Subways Underwater due to Sandy - New York Post

  This is pretty creepy.

Thank You

     Hurricane Sandy was the worst storm to hit New York City. It kind of reminded me of that awful movie AI where they show Manhattan and Coney Island submerged under water. I did not like that movie when I saw it years ago and I like it less today.
     I will say that though there has been a lot of devastation there is also a lot I am thankful for. I am thankful to the MTA for shutting down the subway on Sunday before the storm hit.  A lot of people could have drowned   had the trains  been running during the storm. So many lives were saved.
      I am also grateful that I live in zone 3 in Brooklyn so I did not need to evacuate my home during the storm. I am grateful that I did not lose power or water during the storm. I am not listing these to rub it in to those who did lose power , had to evacuate or lost their water.  I am merely being thankful for  the gifts I have been given. I am also stating them so I remember these things when I start kvetching about the lack of subway service and the fact that we can't be sure when it will be restored.
     My heart goes out to those who have been evacuated from their homes. My heart goes out to those whose homes have been destroyed . My heart goes out to those whose power is out and who do not have water.
      When the tsunami hit Thailand my heart sank for those who lost their lives and homes. When the earthquake hit Japan I had rachmanas on those who experienced it. I sent clothes to the Philippines when my co-workers made a collection for those whose survived the floods there a few years ago. No one every really believes such devastating acts of G-d will come their way. It  always seems like something that happens to someone else.
     I always find acts of G-d to be the most profound. There is such devastation that is not man made. They are meant to make us think. Perhaps they are to make us appreciate the mundane. After one's world gets so shaken up one longs for the boring normal of everyday.Too bad we can't always appreciate the mundane until it is suspended.
   
   

Love it

If  I didn't need the money I could get used to staying home all day. Unfortunately my choices are few. I have to work or win the lottery. It would be nice to score a rich husband but if I won the lottery    the loot would always be mine. Anyway , reality will be hitting soon and I will be back at work . I'm just trying to enjoy my freedom while I have it. Happy hurricane everyone.

October 30

     Today my dad would have been 77 years old. It is so weird to say that number because he only lived to be 74. With the hurricane and all of the destruction I almost forgot that I had one less birthday card to send this year.  Again.
      Death is weird. When I used to hear people say that when loved ones pass on they don't really die, that  they become part of you I always thought it was a cliche. Now I know its true. They may not be alive but they are alive in your thoughts and memories . Its sad but on the other hand its kind of nice. You can choose how you want to remember them . You don't have to remember what you would prefer to forget. Its too bad one can't do this while people are alive. Or can we?
     Sometimes when people pass away you gain another perspective about who they were when they were alive when its not clouded by the day to day stupidity that can go on. Its unfortunate that sometimes one does not always appreciate someone until they are not around anymore.
    The thing is we can all say we will try to do better with those who are in our lives now but in reality we probably won't . We probably couldn't if we wanted to. That's whats great about life. We think it goes on forever when it really doesn't. I think that its supposed to be like that. This is how we grow and how we take chances. Mistakes are what help us grow.
      Anyway, today is my dad's birthday and I'm thinking about how though he did not get to be old he also did not have to be really sick and debilitated for  many years at the end of his life. This was something that he did not want. So though he did not get to live to be 77, he did live the years he did live as a vibrant person. I think this is the way I would prefer to remember my dad - as a vibrant person.

