Aliyahniversary

It was an interesting feeling seeing all of the social media posts earlier this week from friends that we made five years ago when my wife and I wove through the throngs of people at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Thankfully, many of those posts are about the wonderful life that they have found in the homeland, a life that just didn’t work out for us. I have written about this at great length in the past so I will spare you the diatribe but what it really comes down to is that it wasn’t meant to be. We didn’t know the reason at the time but in the years since, as G-d’s plan has been revealed to us, it has all made sense. But that doesn’t prevent the memories from flooding back when I see those joyous posts scrolling across my computer screen.

There was so much happen around us and so many plans that needed to be taken care of that the days immediately prior to our departure from the states are all blurred together with only a few quick glimpses of clarity. I recall being interviewed over the phone by a local New Jersey newspaper as I took a break from cleaning the rental while waiting for the landlord to arrive. I can still see my parents’ faces as we made our way through the airport and parted ways at security. And I can remember the palpable emotional eagerness that filled the El Al flight for the entire time that we were in the air.

When we landed, my wife and I remained in our seats not fully knowing how to process all of the emotions ready to erupt from within. A few bags in hand it was time for us to walk through the doors and into the thick Mediterranean air taking each step deliberately until finally our feet touched the ground, the Holy Land, now our home. It was with that last single step that we became Israelis. And when our shuttle arrived at the terminal, we were welcomed I the same way one would embrace a long lost family member with whom you were being reunited.

And in that crowd were a few people that we had gotten to know over the past few months through social media, mostly through twitter hashtags like #twitpacha and #twaliyah. Definitely a sign of the times, I guess you could say that we were part of the first #twaliyah flight. It is a unique experience that we all share… that singular moment in our lives lived as one people. So, I conclude by wishing everyone who was on that flight with us, especially those who remain in the homeland, a happy Aliyah anniversary! Here is to the next five years and I hope to see you all again soon!

Mortgage Monday: Finally Settled After Seven Years

Society Hill Synagogue

Tomorrow is a very special day for me and my wife. Not just because of the commitment we made to one another that day but also because of the memories that we continue to carry with us both during the good times and the difficult ones. While a blur at the time, as the years have passed the memories remain vivid in my mind. Seven years ago tomorrow my wife and I, after a prolonged engagement, ran down the aisle for the first time as husband and wife.

It is especially poignant to think about all of those people who meant so much to us that day, who went out of their way to make the day special and how, while they are no longer with us, they live on in the deep meaning that they brought to that moment in our life. From a friend bringing appetizers into our room during the cocktail reception to friends from Samantha’s synagogue enjoying the opportunity to make new friends. From the joy in my mother in laws face as she spent time with friends and with my wife (and the Salmon and polenta combination helped too) to my grandmother pulling my wife aside toward the end of the night to offer her advice.

All of those memories come back to me in an instant whenever I catch a glimpse of our wedding photos on the wall of our living room and when I see our Ketubah hanging near our kitchen table as I walk in the door. But this is the time of year when they are the most vivid and when I am the most thankful that we have one another. It hasn’t always been easy but the good far outweighs the difficult times and we are much stronger both individually and as a family because of each of those moment even though it doesn’t seem like it at times.

And now we celebrate this day finally settled into a place that we call home. We enjoy our anniversary as a family and we look forward to the years to come more so than we have in the past. I know I haven’t been the perfect husband and my wife continues to say that she hasn’t been the perfect wife over the years but, while it has some wear around the edges, our marriage is as strong as it has ever been. Seven years with decades to go not just as husband and wife but as mommy and daddy. And now we know, and we have the security in knowing, where we will be for all of our future anniversaries.

3rd Blog Anniversary

It has been three years since I made the decision to start blogging again. At the time it was a means to keep my mind busy while working the night shift and, honestly, I didn’t expect it to last too long especially after I started working during the day again. Over the years there have been many moments when I have fallen behind, when I have questioned whether or not I wanted to keep posting, and if this was all worth the time and effort. Those doubts have surfaced more times than anyone realizes.

However, what was once a means to keep my mind active and prevent creative constipation is now much more than those basic founding reasons for keeping this blog going day after day. I have spoken on the importance of keeping a daily record of my life, no matter how mundane it may be, but there is also the simple fact that this has given me, for the most part, a routine amidst the sporadic chaos, a means to think through certain topics and situations, and, occasionally, a venue where I can vent both and share the good and the bad. While there have been moments that I have bit my tongue before writing (despite one of the main ‘rules’ that I set for myself in the beginning), this has been largely a free flow of topics and ideas.

