Kids these Days

     Lately I have been watching a lot of television. More specifically I have been watching a lot of teenage shows. The more I watch them the more I am glad that I grew up in the era I did instead of in this era. Things have changed so much even in the last ten years. Its not like society was so innocent when I grew up, its just that things are a little too open these days. Its so much pressure. Being frum helps but not entirely . The world around us does seep into the little cocoon of the frum world even as much as we would like not to admit it. Even if one does not pay attention to what is on the small screen the people around us do. People you work with probably do, the people who live near you do.
      I don't think that the world is going back to simpler times any time soon. Once Pandora's box has opened it is impossible to close it.  What a mess.
      

Redemption

    I had  never  heard of the Spanish music festival until I heard that Matisyahu was banned from it unless he supported the BDS movement. Ultimately the ban had lifted and Matisyahu was able to perform.  Matisyahu is Jewish, not Israeli.  None of the other performers were asked to profess their allegiances. This was a music festival not a political pow-wow. Though many frum Jews dismissed Matisyahu for shedding his frum  garb I think that they will probably  band with him again. He stuck to his beliefs and would not sign allegiance with BDS just so he could perform in Spain. Then again, he really did not have a choice. The BDS mumbo jumbo was just a front for straight up anti semitism. Matisyahu is no fool. I think that it is quite brave of him to perform his song JERUSALEM during his Spanish concert while pro Palistinian flags flailed in the background.
    This has all happened during Elul. Matisyahu was given the chance to really step up despite his spiritual re-evaluation during the past few years. The frum people who were disappointed with him for not being "one of us" anymore were able to feel pride for him again . None of this would have happened if all the drama from BDS support of the Spanish music festival had not surfaced. I guess something good did happen from something bad. Too bad something bad has to happen to perpetuate something good. Are people always so juvenile? 

Matisyahu - Jerusalem (Out Of Darkness Comes Light)

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Savor the Moment

      The hardest thing in life is knowing when to savor the moment. Sometimes it's obvious. Other times it's not. Then again one must savor it without getting stuck in it. Sometimes it's hard to savor the moment but not get stuck in it. Life must be lived. Even when one is confident in one's choices one can't do EVERYTHING. That is why every moment must be lived consciously.

Chocolate Chips

      So many people think that kosher food does not taste good. I hate this stereotype so on my quest to break stereotypes I brought a chocolate chip challah from Breadsmith in Brooklyn to work for my Jewish and gentile co-workers. To my pleasant surprise my co-workers, Jewish and gentile were wild about the chocolate chip challah to the point that they are always asking me to get  them  chocolate chip challahs from Breadsmith . The Brooklyn location is the only one that has chocolate chip  challah.  I say mission accomplished.

Teasing Many Years Later...

     People often wonder what one would have done in situations in the past had they known then  what they  know now. Other times you get to experience a similar situation years later and you recognize its the same thorn in your side from years ago in different packaging. 

     I  recall being teased by the "cool" boys in summer camp. I found it upsetting and  since I was on the shy side they managed to irritate me immensely without much backlash from me. Flash forward years later there are single men who think they are Mr. Cool  who like teasing me. This time around I don't let them get away with it.  Its a bit sad though. When I was younger I thought they were cool and now I realize that they really were not as mean as I thought they were they were just immature. Now I realize how immature they still are and I have little patience for those types. I guess things can change. I am no longer the victim.

Annoying

      Have you ever met anyone who always has an upbeat disposition and NOTHING ever gets them upset. I mean nothing? I have . I hate to admit that I find it beyond annoying . I even feel a bit guilty for feeling this way. I  guess its hard to imagine not ever being bothered by anything and always , always being upbeat. I did not think it was possible to be that upbeat all of the time. Until I met someone like this. It makes me feel like a curmudgeon, which I never thought  I was.