Happy 31st Anniversary of your Birth.

To a Terrific Nephew.

Ketiva VeChatima Tova

[may you be] written and inscribed/sealed [for a good new year i.e. by God]

Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: ראש השנה‎, literally "head [of] the year"), is the Jewish New Year

Shofar or Ram's Horn Instrument use at Rosh Hashanah

There are three important stages in the spiritual order of the Ten Days of Repentance (the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) unfolds: On Rosh Hashanah God "'opens' the 'books' of judgment" of creation and all mankind starting from each individual person, and in those books it is first "written" what will be decreed, hence the emphasis on the "ketiva" ("writing"). The "judgement" is then "pending" and prayers and repentance are required. 

Then on Yom Kippur, the judgment is "sealed" or confirmed (i.e. by the Heavenly Court), hence the emphasis is on the word "chatima" ("sealed"). But the Heavenly verdict is still not final because there is still an additional chance and positive expectation that until Sukkot concludes there is hope that God will deliver a final good and favorable judgment, hence the use of "gmar" ("end") that is "tov" ("good").

Adapted from Wikipedia

As I understand it the High Holy Days are the most important days of the Jewish Religious Calendar just as Ramadan (just finished) is for Muslims and Christmas and Easter are for Christians.   I always made it a point to point this out to my students so that they would not make the cultural error of equating Hanukkah which usually occurs around Christmas and involves the giving of presents as a major holiday. I also used it as a kick off point for a lesson about calendars. 

Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown today (All Jewish Holidays begin at sundown and ends at sundown the following day.  
Here is a video about how the Shofar is made.

And here is an amazing service including the Shofar.

So to all my Jewish Friends I wish you a Happy New Year.

Ketiva VeChatima Tova

Toad Tales

Well it is time for Toad Tales again (that is what I use when I don't have anything in particular to write about so I just free associate and let you see in to the Swiss Cheese of my mind.

I have been busy reading this week-end.  I got an offer from Amazon for some books for my Kindle - Mysteries and the like for $1 each.  So I got four of them and started reading.

John K sent me this

 Among the books I got was Brainrush by Richard Bard.  I think it was the third book I read and low and behold it was the first in a series. So I ordered 2 and 3 and they appeared on my Kindle in a matter of seconds.

As I did not have anything in particular to do this week-end I have been having a Bard Marathon.  #s 1, 2 and 3. and I just took a short break so I could do the Blog and have the last one to finish.

They are not slow reads.  Fast paced action with a cadre of heroes lead by Jake Bronson who developed super mind and body powers following an MRI accident.  He gets involved with terrorists and aliens who are sitting in judgement on the world and have been watching us for thousands of years to see if we would develop beyond the violent nature which seems to be inherent within our being.

Be that as it may The novels run all over the place from Italy to California to Mexico to Afghanistan (and that is just in the first one.

I am at the point where I do not want to finish the last one because these folks are my friends and I kind of want to keep them around.  But I have others to read and a couple of serious books I am looking forward to.

I think I could be happy in a job where I got paid just to read and enjoy books.  I would not want to have to pass judgement on them as I generally give everything I read four or five stars.. Nothing discerning about me.

When I was in Des Moines Friday Night I took MLK, Jr. Drive south of downtown and tried to snap some pictures as I drove.  They did not come out to well but I am going to share a few of them just because I took them and I think they are kind of interesting.

Molly has been sitting here staring at me as if she either 1) wants to use the computer or 2) wants one of my crackers that I am munching on.  And Jon just asked me to proofread a paper for him.  Have a nice Tuesday..

Molly on Monday

Molly here,
B G says I have to write about Cassie today because it is her Birthday (or as B G prefers the Anniversary of her Birth.  He says we all only ever have one Birthday.  The rest of them are just Anniversaries of that day) -  Her day is September 1 when I am writing this.

It gives me the vapors just to think about it.  I went back to bed for a nap.

But if he says I must, then I must.  Cassie (or Miss Cassie as she prefers) is from Minnesota. She was born 9/1/1998.  B G says that makes her 15 years old.  His Sister was up there on vacation with her cat (Why anyone would want to take a cat on vacation is beyond me but she did.) and woke up one morning and found that she had died (the cat not the sister) during the night.  Not a good thing.  So she went to a Vet up there in a town nearby and just as she was there a man was bringing a little black cat in to leave.  For some reason (B G can't remember - he has a mind like Swiss Cheese) he couldn't keep the Kitty.  Ginny took her home with her.  She did not have any front claws. 

Over the years B G say she first belonged to Ginny who took her home (and then discovered that Miss Cassie liked men better than women.) eventually gave her to Jonathan who took her to college with him.  His roommate had cats also and Miss Cassie did not thrive in that environment so Jon asked B G if she could stay at his house.  B G said of course (he never refuses Jon anything) and so she moved in with him.  Later Jon gave her to B G.  (He was tired of changing the Kitty Litter.)  In the meantime Miles had been here and then I moved in.  We both liked to tease her.

I guess she is a nice cat (she is pretty) but I am not fond of her always bothering B G and climbing up on him...I mean, really. Today I was getting ready to compute and up she came.  She settled in beside me and I was not happy.  I need my space when I write.  Anywho you can see from the next photos how close she got to me.

I mean it is my lap after all.

Ginny sent two pictures of Jon and Cassie to share.

It is just too tiresome.  We didn't do much this week.  B G says it is too hot for me to go in the car or for him to sit on the back porch.  Hopefully it will cool off soon and we will have some Fall Weather and rain...please.

Thanks for stopping by to see us.  Happy Labor Day.

Sunday

“Most of the people I know who have what I want–which is to say, purpose, heart, balance, gratitude, joy– are people with a deep sense of spirituality. They are people in community, who pray, or practice their faith; they are Buddhists, Jews, Christians– people banding together to work on themselves and for human rights. They follow a brighter light than the glimmer of their own candle; they are part of something beautiful.”

-Anne Lamott from Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith

 “Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside.”

~Ramana Maharshi

I will find new meaning in every joy and sorrow

In that silence, I will hear the voice of spirit,

And freed from this world, I will see another world

Where the end is another beginning.

Rumi

Once the seed of faith takes root

it cannot be blown away,

even by the strongest wind –

Now that’s a blessing.

 Rumi

 All the children who are held and loved...will know how to love others. Spread these virtues in the world. Nothing more need be done.

--Meng Zi, c. 300 BCE

When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.

~Lao Tzu

It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.

~Charles Spurgeon

Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.

~ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out.

~Frank A. Clark

Rabbit, Rabbit