Over the life of this blog, things have also evolved. What was once a free form venue with few rules, has morphed into a loose structure where there are certain topic for different days. This schedule has reinforced the original purpose of the blog in that not only am I forcing myself to write every day but I am pushing myself to consider specific topics every week. As has been evident, some weeks there is more fodder for a certain topic than others but, in general, it has pushed me to learn different things about topics which I am already interested in as well as give more thought to some of the routine events in my life. As a bonus, it has also given readers more guidance as there are some people who avoid certain days while other that only read about a topic or two that I cover.

At this point, I don’t see much changing in the coming year on this blog. While I am not in a position to guarantee anything, I plan on maintaining the daily pace, sticking to the 400 word minimum per post, and continuing to write about the weekly topics that many of you have come to expect. Beyond that everything is still up in the air. So, at this point I will finish this post with a simple thank you to all that have stopped by, those who read regularly, the people who leave comments (here, on social media, through email, and in person), and the people in my life who both inspire me to keep writing and tolerate the commitment that I continue to make to my writing.

No, Really, This Is Something Completely Different…

Last year the notices that I put together for the lodge were pretty light. There wasn’t much information that needed to be relayed each month and there were even times when I had to find content to fill some of the empty space left after all updates were included. This month that was definitely not the case and given what is on the horizon, I don’t expect to have any ‘light’ notices this year.

In addition to two petitioners being listed (the first in quite some time), the passing of a brother, and the full calendar of events to begin the year there was also a portion of the notice dedicated to the raising of our dues. This is a democracy and everyone has a vote so everyone needs to be informed before the meeting. This was all before I put in the Worshipful Master’s brief message and I wrote my rather long letter to the brethren.

It took some work to make everything fit together but, in the end, the notice was completed and put in the mail last night along with a few dues cards for some brothers who sent in late checks. But while I write this and thing about all that has to be done and the event that have happened and that will be happening at the lodge, I am also reflecting on the day itself. Today is one of reflection for a couple of reasons for me.

Today is actually International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Honestly, it had slipped my mind until I looked at the calendar this morning. However, I think I knew that this was the day as I am finally returning to the work that I created years ago. It is something that I dread reading but also take pride in its completion. Similar feelings that simmer in me on this day. Today is one when we not only remember in sorrow the lives lost but we also should rejoice in the simple fact that we survived. And while the world is far from perfect, we are a part of it and we are thriving in today’s society as a people.

And that joy is only matched by the fact that I am able to look back in my own life and celebrate that singular moment of surprise when I proposed to my wife on this day in 2007. While the store may no longer be there, the images and memories that we have will always remain vivid and the evening, having picked up my grandmother from the house and taken her to dinner to celebrate, is a great moment that makes me smile every time… especially when I recall telling my grandmother that she wasn’t allowed to kick until after the wedding (which was two and a half years from that day). Her smile in response is just one of many smiles that I will always remember.

Two Years Since The Night Was My Day

While there certainly have been a lot of changes that have happened over the past year, both good and bad, the difference between our lives two years ago versus what it is now is even more staggering. In addition to moving to a new place, two years ago I was still working the night shift at our old apartment building. It was about this time in 2013 when I handed in my two week notice and prepared for the long days ahead working two jobs during this important transition. The next day, October 2, 2013, I started with my current employer and haven’t looked back since.

Not only was this a moment that restarted my career, it was a time that marked the end of what was a rather difficult period for me and my wife as we had spent the previous year and a half just trying to get by as we both worked for an hourly wage while trying to find the time to spend together. We had to just put our heads down and work trying to get enough money to pay bills and cover living expenses. Of course, with our finances so tight it also meant that we accrued some debt (to put it lightly). Things began to change once I rejoined the daytime workforce.

The past two years at my new company have been tremendous. While my initial thought heading into the job was that it was going to be a great place to work and advance my career, I really had no idea what to expect or whether I would be able to shake off the rust and get my career moving again. It was a bit of a challenge the first few days but I was surprisingly able to get things moving again rather quickly. And it was a good thing as those first few months getting the company up and running was both trying and rewarding at the same time. By the end of the first six months I was starting to feel completely comfortable once again and just in time for my review and promotion.

Since then it has been both a lot of work and also tremendously rewarding to watch the company grow. Some things happen for a reason and being out of the industry so long is now paying dividends in my being able to work where I do. It has been a great relief to have a career again that I enjoy and working for a company that sees all of us as a family rather than just a name on an account. I am looking forward to the next year, two years, and decades after that.