Children Roaming

     This past Shabbos I was minding my own business walking down the street . There were about 5 very small children ahead of me. There was no parent ahead of them. There were a few adults walking behind me.  The 3-5 year olds stopped at the curb and waited. The about one and a half year old kept walking . She walked right into the street. As she was about to pass the curb I for a split second looked to see if anyone was racing to get her. I realized no one was so I ran after her and stopped her. I told her to get out of the street and took her by the hand and brought her back to the curb. Longer time than should have passed  before the child's father came and scooped her up. The family thanked me profusely . I was a bit taken aback by the experience so I quickly walked away.
     It always disturbs me that people are so haphazard about watching their children when they walk down the street. They often rely on children barely big enough to watch out for themselves to look out for children who are even younger. Why wasn't anyone holding this toddler's hand while she was walking? Even if she had broken free from someone's hand it did not look like anyone was trying to retrieve her. As a single  without kids woman I am horrified. How is it that someone lucky enough to have kids can  be so careless? I was afraid I was going to tell these people just this , so I quickly left . I couldn't keep it all inside, so I am sharing my thoughts with you.

Hurricane

     I don't know if I believe all of the hype out there about there being a hurricane on Monday in New York City. This is pretty amazing because I usually believe bad stuff instead of good stuff. Maybe I'm becoming an optimist after all. I loved this picture of Gene Wilder from the Weather Channel's website. Gene Wilder is the greatest.  I've loved him since Willie Wonka. I guess all of the hype is okay if they post cool artsy photos of Gene Wilder .

The Best Part

     Sometimes the best part of a date is right after you get off of the phone until you meet the person. Yes I know this is rather pessimistic, but I am sure there are those of you out there that can relate. The little crunch time before the date is when one's hopes for a future relationship are still there. Once you meet up it may not be so encouraging. So I try to revel in it while hope is still there.

Brown Hair

     I always thought that I had dark brown hair. Recently I have worked in  an ethnically diverse office where when I mention that I have dark brown hair they shake their heads and say I do not have dark brown hair. According to my co-workers I have light brown hair. You have no idea what this has done to my self image. Perhaps I have medium brown hair, but light brown hair?
     I guess its all relative. For people with black hair my hair is light brown. I now have light brown hair that I haven't dyed. I am saving so much money .

Howard Stern Exposes Obama Supporters 2012 (Official)

  It doesn't really matter who you are planning on voting for on November 6, this is too darn funny. Hopefully Biden won't get a complex.  Hopefully not  many of these people who were interviewed get picked to sit on juries .G-d help us all.

moody blues

     Often when people are nervous they act moody and unpleasant . This is not necessarily their true temperament. Sometimes it can be difficult to separate what is a person's true mood or is it just their nerves speaking.

on being nice...

     As the saying goes "It wouldn't kill you to be nice" Or would it?

shidduch resumes

     Some people have a shidduch resume. It is the equivalent of an online profile on a  dating site. I would prefer to write a real shidduch resume that included all of the men I have dated. That would be more fun. I would list myself as a reference. That would surely be more helpful for all of the single women that I know. I could give a rating system. Datable , handsome, marriage material, not worth a phone call, not worth an e-mail. I could list where we went on the date as well as his profession, marital status(divorced, single, widowed) , how many kids, estimated age. Compiling a list like this would be much more fun than the current  shidduch resume format.
     Don't hold your breath . I don't think I would  really write a real dating resume. I am not sure anyone would believe me or date me . So I will hold off on compiling a real shidduch resume. Perhaps once I get married I will ....

Inspire Me

     What inspires you spiritually? I am inspired by the positive. I am inspired by those who are involved in bikur cholim. I am inspired by those who always offer a kind word to others. I am  inspired by stories of gam  zu l'tovah. I am inspired by those who love life despite the nisyonos that have challenged them.
      I am not inspired spiritually by those who feel they have to denigrate others in order to make frumkeit look special. The Torah is special on its own merit. One does not prove the Torah as being valid by showing how bad other options are. It should be and is obvious. We are fortunate to live in a time when we  can choose to be observant . Lets not blow it.
     
