My 1st Real Purim!

Happy Purim to all!
Tonight Jack & I attended Purim tonight
at the nearby Town and Village Synagogue that sponsors ASL
services. It was a LOT of fun. Its a holiday
that some refer to as the "Jewish Halloween"
because people dress up in costumes for it.

I attended a Purim once in my hometown that
Baba was involved in. Or else it was another show
sponsored by her temple but I couldn't imagine
what? I remember being VERY lost not because
I wasn't welcomed but simply because I am DEAF.
I am so blessed to live in a city where I can
actively participate in a Jewish community that
includes us DeAfies! This temple is conservative
and I consider myself a reform Jew but I could
see myself honoring more customs as time
goes by. I guess that's why im reform. I can
pick and choose which aspect of my Jewish
Identity I want to incorporate into my life.
Having grown up in a town that's straight
out of the bible belt but in an Amish/Menonite
sort of way has made my experience in this
city all the more enjoyable! I wish my Uncle
David could have this experience on a more
regular basis. I will make sure the next time
he, Aunt Nancy and Bobby are headed this
way, we will attend one of my services :]

Anyhoo, the Purim holiday is based on
the Book of Esther. In which she and her
Uncle or is it Cousin Mordecai are the
heroes who save the Jews from extermination.
Its sort of a long story but a good one
if you have the time to read up on it, I
recommend you do. We had noisemakers,
people in costumes, skits, songs, a LOT
of fun. I must learn to schmooze more
at the next few services. I kind of keep
to myself but these people are getting
to know me and me to know them.

After the services we had some pizza, drinks
and cookies, cakes. They also handed out
boxes that contained little goodies (kosher
I'm sure) some in Hebrew all seemed to be
products of Israel. Mostly wafers, candies,
pretzels, nougat, and other fun new things
for me to try.

I also got to see my good friend tonight.
He's on my mind sometimes because his
mother just passed away over the holidays.
They were very close! I know he's still
dealing with it. I will see him again in 2
weeks! I will do something fun with him too!

Interesting to note how some people who
came tonight (1 deafie, and 1 signer) both
who didn't want to comply with the rules
of the synagogue. The deafie was using his
SK and I thought the sign at the entrance said
No Cellphones/Pagers etc permitted ON. But
I think it was Cellphones/Pagers should be on
silent/vibration modes. But I saw him using it
in front of the stage and I informed him he had
to turn it off out of respect of the synagogue.
He didn't want to. Felt that they (the Temple)
couldn't force him to do it and he didn't want
to lose data by turning it off. I was a little
surprised but told him his "secret was safe
with me." And then he added he didn't mean
to offend me. He didn't but I did think it was
offensive to the people of the synagogue.
Then the other guy, a hearie who signs he
asked me if he must wear a yarmulke inside
and I said yes out of respect. And he said "really?"
My answer was "when in Rome.." Its as simple
as that. When you go to other countries, or
communities that practice a certain life
style or customs it makes the experience
more enjoyable when you tried to honor
their cultures and allows you a different
point of view. Not soon after I told him the bit
about Rome, another member who is valued
member of the congregation told him he MUST
wear one. And basically you could tell by how
he signed it it wasn't open for negotiations.
I liked that.

State taxes!

Well Jack and I tried to do my taxes and
basically I am being raped by NY state
taxes! I cannot believe how much I supposedly
owe! Its insane! I plan to pay a visit to the HR
offices at all 3 jobs to find out why so little
taxes were taken out? It has left me
not so happy right now.

I also owe a little to federal, again mind
boggling because I always put down 0
as the number of dependents. That's right
I don't even claim myself!

This is one unhappy tax payer!

Shuellas, umbrellas for your shoes!