Wood Anniversary Plus One

While there is no way that we were going to be able to top the wood anniversary from last year, this year was pretty good. It wasn’t because of anything special that we did or place we went, it was nice to celebrate our anniversary this year as a family. No cards, no gifts, just the three of us together. Something obviously a little different this year but the whole day has changed anyway with many of the things that we would normally be doing, dinners we would be having, this time of year no longer possible but forever part of our memory.

Ass I have said many times before, we have had great years and difficult times in our time together but we always stuck by one another knowing that this was just a simple fact of marriage. This past year was indicative of that cliched roller coaster. There have been times when we have had to just walk outside for some air and other times when you couldn’t pry us apart. However, throughout it all the love remained stronger than ever and now we have our son… our baby… the one who will forever be the symbol of our love and marriage.

Each year has brought something a little different. Sometimes it has been where we were living while other times it has been about where we were planning to go. I guess some of that will always be a part of our annual celebration but things are so much different than they were in the past. However, the constant thing that has remained is that I love my wife now more than I did the day we ran down the synagogue aisle and into the limo.

We have already had quite the journey and, as this year has shown us, things are only just beginning. There are so many things that we have to look forward to, plan for, and sometimes brace ourselves for. We have done so much and planned so many things with life surprising us in new ways each and every time. Throughout it all we have had each other and now we have our family.

Now this day no longer belongs to the two of us. This is a day when we can celebrate the life that we have built, the love that we have, and the family which we cherish. It is a day best described by the unwavering love that we have for one another and our son… the best anniversary gift that we could have ever hoped for. Now try and find a card that says all of that!

Things Have Changed In Two Years

It is that time again. It has now been two years since I began this blog. While the daily routine has basically remained intact, there have been a few small and big changes that have occurred over the last 24 months. I honestly don’t know where to begin so I am just going to ramble a bit (nothing new).

When I originally launched this blog it was simply a means to keep myself writing, record the events in my life, and give me something to do while sitting at the front desk of the apartment building all night. It was a time when there were a lot of questions swirling around and we really didn’t know what direction life was going to take us. This is why I originally stated that there were “No guidelines or promises. No list of topics I plan to cover.”

Times change and so has this blog. Actually, I have pretty much gone against that entire statement. I have my own goals and guidelines for this blog (400+ words every day despite my idea to cut that back at this point last year) and there are a variety of topics that I cover on a regular basis. Many of those topics are assigned to particular days of the week (i.e. TMI Tuesday, Lodge (mostly) on Wednesday, Firearms Friday, and Sunday Search). While I have skipped a few of these days (today is Tuesday), they have become a pretty regular part of the blogging schedule.

However, given the steady growth over the past year (19,000 views during the first year and 29,000 views during the second year), many of you seem to enjoy knowing what topics are expected to be covered. Of course, I still have to keep things interesting (well, as interesting as I can) so the rest of the days are pretty much a crap shoot regarding topics. It has been interesting watching the blog grow and hopefully I am keeping up my end of the deal (for the most part) and providing many of you with some entertainment.

So, since I have already put a stop to the no planning thing, what is on the horizon for the coming year? Well, there are always countless plans in the works but little time to see them come to fruition. I will continue to write on the various topics that have become a part of this blog and there are a few trips planned for this summer (to places not yet covered). I have reached out to syndicate the posts and that is always a possibility (even though it might be an improbability) and I am looking for additional ways to raise funds so that I can bring you some more interesting content (products, more travel, books, genealogy research, etc.).

I am always looking for new ways to incorporate the writing into my routine (which has been a little off lately) and sometimes I get behind on the posts. So far I have been able to get things back up to speed but, moving forward, I am going to look at easing this work load a bit by inviting more guest contributors as well as writing recap post which will serve as occasional reference points for some of the common topics covered in this blog. As always, time seem to be governing my activity and this is, so far, the best solution I have for keeping things going.

So, I will end this post by first asking you if there are any topics that you would like me to write about or anything that you wish to contribute as a guest blogger. Secondly, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has read, commented, and shared these posts. While this blog has served a more selfish purpose allowing me to keeping writing, researching, and recording there is great satisfaction knowing that others are interested in the topics that I have written about and some even share my views on certain topics. Here is to another year!

From Above

It seems to be lost in the news today with weather reports seemingly playing on a loop. No matter how much snow is on the ground, today will never be remembered for the weather that occurred or never happened. Today is the day we remember the liberation of Auschwitz. Today, Holocaust Remembrance Day, we rededicate ourselves to NEVER FORGET what happened, how it happened, and what was not done to prevent the horror.

The past 70 years have done nothing to ease the pain that permeates the conscious of the world, the families of the survivors, and the generations that were cast into the sky across Europe. For those that survived it is not simply a memory, it is a reality as vivid as the number on their arm. It is history that requires the strength of the living in order to ensure that those who did not survive are forever remembered.

