Band Rehearsal

What an amazing energy at the rehearsal!

I'm super excited for the show this week. Especially now. I could only work schedules so that we (the three of us) could rehearse one time. That's usually running pretty close for a show where the group hasn't ever performed any of the songs previously. Needless to say, things went fabulously. The energy and freshness was at a very high level. The mix of sounds, the personalities of each of our voices, was really shining and creating something very spiritual.

I feel so excited to be able to do this again this week, and have other people there to enjoy and contribute to the experience as well.

Hannah's Shabbes Neshama

Hannah truly has a Shabbat Neshama (Sabbath Soul). Lately, the single most amazing time on Friday night is watching her face as we light the candles and recite the blessing. As soon as we start singing her face just fills up and explodes with joy. She will turn Echad (1) on the 27th of Elul (Tuesday night, even though her birthday in September will be later). She carries a joy about her that is just so special and incredible to watch, and join.

We also just got a new book and cd from Rabbi Joe Black called "Boker Tov" which I promised we'd read first thing in the morning.

Patrick Swayze memorial post

Top 5 Favorite Patrick Swayze Movies:

1. Roadhouse
2. Point Break
3. Red Dawn
4. Youngblood
5. The Outsiders

Honorable Mention: Ghost, Donnie Darko (okay Dirty Dancing has a good soundtrack). His SNL appearances were golden too.

(Not the) Music Post

Okay, since I committed to leading the Renewal service on Saturday, I didn't quite have time to write the big music post I promised. I will come....eventually.

Some Jews have come out with some great CD's lately. Matisyahu - Light. So far I'm liking this a lot more than Youth. Hot tracks include Smash Lies, So High So Low, and For You. The second one is the new one from the Phab Phour, Phish - Joy. Their Jewish rhythm section (Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman) is on top, not to mention Trey being at his best. My favorite tracks so far include Backwards Down The Number Line, Time Turns Elastic, and Sugar Shack.

The band(*) will also be having a marathon rehearsal on Saturday night to prepare for the Jew Year's Eve IV show next Thursday. It will rock!

Shabbat Shalom, y'all.

Here we go

I think I'm getting the hang of trying to dedicate the minimal time necessary to have a somewhat interesting blog. Part of why I don't have that much to say is because my days are pretty ordinary in the sense that they stick to a variation on a theme. There are only so many places I go to in a given day, week, month. Most of my activities revolve around being a stay at home parent, and the second being a musician. Every once in a while something different happens. Today Hannah and I had our first experience at The Mall(tm). It was rainy. Normally we go for a walk outside but we took mom's suggestion and walked the mall. I spent 95 cents so the abundance of consumer options didn't hit me too hard. We did discover that at one end of the mall there is a kiddie play area. Cool, Hannah would love to run around in there, right? She did love it, but was the smallest kid running around. The other kids her size were crawling or immobile. There were two Orthodox women with about 6-7 children between them there. I could tell they didn't know what to think of me, but to be honest, I didn't know what quite to think of them either. Usually Orthodox boys their sons ages would be wearing kippot, and probably tzitzit, but they weren't. One of the littlest girls wore pants, but mom told me that was normal until they get a little older. Shows even my assumptions can be a little off as well as the next persons. Okay, will work on a music post, probably by Friday afternoon.

Quick Torah: Vayelech

G-d to Moses: I've got some good news and some bad news, okay mostly bad. You're not crossing the Jordan, you are to die and Joshua is taking over. Also, the Israelites will eventually stray and worship other gods. But thanks, and here's a poem to read. It's a really fab poem. It goes like this...

Quick Torah: Nitzavim

Choose Life!