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Entry tags:
weekend
Friday our DVD player came, so it sat there and taunted me during Shabbat.
The high holy days are in a few days. That means the synagogue staff is in high gear making sure the physical plant is all set -- replacing lightbulbs in the 30-foot ceiling, setting up all the extra chairs, performing various inspections, and so on. I do not know if the failure of the sound system on Friday night was the result of some twiddling or just really good timing (breaking down right before it was going to be serviced anyway). Well, I learned that the two rabbis and the cantor can project without amplification (not a surprise), and that the other people who were up there can't. (Including a poor bar-mitzvah kid who I'm sure didn't plan on that.) It reminded me of that service I led at Tree of Life a few months ago during the storm with the power outage; the lack of a microphone didn't bother me any, but the poor bar mitzvah who was doing part of it was thrown by it.
Friday after services we went to Ben & Krista's housewarming party. It was fun. Their new house (rented, not bought) is huge. I hope the party didn't annoy the neighbors; it was kind of loud at times.
Saturday night was the S'lichot service, an annual service held a few days before Rosh Hashana to sort of usher in the high holy days and set the mood. It's a beautiful service, and I'm now looking for a copy of the siddur we used. (This was one of my ill-fated purchase attempts, and UAHC doesn't seem to be selling it directly. I assume it's in print.)
Before the service the rabbis and the cantorial intern performed some music, some of it "art" music and some of it more accessible. It was a varied lot, and I found that I didn't like much of the "art" music this time around. But the rest of it was very good.
On the way out my rabbi thanked me for all the work I've done for the congregation over the last year. That was nice to hear. And, you know, it's not a one-way street, exactly; he's done a heck of a lot for me over the last few years too.
Saturday afternoon I read part of a book on the evolution of halacha over time. Gotta finish it someday.
Sunday and today Dani and I did a lot of house cleaning -- well, removal of clutter and re-arranging of stuff more than actual cleaning, but we did sweep up the dust bunnies at the end. It's unfortuante that bulky-trash night is next week and not this week.
Um, if any of my local friends can use some videotape storage units, let me know. Also, if any local friends who don't live within the city can use some large outdoor trash cans, we've got a couple. (The city has rules about the maximum size the garbage folks will handle, and these have been rejected by them.)
Amidst bouts of cleaning we watched the first six episodes of the first season of West Wing. I guess in a way I have Dani's unobservant relatives to thank for this; I saw the show for the first time on Pesach, after the seder, and might never have bumped into it otherwise.
Sunday night we had dinner with Ralph & Lori and Paul & Mary. I must learn how to cook with sun-dried tomatoes; the pasta salad was yummy.
Today we tried to find a new desk and hutch for my office, but failed. I didn't think the parameters were that tough. I guess I'll go shopping online, since we'd have to have it delivered anyway. (And we'd pay people to assemble it anyway.)
And now in a few minutes I am off to choir practice.
The high holy days are in a few days. That means the synagogue staff is in high gear making sure the physical plant is all set -- replacing lightbulbs in the 30-foot ceiling, setting up all the extra chairs, performing various inspections, and so on. I do not know if the failure of the sound system on Friday night was the result of some twiddling or just really good timing (breaking down right before it was going to be serviced anyway). Well, I learned that the two rabbis and the cantor can project without amplification (not a surprise), and that the other people who were up there can't. (Including a poor bar-mitzvah kid who I'm sure didn't plan on that.) It reminded me of that service I led at Tree of Life a few months ago during the storm with the power outage; the lack of a microphone didn't bother me any, but the poor bar mitzvah who was doing part of it was thrown by it.
Friday after services we went to Ben & Krista's housewarming party. It was fun. Their new house (rented, not bought) is huge. I hope the party didn't annoy the neighbors; it was kind of loud at times.
Saturday night was the S'lichot service, an annual service held a few days before Rosh Hashana to sort of usher in the high holy days and set the mood. It's a beautiful service, and I'm now looking for a copy of the siddur we used. (This was one of my ill-fated purchase attempts, and UAHC doesn't seem to be selling it directly. I assume it's in print.)
Before the service the rabbis and the cantorial intern performed some music, some of it "art" music and some of it more accessible. It was a varied lot, and I found that I didn't like much of the "art" music this time around. But the rest of it was very good.
On the way out my rabbi thanked me for all the work I've done for the congregation over the last year. That was nice to hear. And, you know, it's not a one-way street, exactly; he's done a heck of a lot for me over the last few years too.
Saturday afternoon I read part of a book on the evolution of halacha over time. Gotta finish it someday.
Sunday and today Dani and I did a lot of house cleaning -- well, removal of clutter and re-arranging of stuff more than actual cleaning, but we did sweep up the dust bunnies at the end. It's unfortuante that bulky-trash night is next week and not this week.
Um, if any of my local friends can use some videotape storage units, let me know. Also, if any local friends who don't live within the city can use some large outdoor trash cans, we've got a couple. (The city has rules about the maximum size the garbage folks will handle, and these have been rejected by them.)
Amidst bouts of cleaning we watched the first six episodes of the first season of West Wing. I guess in a way I have Dani's unobservant relatives to thank for this; I saw the show for the first time on Pesach, after the seder, and might never have bumped into it otherwise.
Sunday night we had dinner with Ralph & Lori and Paul & Mary. I must learn how to cook with sun-dried tomatoes; the pasta salad was yummy.
Today we tried to find a new desk and hutch for my office, but failed. I didn't think the parameters were that tough. I guess I'll go shopping online, since we'd have to have it delivered anyway. (And we'd pay people to assemble it anyway.)
And now in a few minutes I am off to choir practice.