Unfortunately, the lessons taught in the schools are continuously being tempered removing much of the horrifying vividness and barbarism that can be found in the words of those who survived the Nazi reign. As the number of survivors slowly dwindles we find ourselves in a situation where the only people that can describe what happened are disappearing. While we can do our best and even gain praise from those who were there, our words will forever fall short as our experiences will never come close to what actually happened.

Sometimes when we are doing our best we still feel as though we are falling short of reality. I have attempted to tell the little known stories of those who have vanished into history but I know that my words are just that… words on a page. Even the images that we have all seen on the screen can only convey so much. We watch, removed no matter how engrossed, far away in both time and space.

The emotions are still fresh even in what would seem to be an objective view such as the aerial footage of Auschwitz released by the BBC today. I watch that video and see the expanse of the camp from the vantage point of the countless Jews who floated up the smoke stacks and drifted over those same buildings on their voyage to meet G-d. It is an emotion and a connection that keeps me from watching the short video straight through.

However, just above where the camera hovered, jets scream across the sky. Hope flies above as the Israeli Air Force conducted a fly over of the concentration camp today. This, above and beyond any words that I can write, is the best way not only to say but to declare NEVER AGAIN!

Overlooked Anniversary

There is a certain pall to this day on the calendar and it has nothing to do with the weather outside our windows. It is a day that hangs over us not just for what happened but also because the majority of those reading this post have no idea what happened on this day in 1942. While the results of this day will never be forgotten, the day itself seems to have been lost. 73 years ago today the Wannsee Conference took place and the “Final Solution of the Jewish Question” was officially put into action.

There is little that I can say about this day so rather than write at length on the atrocities that resulted from this meeting I will simply encourage you to talk to a Holocaust survivor and/or someone who was at the liberation of one of the concentration camps as there is little time left to hear their accounts first hand. I have spoken with people from all perspectives and the realities revealed are more horrible than that which you can read in a book. Seeing the memories in their eyes cannot be replaced by words on a page or images on a screen.

In addition to the human connection (which directly contradicts the actions of this anniversary), learn about what happened during this meeting, on this day. The movie "Conspiracy", while no means a replacement for research, offers as thorough an overview of the conference as you can find on the screen. However, the historical fiction on the screen should only serve as a reminder not as an actual recounting of facts.

Seek out local holocaust memorials and museums. You do not need a special day or anniversary to mourn what happened but it days such as this do offer additional meaning to those visitations. Having been to Yad Vashem and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (as well as exhibits in a few other countries), they are powerful places that envelope you and bring you as close as you can get to the actual items and stories of the victims and survivors as possible. Many of these places of remembrance also have survivors who volunteer their time to tell visitors of their experiences. Don’t miss the opportunity to speak with them.

Lastly, probably the best way to remember what happened and to ensure that conferences such as the one held in Wannsee can never be successful is to support the State of Israel. This must serve and always be the final solution of the Jewish question. We are united with a place to forever call home; we are able to support ourselves; and we are able to defend ourselves. That is the final answer of the Jewish question!

Party Time In Old City

I prefer a beard!

I was the last to leave the office on Thursday, turning off my computer at half past three and rushing out the door and doing my best to keep the car in the approximate vicinity of the speed limit as I made my way to the apartment. Moments after pulling into the parking lot, changing my shirt, and putting on a sport coat, my dad walked around the corner and I was once again in the car. We arrived in old city just in time to watch everyone strolling down the street to the nearest bar after a long day at the office. While I too was walking into a bar, I headed upstairs to the event room at Prime Stache to help my colleagues prepare for our party.

It seemed like it was only a few moments before our guests began to arrive (including my dad who walked around a bit so that we could prep). We all quickly dove into different conversations with the same thought running through all of our minds… we couldn’t believe that it had already been a year (a little longer for most of us). It was a night to celebrate our success and, more importantly, the hard work and long hours that we all put in to ensure that this day would come. We all took a bit of a risk joining a new venture but it never seemed like a risky move as we have remained confident in both our abilities and our leadership.

Over the past year, primarily over the last several months, I have had to learn to pull back a little from work and spend the time needed with my wife. While the night was going well, my dad and I left a bit early so that I could spend the evening with my wife. Not part of the original plan but something that needed to happen that night. There were still people coming and going when we walked back down the stairs but the drive back out of the city was much faster than it would have been later given the fact that we were driving right at the very beginning of mischief night.

