T Minus 35 Hours

... in this case the "T" stands for Talent.

You can tell we are getting close to our annual talent night because Eric is dashing around buying sheet music and juggling rehearsal times so that nobody finds out what anybody else is doing... Of course he, as "house pianist" knows everybody's act - well, at least everybody that has a musical component to their act. [and that HAS an act already.... Joey reassures me that he is at his creative best under pressure....]

I'm not giving mine away but I will say that I gave Eric an awesome challenge this year - to find me an act I could do with Avram (cuts the "embarrassment factor" in half - last year we did the famous Abbot and Costello "Who's on First" routine) that is musical in nature (why should the men have all the fun?) but that I don't have to sing for.... tough, no? Well.... he came through.... and that's the only clue I'm giving you.... hey maybe if you guess I can use your ideas for next year ;)

Eighth Night, Eighth Light - The Wrapup

There's always a sense of wistfulness as we come upon the end of a Yom Tov.

It's been a wonderful week and we are all sorry to see it go.

For those of you who didn't "make the pilgrimage" and want to reminisce or simply enjoy our style of "pirsumei nisa", I'm posting a photo of the final lighting of this year for you, along with a clip of the choir singing Maoz Tzur.

You Like Me..... You Really LIKE Me....!!!

I am completely channeling Sally Field at the 1985 Oscars right now....

The Babysitter has given out blog awards and she has linked me.

Don't we all write in part for validation like this?

Tag - You're It

I guess I should stop whining before I even start and consider myself lucky that I have managed to duck being tagged in a meme for the nearly two years that this blog has been in existence.

And in addition, the meme that Mike in Midwood has tagged me in is a BOOK meme, and we all know what an avid reader I am.

Here are the rules: reach for the nearest book and write the 5th sentence, plus the next two to five, on page 56. Tag five people to do the same (by linking them on your post and commenting on their blog) and don't forget to link the person who tagged you.  

Oh, and of course you've got to list the requisite seven random and/or wierd facts about yourself.

WARNING:  The rules of the meme clearly state not to go hunting for a book you think will "work well" but rather the nearest book. Therefore, I apologize... I have a rather eclectic taste in books and you may all be left scratching your heads.... 

Page 56 of Atul Gawande's Better: A surgeon's notes on performance: (Nearest book because I finally finished it and it's in the "return to the library" pile...)

"Urban police forces began using Kevlar vests in the early 1980's. American troops had them during the Persian Gulf War.  A sixteen-pound Kevlar flak vest will protect a person's "body core" - the heart, the lungs, and the abdominal organs - from blasts, blunt force trauma, and penetrating injuries.  But researchers examining wound registries from the Persial Gulf War found that wounded soldiers had been coming in to medical facilities without their Kevlar on. They hadn't been wearing their vests. So orders were handed down holding commanders responsible for ensuring that their soldiers always wore the vests - however much they might complain about how hot or heavy or uncomfortable the vests were.  Once the soldiers began wearing them more consistently, the percentage killed on the battlefield dropped instantly."

{I know I know that was SIX additional sentences, but I wanted you to hear the whole point of the thought. Now pardon me while I RETURN the book to the pile and avoid any more overdue fines....}

With that out of the way I go on to the seven random facts:

1. I'm a pretty slow eater.  The only food I eat faster than any member of my family is artichokes.
2. Some may attribute this to my Germanic heritage but I am obsessively "ordered". The birth of my children even follow a 'pattern'. Boy-girl-boy-girl. Four consecutive hebrew months - the boys on Yud, the girls on Yud Tes. The boys on Taanesim (yes, one was "nidcha").
3. I used to do research on chickens. I still love all things medical/biological.
4. I like to refer to myself as hashkafically "middle of the road".  You know what happens when you stand in the middle of the road, don't you?  You get run over from BOTH directions.
5. I'm sometimes frustrated that I remember so little of my childhood.  Though I still remember the brown Timex watch I got for my tenth birthday.
6. I carry a camera in my pocketbook at all times.
7. My family is the most important thing in my life.

Now I see you all ducking and running for cover - - - I tag frumcollegegirl, Daughters in the Parsha, In the Pink, Just Stam and Ricki's Mom ...

Classy Kitsch?

This post has been tumbling around in the vast wasteland that is the deepest recesses of my brain since last  chanukah already. I've wanted to blog about my affection for what could be termed Chanukah Kitsch, but I hesitated because those words conjure up visions of garish magen davids, superhero menorahs and blinky lights, which is definitely NOT where my passions lie.

I'm talking about the handpainted silk chanukah challah cover that I bought Avram a couple of years ago and the nice menorah pin with swarovski crystal flames (OK, and maybe the silver dangle menorah earrings too... but never at the same time....).  Which is why, for the purpose of this post, I'm going to call it Classy Kitsch....

I suppose that is what prompts me to "decorate" the way I do too.... Classy Kitsch simply makes everything more festive.  Which brings me to my newest acquisition.  In honor of Shabbos Chanukah we always prepare some special delicacies for the Friday night meal.  When I was a child it was always a goose or a duck, but frankly, I find both of them too fatty with not enough meat on them.  But I digress..... My point is that delicacies are no fun unless you have people to share them with, and since both my married children had other time sensitive plans, we invited friends over.  Knowing my penchant for "CK Chanukah", they presented us as a hostess gift a lovely set of menorah napkin rings, which actually look a whole lot like Avram's real life menorah :) .

