Sleepless in Shmateo

Dear blog family,
wherever you may be.

i bid thee a good night.
sleep tight.
alright?

dream pleasant dreams.
with lovely themes.
of silver streams.
and golden beams.

and if you wake.
and wish to bake.
an apple cake.
for goodness sake.

please feel free.
to send to me.
a piece to eat.

l.t.
c

Nephew Abuse in FL

Photo by Yosef Baruch HaCohen Friedman

Ode to Bubby

It’s 1:29 Monday afternoon and I’m flying Jetblue high above beautiful southern CA that has sadly turned into a polluted mess.
Yikes.
This is what we’re breathing people.

Yeah.

So something about this flight reminds me of another flight that I once took with my bubby long ago in another time and place. Over different skies in non-leather seats...

It was the summer of 2004.

A cousin was getting married in Arizona and bubby needed someone to fly with her from NY to the west coast.

I was elected.

Doing anything with bubby always promises to enrich the one blessed with the honor.

………

Just living with bubby is a lesson in what’s truly important in life.

Like the countless times I was late for work because bubby needed help counting the pennies from the pushka for ten yad and then needed them placed in the paper wrappers for collection by the little yeshiva boys who ring the bell…or bubby asked that I listen to a grammen she wrote for an upcoming simcha and needed help with some rhyming words.
Or the fact that paper plates that are used for toast shouldn’t be thrown out but rather brushed off and saved next to the toaster for the next time you need a plate. Cuz how dirty is toast? And how precious is a paper plate…
How about the fact that Shabbos is the most important day of the week, which we are all taught from the moment we're born but still seem to be running from the train with shopping bags from Manhattan, up the stairs with the second siren blaring to the disapproving “biz de letzte minit” from bubby (who had everything ready hours before the siren even thought of ringing).

That's my bubby.

………

So we go to check in for the flight and there’s this machine there…the one you can use to swipe your credit card and check yourself in.

I proceed to swipe my card and print my boarding pass. But bubby? She never got her driver’s license, nevermind credit cards.
So for bubby we had to wait on line until we got her ticket from the nice lady behind the counter.

Bubby watches silently.

Getting old is kinda scary. Language has always been a problem and when your hearing and eyesight start to go the world becomes an unfamiliar fast forward film that’s ready to knock you over at any moment.

Bubby holds my arm.
Tightly.
Silently.
From counter top to baggage drop.
From security to terminal.
All the way through lines and people till we finally reached our seats on the plane.

We take off and the plane reaches a flying altitude of 3000 feet.
Silence reigns.
Everyone breathes a sigh of relief.
Bubby turns to me.
Sheepishly.

“Back in the airport, what was that machine…the one with the card? How did you get your ticket from a computer?”

So I start to explain how I booked my ticket with a credit card… recognized me… self check-in …new technology.

Bubby looks at me.

This is the bubby that I’ve tried to explain the workings of the internet to numerous times - to no avail.
Bubby’s not getting it.
Then suddenly a smile breaks out.
Bubby turns to me and says, “We can barely understand what’s going on in this physical world down here…how can we even begin to understand what goes on by the Aibishter?”

Da dum tzzzzzzzzz.

And bubby does it again.

Yud Shvat 5767

Dear Rebbe,

I miss you.

I miss the live satellite hookups of your farbrengens that we would drive to the Hebrew Academy to watch. I remember when they put up the satellite dish special for the hookups.
The kids would play in the playground while the adults watched inside...I never understood a word of the yiddish but my mother was crying so I knew it was awesome.

I miss the rare occasions that I got to go to New York for a wedding or because it was "my turn". On Sundays I would put on my nicest weekday clothes and stand waiting hours in line for dollars. When we finally got in I would suddenly get so nervous and try to remember what I was going to say and that I must say “adaynk”.

I miss the excitement that my brothers used to have when they came home from Crown Heights with stories of yeshiva and farbrengens and living with the Rebbe.

I miss the fact that I have so few memories to miss.

Thank you.

Thank you for being our Rebbe.

Thank you for keeping us as your Chassidim even though we've probably disappointed you time and time again.

Thank you for giving us something higher to live for than ourselves and our own yiddishkeit.

Thank you for everything.

Everything.

Muse of Erev Shabbos

Did you ever sit outside by the pool in the sunshine on an erev shabbos?
It's 5 minutes to 12:00.
That means I have 5 minutes before I have to get the challahs in the oven.

Till then I am enjoying this morning's peace.
The day is gorgeous.
The sun keeps playing hide n seek with the clouds so I go from toasty warm to slightly chilled every couple of minute or so.
Lincoln Logs sit in the sun drying after being fished out of the pool after being thrown into the pool by naughty nephews at MMW's pidyon haben.
If I sit still enough the sparrows flutter around on the patio pecking at yesterdays leftover bread.
The air is still.
Then it's not as a cool breeze draws random designs on the water.
Creepy Crawly needs some serious attention as he has not creeped nor crawled in some time now. :(
I'm sitting legs and bows on the swing chair and my knees are burning.
mmm.
mmmmmhmmmmmmmmmmmm.
love it.
just gotta love it.

Did you ever wish people came with instructions?
Just a note or a tag.
Maybe a T-shirt:

Handle with care. Low Self Esteem. Doesn't do well with too much attention. Keep away from spotlight. Thrives on honest relationships. Allergies to insincere compliments, loud people and haughtiness.
or
Idealist. Wants everyone to be happy. Will do anything to make sure everyone is happy. Sensitive to criticism. Thrives on compliments. Enjoys creating things. Allergies to negative people, depression and inactivity.