   

Oldies But Goodies

    Often on  I like to watch old t.v. shows online. One such show that I have been enjoying lately is The  Dick Van Dyke  Show.  The Dick Van Dyke Show is one of the all time funniest shows that were before my time. Some old shows like Father Knows Best or The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show don't really hold up well in 2012, The Dick Van Dyke Show does.
     TDVDS  is about an early 1960's couple who live in the suburbs in New York. Husband Rob is a comedy writer . Wife Laura is a housewife. The dialogue is superb. Rob works in Manhattan as a comedy writer with Buddy and Sally. Buddy  played by Morey Amsterdam is the sharpest  comedian that I have ever heard. Everything he says is insanely funny. Sally is the eternal single woman in  search of a husband.  Neighbor Millie is played by the same woman who played Grandma Yettta  on The Nanny. This is the early 1960's so it is pre-feminist. I watch this show wishing I was Laura and ending up feeling more like Sally.  It is still a joy to watch. I saw re-runs of this as a kid, but it is so different to watch as an adult. Full episodes are available on you tube or netflix.

Hasidic Boy wins Chinese Dance Contest

   This is really funny! I just saw it on facebook tonight. Matisyahu eat your heart out.

Hungry Girl To The Max

     Tonight at Barnes and Noble at 86th St and Lexington Lisa Lillien hawked her new book Hungry Girl To the Mas. It was a fun filled event . Every attendee recieved a pink bag filled with Hungry Girl endorced lower calorie snacks that were mostly kosher. (note: not all of the recipes in the book are kosher but a lot are ) There were several raffles . Lisa Lillien briefly spoke and answered questions. She then signed books. It was a lot of fun.

       Lisa Lillen's cookbooks contain easy , low guilt recipes for the hungry girl who likes to eat and still fit in her clothing. Her cookbooks make trying to stay trim fun.

Life in a nutshell

I could not have said it better myself. I for one try to stay far away from those who have a talent for sucking the joy out of life.

Sukkot in the office

    I know , I know, I am a week late with this one, but I just saw it today and I didn't want to wait until next year to post it so here it is. Its a bit goofy , but fun.

Enjoying the Journey

     Life is messy. No matter how hard one tries, things do not always go as planned. One can try and try but things may still not turn out the way one wants it to. That's the part that stinks. Sometimes one has to realize that things won't happen the way one may have wanted them to no matter how much one has tried . Other times things will turn out positive but it will be a long process. I find it hard to wait out the process. Sometimes anticipation can make it difficult to enjoy the moment because I am so focused on the end result. This of course is not good. One must try to be patient and realize that life is a journey. Once things are taken care of there always be will be more things to take care of . One is never really out of the woods.  There will always be something to anticipate. If one can admit that it is all a journey then it will be a smidgen easier to get through it all.

Temple Grandin

     I just watched the HBO movie Temple Grandin starring Claire Danes. Temple Grandin is the story of a woman who is autistic who with the support of her family learned to speak , went to college, got a phd and became a respected advocate of proper treatment of animals in the slaughter house. She created a system of animal handling in the slaughter house that is more humane.She created a system that is even used in kosher slaughter houses. Temple Grandin is as inspiring as it is informative. I learned more about autism than I ever had. Temple Grandin must be a higher functioning autistic , but this makes her case no less powerful. She came of age in the 1960's when autism was not addressed as respectfully as it is today. Her parents were told to institutionalize her. Her mother refused to. Her mother helped her learn to speak and encouraged her to excel. She was able to turn her disability to an asset in her field. I found her story nothing short of amazing. Now I have to read her book .
 

those who remain

     The media loves shock value. They love the idea of someone growing up very frum and completely rejecting it . There are also quite a few who have grown up Chassidish or Yeshivish  and now  are Modern Orthodox. While not as radical as those who go off the derech , their path is no less important. Though there are the Deborah Feldmans of the world, there are also those who remain shomer shabbos despite their "rebellion". No one talks about these types. So I have. I have much more respect for those who remain observant. It is oh so hip to be off the derech  but it is much more hip in my opinion to stay on the derech even if one's derech is slightly different than the derech you started on.
     Many of those who have shifted to the left are those who remain single.   I think that there are more who have shifted to the left than those who  have gone off the derech completely.  Those who shift more radically hog all of the spotlight.
   

