First of all
Happy New Year!
Thanksgiving has come and gone. This year, the Pilgrim-tinis were pretty much a glass of vodka with a cranberry waved over the top of it. And yes, we all did shots right before dinner again. Flu shots, for those of you who've been playing along at home.
We are still in the aftermath of a hurricane that knocked our legs out from under us. When I sat down to write about it, I was not even sure what part to focus on.
The destruction in my town? The destruction beyond belief of the Jersey shore? The recovery efforts? How we sat in the darkness and the cold and the complete absence of communication for days? As is my way, I am quick to notice the spots of good, love, grace and joy, going on in the everyday.
The hurricane came to the NY/NJ area slowly, so we had about 2 1/2 days to prepare. If you have read my earlier blogs Wake of the Flood, Someday ..., Sometime a Great Notion, and others, we have had our share of disasters. We have had trees fall our our house (that's when I started writing this blog), and in our yard, and in our lake! We got through Hurricane? Superstorm? Sandy fairly unscathed and then helped our family, our neighbors and now will continue to help fellow New Jersey and New York residents who did not manage as well. My first New Year's Resolution? I won't forget about those people who lost everything in the storm. I'll keep donating money and my time and my blog words and my voice so that they can rebuild their homes. And while I'm at it... I'll resolve not to forget about the folks who are still shaking their fists at the sky or at God and will never name their daughters Katrina. I saw that Holy Name Hospital, here in Bergen County, NJ, is donating money and time to Haiti, and I made a promise to myself not to forget them either... let's not let one natural disaster allow us to forget that others are still in great need from the previous hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, and so on. Resolution number two: I'm not going to "give it a rest" when it comes to talking about climate change. This has to be our number one issue...
even though...
Just a few days after the tremendous concert for hurricane relief, cleverly called 12/12/12, a young man in Connecticut raided his mother's gun cabinet and tore into an elementary school. It was the middle of Hanukkah, and just before Christmas, and the entire nation cried for 20 children and the 6 teachers who tried to save them. I spoke my piece (Get Rid of the Guns Now) in a quickly written blog post... but the pain still lingers, and I plan to teach my students the importance of gun control legislation when we return to our classes. (Do you readers know about the Gun Show Loophole? It's outrageous.) My next New Year's Resolution: Be a a more vocal advocate for gun control policies and educate our children who will become voters on these issues.
Clean slate, new calendars, fresh start. Do we have to wait for January 1 to do something? Of course not. But if you need that kick in the tuchus to remind you, well, here it is. My daughter and I were discussing how random January 1 is. As Jews we have two New Years' and we really place more of our spiritual and emotional oomph on the one in September (or October...okay very rarely August). But there's nothing wrong with a little secular soul searching.
Okay, I'll get off my heavy high horse for a second.
My doctor told me I had high cholesterol.
(Stay with me here.)
I was shocked.
He said I needed to go on a strong dose of Crestor... (a medication for high cholesterol) immediately.
I asked if I could please try to correct this with diet and exercise.
He said yes, absolutely, that's a must, and also start taking Crestor right away.
So, I joined a gym.
(This is not so much of a "New Year's Resolution" as a "Do-this-or-be-a-person-at-high-risk-of-having-a-heart-incident," but still, I'm pleased with the gym membership and the dedication to less red meat and more fish and olive oil.)
And my husband and I both have high cholesterol now, so it can be a couples thing. We both got the Nike Fuel Bands and have a friendly competition about how many Fuel Points we've earned in a day. Of course sitting here writing my blog earns about ... oh, let's see, ZERO, so my writing* may go down while my cholesterol goes down as well.
We also incorporated a "No meat Tuesday" policy. Easy, right? My husband has a fantastic cafeteria where he works. Made-to-order omelets, gourmet pizza, veggie wraps, what could be easier? On Tuesdays, I work at home til about 3, and my dinner is pizza or pasta at the synagogue where I teach. Not gourmet, actually not even good, ACTUALLY does not even provide enough protein to drive home... but meat-free, yes. On our first Tuesday, I texted him to remind him. He texted me back to say, "Too late. I had a pastrami sandwich for breakfast and a turkey wrap for lunch. And for dinner we are going to a steak house for someone's birthday." So much for meat-free Tuesdays. Maybe his New Year's Resolution will be to try again this month.