Once I met up with my wife in Bryn Mawr, we settled in for a night of doing pretty much as little as possible. While we didn’t wind up going very far we did manage to entertain ourselves by watching the constant flow of police walking by with teenagers in tow. After a quick trip to Wawa (the Gobbler is back) we settled in at the apartment and rested for what was going to be a hectic end of the week for the two of us.

Happy Work Anniversary!

Every day when I log on to LinkedIn I see the various status updates from my connections. One that often crosses the screen is the work anniversary. A couple of years ago I missed seeing that update on my account but today that changed as it has now been exactly one year since I returned to my chosen profession.

I still remember the moment that I met my boss for the first time. There was something very different about that interview as she had a genuine interest in not only my work history but who I was and why I enjoyed working in PR. I am not your usual PR professional so being able to talk at length about what I am able to do and how I apply my trade was something that I was glad to share. It was during that interview when I realized that she was looking for something more than just an employee.

This was in stark contrast to the PR environment that I first started in while working in Manhattan. There it is commonplace for people to jump from job to job, firm to firm, just to move up and change things around. That is not what I wanted. I enjoy the profession but that part always seemed against my character. Call me old fashion but I always wanted to work at a company where I could stay for a long time.

A couple of months later, she brought me in for another interview. I still remember walking into the barren office space, announcing myself when I walked into the empty room, and finally being able to sit in the conference room and talk things over with her again. While we had only met once before, we picked up the conversation as if we had shared the same office for years.

I was excited to get started and to rejoin those who occupied the day light hours and enjoy going to the office every day to apply the skills that I have acquired over the years. This office, this company, was a fresh start for both of us and while it has been a lot of work during this past year, I have enjoyed every minute of every day (despite the occasional gripes). It is nice to once again take pride in my work and feel a sense of ownership at the end of the day.

My work anniversary coincides with the company anniversary and to see what we have all built together is something that I take great pride in. While there have been a lot of changes over the past year it is nice to have this one constant offering some stability to the craziness. The year has flown by and I am looking forward to many more years working for the same company and enjoying every day at the office.

Not A Happy Anniversary

There are some days that you mark on the calendar that you look forward to and there are other that you hope never some to fruition. Sometimes it is a major life event while other times it is just an annoyance that keeps frustrating you every day when you come home from work. Unfortunately, today we marked the latter of the two which I had been anticipating but hoping that I would be proven wrong. That’s right, for those of you that recall the gripes from the summer, the work on the leak is still not complete.

While the actual issue with the water seems to have been solved, or at least the band aid is holding up, and the painting was completed a couple of weeks ago, the building has yet to clean the space which we still have quarantined in our living room. Keep in mind that maintenance has not been in to check this ‘fix’ since they closed the ceiling so it is questionable whether or not the mend will hold. If it were a few little pieces and drips on the carpet I probably would have addressed this once the painting was done but this is a much bigger mess than what our vacuum can handle. This is the kind of job that requires professional carpet cleaning which the building manager had agreed to employ not long after this whole debacle began.

So now I have to burn another early morning and corner this woman in her office to at least get a response to the countless queries that have gone unanswered. While we had issues with the previous building manager it was never this bad and things continue to deteriorate the longer this management company runs the facility. Hopefully, this issue will be resolved soon but I lend that statement no more credence than the cliché of yelling fire in a movie theater.

With all of that said, there is a positive side to this whole thing in that it has motivated us, more so than before, to get the heck out and find another place to live. While we made an attempt in the spring, we will be successful this time around as our lease winds down to a close. Hopefully, if we begin looking a little earlier we can find a better place to call home not just a box in which we live. I guess we will just have to wait and see what we can find and hope that there are options available to us.

Ever Lose Track Of Your Vacation Days?

That is exactly what happened to me this year. It has been tough to take time off this past year as business has been constantly busy and I really haven’t had a good reason to stay ways from the office. With that said, I find myself with a couple months to go before I get a new crop of vacation days. Well crap, I guess I am going to have to take some time off since they will not carry over. So, this past week I finally sat down and took a look at my calendar.

It is difficult for me to take the time for myself as, and I have been very clear about this in previous posts, I enjoy working. I like going to the office every day and making things happen. To do anything else would make the week feel a little incomplete. But I guess that is something that I have to get over especially now with how tired I have been lately and the massive changes that are on the horizon. Something has to give and if taking time off with help that situation then I am happy to oblige.

However, I know that the next couple of months are going to be critical to ramping programs back up for the busier time of year so my decisions on what days to take are influenced by that factor… no long blocks. Additionally, all of us that started around the same time are in the same position and we are making sure that our days don’t overlap… a few less options but nothing I was looking at anyway. What was left were a few long weekends that will do wonders for the rest of the year and while I don’t plan on using every one of my days (I might use about half of my work from home days as well), there are a few breaks that have been worked into the schedule.