Last month, Baba and I searched for some kind of solution for rainy days and what I could do to protect my shoes? I don't like wearing rainboots, they are NOT comfortable and often the soles are weigh down which aggravates my left ankle (the same one I had surgery on about 10 years ago). We came across SHUELLAS aka your shoe umbrellas! These cute shuellas can be worn over your shoes (including high heels for those who like torture). I finally got a chance to wear em today and boy, did I get some interesting looks. I am just glad to finally have something to wear as I was getting tired of throwing out shoes ruined from the rain or having to teach while sloshing around in drench shoes and socks. Once it was so bad I actually taught barefoot as it was too cold to wear the wet socks and shoes for 3 hours! Baba suggested I get hot pink and I love em. Brightens up a rainy day like this week will be. The only draw back for those of you considering buying a pair, make sure you order 1 size bigger if you're like me and do not have pointy toes. I realize the back of the shuellas are not fitting right because the front is too narrow but I don't care, I am gonna make them work!

Why I'm a Trekkie

I grew up watching the original series
with my Mom. Mind you I watched it without
CC under the age of 10 and couldn't understand
a word that was said. Before I saw CC at age 15
my tv viewing experiences had been deeply
limited! Anyways that's not the point here.
I remember in the late 80s when Star Trek:TNG
came on and my whole family it seemed
united weekly to watch it back in the den at
the old house on Brookfield Rd (hence the
name of my blog). We all would remincised
(sp?) about the characters and story-line.
Whatever clever thing Data said or
amusing responses from Lt. Worf. Plus
it was awesome seeing Gene Roddenberry's
wife Majel Barrett come back to the series
as Ambassador Troi's mother. And for those
of you who don't know, her voice is the
computers voice used on all the series.

Next came Deep Space 9. Now look I
tried to get into this series, really I did
but they went too Bajorian/Cardassian
for too long they lost me as a viewer.
Plus the fact it took place on a station
with little exploration did not sit well
with me and my views with what Star
Trek was all about. This was my least
favorite next to the original (only bc I
couldn't follow the story-line growing
up left me bored with the original Star
Trek).

DS9 while still being aired when it was
followed by the arrival of the series
Voyager, the crew lost in the Delta
Quadrant, 70,000 light years away
from home. And Captain Janeway was
determine to get her crew back home
to the Alpha Quandrant. Here we meet
the infamous 7 of 9, one of the many
beautiful female actresses to grace
the Star Trek franchise over the
years. And the whole Borg thing was so
wildly popular from the earlier
episodes. I think it was because we we're
coming down from the communist
fallacy from McCarthy Era, the end of
the Cold War which I remember
from my childhood. Plus Berlin Wall came
down either before or during
the TNG airings when I was a teenager.
And we Trekkies generally hate
oppressors! I watched the show pretty
steadily. And We can all agree that
once Captain Janeway cut her hair
the show improved greatly!

Then in the early 2000s I enjoyed
the short lived Enterprise. I liked
their idea of going back to the
early days of Starfleet Federation
space explorations. This series showed
us what it was like before the many
technological conviences we see in
most of the Star Trek franchise. How
the Vulcan command just didn't think
humans were ready for space exploration.
Granted the 1st few episodes were pretty bad
especially with Trip growing a nipple or
3 on his arm as a result of exposure to
something or someone. Overall I liked
this series even though among my fellow
Trekkies or Trekkers (the debate still
rages on the right term for Star Trek
followers) they usually are not fond of
this series and almost always its reverts
back to praises of DS9.

So recently this year after Xmas
Jack convinced me to give DS9
another chance starting with season 4 I
think. All mainly due to the new director
or writer (the same guy who did BSG- Battle
Star Galactica joined DS9 4th season) and
breathed new life into the series. Mainly
the Dominion War. Right now I think we're
watching season 6 and enjoying almost
every episodes. I can see why now this
series got such raves over the years.

Anyways I think one of the reasons why
I've liked the Star Trek series is there
are so many characters on the shows that
are one of a kind. They are either the only
representative of their speices, exiled,
abandoned, the last of their kind etc etc.
Sometimes I think we all feel that way.
Like Lt. Worf a Klingon or Commander
T'Pol who are both viewed as "abnormal"
compared to their peers. Often they are
viewed as emotional or influenced by
Human behavior. Or we relate
to characters like 7 of 9 or
Odo separated from their collective
voluntary or involuntary and
sometimes even both.
Perhaps we feel like Quark and Garak
making a living outside of our comfort
zones. The Star Trek series has
an amazing way of allowing all of us
as individuals to relate to one another
despite our differences (the main moral
and backbone of Star Trek messages).
Address the problems, find a solution and
fight against oppressors!