I am feeling good about 2013. I did not love the way 2012 ended. On the other hand, if you think back, it wasn't all bad. It was just this past May when President Obama did something unprecedented: he came out as a proponent of same-sex marriage. And in November, same-sex marriage passed in a few more states (although, Mr. Chris Christie... it was not even on the ballot in New Jersey, like you said it would be... ahem???). Israel had a tough time as well, but it ended relatively quickly and I am thankful for that, and hopeful that it stays peaceful, even if it is a tentative peace.
So what are your New Years Resolutions? Do you even make them? Do you keep them? As for me... I am going to get my work done quickly today so I can try to get to the gym... and even if I can't, I'll walk the dogs just a little bit further down my street than I normally would have.
Here's looking a better, healthier, more caring, more inclusive 2013 for all of us!
Happy New Year!
*My writing QUANTITY, not QUALITY, I hope.
even though...
Just a few days after the tremendous concert for hurricane relief, cleverly called 12/12/12, a young man in Connecticut raided his mother's gun cabinet and tore into an elementary school. It was the middle of Hanukkah, and just before Christmas, and the entire nation cried for 20 children and the 6 teachers who tried to save them. I spoke my piece (Get Rid of the Guns Now) in a quickly written blog post... but the pain still lingers, and I plan to teach my students the importance of gun control legislation when we return to our classes. (Do you readers know about the Gun Show Loophole? It's outrageous.) My next New Year's Resolution: Be a a more vocal advocate for gun control policies and educate our children who will become voters on these issues.
Clean slate, new calendars, fresh start. Do we have to wait for January 1 to do something? Of course not. But if you need that kick in the tuchus to remind you, well, here it is. My daughter and I were discussing how random January 1 is. As Jews we have two New Years' and we really place more of our spiritual and emotional oomph on the one in September (or October...okay very rarely August). But there's nothing wrong with a little secular soul searching.
Okay, I'll get off my heavy high horse for a second.
My doctor told me I had high cholesterol.
(Stay with me here.)
I was shocked.
He said I needed to go on a strong dose of Crestor... (a medication for high cholesterol) immediately.
I asked if I could please try to correct this with diet and exercise.
He said yes, absolutely, that's a must, and also start taking Crestor right away.
So, I joined a gym.
(This is not so much of a "New Year's Resolution" as a "Do-this-or-be-a-person-at-high-risk-of-having-a-heart-incident," but still, I'm pleased with the gym membership and the dedication to less red meat and more fish and olive oil.)
And my husband and I both have high cholesterol now, so it can be a couples thing. We both got the Nike Fuel Bands and have a friendly competition about how many Fuel Points we've earned in a day. Of course sitting here writing my blog earns about ... oh, let's see, ZERO, so my writing* may go down while my cholesterol goes down as well.
We also incorporated a "No meat Tuesday" policy. Easy, right? My husband has a fantastic cafeteria where he works. Made-to-order omelets, gourmet pizza, veggie wraps, what could be easier? On Tuesdays, I work at home til about 3, and my dinner is pizza or pasta at the synagogue where I teach. Not gourmet, actually not even good, ACTUALLY does not even provide enough protein to drive home... but meat-free, yes. On our first Tuesday, I texted him to remind him. He texted me back to say, "Too late. I had a pastrami sandwich for breakfast and a turkey wrap for lunch. And for dinner we are going to a steak house for someone's birthday." So much for meat-free Tuesdays. Maybe his New Year's Resolution will be to try again this month.
I am feeling good about 2013. I did not love the way 2012 ended. On the other hand, if you think back, it wasn't all bad. It was just this past May when President Obama did something unprecedented: he came out as a proponent of same-sex marriage. And in November, same-sex marriage passed in a few more states (although, Mr. Chris Christie... it was not even on the ballot in New Jersey, like you said it would be... ahem???). Israel had a tough time as well, but it ended relatively quickly and I am thankful for that, and hopeful that it stays peaceful, even if it is a tentative peace.
So what are your New Years Resolutions? Do you even make them? Do you keep them? As for me... I am going to get my work done quickly today so I can try to get to the gym... and even if I can't, I'll walk the dogs just a little bit further down my street than I normally would have.
Here's looking a better, healthier, more caring, more inclusive 2013 for all of us!
Happy New Year!
*My writing QUANTITY, not QUALITY, I hope.
