My last post was of true heart and feeling, but under some misguidance. As many friends have pointed out to me the portest I saw was not a protest at all. The group of women were in costume and dress to advertise and promote a Gilbert and Sullivan play Princess Ida. A play about female education in the start of the 20th century.
My conclusion: context matters.
I encourage all to see the play, it sounds great! Saturday, 20th (tomorrow) The Byre Theatre 2:30p.m. or 7:00p.m.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Man Is Nature's Sole Mistake
Man Is Nature's Sole Mistake
The title of this post are the words that were on a sign being carried by a woman dressed in Victorian clothing today. She was holding it high as the leader of the feminist marching party was shouting pro-female lines mixed with negative male ones.
I was caught off guard by the sign and I quickly felt my temper rise and my body feel hot. I was angry with her and the group. I wanted to speak out against it, but I did not. I rushed back to work with the shopping in my hands.
I can't quite been down why I grew angry so quick, though I have ideas. I think that it caused a stir within me because someone was discriminating against me and my existence; someone was calling me and my gender a mistake. I also think I found her argument disagreeable and ill-presented. If something is nature's how can it be a mistake? Is that not the definition of nature? The lack of mistakes, the, for lack of a different word, natural.
Something hurt. Something got to me. I would never hold a sign saying "Something about you/you are nature's sole mistake!" So, please, do not hold a sign against me in that way.
The title of this post are the words that were on a sign being carried by a woman dressed in Victorian clothing today. She was holding it high as the leader of the feminist marching party was shouting pro-female lines mixed with negative male ones.
I was caught off guard by the sign and I quickly felt my temper rise and my body feel hot. I was angry with her and the group. I wanted to speak out against it, but I did not. I rushed back to work with the shopping in my hands.
I can't quite been down why I grew angry so quick, though I have ideas. I think that it caused a stir within me because someone was discriminating against me and my existence; someone was calling me and my gender a mistake. I also think I found her argument disagreeable and ill-presented. If something is nature's how can it be a mistake? Is that not the definition of nature? The lack of mistakes, the, for lack of a different word, natural.
Something hurt. Something got to me. I would never hold a sign saying "Something about you/you are nature's sole mistake!" So, please, do not hold a sign against me in that way.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Visiting Home and Passover
I remember e-mailing my Dad around the time I returned from my inter-semester vacation and asked if it would be okay to visit home. He said it was okay and would be up for it.
Well, the time between that conversation and my actual departure date flew by. One day it was two months until I was leaving, the next thing I know it was just 12 hours before the taxi arrived to take me to Edinburgh.
Scotland gave me a nice farewell of blue skies and sunshine. Chicago greeted me, after a long flight, with rain just as I stepped out from O'hare Airport. Welcome home, Jeremy, welcome home.
----
Break went quick and it went well. I got a chance to visit and see a lot of the people I have been missing for the past months. By invite, I got to attend a bit of an Ultimate tournament.
I got a chance to spend time with the family. Who now has a plus one as another member moved in.
The main change over break is that I will no longer be home for the summer. I'll be a waiter and barista in the U.K.
----
I left the U.S.A. on the evening before passover and arrived in the U.K. on Friday evening. At the last moment, I decided to do something unexpected and something I thought I wouldn't do for many years to come: host a seder.
Messages were sent out as well as posts. Quickly I received replies from students who were also in St Andrews for all of Pesach. Within a day I had a total of four guests. We got together on Saturday night and had a student seder. A white table cloth, sushi-plate seder-plate, wine glasses and plates. One guest brought Matzah, another brisket. Matzah ball soup, chocolate and salad. Mmhmm.
As tradition would have it the youngest read the four questions and every one had a chance to read. To no American's surprise, nothing reads better on passover than a Maxwell House Haggadah.
In these last few days of Pesach I wish you all a Chag Sameach and a Shabbat Shalom
Well, the time between that conversation and my actual departure date flew by. One day it was two months until I was leaving, the next thing I know it was just 12 hours before the taxi arrived to take me to Edinburgh.
Scotland gave me a nice farewell of blue skies and sunshine. Chicago greeted me, after a long flight, with rain just as I stepped out from O'hare Airport. Welcome home, Jeremy, welcome home.
----
Break went quick and it went well. I got a chance to visit and see a lot of the people I have been missing for the past months. By invite, I got to attend a bit of an Ultimate tournament.
I got a chance to spend time with the family. Who now has a plus one as another member moved in.
