Whenever I am interested in a political candidate I get their book(s) from the library and learn more about them. I read The Audacity of Hope and Dreams from my Father - I found them tedious and dull - and tried Hillary Clinton's Hard Choices (which I could not possibly slog through). But in an effort to be an "educated consumer" I fetched Marco Rubio's latest - American Dreams - and his earlier autobiography - An American Son - from the Sumter County library. American Dreams is a compendium of his policies, the ones I'm sure he will run on in the upcoming primary. There are literally dozens of ideas for reform presented one after another - mind boggling! I hope he puts them together in a kind of comprehensive list for easy reference.
But it is his autobiography from 2012 that truly grabbed me. It reads like a novel, one page turner after another. His life story is truly astounding.
What captivated me the most are the tiny details, twists of fate, and serendipitous chance occurrences that produced the product we see today on the national stage. So many little things could have gone some other way and the person that is Marco Rubio could exist in a hundred different embodiments. And not just things from the Senator's own life - the strange sagas of his grandparents' and parents' lives all shaped his destiny.
So I am pondering how I got to be here, today, enjoying a rich and fulfilling life in America and retirement in The Villages. We all have a story to tell and I'm sure they are all as compelling as Marco Rubio's...
;-)
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| Temple Solel |
Before we moved to The Villages we belonged to Temple Solel of Hollywood Florida. I loved going to services there on Friday night.
Without doubt, Temple Solel is the most beautiful synagogue I have ever been in. It is tastefully simple yet somehow warm, welcoming and powerfully spiritual all at the same time. Listening to Cantor Rosen sing was like listening to the voice of God. The Rabbi would give a sermon, sometimes deep and thought provoking, sometimes merely informative and interesting. As the light in the sanctuary changed from twilight to dark and the stained glass windows reflected the arrival of Shabbos, I had no doubt that I was in a holy place. When I left the Temple, I felt spiritually refreshed. The end of the work week was well defined by the start of our age old tradition.
When we came to The Villages, we joined Temple Shalom. It is also a beautiful synagogue with lovely stained glass windows and it's truly awe inspiring when you see it lit up at night. The services and commentaries on the Parsha are conducted by very talented lay leaders and musicians. Truth be told, the three alternating versions of the Friday night service are enjoyable but getting a bit boring; they never vary more than an iota.
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| Temple Shalom |
Temple Solel and Temple Shalom differ in another way. The services at Temple Solel were attended by perhaps twenty to fifty (big night!). We only met two couples that we saw outside of services in our almost three years of membership. Temple Shalom draws a full house almost every week and almost all the attendees are congenial folks of our own age. We have met literally dozens of people who are now friends and social companions.
In some ways I feel I have traded off the intangible feeling of sacred mysticism I felt at Temple Solel for the friendship, camaraderie and fellowship I find at Temple Shalom. Which is better?
Not a clue...
So fortunate both hubby and me are blessed with good health. At our age it is one of our greatest blessings. Neither of us takes any prescription drugs and when hubby went in for for his pre-op knee surgery exam this fact seemed to astound the medical practitioners. No diabetes? No heart medicines? Nothing for high blood pressure? Nope, nope and nope, just vitamins (and we both miss a lot of those).
But with his surgery last week and new knee I have become a (very) part-time caregiver. Truth be told, it is not much of a big deal but it does cause me to reflect and appreciate what true caregivers go through. The worst thing I've had to do this week is miss some of my activities to drive him to follow-up and physical therapy appointments, help him put on those white stretchy socks, jump up to fetch things when his knee is propped up and (most important) be sympathetic when he is struggling or hurting. Happily, full recovery is very, very close.
The beauty of this operation is that benefits will ensue. Hubby confessed that he was having trouble standing up during services (up and down, up and down, that's par for the course) and of course I suspected his desire to circle parking lots endlessly searching for the nearest spot was a result of the pain he felt when walking. I can't wait for the time when we will stroll the craft fairs, malls and festivals for longer periods.
God Bless the real caregivers.
;-)
If I can believe this article called "24 Things Women Should Stop Wearing After Age Thirty" I would have to give up some of my favorites:
Graphic Tees (huh! why not?)
Bedazzled anything (love my tees with jewels and beads)
Leopard print (honestly, a favorite with older ladies (but I don't have any))
Sparkly pants (a little (or a lot of) bling on the pockets is fine)
Oversized sunglasses (the bigger the better I say)
Hoop earrings (OMG my favorites)
Old sneakers (older=better)
Cheap bras (they can be cheap as long as they're good)
But I WILL take a pass on these:
Blue eyeshadow
Victoria's Secret PINK (never had any)
Non-matching socks
Furry Boots
Furry Anything
Tube tops
Short dresses (threw out my last one a year or two ago)
Mini skirts
Overalls
Booty shorts (I would if I had any booty)
Glitter eyeshadow
Platform flip-flops
Abercrombie and Fitch (never had any)
Scrunchies (I would if I had longer hair)
Age is Just A Number and Thirty is not a special one. Bedazzle and Sparkle On!
;-)
Marco Rubio threw his hat into the Presidential ring last night. Having lived in South Florida for 18 happy and productive years, I watched him transform from local little pischer to big time Presidential contender.
Even though he is now one of my Senators, I really started taking him seriously when I heard him speak last month about Israel. Now that's the kind of commitment I am looking for on my number one issue. He gave a blistering (great word) rebuttal of President Obama's terrifying betrayal of Israel.
