Maltreatment Surveillance: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements.

While I'm at it, here's a link on Preventing Falls in Older Adults

Compilation of links re: child abuse / inappropriate physical contact from J Organizations

If I'm missing something, please add it as a comment or direct me to it and I'll edit this list. Thank you. The most up to date posts from R'Twerski appear here.

Torah Umesorah (click link above and scroll down to #27 for the rest of this post)

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USCJ

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Baltimore Rabbis

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NCSY

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A good comment from VIN that lays out some practical ideas on handling this. (scroll down past the initial part)

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Another very good comment on VIN

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And one more

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Train to recognize this stuff (online), also from a VIN comment

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Great words from Mikey in the comments on this article:

Stop pointing fingers at people who are trying to help -
A. point your finger at your telephone and call the Menahel or Rosh Yeshiva or Administrator of your kids yeshiva or day school.

B. Ask them what they are doing as per background checks of Rebbes and teachers

C. Ask them if they have fingerprinted and DNA cheek swabbed the Rebbe/Teacher

D. If the answer is not satisfactory get together with the other parents in your kids class/school and demand that action be taken - and yes you can change how the school/yeshiva operates

E. Worst case change which school/yeshiva your child attends - arrange a sit-in protest in the yeshiva/school - do something preventive

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sex offender registries in all states. people can make sure their children’s teachers aren’t on those lists.

Yitz Iz Neias

It's always nice when people are as kind as they are talented. Yitz is one of those people.
A write-up in VIN. The comments are nicer than the article. Go, Yitz!