Imagine if every time someone thought or felt something a little sign flashed saying "I'm starting to feel insulted', or 'I didn't really mean what I said I was just saying that cuz I'm feeling a little insecure right now."

I once invented an anti-crash mechanism where all cars are surrounded with a strong magnetic strip, all negative. Or all positive. So they repel one another.
And if a car comes too close to another car they automatically push away from each other.
This would work to prevent getting rear ended.
But what if there are lots of cars involved.
Then you end up with a bunch of cars bouncing of each other.
So the cars end up in fine shape but the people get whip lashed up the wazoo.
Oh well.
T'was a nice thought.
:)
Gotta go put the challahs in the oven.

Gut shabbos all.
c

Good Morning Sunshines

This picture is awesome...It makes me smile.
Hmmm.
Anyone else obsessed with dolphins?

Your Greatest Strength?

There's good news and there's bad news.

The GOOD news is we all have strengths.
The BAD news is we all have weaknesses.

Or is it the bad news?
?
?

Think about it.
Hashem created us each with a different nature.
We naturally have strengths and weaknesses but for which of these do we get credit?

Does the child who is born with the great gift of giving receive praise for giving?
Should we marvel at the happy child's constant state of happiness?
How about the kabalas ol'nik who accepts the will of G-d with no complaint?

When it is time for compassion and the compassionate person is compassionate is it praiseworthy?
When it is time to help and the helpful person is helpful do we sigh in awe?

How about this.

The judgemental person who holds back from giving criticism even though the thoughts and desire are there.
The lazy person who forces herself to get up and get something for herself instead of asking someone else to get it.
The loud person who bites his tongue rather than speak when silence is necessary.
The shy person who goes out of her way to say hello to someone although it is painful.

Strengths are good.
But overcoming weakness?
Now this is something.
Not good.
Great.
Amazing.
Awe inspiring.
Wow.

So the next time you find out that you're human (gasp) and you are far from perfect (double gasp) and you are just riddled with frailty...
Don't beat yourself up.
Figure out your weaknesses.
Make up a list.
A long list.
And then go right ahead and use them for greatness.
Cuz they're greater than any of your greatest strengths can ever be.

L'chaim to finding all your weaknesses and transforming them into your truly greatest strengths.

Superman Underwear

and mama's sheitel

Ah Gutte Voch

Here's wishing you all an awesome week.
And remember:

• 1. It's a mitzvah to be happy so do everything in your power to be joyous.
• 2. Worrying doesn't help. At the end of the day the worrier and the non-worrier are in the same boat. But who had a better day?
• 3. Depression comes from thinking about yourself too much. If you need a distraction from yourself, do someone a favor.
• 4. You have the power to change the world. And you need all the energy necessary. So take care of yourself so you can be fit - healthy mind and healthy body - to do your service of Hashem.

A Gutte Voch and A Gutten Chodesh.
Moshiach zol shoyn kumen bald.
Amein.
KeinYehi Ratzon.

8th day concert tomorrow.
be there or be nowhere.
:)

Baby M.M.W.

Good Night Moon

Dear friends,
I wish you a good night with pleasant dreams and happy thoughts.
May the new day bring you joy and only good encounters.
You should succeed in fulfilling the true potential of every moment throughout the day and live it to it's fullest.
Smile.
Remember who you are.
Where you're from.
Where you're going.

And know that the Rebbe is proud of you.

MoshiachTonight!
Amen!
L'Chaim!

GOOD VIBES from KEY LARGO

:)

:)

:)

:)

It's not about me

So I'm sitting in a class at the Marriott hotel.
Key Largo Florida.
Circa 5767 post creation

Rabbi Friedman has been speaking for some time now about Chachma, Bina and Da'as and how Da'as means "this is who I am" like when someone calls your name you don't have to think or understand or process any of the information like in the first two steps of Chachma and Bina because it is who you are at your essence.

Three or four hours have gone by. The hour is late. And the crowd has dwindled.
I leave the room for a moment to get a cup of tea and a cookie lookie.
As I settle back down for some more introspective dialogue at Bais Chana I realize that Rabbi F. may be thirsty as well and would enjoy a hot cup of tea right about now.

So I mosey back on out to prepare a second cup of tea, bring it in and place it on his desk.

Some time goes by and Rabbi continues to speak.
Never reaching for the steaming cup of tea beside him.

I start to think.
Not too long ago I would have started to feel a little badly about this.
Slightly insulted.
Slighted.
Sad.
:(
I brought him a cup of tea and he isn't even drinking it!
The shame!
The incredible hurt.
How could he?
How could I?
What the world?

Ok. I'm getting carried away here...but I definitely would have had some sort of an insulted reaction.

Not too long ago we finished a class on "getting over yourself".
It's not about you.
Sometimes I do something nice for someone else but who is it really about?
Usually it's mostly about them and a little bit about me.
Or mostly about me and a little bit about you.

If I was bringing the cup of tea for the Rabbi and some part of the act was about me (I'm so nice, I'm so thoughtful, I want him to enjoy a cup of tea) then I would have taken the situation personally and the fact that he didn't want to drink it as an insult.
But it's not about me.
It's about him.
So whether he drinks it or not doesn't affect me.
Because it's not about me.
It's not about me.
It's not about me.
.......
.......
.......
.......
.......

The clock nears midnight and class nears its end.
Rabbi Friedman reaches for the cup of tea.
And takes a sip.