Our current car is a diesel VW Jetta. We almost always fill it with biodiesel. B99 (99% biodiesel/1% petroleum) in the summer and B50 (50% biodiesel/50% petroleum) in the winter. The transition to autumn is always a little tricky. On warm days, the car works just fine. On cooler days, the biodisel can get a …
Category Archives: About me
Learning from Other's Wisdom
One of the people I saw at Yom Kippur services was my very first bat-mitzvah student. She is now a grown-up, professional woman whom I have come to truly admire. Which is why I am not at all surprised that I am taking her words to heart. She was one of 3 people who led …
Inspiration over Aspiration
This afternoon I was driving from point A to Point B when the title for this blog post popped into my mind. I usually write the post first and then try to find a suitable title, but every once in a while, I do the inverse. It took me a while to figure out what …
Running in Place just to Catch Up
One of the things I hate about the High Holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the days in between) is the feeling of being in constant catch-up mode. Checking out for 3 days over a dead day period may be beneficial to my mental health, but it wreaks havoc with my inbox and workload. So, …
Shana Tovah U'metuka
Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish new year) 5774 starts this evening at sundown. The title of this post, “shana tovah u’metukah” is a traditional Rosh Hashanah greeting that wishes someone a good and sweet New Year. It is traditional to eat apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize starting off the new year on …
Teen Angst
I have some news to share with you all, and I hope you won’t find it too shocking. I am no longer a teenager. What? This isn’t news to you? Well then can someone explain to me why the 80’s are back? I have been looking at the lists of touring bands and an awful …
Looking Backwards
There is a site called 10Q that asks 10 questions (one a day) during the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The questions ask the respondent to reflect on the previous year and to start thinking about goals and aspirations for the year to come. Shortly before Rosh Hashanah, 10Q sends you your responses …
Why I Love Swaps
This morning, I dropped an overflowing bag of David’s old clothes off at my local elementary school. This afternoon, I will head back and see if there is anything of interest to take back home with me. This is a potentially dangerous swap for me because it includes both clothes (which I am usually pretty …
Where Would I Be Without Friends?
It should not come as a surprise that I have been reading a lot about factors that correlate with dementia. Two of the strongest protective factors seem to be education and a strong social network (aka friends). My father is certainly well educated. In addition to a graduate degree and work towards a second, he …
My Father's Apron Strings
At long last, I am on the plane heading home. After an incredibly busy 2 weeks, I once again forgot to give myself adequate recovery time upon my return. At least I am used to hitting the ground running. For the first time in a long time, I am eager to call my parents when …