Sunday Search: Holiday Opportunities

The holidays are always a great opportunity to get together and simply enjoy the company of friends and family. While we may not be completely conscious of it at the time, it is a means to strengthen the bonds that we have with one another and take stock of the changes that have happened in our lives since the last time that we all gathered together. The most important thing about these times is to be in the moment and to spend time with those you love but there are opportunities that come about naturally from time to time that we, as family historians, must remain cognizant of and remember not just for ourselves but for the family as a whole the for the future when things have a tendency to be forgotten.

It is inconsequential how one gets to a subject but there are moments when we must be opportunistic and learn a little more about those around us. Furthermore, if we are able to ask questions we must do so to fill in some of the details that may have been glossed over. At the same time, when possible, we must be ready to recall what we know in order to offer that information in the hopes of jogging someone else’s memory or adding dimension or perspective to the story being told.

For some, including myself, this is sometimes the hardest part of trying to find out everything I can about the family. There is a fine line between conversation and investigation which we must respect during the holidays because, again, this is a time for family not about family. After all, we are all guilty from time to time for focusing more on the past than the present. Sometimes it is during occasions such as this while other times it is about not taking the opportunity, setting aside the time, and talking to family members about their own history and about what they know about others in the family.

Today I learned a few more details and was given a few more documents. Thankfully, I learned a lot with little effort. It was more about being in the right place and keeping my ears open to the conversations taking place. I knew some additional details and I asked a few questions but it was part of the natural flow of the dialog. Maybe I have finally found some kind of balance to this holiday conundrum. Of course, it helps that everyone knows about my passion for the family history and the respect that I have for our history. That can sometimes be the difference between being given, entrusted, with personal information and histories and not ever being told what happened.

Sunday Search: Restarting Our Tradition

Our newsletter will look nothing like this!

Years ago my wife and I would pull together a holiday newsletter recapping the previous year which was always well received by family and friends especially those that we hadn’t seen in a while. This was in lieu of a card and was usually mailed sometime between Hanukkah and Christmas each year. The last time that we pulled one of these together was in December of 2012… it has been some time since we took part in this tradition and we are determined this year to once again send out a family newsletter albeit a little later than in the past.

When we decided that we were going to restart this tradition the question that we had to answer was whether we would return to the format that we used before or would we take the opportunity to pack in three years of updates into a single, long, mailer. There certainly wasn’t a shortage of content from the previous twelve months and most people to whom we would be sending the newsletter read this blog on a regular basis. However, even given those two things we decided to go ahead and offer quick updates in a variety of categories encompassing the past three years but focusing primarily on this past year.

We had actually planned on getting this out last month but time has not been kind to us over the past several weeks which has left this project on the back burner. To be honest, this is primarily my fault as much of the content I will be pulling from and condensing from this blog. My wife has already created the template and written the sections that would simply be inappropriate for me to write so now the onus is completely on me. Thankfully, we have both been able to update our address books so that part is taken care of as well.

I know that many of you are looking at this as yet another project on the inexhaustible list of items but this is an important part of our own tradition and what we want to have marking each year as a family. Plus, for me it is the summary that everyone seems to ask for understandably not wanting to sift through the hundreds of posts from the previous year. This is our opportunity to look back on, reflect, and report to those we care about what life has been like for us the previous year. And, down the road, in addition to being a simple addition to the family history files, it will be a great reminder for us all of the things that we both enjoyed and survived in 2015.

Seeing Faces To Forget

Throughout this season there have been too many gifts to specifically remember any individual surprise. Actually, this year has been full of generosity from friends, family, and coworkers alike. It has been at times overwhelming but appreciated each end every time that an unexpected box or envelope has been put in our hands. However, since I have written about the many gifts that we received earlier in the year, I will stick with those that we have gotten over the last month or two… basically during the holiday season.

Hanukkah was early this year and it was fun surprising both our son and my wife with gifts for each night… and then some. What I got in return was better than anything that I handed out as the faces that they made were something that I am already looking forward to seeing again next year. However, my wife and I agreed, long before the holiday and prior to settlement on the house, that my gift was a new set of office furniture. Of course, my wife also got me a cordless drill during the holiday which I didn’t expect. All of these things I am going to use for years so I pretty much made out like a bandit.