So yeah, I guess you could say I'm a
Star Trek fan for more reasons than
I can summarize in one blog posting.
Besides I can admit to my inner nerd
just as long as it doesn't take over ;}
But just before you go, here are a few
Star Trek related quotes EVERYONE
should know or sad to say, you just
ain't American!

"Space the final frontier, these are the
voyaged of the starship Enterprise. It's
continuing missions: to explore strange
new worlds, to seek out new life and
civilizations, to boldly go where no one
has gone before!" Jean Luc Picard from TNG

"Live long and Prosper" Mr. Spock

"Beam me up Scotty" Captain James
T. Kirk from the original Star Trek
or possibly just came about from
fans and never used in the original
series?

Now I should TRY to relax and go to bed
but for some reason I'm a little wired...
Insomia it's not for the weak! And this
concludes Stardate 021510 log entry.
Computer end recording message.

Things that make me smile

My Sweets and I are major Trekkies
and tonight while chilling out and watching
an episode called "The Ascent." I think I
saw/heard the best lines yet! Quark from
DS9 who is close to death while stranded on
a planet with Odo (Chief of Security on Deep
Space 9 and former Channeling, now human).
Quark while mulling over what will happen after he
dies says the best lines ever!
"My brother [Rom] will get the bar. My nephew
[Nog] will be completely corrupted by the
Federation and become a Starfleet Captain.
My bones will lie here and freeze unsold
and unmourned."
Quark has become a personal favorite of mine!
Enjoying my DS9 marathon. Im so glad Jack &
I are both sci-fi/futuristic fans! I really want
to attend a sci-fi conference one day. But
they're sooooo expensive! I've actually
salivated to the idea of injecting some Star
Trek theme at my wedding but knowing Baba and
Jack, I wouldn't get away with it. Little do they
know what I have up my sleeves. The Borg
put it best..."Resistance is futile!"

The road to hell

is certainly paved with good intentions.

Recently at the urging of many, I tried to
encourage some changes at a social
gathering that I volunteer for. These
changes were not mean spirited, far
from it. Rather it was to make a group
go from looking good to looking great!
Meanwhile the only enemy I have decided
to leave a nasty comment about the
proposed changes. Not because I had
been offensive, no, just because she is
mad at me and decided to attack me in a
public forum. Not cool. She thinks by leaving
"g" as her name I wouldn't recognize her
idiotic ranting and excessive wordings to
say the same thing in many different
ways. And ironically she criticizes the word
usage "Professional" and my aim to see more
of it at this social gathering when she herself
wouldn't know professionalism if it slapped her in the face!

Frankly I am disgusted but honestly not
surprised.

Her comment is based on her inability to work
or go to school or basically live in the
real world. So of course my approach to see
more professionals attend would leave her
seeing red. Jealousy can really f*ck with a
person. I work 3 jobs, I completed my masters.
I have a boyfriend and a wonderful family.
She doesn't have any of these things so all
she can try to do is attack me in a public
forum. Fine, so be it.

I owe

Jack a kiss, yep, he'll know why. The
swearing rule is in effect always!

Applie Pie Feud Over

I can honestly say that for almost 35 years
now I have NEVER liked or enjoy apple pie.
Sure I could eat the crust and occasionally
a bit of the apple pie sauce but never the
actual apple slices. Those were ALWAYS
discarded. But between Jack buying them
here and there and the wonderfully
addicting Apple Pies from the Best Pie
Company here in Manhattan I am doomed.
Doomed I say/sign dramatically!

Yep I am probably going to enjoy apple
pie for the remainder of my life and all I
can say is... "Damn you Jack!" :}