Don't they look pretty?

Chanukah - Day 4

All Clued In

I have a (sheepish) confession to make.

In juxtapostion to my recent post, I have to admit that I think I like the new Clue is better than the old one.

We finally played the game we had been bashing for two nights and I will tell you that it plays very much like the old game, but there are added "intrigue" cards that allow for unusual twists and turns and gameplay by giving individual players one time "powers" to be used at any time at their discretion.

Joey and I are highly competitive, as opposed to Avram, who needs to be woken each time his turn comes around ;)

We enjoyed foiling each other at every turn and gleaning information off one another's efforts.

Joey won (by a hair {and with the help of an intrigue card power I might add....}) and a great time was had by all.

So although I sure wish they still had the Billiard Room, I really like the added interest of the new game.  DEFINITELY *not* dumbed down! If anything, it's more complicated.

Two thumbs up!

Now can somebody please get Joey to stop saying "J'accuse" every time he takes a guess......?

Latkes Revisited

Tonight we will host the second "latke party" of this Chanukah in our home.

Monday night was "family" - tonight will be "friends", though we have been known to blur the lines...

A little known benefit of being the Chief Cook and Entertainer is the prerogative of nibbling on the latkes as they are just emerging from the pan - when they are at the peak their sizzling best.  Of course that spoils the rest of them for me because I know just how good they can taste!

I have been jokingly saying that since we are getting each night's doughnuts from a different locale, I'll be able to announce the winner of "best doughnut" by the end of the chag. The problem is, NONE OF THEM has wowed me yet. Maybe I just don't like doughnuts all that much....

No More Lead Pipe in the Conservatory!?!!?

Although Chanukah is definitely about much more than presents, I am not averse to giving my children a gift or two at a time when the family is gathered together and able to appreciate it.

We bought Jennifer the classic board game "Clue" this week, but let me tell you - the classic has been completely revamped for the times!

I guess the manufacturer thought that most kids wouldn't know what a conservatory was anyway and wouldn't want to hang out in a ballroom or a lounge - so they now have a spa, a patio and a guest house.  Joseph was most disturbed to find out there is no more lead pipe and no more wrench!! {I could hear him moaning to himself,  "No more wrench? No wrench??"  for a good ten minutes last night} They have added such items as poison and an axe.

The names are thankfully the same (I think no self respecting parent would sit down to this game if they changed the names!) but they've eliminated the titles in favor of first names.

So it seems the Billiard Room has gone the way of Crayola's "Flesh", "Indian red", "Maize" and "Raw umber" colors.....

Never again will Colonel Mustard be caught in the library with the revolver..........

I feel so old...................

Chanukah In Germany Circa 1930

I found this picture of my father (right) and my uncle playing dreidel in their hometown of Mannheim.

It's nice to see that even though the war robbed them of a lot, they did have some semblance of a childhood before the horrors took over.

Voices From Our Past.....

First Night - First Light - First Report

Tonight was relatively low key, seeing as I am still getting over a nasty bout of something (food poisoning? stomach virus?) and I'm not quite ready to tolerate latkes yet (that will be tomorrow night when all the kids come in).
Tonight is the first of two (this year) "Sunday Nights" of Chanukah, which for some reason are marked by a bit of a pilgrimage for a sizable contingent of non-locals to my shul. Granted, our shul is large, with a very large menorah requiring 3 steps to climb up to it (in a previous chazzon's case, 4 steps....) and in the days of Chazzan Frankel z"l, it was quite an experience. It has become such an event that Joey has always said he wanted to sell T-shirts outside of shul. "I attended Chanukah '08 at _____ shul". This year was a bit calmer, due in part, in my opinion, to the weather, coupled with the fact that there's always next Sunday (more candles, more show). I think we need to post an additional sign in our shul's lobby that reads "Welcome to our shul. No flash photography please". Don't these people realize that the constant flashing during the lighting is very disturbing and on top ot that, in a sanctuary the size of ours, IT DOESN'T EVEN WORK??
Oh, and following the tradition that Chanukah is a festival of both lights and miracles, we had a bit of a Chanukah miracle right in our own shul. Half the 18 burned out (for over a year!) light bulbs were replaced this morning (there go my posts discussing "How many Shul House Committee members does it take to change a light bulb?" and our upcoming "if any more bulbs blow - candlelight maariv service"). Let's hope these lightbulbs last MORE than eight days.....

Happy Chanukah

Jennifer Made Pretty Even Prettier

Jennifer made a Chanukah suncatcher today that is the perfect addition to our decorations :)

Be Careful What You Wish For....

The gaunlet has been officially thrown down, in the form of a comment by Citizen of Brooklyn North:

December 14, 2008 9:41 AM
citizen of brooklyn north said...
totally off topic, but isn't it time to put up a picture of chanuka cookies hanging from your chandelier??

I have never been one to refuse a challenge.

Now truthfully, up until now, the front door of our home always got decorated with the traditional paper dreidels that I made the year Michael was at home in playgroup [is it now 21 years ago???], but the chandelier has been the sole territory of Purim's Haman men and nothing else (see sidebar). CoBN got me thinking....

What's the verdict? I kind of like it :)