The main change over break is that I will no longer be home for the summer. I'll be a waiter and barista in the U.K.
----
I left the U.S.A. on the evening before passover and arrived in the U.K. on Friday evening. At the last moment, I decided to do something unexpected and something I thought I wouldn't do for many years to come: host a seder.
Messages were sent out as well as posts. Quickly I received replies from students who were also in St Andrews for all of Pesach. Within a day I had a total of four guests. We got together on Saturday night and had a student seder. A white table cloth, sushi-plate seder-plate, wine glasses and plates. One guest brought Matzah, another brisket. Matzah ball soup, chocolate and salad. Mmhmm.
As tradition would have it the youngest read the four questions and every one had a chance to read. To no American's surprise, nothing reads better on passover than a Maxwell House Haggadah.
In these last few days of Pesach I wish you all a Chag Sameach and a Shabbat Shalom
Friday, March 2, 2012
This Week In Review
It has been one long week in Scotland. It may have only been seven days, but is has felt like a long, long time.
On Tuesday night was the inter-hall badminton competition. While I do not belong to a hall, as I live in a house, a hall invited to me to play for their team. I accepted their offer and had a good few matches. We didn't win the competition, but they no longer took straight defeat, even winning a match or two. After the competition I was surprised with yet another invite, this one to play for the University's Badminton Team. I accepted this as well.
On Wednesday I went to the University's match and played some of the hardest games for me yet. The team we were playing, the Nomads, were an older but well experienced group. They tested by ability...and beat it. I lost all my matches (brutally) but had a really fun time. It was really nice to have a chance to play at a competitive level and see how far along I have come since last year. I still have a long way to go though.
Thursday night was an eventful and exciting night. My AEPi chapter decided to do a dinner and I got the opportunity to be the planner and cook. The meal I made was steamed carrots and broccoli, a puff pastry topped with carmalized onion, peppers and goat's cheese and, for the main, baked trout/salmon in a balsamic vinegar honey mustard glaze. Yum! My apologies, dear friends, for I lack photos of these. I promise, I'll try to take more while I cook.
Tonight was even crazier. My friends and I, seven of us, did a Shabbat (Friday Night) dinner. On the menu was tortilla with homemade salsa along with sauteed vegetables, guacamole, and sour cream. Wine was featured along with a lemon tart and mint chocolate Scottish ice cream. Dinner was accompanied by both political (Israel) discussion and a game brought to us by my friend M. You vote on whose is most likely to do _____ (fill in). Its really fun, but can get offensive ;)
My week ended with a nice walk home in a foggy St Andrews. I passed a man on the way who was relieving himself in a bush. As I went to walk by he spoke up and said, "Sorry, I'm not usually like this." I replied, " Don't Worry, I won't call the cops. Have a good night." He responded, surprising me by saying, "Thank you, sir."
I love the casual awkwardness of my town.
Shabbat Shalom
On Tuesday night was the inter-hall badminton competition. While I do not belong to a hall, as I live in a house, a hall invited to me to play for their team. I accepted their offer and had a good few matches. We didn't win the competition, but they no longer took straight defeat, even winning a match or two. After the competition I was surprised with yet another invite, this one to play for the University's Badminton Team. I accepted this as well.
On Wednesday I went to the University's match and played some of the hardest games for me yet. The team we were playing, the Nomads, were an older but well experienced group. They tested by ability...and beat it. I lost all my matches (brutally) but had a really fun time. It was really nice to have a chance to play at a competitive level and see how far along I have come since last year. I still have a long way to go though.
Thursday night was an eventful and exciting night. My AEPi chapter decided to do a dinner and I got the opportunity to be the planner and cook. The meal I made was steamed carrots and broccoli, a puff pastry topped with carmalized onion, peppers and goat's cheese and, for the main, baked trout/salmon in a balsamic vinegar honey mustard glaze. Yum! My apologies, dear friends, for I lack photos of these. I promise, I'll try to take more while I cook.
Tonight was even crazier. My friends and I, seven of us, did a Shabbat (Friday Night) dinner. On the menu was tortilla with homemade salsa along with sauteed vegetables, guacamole, and sour cream. Wine was featured along with a lemon tart and mint chocolate Scottish ice cream. Dinner was accompanied by both political (Israel) discussion and a game brought to us by my friend M. You vote on whose is most likely to do _____ (fill in). Its really fun, but can get offensive ;)
My week ended with a nice walk home in a foggy St Andrews. I passed a man on the way who was relieving himself in a bush. As I went to walk by he spoke up and said, "Sorry, I'm not usually like this." I replied, " Don't Worry, I won't call the cops. Have a good night." He responded, surprising me by saying, "Thank you, sir."