Toward the end of the month I received my preferred gift, a few times over in fact, of a gift card to a few places that I can make that money stretch as far as possible. In all, between friends, family, and coworkers, we probably received close to $200 in plastic. This was on top of the small gifts and has nothing to do with the horde that our son received. Although he probably would have been just as happy with the boxes and tissue paper. More about that later.

However, like the reactions I received from my wife and son, the best part of the holiday season has been the looks on people’s faces when I hand them an unexpected box or envelope. Many of the brothers at the lodge seemed to refuse reality, my coworkers were shocked, and family members were surprised. For me this is what the holiday season is about regardless of your faith. It has been a great season and a difficult one at the same time but seeing those glimpses of joy allow me to focus only on what is good and happy about this time of year.   

A Gift For Dad

My dad is one of those people that doesn’t really talk about his Army service or his time in Vietnam. Every once in a while I would catch a little bit in conversation but it has taken time to get a relatively complete picture. Because of this, he hasn’t every really been recognized for the sacrifices he made right out of high school. With that said, I have never heard him say that he regretted going into the military. On the contrary, it proved to be a means to obtain an education and it definitely squared him away going from a C student athlete in high school to an accelerated progression through his undergraduate and graduate work.

My dad has achieved a lot in his life but is never one to talk about his accomplishments. While there isn’t much that we can do about this (especially in regard to his professional career), there are some small steps that we have taken as a family in recent years to try and at least acknowledge his military service. This included having my dad at the lodge last year for Veteran’s Night. Not only was it nice to have him sitting in the lodge with me but it was great seeing him recognized alongside his brother and other veterans in attendance for their service in the armed forces. It was also nice seeing him recognized at the Family Reunion over the summer as well. 

However, my sister took it to the next level this year during her Thanksgiving trip down to Washington DC. While at The National Air and Space Museum she inquired as to the steps that needed to be taken to have our dad included in the Wall of Honor memorial which “recognizes those with a passion for flight.” It didn’t take long before I started receiving texts about our dad’s service. Not having my files in front of me, I answered them the best I could remember (I should have more information in the future once my dad gives me a copy of his DD-214 for the family archives). By the time December came around, my sister had pulled together a pretty comprehensive profile to be included in the database. We all worked together to give my dad this recognition, our gift to him this holiday season.

After all, with the Army not recognizing him to the level that I would have liked to see, it is our responsibility to see that my dad is honored for his service. There are still small steps that we can take to do this and hopefully he will, once again, join me at the lodge in the coming year. However, the best thing that I can do at the moment is to keep doing what I am right now, writing and sharing the present and past family history with all those interested. Of course, I am also still trying to rack my brain as to how we can top this year’s gift for dad because, at the moment, I have no idea.

Time To Party: Part II

In an interesting twist this year, I once again attended two holiday parties but, unlike previous years, neither one was a family gathering. Last Saturday, after a draining day at the lodge blood drive, I stopped over at the neighbor’s house for a wonderful gathering. It was a great opportunity to meet most of the people who live around us especially since I haven’t had the time to walk up and down the street to properly introduce myself. It was a great night.

This past Monday was the second party of the season. This time it was the annual work party but, once again, it was a little different than previous years. Our first holiday together, in 2013, we all went bowling at a place around the corner on Street Road. Last year, having previously held a large one year anniversary party a couple of months prior, we toned things down a bit and simply went out to dinner across the street. This year, the bar was clearly raised as we got a balcony box for a Flyers game at the Wells Fargo Center.

I really didn't know what to expect heading into the building as, despite growing up in the area, I had never been to a hockey game. Baseball yes, hockey no. The gathering itself was very nice as the noise in the arena wasn’t too loud so that we could still have conversations without having to yell at one another. We spent a good part of the evening talking about work (of course) but also some of our other interests. It is really nice to get out of the office and continue to get to know one another a little better even though we have the same banter during the work day. Meeting outside of the office is just a different time.

The game on the other hand is not the game I remember watching when I was younger. In addition to the plentiful penalties, the sport is severely slowed by constant ice maintenance every five minutes which, in itself, took five minutes to clear the shavings. This drew out 20 minute periods into 45 minute marathons. This on top of the fact that the hard-nosed sport that I recall from years past is dead. Hockey without fights is like NASCAR without crashes. I am actually surprised that no one tripped on their skirt going up and down the rink.

