1. Had a dream.
I'm taking a class. It's a Jewish holiday, and the other Jewish students are leaving the class early. Even though I am not religious and have no religious things to do that day, I decide to leave as well.
Later a teacher shows skepticism over my Jewish identity. She wants me to prove I'm Jewish by looking at Jewish books she has and talking about them.
She shows me Chaim Potok books. I say The Chosen is about two boys from different Jewish backgrounds. I worry I'm not giving enough information. It's probably common knowledge that the book is about that. I then talk about My Name is Asher Lev. I say it's about a young artist, and it deals with Jews who don't believe one should do artistic representations of God.
I seem to satisfy the teacher with my knowledge. I remark that it's been over twenty years since I've read these books.
I think to myself, and consider saying, that knowing about these books doesn't actually prove I'm Jewish. I know a lot about Australia, and I'm not Australian.
2. Consulted Lord Wiki about My Name Is Asher Lev.
Maybe I had it backwards. From what Lord Wiki says, it seems the Hasidic Jews don't approve of secular art. I thought it was religious art they disapproved of.
But like I said, in the dream, it's been over twenty years since I've read the book.
3. Went to do my daily thing of reading an old blog post. The one I'm reading about today is from March 2011. The first thing on the post is about Kristallnacht, a big tragic event in Jewish history.
I had been reading Patrick White's book Riders in the Chariot the night before. The book had a reference to broken glass and an attack on Jewish property. I guessed that White was referring to Kristallnacht. Then, in the morning, I read old entries in my dream/spiritual Livejournal. The entry was from October 2005. I had been walking in the zoo with Jack, and suddenly the words Kristallnacht randomly popped into my head.
4. Decided to read article about Bronwyn Bishop. I've been ignoring recent news about her, but today I'm interested, because I saw that I wrote about Bishop in my March 2011 post. I hadn't like what she had said in her maiden parliamentary speech.
5. Saw that Bishop has attracted controversy by not seeming impartial as Parliamentary Speaker and for spending a lot of taxpayer money on travel.
6. Started watching an episode of Neighbours.
I really hate Nick (Damien Fotiou)
7. Could relate to what Nikki wrote about people watching in her expat blog. People watching is also a great sport if you are ever slightly, just a tiny bit judgmental and love to type people who you have never met and are most likely never going to based on what they look like, what they are wearing, carrying, doing or smell like.
We were in Atlanta during the Woodbury/prison season of The Walking Dead. I looked at people and put them in categories of Woodbury resident, prison resident, or zombie. That was fun.
8. Thought about Naomi (Morgana O'Reilly) on Neighbours. At one time, she was a woman in love with a man who didn't love her back. She pursued and was rejected. Now she's with Brennan (Scott McGregor), but is losing interest in him. The person once rejected is now rejecting. It's how the world works. We play both parts in the game of love. I can think of times that I had feelings for someone who wasn't interested in me and times that I was the one doing the rejecting.
9. Started watching another episode of Neighbours.
10. Had tears when Amber (Jenna Rosenow) told her mother (Kate Kendall) that she she's pregnant.
I loved Lauren's reaction—a mixture of worry, stress, happiness, love, and support.
11. Annoyed with Paige (Olympia Valance). She's being controlling, obnoxious, and is pushing bad advice on her sister.
Amber wants to be honest about her pregnancy with the two potential fathers of her child. Paige pushes her not to be. Then she goes as far as lying to one of the maybe-fathers (Harley Bonner) about when the child was conceived.
I think there's something sinister about someone pushing someone else to keep a secret about their own life. I'm having trouble writing that out in a non-confusing way.
What I mean is, if I ask my sister to keep a secret about my life, that's not so bad. It makes sense. I have a right to decide if I want other people knowing something about me. But I think it would be very wrong if my sister wanted to tell people something about herself, and I pushed her to keep it a secret.
It's the same kind of thing with Nick and Paul (Stefan Dennis). Nick pushed Paul to keep his cancer a secret. That in itself should have made Paul somewhat suspicious. Why would a doctor push a patient to keep their condition secret?
12. Thought there could be exceptions to what I said above.
Maybe it's okay to ask someone to temporarily keep their secret a secret in order to prevent extra stress at the wrong time.
I'm trying to think of an example.
How about three friends....
One has just had a stillbirth and another has just found out she's pregnant. The third friend might suggest to the second friend that she wait a bit to share the news.
13. Finished the second book in Adina West's Dark Child series.
I'm downloading the third one now.
I'm having fun reading them.
14. Started watching another episode of Neighbours.
15. Gained some respect back for Paige.
She gives nice sisterly advice to Imogen about sex. She says don't do it because everyone else is doing it and don't give into a guy pressuring you. But if you want to do it, do it.
Imogen talks about how she imagined her first time would be with her forever guy. Paige doesn't laugh at her but suggests that first time guy doesn't need to be the forever guy.
In general, she encourages Imogen to follow her own heart and to not be swayed by others.
16. Started watching another episode of Neighbours.
17. Loved scene between Paul and Naomi.
Paul talks to her about what he wants people to inherit from him when he dies from his Leukemia. There's some humor in the scene, because he wants to use his gifting power to improve some of his neighbours. For example, he wants Lou (Tom Oliver) to stop dressing like a golfer.
Then he asks Naomi what she wants from him. Naomi is the type of woman who loves materialistic things. But here she says she wants nothing. Paul pushes her and eventually she gives in and says she'll take his coffee mug.
Paul says, Why won't you let me get you something nice?
Naomi replies, Because once I have it, it means you're gone. So whatever it is, I don't want it.
That's very sweet.
I like Naomi and Paul together.