Fumes

     I realize that everyone has different preferences for odors but  I would like to ask why oh why do so many women prefer heavy floral scents? Floral and powdery scents make me want to barf. Literally. Do men really like floral scented perfume? If they do I wish that women would limit their use of floral scents to dates. This way I would not have to inhale that caustic floral odor.
      If a good friend of mine wore floral perfume I would kindly request she not wear it in my presence. Unfortunately many acquaintances love the floral making it much more awkward to make a do not wear request. Citrus scents agree with me much better. They are much less over powering.  But I know that's just my opinion.
   

single on yom tov

     I stayed in Brooklyn for Simchas Torah. It was quiet. I went to meals with mostly women in attendance. I always wonder where the mostly male singles yom tov meals are. I know that they exist. It is too bad that they could not have been combined.
     Being frum and single on the holidays means you feel like staying home and relaxing but you also feel like you should be at a holiday single's function that might help you meet your bashert. I usually let the I'm tired and don't feel like packing side of me win. Over the years I have found that I am not alone. There is always a  large group who stay local. This year was no different.
     Perhaps next year I will be part of a couple, but this year was not so bad as a single. I spent time with friends , rested and ate too much .

Simchat Torah

      The last of the Tishrei  holidays has arrived. I am sad. It has been so nice to have had the time to celebrate. It has been nice to have the time off of work.  I don' t know what I will do when I finally have a full week of work. It will be difficult.
     Have a great holiday!

Noam's Sukkot

This has got to be the all time cutest video. This  features a little boy and his family who own an etrog farm. It shows them picking the etrogim. I had never seen an etrog farm. It was truly beautiful.

spotted in park slope....

 Truth is stranger than fiction. I saw these signs in Park Slope , Brooklyn. There is nothing like a tree hugger!

Best Tomato Sauce Alert

     I have found the most yummy organic , low sodium tomato sauce at Trader Joe's. It is ou pareve. I have been searching for this product for years. Seriously. I try to watch my sodium intake and almost all prepared tomato sauces have tons of sodium in them. Trader Joe's Organic Marinara Sauce to the rescue. This marinara sauce is amazing in lasagna . I made delicious chicken with this marinara sauce.  Finally a person does not have to trade one's health for a little tomato sauce. Now that I have found this marnara sauce I had to share the news. Peace and tomato sauce. Have a good shabbos all.

lack of free time

     The hardest part of the chagim is the lack of free time. At work everyone is envious of me for my time off but they don't realize how time consuming it all is. I am off of work, but I can't do any errands. That can be a good thing too, but even a procrastinator like me does like to get a few errands taken care of every so often . With the chagim there isn't always a lot of time to do errands or wait around for someone to repair something in my apartment. At work people think I am living it up with yom tov. It is partly true. I enjoy yom tov and the time off, but its also exhausting. I have to remind myself that there won't be more yom tov for awhile after next week and that as exhausted as I am from it I will miss it when it is over.

The Sukkot Shake

This is an original . I don't like it as much as the twist and shout Sukkot video, but this one has charm.

Shakin' the Lulav (Sukkot song)

 This is a really cute video in the true spirit of  Sukkot. Enjoy.

I Never Promised You a Goody Bag

     I recently finished reading a most incredible book called  I Never Promised You a Goody Bag: A Memoir Of A Life Through Events--The Ones You Plan And The Ones You Don't  by Jennifer Gilbert.
     Jennifer Gilbert was repeatedly stabbed twenty years ago by someone who followed her out of the subway into her friend's apartment building . It was brutal but she survived. She was fortunate that she was stabbed by a screwdriver instead another weapon because the wounds were not as deep as they could have been. After recovering from her assault she eventually created an event planning  business called Save the Date. She also married and has three children. This book chronicles the strength of a woman who was able to create a life for herself despite the tragedy that befell her. It is so inspiring. I highly recommend this book.