Musings For A New Years Eve

1. I never understood the allure of hanging out in Times Square on New Years Eve waiting for the ball to drop while you freeze your tusch. I especially don't understand it on nights like tonight when the wind-chill factor will be around zero. I guess that's why people get so drunk, so as to not feel the cold. Still, it seems pretty stupid.

2. I went shopping grocery today. MHW sent me with a list of about a dozen items. My goal was to finish the shopping assignment without having to calll her once. It almost happened. I was on my way to the freezer area to look for a "small french toast" when I realized the list said "small french roast". Not knowing what a small french roast looks like and not finding anything labeled french roast, I had no choice but to call her.

One phone call per twelve items is pretty good, if I do say so myself.

3. There was a Boars Head van parked in the supermarket parking lot. Since the supermarket is an all-kosher one, I found that interesting.

4. Speaking of vans, earlier this week, we had a bris in the shul. The caterer parked his van right in the middle of the shul parking lot, blocking about 15 cars. Another person parked in the Rabbi's parking area, blocking in the Rabbi. On motsai Shabbos, a female bat mitzvah "entertainer" parked her van on the shul plaza about six inches from the front door. Ich kenesht.

5. 2008 has been a very strange year, professionally. To say that I have never seen anything like it in my 28 years of practice would be an understatement. I fear, however, that we are far from done and that 2009 will be at least as bad. On a personal level, I am fortunate to be a "fireman" when there are fires breaking out all over the place.