I'm taking a class. It's a Jewish holiday, and the other Jewish students are leaving the class early. Even though I am not religious and have no religious things to do that day, I decide to leave as well.
Later a teacher shows skepticism over my Jewish identity. She wants me to prove I'm Jewish by looking at Jewish books she has and talking about them.
She shows me Chaim Potok books. I say The Chosen is about two boys from different Jewish backgrounds. I worry I'm not giving enough information. It's probably common knowledge that the book is about that. I then talk about My Name is Asher Lev. I say it's about a young artist, and it deals with Jews who don't believe one should do artistic representations of God.
I seem to satisfy the teacher with my knowledge. I remark that it's been over twenty years since I've read these books.
I think to myself, and consider saying, that knowing about these books doesn't actually prove I'm Jewish. I know a lot about Australia, and I'm not Australian.
2. Consulted Lord Wiki about My Name Is Asher Lev.
Maybe I had it backwards. From what Lord Wiki says, it seems the Hasidic Jews don't approve of secular art. I thought it was religious art they disapproved of.
But like I said, in the dream, it's been over twenty years since I've read the book.
3. Went to do my daily thing of reading an old blog post. The one I'm reading about today is from March 2011. The first thing on the post is about Kristallnacht, a big tragic event in Jewish history.
I had been reading Patrick White's book Riders in the Chariot the night before. The book had a reference to broken glass and an attack on Jewish property. I guessed that White was referring to Kristallnacht. Then, in the morning, I read old entries in my dream/spiritual Livejournal. The entry was from October 2005. I had been walking in the zoo with Jack, and suddenly the words Kristallnacht randomly popped into my head.
4. Decided to read article about Bronwyn Bishop. I've been ignoring recent news about her, but today I'm interested, because I saw that I wrote about Bishop in my March 2011 post. I hadn't like what she had said in her maiden parliamentary speech.
5. Saw that Bishop has attracted controversy by not seeming impartial as Parliamentary Speaker and for spending a lot of taxpayer money on travel.
6. Started watching an episode of Neighbours.
I really hate Nick (Damien Fotiou)
7. Could relate to what Nikki wrote about people watching in her expat blog. People watching is also a great sport if you are ever slightly, just a tiny bit judgmental and love to type people who you have never met and are most likely never going to based on what they look like, what they are wearing, carrying, doing or smell like.
We were in Atlanta during the Woodbury/prison season of The Walking Dead. I looked at people and put them in categories of Woodbury resident, prison resident, or zombie. That was fun.
8. Thought about Naomi (Morgana O'Reilly) on Neighbours. At one time, she was a woman in love with a man who didn't love her back. She pursued and was rejected. Now she's with Brennan (Scott McGregor), but is losing interest in him. The person once rejected is now rejecting. It's how the world works. We play both parts in the game of love. I can think of times that I had feelings for someone who wasn't interested in me and times that I was the one doing the rejecting.
9. Started watching another episode of Neighbours.
10. Had tears when Amber (Jenna Rosenow) told her mother (Kate Kendall) that she she's pregnant.
I loved Lauren's reaction—a mixture of worry, stress, happiness, love, and support.
11. Annoyed with Paige (Olympia Valance). She's being controlling, obnoxious, and is pushing bad advice on her sister.
Amber wants to be honest about her pregnancy with the two potential fathers of her child. Paige pushes her not to be. Then she goes as far as lying to one of the maybe-fathers (Harley Bonner) about when the child was conceived.
I think there's something sinister about someone pushing someone else to keep a secret about their own life. I'm having trouble writing that out in a non-confusing way.
What I mean is, if I ask my sister to keep a secret about my life, that's not so bad. It makes sense. I have a right to decide if I want other people knowing something about me. But I think it would be very wrong if my sister wanted to tell people something about herself, and I pushed her to keep it a secret.
It's the same kind of thing with Nick and Paul (Stefan Dennis). Nick pushed Paul to keep his cancer a secret. That in itself should have made Paul somewhat suspicious. Why would a doctor push a patient to keep their condition secret?
12. Thought there could be exceptions to what I said above.
Maybe it's okay to ask someone to temporarily keep their secret a secret in order to prevent extra stress at the wrong time.
I'm trying to think of an example.
How about three friends....
One has just had a stillbirth and another has just found out she's pregnant. The third friend might suggest to the second friend that she wait a bit to share the news.
13. Finished the second book in Adina West's Dark Child series.
I'm downloading the third one now.
I'm having fun reading them.
14. Started watching another episode of Neighbours.
15. Gained some respect back for Paige.
She gives nice sisterly advice to Imogen about sex. She says don't do it because everyone else is doing it and don't give into a guy pressuring you. But if you want to do it, do it.
Imogen talks about how she imagined her first time would be with her forever guy. Paige doesn't laugh at her but suggests that first time guy doesn't need to be the forever guy.
In general, she encourages Imogen to follow her own heart and to not be swayed by others.
16. Started watching another episode of Neighbours.
17. Loved scene between Paul and Naomi.
Paul talks to her about what he wants people to inherit from him when he dies from his Leukemia. There's some humor in the scene, because he wants to use his gifting power to improve some of his neighbours. For example, he wants Lou (Tom Oliver) to stop dressing like a golfer.
Then he asks Naomi what she wants from him. Naomi is the type of woman who loves materialistic things. But here she says she wants nothing. Paul pushes her and eventually she gives in and says she'll take his coffee mug.
Paul says, Why won't you let me get you something nice?
Naomi replies, Because once I have it, it means you're gone. So whatever it is, I don't want it.
That's very sweet.
I like Naomi and Paul together.