burning like matchsticks in the face of the darkness

[from yesterday] (I didn't get home until after midnight last night and didn't even turn on my computer.)

***

( Iran election )

( Obama )

( Obama and LGBT stuff )

( MeMe Roth on GMA )

( Vision Quest episode of Walker, Texas Ranger )

( highway analogies for thought processing )

( Rest and Bread )

( joy sadhana )

First off, can I say how much I love Ari?  Yeah, a lot.

***

My hair didn't freeze this morning, but walking across the River I saw patches of it were thinly iced over -- which is an indicator of winter I'd forgotten about.  This week is going to be warmer than last, so I don't expect it to last, but it pleased me.

I've been thinking sometimes recently that my insistent fondness for and literal tolerance of the cold is in part that I am committed to this idea of who/how I am, but I was jogging outside tonight and the feel of cold air in my throat gave me this nostalgic happy which it wouldn't have occurred to me consciously to cultivate/perform, so I was comforted that it is at least in part still legitimately organic.

( gym )

Recruiting eating me up last week has put me so off my game.  Sigh.

I did have a moderately productive day, though.  And I was relaxed enough to feel like I could begin to skim some blogs again.  (Yeah, I know, I should really plug everything into a GoogleReader or something.)

The Bush twins, Barbara and Jenna, taught the Obama girls, Sasha and Malia, how to jump on the White House beds.

First Lady Laura Bush verified the story, and added that there was a real trick to proper White House bed-jumping: "They're really tall beds; you need to get a running start."

***

In some families, you can jump on the beds, and in some, they tell you no jumping on the beds. Both the Bushes and the Obamas allow bed jumping. Or, no, maybe Barack and Michelle are the no-jumping-on-the-beds kind of parents. And Malia and Sasha will say but Jenna and Barbara jumped on the beds -- they showed us how to jump on the beds. And Barack and Michelle will be all: The American people voted for change. No more of the failed policies of the Bush years. No more jumping on the beds.

Speaking of the Obama transition, I was reading a blurb in the metro this morning about the Richardson appointment, and it concluded along the lines of, "the aide spoke on condition of anonymity, not being authorized to speak about this matter," and that always squicks me (I mean, I know I share inappropriately, but not like that), but having watched The West Wing, part of me also wonders, "Was that an intentional 'leak'?"

***

[giving blood again]

I just missed the 94 bus, so I walked to Temple Shalom [from Davis T].  It took me just about 40 minutes, hustling but not booking it.  I had a 6:30 appointment and arrived about 6:15.  An hour later blood was actually dripping out of me.  The paperwork is such a process, plus there was a delay because like six people came in like ten minutes before me.  Also: apparently I have thin veins?  Whatever.  Anyway.

When I sat down at the "cantina," a man was explaining to a woman about the early episcopal councils anathematizing the Jews.  He's not Jewish but is very committed to seeking "God's will" (I got the conservative Christian vibe from him around there).  Later in conversation, she asked him if he was familiar with The David Project and he said yes and then brought up CAMERA, which he said exposes anti-Semitism in the media, including all the b.s. from Jimmy Carter and the like around Palestine.  I don't have strong opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, but this was the part at which I started withdrawing internally.

But during one of the conversations, she mentioned that this Temple has a Torah study from 9:30-10am on Saturday morning before service (which is 10-12!) which he would be welcome to come to (he'd be welcome to the service, too, but obviously might be less desirous of going to that).  I wasn't really engaging in the conversation (in part because I was anxious to get home for The Sarah Connor Chronicles -- and it took me little over 15 minutes to get home, which pleased me, though I was definitely hurrying), but I made a mental note of that ... 'cause clearly I need more religious engagement in my life.  (Torah study, though!  How is that not win?)

Also: They gave me a Red Cross blood donation t-shirt which I will probably never wear, so if anyone wants it...  (It's a size Large.)