There are a few days that I am taking off for the simple convenience of it (i.e. late night at the lodge the night before) but, for the most part it is going to be a few weeks of long weekends and doing my best to finally get caught up on everything else especially in the home office. Working in my favor I the fact that my wife just got a regular position in a local school district leaving me along for the day to buckle down and get things done. Maybe, just maybe, all of those projects that have been pushed back since I started working regularly will get done and we can go into the end of the year with a clean slate.

So, expect a few different posts in the coming months as I will have more time to enjoy and focus on other things. It will be an odd feeling not going to the office ‘just because’ but it give me an opportunity to relax, enjoy something else for a change, and record it all right here. Who knows, maybe there will be something that you aren’t expecting and if you want to get together during those days send me an email and maybe we can coordinate something a little different.

Remembering The Contradiction

While his children lay in bed fighting for their lives my three times great grandfather, Jacob H. Wirth, was aboard the USS Tecumseh headed toward Mobile Bay. On the night of August 4^th, the USS Tecumseh arrived off the coast of the last major Confederate controlled port days behind schedule and with little time to prepare for the following morning. That calm evening was the last time that Jacob Wirth would have to think about his wife and children before Union admiral David Farragut ordered the attack. Farragut, tied to the flagship’s mainmast rigging at this point for a better view, uttered his now-famous order, “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!”

Within the first few moments of what is now known as The Battle of Mobile Bay, having taken the lead and maneuvering to engage the ironclad CSS Tennessee, the USS Tecumseh was sent to the bottom of the bay having fallen victim to one of the many torpedoes surrounding Fort Morgan. While this horrendous turn of events may have served as a rallying cry for the men and ships around him, this was far from the reality that descended upon his family at home. In an instant his wife, Mary Ann, became a widow and his small sickly daughters lost their father.   

In the following weeks, the Union naval force bombarded the three Confederate forts on the bay while Federal army troops attacked from land. By August 23rd, the last fort had surrendered, leaving Mobile Bay, the last confederate port, in the control of the United States. Many engagements during the Civil War were critical to the Union victory but it can be argued that this battle was instrumental in bringing about the end of the war as it completely stopped the flow of goods to the Confederacy and eliminated what was, at times, an admirable navy.   

Of course, as the battle was fought during those two and a half weeks in August, Mary Wirth struggled at home. While she was unaware of her husband’s death, she spent the duration of the battle caring for and eventually burying her two youngest daughters. Only one child survived, only one daughter, my great great grandmother, remained to comfort Mary during this time of great pain and uncertainty. 150 years ago today, far from his family and his home in Roxborough, Pennsylvania Jacob gave the ultimate sacrifice and to this day he remains at the bottom of Mobile Bay.

Not Just Another Day Out Of The Office

This time last week I left the office in the middle of the day to go to a doctor’s appointment. While the timing was not ideal, it was the only appointment that worked in both our schedules. Fortunately, everyone at my office knows that I only schedule things in the middle of the day if there is no other option available so they were fine with me leaving at two. Honestly, I don’t know how I would have gotten over it if I was not there to see the first pictures of our baby. Yes, you read that correctly, I am going to be a father. Happy wood anniversary to us!

While we had the tests done to confirm the previous week, this first ultrasound was a completely different experience when you see the fast flicker of the heart on the screen. It is an instantaneous bond that most have experienced but no one has been able to accurately express. It is a life changing moment that makes you reconsider your perspective of the world around you. For some, their views change but as for me, to my surprise, that moment solidified every perspective that I have expressed in this blog and in person to many of you. In fact, I am glad that I have continued to write as I want my child to look back and really know who I am (like Michael Keaton in “My Life” except I am not dying anytime soon).

Above all, it is an immense feeling of excitement and fear. I am excited to see our child, teach them about life, share with them the thing that I have learned in my limited years, and make sure that they don’t make the mistakes, of which there are too many to list, that I have in my life. I am also fearful of falling short as a father and for the simple fact that I am now responsible for another human being on this earth and that I must do everything in my power to protect my child and keep them safe. Simply put, I worry that my child will not look at me the same way that I look at my dad.