I love the casual awkwardness of my town.
Shabbat Shalom
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Shabbat Shalom
Yesterday the Jewish Society held a Shabbaton in morning. Leading the Shabbaton was Bill, a Chicago native, but since has moved to Scotland as his wife works here at the University. Bill always leads our Saturday service and each time does something different and unique. Yesterday Bill decided to flip the service on those attending and begin with a bit of Torah and then do a bit of prayer.
Bill walked us through, and asked us to visualize, the tabernacle. He told us of its three sections. The first was a place for anyone to come in and leave a sacrifice for their personal needs. The second, divided by a curtain, was the Tent of Meeting, where Moses spoke with G-d. The third, also divided, was where the Holy of Holies were kept. After the brief tour and the details of its construction, Bill walked us through the prayer service as if we were a person walking through the Tabernacle. First, we say the the Birchot HaShachar, we bless G-d regarding our needs and our concerns. This would be like the sacrifices and offering in the first tent. Next we move onto the prayers like Ashrei and Shma. Prayers that bring us closer to the divine. Our concerns are no longer the main focus, but now our concerns with God our. Finally, we move to the Amidah, the Holy of Holies. Here we are on a whole different level, a level of complete spirituality.
We only said a few prayers, but it was nice to pray with the image of the Tabernacle in my mind.
A word of Torah, I hope you enjoyed. A little late, but Shabbat Shalom and Shavuah Tov.
Bill walked us through, and asked us to visualize, the tabernacle. He told us of its three sections. The first was a place for anyone to come in and leave a sacrifice for their personal needs. The second, divided by a curtain, was the Tent of Meeting, where Moses spoke with G-d. The third, also divided, was where the Holy of Holies were kept. After the brief tour and the details of its construction, Bill walked us through the prayer service as if we were a person walking through the Tabernacle. First, we say the the Birchot HaShachar, we bless G-d regarding our needs and our concerns. This would be like the sacrifices and offering in the first tent. Next we move onto the prayers like Ashrei and Shma. Prayers that bring us closer to the divine. Our concerns are no longer the main focus, but now our concerns with God our. Finally, we move to the Amidah, the Holy of Holies. Here we are on a whole different level, a level of complete spirituality.
We only said a few prayers, but it was nice to pray with the image of the Tabernacle in my mind.
A word of Torah, I hope you enjoyed. A little late, but Shabbat Shalom and Shavuah Tov.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Movies and More
I am currently in Dublin, Ireland and will be so until the 24th of January. I will be posting on my experiences here soon, but I currently wanted to do something else. During my time here in the UK and on breaks, I have taken to seeing movies and becoming a movie buff. I thought I'd share my review on three films that I have seen recently.
American History X - A story about a skinhead. After years of being in a gang and believing he was helping the United States, the character ends up murdering two people in a quick act of hate. The story is about his time after serving three years in jail (he only got charged for manslaughter), and how his view of the world and what he did has changed. It follows the skinhead's brother who believes he has been doing exactly what his brother would have wanted of him.
13/15
Valentine's Day - i remember the day Love Actually and He's Just Not That Into You both became two films I enjoyed. I thought they both portrayed love in funny ways, but both told good stories and were well directed. I recently saw Valentine's Day. I can say that this is a terrible movie, with bad acting, but still manages to have a few scenes of entertainment. It has a star cast, just as the two previous, but just fails with its jokes and romance. I hear New Year's Eve is the like movie to the ones listed here, but i here its worse.
3/15
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - I read the book a few years ago. I remember taking to the book because of the innocence of the child and how the author wrote through his perspective. The movie does a very good job of realizing the book into a visual production. It also portrays Nazi Germany in a realistic way. People are living their daily lives as normally as they can and the sun is shining. The sky isn't always gray.
11/15
More reviews to come as I watch more :)
American History X - A story about a skinhead. After years of being in a gang and believing he was helping the United States, the character ends up murdering two people in a quick act of hate. The story is about his time after serving three years in jail (he only got charged for manslaughter), and how his view of the world and what he did has changed. It follows the skinhead's brother who believes he has been doing exactly what his brother would have wanted of him.