So I am watching him carefully and will also listen with rapt attention to his next speech.
I've got my eyes on you Marco...
8-)
Am I Ready For Hillary? Will I ever be? Truth Be Told, this usually conservative voter may just give this feisty and oft-bashed lady a chance.
Not because she is (allegedly) championing the middle class and not because she is a woman. Not because the field of Republican challengers is so abysmal.
I believe that a President Clinton (the second) will be eager to show she is no pushover in the foreign arena. I do believe she is the hardest working candidate of the lot. And I must admit, the counsel of her (older and wiser) husband will be a help should she be elected. I am also hoping her Jewish son-in-law will give her an understanding of my greatest concern - Israel.
I will give this lady a chance and listen carefully to what she has to say.
But tomorrow I'll assess my thoughts on Marco Rubio...
Let the political fun begin!
;-)
Since my first exposure to Rabbi Shmuely Boteach I have come to recognize him as someone who can teach me a thing or two. But my first contact was not so great. He had written a column in June 2013 praising to the high heavens President Obama's appointment of Samantha Power to the UN. I was not so sure about this and posted a small comment that he should not be so quick to give her a free pass based on her past comments. I believe I got lambasted by his and other comments and I retreated to take out my frustrations privately in you, Dear Diary. I called my post "Smoke and Fire".
Since I recently decided to follow the good Rabbi on Facebook, I saw his most recent column backtracking on his unqualified endorsement of Ms Power based on her refusal to call the 1915 massacre of 1.5 million Armenians "genocide" for fear of insulting the current Turkey regime and the Muslims that descended from the Ottoman Empire
My my, if I can challenge the Rabbi and then be proven if not right, then at least to have had a point, I can kvell a tiny bit and bask in my own smarts.
But I'm still not happy with Ms Power...
;-)
Harper's Bazaar published a list of 8 Beauty Products they are thankful for. Of course I have my own list and every one is a tiny fraction of the cost of the H.B. suggestions.
1. Hollywood Instant Hair. This is my big secret for transforming my limp, slightly wavy locks into Big Hair. It's made for folks with real hair problems but it works fine for me too. $9.95 for several months worth.
2. Dark Brown Hair Dye from Dollar Tree. I have no idea if my underlying hair is gray, white or still my original color. But for $1. every couple of months why take chances?
3. Professional Gel-fill manicures. A super big splurge for me at about $12. each week (tip included). But it saves me from constantly filing my weak nails that can never hold polish on their own for more than a few hours.
4. A decent haircut every five or six weeks. Around $5. a week when I average it out.
5. Concealer, Pressed Powder, Blush and Mascara. The stuff from Big Lots or Dollar Tree for $1 or $2 works fine.
6. Black Gel Eyeliner. So much do I love gel eyeliner! I like any brand and have quite a stash in case there's a natural disaster that might cause me to run out. Not sold at Dollar Tree or Big Lots unfortunately.
7. Contact Lenses. I've been wearing them since I was 17 so I tend to forget what a miracle they are.
8. Baby Oil, also $1 at Dollar Tree. I use it to take off the beauty products listed above, hahaha.
;-)
There's no place like The Villages if you want to have an "active adult" retirement. Even if you are not particularly social and have hardly any hobbies you will soon be swept into a whirlwind of new friends, activities, events and entertainment options.
I came to The Villages after a year and a half of retirement that consisted of taking care of the house, shopping, a weekly Maj Jong game at the JCC, maybe a library book or lunch out with an old colleague, a Torah study class twice a month, TV, a few hours of volunteering and Friday night services.
Now I do all of the above plus the Sisterhood, the No Hatters, dinners out with friends, double or triple the Maj Jong games, Hebrew lessons, Girls Nights Out, friends on the phone, card games with neighbors, interesting lectures and club meetings and golf cart rides. It's like Retirement On Steroids!
I used to say I didn't want one of those retirements where I was banished to a rural setting with no cultural offerings and nothing to do. I am rethinking this. There's is nothing wrong with a rocking chair on the porch watching the sun rise and set and the world go by as you savor a life well lived with a Zen-like attitude.
I'm thinking of getting one of those rocking chairs!
;-)
In a misguided attempt to "assure religious freedom" states like Indiana and Arkansas are proposing and approving laws that allow businesses and other entities to abstain from offering services and/or benefits if such actions conflict with their "religious principles". The corollary is that otherwise illegal activities can get a free pass if they are part of long standing religious practices and beliefs.
It doesn't take a genius (Gee I figured it out myself) to conclude that this idea will soon devolve into a quagmire of chaos. What about bigamy (OK according to some Mormon sects)? How about child marriage, wife beating, "honor" killings, rape and deception (just peachy in radical Islamic sects)? If the Amish can forgo street lights on their carriages why can't I skip them on my golf cart? If Native Americans can smoke peyote can I get some cannabis?
Of course, the Jews have an answer for this dilemma: the Jewish law concept called “dina d’malchuta dina” – obeying the law of the land. Dina d’malchuta dina allowed Jews to adapt in the Diaspora to both preserve their legal tradition (and avoid lengthy jail time or capital punishment). Jewish courts narrowed their jurisdiction to only those areas of Jewish law that their host nations would tolerate*.
If you need a quickie explanation, the old adage "when in Rome do as the Romans do" will probably suffice. My view is that if your religious practice conflicts with the law of the land put your practice on hold while you work to change that law.
*http://www.emorylawandreligion.com/2012/01/jewish-legal-development-in-diaspora.html