So, this is the last means of communication in announcing this exciting news. We have seen and heard a wide variety of reactions to this news and we have tried to soak it all up as the experience washed over us like a tsunami. But even though it is sometimes difficult to process moment to moment, it is a time that I will never forget especially when I was able to see my mom’s face when she realized why it would take eight months before her birthday present arrived. And just think, this is only the first of many moments that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Back To The Mountains

We slept in a little yesterday wanting to take it easy for our anniversary but we weren’t going to simply bum around the apartment doing nothing. We made it out the door at around eleven in the morning, got in the car, and headed toward the highway. While I was certain that my wife had figured it out by the time we left, I didn’t tell her where we were going to spend our day. I wanted it to be a familiar place that we both enjoyed but somewhere that we could do something that we may have missed in previous trips. By the time we made it to the Lehigh Tunnel there was really no question as to where we were heading… we were off to Jim Thorpe to spend a nice meandering afternoon in the mountains.

Not surprisingly, being such a beautiful day, the town was packed and parking was sparse. Fortunately, we found a great metered space right next to the train tracks. After a surprisingly easy parallel parking job, we walked over to the visitor’s center, purchased our train tickets, and, with an hour and a half before the train departed, headed across the street for a very quick lunch at Molly Maguires Pub. With tasty Cajun chicken and big burger in our bellies, we walked off a little bit of our lunch before walking back to where we started. As you can tell, we didn’t really pull out our cameras…

…until we approached the train.

Over the river…

…and the tracks….

…passed the split rocks on the ridge….

…all the while watching the bikers and hikers making their way down the path.

The train runs along the Lehigh Gorge hugging the line between the mountains and the Lehigh River, with a biking/hiking path crammed in-between. About forty minutes after departing the station at Jim Thorpe, the train began slowing just passed the wimpy little waterfall.

With the train at a dead stop we sat in the cars absent of any breeze hanging out the window looking at the old slowly crumbling wood beneath the tracks…

…at least until we heard the engine making its way down the tracks to reattach at the other end and haul us back.

Moments later we were on our way again with the breeze lapping through the open windows as we turned the corner from the cool shadows of the mountain…

…to the open sun.

Before we knew it we could see Jim Thorpe in the distance on the other side of the river.

Just before pulling into the station we passed the boneyard that really makes you think about what those train cars used to look like when they were first put into service.

It was great to experience something a little different on our third trip to town but, having spent the last hour and a half sitting on the train taking pictures, it was time to really explore Broadway again, revisit places we remembered and find a few new places that have come to town over the past year including the House of Jerky.

Most places remained the same as things change slowly in the Victorian town nestled in the mountains.

Of course, I did manage to get a few flower shots in as well. Not as many as my wife and her fancy schmancy camera but I got a few.  

 

 

 

By this time we had walked up and down the streets and in and out of stores enough to burn off our lunch so we made our way to The Inn at Jim Thorpe’s Broadway Grille for a nice dinner.

We’ve had better and we’ve had worse but it was a pretty good experience overall. However, while the food and service may not have been spectacular, the woman at the front desk was rather impressive when she nearly got my name right when I walked up to ask her a question. We have only stayed there for one night about a year ago!

From there it was time to walk down the street, get some coffee and dessert, and just enjoy the last bit of time in town before heading back on the road. While they were only able to offer me a small sip before closing, Alice’s Pantry and Coffee House in the Douglas House Marketplace has the best coffee in town and I was told that the ice cream was the best in town as well.

The small sitting area on the side looked like it would be a nice place on those mornings when you want to hide away and relax.

Coffee in hand, we joined the crowds exiting the bars at the conclusion of the Belmont Stakes strolling down the street.

We slowly made our way toward the car and, looking at the clock tower, we knew we should get on the road soon.

Before turning the corner I had to take one more picture looking up Broadway as the night slowly fell over the town and the lights began emitting the warm and inviting slow that is simply captivating in the evening. It was a perfect end to a great day with my wife when we were able to just enjoy our anniversary and begin looking forward to the next five years.

I’m Feeling Kind Of Woody Today

Five years ago today my wife and I nervously paced around the synagogue waiting for everyone to arrive. We had just finished taking the family pictures on the stairs, signed the ketubah to the right side of the bimah, and we were now anxiously waiting for the time to get started. What seemed forever to wait for, including the two and a half year engagement, was over in what seemed like seconds. While a memory that seems like a blur in time, the moments are as vivid as the world currently surrounding us.  

We frequently look back on that day, flip through the pictures, and find ourselves still amazed that it has now been five years since we became husband and wife (the gift for this year is wood). While there have been a few moments here and there since that day that we would have done differently or wished had gone better, we are here today stronger and closer than we have ever been. With life getting busier and busier by the day, I look forward to heading home for the night to be with my wife.

