positive reports
January 23, 2002
phew! a chance to breathe, enjoy it, and write! i've been running (like a battery, not a fugative) on FULL for days now, managing to feed my body, mind and soul regularly. days and nights alike have been exuberant.
i'll rewind to friday [18Jan02]. wound down from work rather early to join up with EW on the bklyn-bound 
platform. we'd been invited by a mutual friend (AW) to his parent's house for shabbas dinner.
i was surprised to hear AW had six siblings, and realized when we arrived in midwood that i didn't really know too much about his history. no worries.
one of AW's older brothers, RW, took EW and me to his orthodox shul around the corner (on 18th and Ave. M, i think). it was great to experience such a different method of worship, but i felt a bit out-of-place and uncomfortable. it took me more than five minutes to orient myself in the service, and i didn't really 'attach' to the text as i felt very self-conscious: as though some of the other congregants didn't like seeing strangers.
by the time we three returned to the homestead, the table was ready for the twelve of us to sit down. we had a lively, enjoyable meal; lots of laughter.
the evening (and family) wound down and four of us returned to manhattan. the night continued with much talking and joy. i walked from midtown to my parent's home and slept.
dad and i walked through central park for shul the next morning. it was so great to walk with him! even though it was cold.
on lex(ington avenue) and 82nd, my dad noticed a man looking up, puzzled, presumably trying to decode the parking rules on a sign.
'are you a lawyer?' my father asked, jokingly.
'yes,' the man replied! my dad and i laughed at the coincidence, and continued west.
we got all sorts of strange looks from other men heading to services. i had my head covered, carried my tallit, and wore dark clothing, and my father was wearing blue jeans and boots. i suppose we looked a bit incongruous, but should this matter? it frustrates me that there's a degree of competition in one's religious appearance.
i stayed towards the back of the church (where we have services since the congregation outgrew our temple) and sat next to a congregant with lots of kavanah, lots of intention, emotion. we joined together in great celebration. it was really very nice.
it started snowing five minutes after we left shul. we went to a restaurant near by where it was difficult for me to pick anything from the menu (deli food ain't a vegetarian's delight). the onion rings tasted great, but the broken oils made my body revolt for days after.
by the time i'd returned east to the folks' the snow was coming down thick. i read a newspaper and bathed. sun came down, a new week came up, and all felt right.
i worked for several hours, then tried to have a date with Final Fantasy X, but MD's playstation 2 was busted! he was very upset. i still had a nice time though.
sunday morning. wow and amen. had an outstanding spiritual breakfast at sacred chow, comprising conversation with CP. lots of light and permission and love. then a sensational lunch of brussel sprouts, dill tofu and rosemary roasted tempeh. mmm!
received Torah monday morning and had breakfast with a congregant. studied at the kolel with EO briefly, then walked south, finally bought Mastering Regular Expressions, and bussed east. worked like a maniac making massive headway with story.
i met up with EO to eat kosher pizza and to see Iris. this wonderfully-acted film (Dame Judy Dench, Jim Broadbent, and Kate Winslett are all exceptional) depicts very tender love and the devastation of alzheimers disease. powerful.
tuesday, walked west for shacharit (yes, i know, i've been going lots, haven't i), returned east for another full, productive day. finished the LA project in mid-town, then journeyed back north to the JCC for yoga.
for a moment, it looked as though i was going to have a one-on-one power vinyasa lesson, but another student arrived just before class began. i found more room in my body than ever before, really 're-birthed' parts of my body with fresh energy; left floating, ecstatic. and the feeling lingers....
connected with PH via cell phone during my 13-block walk north. she relayed some of FML (frankie! :)'s energy.
our class on aviliut (death and mourning) was interesting, but not text-heavy enough for my liking. the class turns towards counceling (it is taught by a compassionate rabbi), so i like seeing the way she handles the pained questions and concerns.
went home to bklyn for the first time (in all the time mentioned in this post) and slinked into my luscious bed. (re)started a letter to a dear friend until my roommate returned home. we hadn't seen each other in about a week, had great conversation, catching each other up. laughed some, and then my body, begging for rest from the yoga-journey it had taken, feel to sleep....
and today, another Round day. gray sky, but glowing aground. i'm eating barley and hearts-of-palm and jicama.
i thank you for your nourishment, your support, and encouragement. thank you for reading and making these words live.
Posted January 23, 2002 03:18 PM
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