13/15
Valentine's Day - i remember the day Love Actually and He's Just Not That Into You both became two films I enjoyed. I thought they both portrayed love in funny ways, but both told good stories and were well directed. I recently saw Valentine's Day. I can say that this is a terrible movie, with bad acting, but still manages to have a few scenes of entertainment. It has a star cast, just as the two previous, but just fails with its jokes and romance. I hear New Year's Eve is the like movie to the ones listed here, but i here its worse.
3/15
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - I read the book a few years ago. I remember taking to the book because of the innocence of the child and how the author wrote through his perspective. The movie does a very good job of realizing the book into a visual production. It also portrays Nazi Germany in a realistic way. People are living their daily lives as normally as they can and the sun is shining. The sky isn't always gray.
11/15
More reviews to come as I watch more :)
Inter-semester Break: Dublin, Ireland
Unlike my previous blog posts regarding my vacations I wanted to keep this one short and sweet because the trip I took was both of these. Unfortunately I did not take any photos, but the photos my friends took are on Facebook.
I went to Dublin with two friends of mine from St Andrews' Jewish Society. I spent a total of five days with them.
Our days were very relaxed and full of a number of pubs. We averaged around three a day. This isn't to say we drank from morning till evening, rather, we enjoyed the diverse pub atmosphere Dublin provides. Each pub we went to had its own unique feeling and its own claim to fame. Some of the famous ones we went to were Whelan's, where P.S. I Love You was filmed, O'Donoghue's, where the band The Dubliners formed, Against the Grain, a bar famous for its imported beer, and The Temple Bar, a location key to Dublin's history.
We visited the Book of Kells, the National Archaeology Museum of Ireland, and St Patrick's Cathedral, where Jonathan Swift resides.
We ate excellent restaurants and pubs. Had amazing food, but our favorite was salmon with crust along with perfectly spiced mash and spinach. We also indulged in tasty quesadillas and home made falafel and Guinness treacle bread.
One day we spent the morning in the Guinness Storehouse. We toured through the historic and current location of Ireland's, and maybe the world's, number one draught. We finished the tour with a Guinness each in the Gravity Bar, a bar with nearly a full view of the area of Dublin.
The best day I had was when we went on a guided tour along the coast of Dublin and to the Wicklow Mountains. We saw where the films such as P.S. I Love You and Braveheart were filmed. We saw the house where the Guinness family resides. And, we saw Glendalough, where a very old monestary resided under St. Kevin.
Overall, my trip to Ireland was perfect. Ireland was perfect. It's green and friendly. The accent is excellent, my favorite of all time.
I'll end with a quick song made about Guinness that I found in a pub:
"Sing a song of Guinness,
A bottle full of good,
Since it is for goodness,
Guinness always stood.
When the bottle's opened
We all began to shout,
'There's nothing like a Guinness
When you feel-tired-out'.
I went to Dublin with two friends of mine from St Andrews' Jewish Society. I spent a total of five days with them.
Our days were very relaxed and full of a number of pubs. We averaged around three a day. This isn't to say we drank from morning till evening, rather, we enjoyed the diverse pub atmosphere Dublin provides. Each pub we went to had its own unique feeling and its own claim to fame. Some of the famous ones we went to were Whelan's, where P.S. I Love You was filmed, O'Donoghue's, where the band The Dubliners formed, Against the Grain, a bar famous for its imported beer, and The Temple Bar, a location key to Dublin's history.
We visited the Book of Kells, the National Archaeology Museum of Ireland, and St Patrick's Cathedral, where Jonathan Swift resides.
We ate excellent restaurants and pubs. Had amazing food, but our favorite was salmon with crust along with perfectly spiced mash and spinach. We also indulged in tasty quesadillas and home made falafel and Guinness treacle bread.
One day we spent the morning in the Guinness Storehouse. We toured through the historic and current location of Ireland's, and maybe the world's, number one draught. We finished the tour with a Guinness each in the Gravity Bar, a bar with nearly a full view of the area of Dublin.
The best day I had was when we went on a guided tour along the coast of Dublin and to the Wicklow Mountains. We saw where the films such as P.S. I Love You and Braveheart were filmed. We saw the house where the Guinness family resides. And, we saw Glendalough, where a very old monestary resided under St. Kevin.
Overall, my trip to Ireland was perfect. Ireland was perfect. It's green and friendly. The accent is excellent, my favorite of all time.
I'll end with a quick song made about Guinness that I found in a pub:
"Sing a song of Guinness,
A bottle full of good,
Since it is for goodness,
Guinness always stood.
When the bottle's opened
We all began to shout,
'There's nothing like a Guinness
When you feel-tired-out'.
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