So today we mark the first five years of our marriage with all the love that we have shared during the past half-decade. Our bond has taken us from Pennsylvania to Brooklyn to New Jersey to Jerusalem and back to Pennsylvania. We have each experienced various levels of employment and kept a wide variety of work hours. We have seen sickness and we have experienced health. We have struggled financially but we live in the wealth of our connection to each other.

We have seen one another at our best and at our worst. We have traveled around the state and around the world. We have lived a life at varying degrees of observance. Throughout those journeys and those different points in our life, we have continued to stand by on another, grow as a couple, and, eventually, find what works best for the two of us.

I am grateful each morning to have you by my side (even when you are trying to shake me awake as you yell at me to turn my alarm off), thankful for you constantly supporting me no matter how insane my schedule gets, I appreciate you keeping me grounded and forcing me to hold back at times when I try to do too much, and I’m amazed that you put us with me day after day after day. Thank you for the first five years of marriage. I will do my best to improve a few things during the next five years. Happy Anniversary! I love you!

D-Day + 70

As I am sure you have read many times over already, today we mark the 70^th anniversary of Operation Overlord, more commonly referred to as D-Day. There are countless stories that we have all read and numerous accounts that have been relayed over the years. Some have resonated more deeply than others but one thing remains constant, these were men who accomplished something extraordinary. There are not many people that can say that they changes the course of history or, in many respects, saved the world but these men earned that right without question.

I have known many men during my life that played a part in that seminal event. I have had the privilege to talk at great length about their experiences and each time it was not about what they did or their actions, it was about all of them pushing forward as one unified force working together to achieve what some thought was impossible. These selfless men, some making the ultimate sacrifice, served honorably not just for their country but for humanity.

Seventy years later and few are still with us that lived through the courageous actions of that day. However, there are men still with us who lived though that campaign and are taking this day to remember those who fell beside them and recall the small victories of that day that culminated in the winning of a war and victory for all people. One veteran D-Day paratrooper, Jim 'Pee Wee' Martin, is even marking this occasion by reenacting his D-Day jump.

This day, and every day for that matter, we should be thankful for the freedom that these men fought for and the way of life many gave their lives to defend. We remain a free people thanks to those men who served to protect and defend us. This, the greatest generation, is a part of all of us as no one can say that their family wasn’t impacted by the war. These ordinary men demonstrated the good that humanity is capable of when we band together for a common cause. The showed us that extraordinary results are the product of men who ardently serve a righteous goal.

The men who fought on this day, the men and women who supported the war effort, those who served before and since with the same duty and honor should forever be praised for their sacrifices and service. D-Day while seen as a single campaign was the result of the work at home and abroad for month before the war to ensure victory. Remember those and thank those who made victory possible who ensured that freedom and liberty survived the darkest time in modern history.

One Year, One Blog

Just over a year ago I made the decision to start this blog. It took me a few days to determine what I wanted to write about, what rules I was going to set for myself, and how often I was going to post. Well, as you know, I decided to post every day and I have done so for a complete year now. That’s right, this post is number 365. It has been a busy year with a lot of changes and a lot to write about. I don't know how sane this daily endeavor has been but, at the very least, I had to set this goal to prove to myself that I still had some kernel of creativity left in me.

It has been tough at times to motivate myself and there have been times when I have given up free time and sleep but it was all worth it given the cathartic nature of the things that I have posted. Even the things that may seem like records of what happened the previous day, there was a certain element of venting, processing, or thinking that allowed me to end the day, deposit the experience into memory, and focus on what was in front of me instead of what is behind. It has also been a way to focus on something positive, or just something else, than some of the things that were happening around me or things that I may have been dealing with beyond the words on the screen.

This has been a fun little experiment and one that I have enjoyed sharing with all of you but now the question is… what is going to happen with the blog now? Well, while this anniversary was originally set as a goal it has evolved more into a milestone. This blog is not going to be coming to an end any time soon. However, I will be making a small change that should make a big difference for me moving forward. While I will still be posting my daily thoughts and experiences, I am lifting the minimum word count.

You all know that I can be very long winded with my posts and I think it is time to put an end to that vicious circle. This doesn’t mean that I won’t have my long posts now any again but now, when the thought is complete, I can stop at a more natural point rather than having to continue to meet that 400 word minimum. This may even open the blog up to other forms of writing and observation so that I can write about interesting or funny conversations or I can post a poem or two that I may be working on. Essentially, by lifting the minimum, I am maximizing the possibilities of both content and form.

So, here is to another 365 posts, another 19,000+ views (a little short of my goal but I'll take it), and another year of recording life, thoughts, opinions, and places. Any other suggestions you might have as to content, form, frequency, etc. that you have please feel free to share below. I look forward to entertaining you for another year and, more importantly, I look forward to recording life.