By the time nine o’clock came around the third period was just beginning and the Flyers scored to tie the game within a minute of the puck being dropped (they ended up defeating the Blues 4-3). For a couple of us with longer drives home, it was the perfect opportunity to call it a night. And with our signed pucks in hand (everyone in the box got one), we made our way through the maze and finally out to the parking lot where there was no traffic to be found. 60 minutes later and I was home for the night, ready for bed, and not looking forward to the early morning alarm.

Firearms Friday: ‘Tis The Season For Deals

This time of year it seems that everything is on sale. While some deals are better than others, you are pretty much guaranteed to receive some kind of discount on whatever you order. And these sales are not just limited to the national retail chains or products with general consumer appeal, there are even deals to be had for those of us that enjoy the shooting sports. Having written about this before, in one form or another, you can basically consider this as the annual lock and load post.

As many of you have experienced, especially over the last few years, some retailers have better deals than others. While I won’t call out any websites or stores, we all know which ones to avoid. However, there are always great prices on a variety of items with some being sent to email subscribers, Facebook followers, and others exclusive to club members or existing customers. There are also great sites such as Slickguns that make it easy to find the prices that are just too low to pass up. Keep in mind that these sites usually don’t include local gun shop deals.

Over the past couple of months there have been a number of deals that caught my attention with the majority of them being discovered first in my email. Here are a few examples of the tempting products with retailer, item, and sale price included for reference:

• Palmetto State Armory (Daily Deal) - 7.62 x 39 Complete 7.5” Upper (with BCG and Charging Handle); $269.99

• Sportsman’s Guide (with Double Discount coupon) - S.W.T 30 Round AR15 Magazines: $5.59 - 30 Round Beretta 92 Magazines: $11.99

• Delta Team Tactical (Black Friday / Cyber Monday) - Crosshill Tech / Davidson Defense Right Side Charging AR15 Upper Receiver (with BCG): $239.99

• Damage Industries (50% off sale) - AR15 Short Barrel Muzzle Break and Sleeve: $34.95

• Amazon (Flash Sale) - Stack-On PDS 500 Drawer Safe: $31.99

Basically, anyone who is looking to build an AR has had a heck of a time and saved a lot of money recently. Some of these are more recent than others but not all of them were Black Friday / Cyber Monday prices and that is the most important point that I can make in this post. Sometimes the best prices are not during the holidays, they can really happen at any time. The key to finding a good deal is waiting (and getting to know your local shop owner) but sometimes, especially recently, the deals seem to just happen and if you’re paying attention, and didn’t spent too much somewhere else, you can take advantage of them.

Not The Numbers We Were Expecting

When I pulled into the parking lot next to the lodge this morning it was difficult to find a spot. The unusually warm December day had everyone out early trying to take advantage of the weather while they finished up their holiday shopping. While there were plenty of people walking up and down the streets and the roads were packed with cars, I knew it would be difficult drawing foot traffic into the lodge of our year end blood drive. Of course, this is also why we had originally planned on holding the drive in October.

When I walked through the doors it was a bit odd as the temperature outside was warmer than the main hall where the tables were being set up. That was a separate issue which we resolved as the day went on. Even though we got a slightly later start in setting up than we expected, by the time the first donor walked through the door everything was in place and there was no delay in getting things going.

The first hour or so was busy. We had a good flow of people coming through the door and I was excited to see so many people taking the time during this busy season to give something of themselves to help others. Before I knew it, I was the next person laying on the table with a long tube dangling from my arm. While I have given blood many times before, this was the first time that I was doing the double red donation. Turns out that they really like my blood type and everything seemed to check out beforehand so why not. In the end, it really didn’t feel any different from a regular donation just a slightly longer time relaxing on the table.

By the time lunch rolled around the steady flow was down to a sputtering trickle and the total numbers for the day were not looking very good especially when factoring in the three or four people that were deemed ineligible to donate. When all was said and done and the tables were being broken down and hauled back out to the truck I was disappointed to say the least. It turns out that we had every possible scenario work against us from weather and holidays to ineligibility and other unavoidable occurrences preventing people from donating. However, while the numbers were not what we wanted, I know that we made a small difference and help those in need and that is really what matters at the end of the day.

