Dear 18-year old Keiko, It's early November 2000. You're swamped with school work; you're already reconsidering the major you came in with (music ed/vocal performance) and you're euphoric that you and Larry got back together just over a month ago. It's a big time in … Read More »
Finding Miriam Within: My Conversion to Judaism
Sorry for the delay on part 3 of my conversion to Judaism story! Crazy busy end of last week. Rounding out last week's very religiously-themed posts, I conclude this series today with the story of my actual conversion to Judaism. You can catch up on part one, Finding G-d in … Read More »
Finding Adonai at the Bar Mitzvah
Tonight at sundown, the Jewish New Year - Rosh HaShanah - begins. As Jews, we enter into the ten holiest days of the year, the Days of Awe, to culminate in the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This is one of my favorite times of the year: the … Read More »
Finding G-d in the Music
Rosh HaShanah begins at sundown this Wednesday. I get very reflective and introspective this time of year, as many Jews do worldwide, and rightfully so: we are about to enter into the Days of Awe. On Rosh HaShanah, Adonai (G-d) opens the Book of Life. For the next ten days, … Read More »
What I Sounded Like 17 Years Ago
"To Be Played in Ten Years." The loaded title stared back at me with such taunting words. "Play me," it goaded. I turned the cassette tape over in my hands. The same title was printed in red pen on the other side. I may as well have found the Treasure of the Sierra Madre in … Read More »
9/11 Remembered Through the Lens
September 11, 2001: I was a sophomore in college. The one morning I didn't turn on the TV. I went to class, blissfully unaware, and took an exam. I didn't know a thing until almost 11am. By then, the Twin Towers were gone. I've written about my memories of 9/11 here before … Read More »
I’m 0 Weeks and Craving a Baby
Oh Facebook. You've done it again. Ladies, have you seen this new Facebook meme, floating around our little Facebook inboxes? It's that time of year again in support of Breast Cancer Awareness! We all remember last years game of writing your bra color as your status? or the … Read More »
Betraying the Community: My Response to the Theresa Erickson Scandal
What do you do when you learn that someone you respected had violated your trust, had betrayed not only you, but your entire community? . . . I had only a few minutes to do a quick scan of Facebook this afternoon at work, as we are in the thick of staff training for the month … Read More »
But not forgotten.
Her name was Amber. I knew her only so briefly before her bright spark sputtered out, alone, in an abandoned house in Trenton, New Jersey. A heroin overdose at age 21. She was found in August 2006 and yet her family wasn't notified until March of 2008, despite her mother Linda … Read More »
Tweeting About My Twat: Where Social Media and TMI Awkwardly Collide
I have always been particularly comfortable with all things vagina. I use the word casually, even in conversation with my friends. It's probably because I've performed in The Vagina Monologues five times, so I've built a certain familiarity and comfort with the word others may … Read More »