From Anorexia To Gluttony

Following a weekend of sugar shock and house cleaning it would have been nice to enjoy a simple fall day before the last vestiges of color seeped from the fall foliage. A day without holiday anticipation, decorations, expectations, or advertisements. That is the way that things used to be. The week following Halloween was a time when we were given a seasonal reprieve, a few days to rest before turning up the obnoxious advertising to eleven.

Well, that was then and this is now. There were a few hours in the middle of the night when the commercials stopped and the decorations in the stores were taken down. However, by the time we got out of bed and turned on Sunday Morning, the Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas promotions began trickling across the airwaves (keep in mind that Hanukkah commercials will begin the night before). And, in the stores, the Christmas decorations were immediately put in place where the ghouls, goblins, witches, and vampires once dominated the shelves. Santa was back and he really wasn’t waiting any time this year.

It seems like I find myself saying this every year but the holidays keep getting earlier and earlier. Heck, even when logging on to Amazon, they are already starting to promote their Black Friday sales… let’s hope they are better than their summer debacle. On top of all this, stores are starting to come out with their holiday, i.e. Thanksgiving, hours. Better not eat any turkey this year or you won’t have the energy to beat everyone to get the good stuff. And, if you do enjoy a nice feast, you might want to consider moving everything to lunch time as many stores will be open by dinner this year.  

It really is a shame that the marketing for all these holidays has gotten so out of hand. It is a beautiful time of year, my favorite season, when the weather is usually warm enough to be comfortable but cool enough that you appreciate the moments you spend walking among the fire falling from the trees. It is the last moments that we have to enjoy being comfortable outside before the bitterness of winter descends. It seems as though the spectacular season beyond the windowpane is no longer enough for most people… they need to focus on what they can buy, what they can look forward to, and what they want to get rather than enjoying the present which doesn’t cost them a thing.   

Sifting Through The Forgotten Cards

There are a few boxes on my office bookcase that I rarely look in. They are usually tucked below the boxes that receive more regular perusals which contain the loosely sorted family photos that I have accumulated over the years and the one with the random office supplies that always seem to come in handy every now and again. These other boxes are frequently added to when certain items are deposited into the mail box but that is the most interaction I have with the box… stuffing some of the cards and invitations under the lid to be seldom seen again.

However, while continuing my organizational endeavor, I opened these boxes just to see what I had put in them over the years. It is actually a great way to reminisce about some of the past family events, recall fond memories with friends, and look back on some of the holidays that have passed. It is interesting to look at the different kinds of cards that people have given me over the years. Some serious, some touching, and other funny. It is a pretty wide variety.

There are items within these boxes that made me pause for a minute and think about all that has changed over the years. All these cards and invitations are things that have already happened and with so much to look forward to in the future, it is a unique dichotomy when you hold these items in your hand. And, of course, there are some items, some cards that have taken on an entirely new meaning as I have gotten older like seeing my grandmom’s signature on a holiday card. I still miss getting those cards every year.

There are also the items that I am glad that I have held onto rather than simply pitching shortly after receiving them. I guess it is part pack rat and also part knowing what has become important to me when putting together the family history. Some of these types of things, the simple cards and notes, are more often than not lost during the course of life. These things are really what bring the memories back, sometimes more so than pictures. Being able to hold these items and see the handwriting of my grandmom, my parents, and my wife are what can trigger the memories of great times in my life. I should really open this box more often.

Box Bombardment

What happened UPS? 

Last week the packages began arriving at our townhouse. It started with a few small items that I pulled from out mailbox as there were a few items that we ordered for the holidays. Of course, this is in addition to the numerous things that we purchased for the house, crammed in our car, and carried up and down stairs. The latest deluge is a result from the large items from our baby registry being left outside our door.

Each time one of these large boxes arrived my wife would get that look like the father receiving his ‘major award’ in A Christmas Story. Of course, she would have that look as I was carrying or pushing the box up the stairs and into the baby’s room. Let’s just say that it really isn’t fun when the 110 pound box barely fits up the stairs and you spend the majority of the time just trying to navigate the corners while keeping it from tipping back.

Now we have all of the furniture in the townhouse without any help from UPS due to their not being allowed to bring things inside of homes. And everything has been finagled up to the second floor with the only exception being that of the dresser which it simply too big for one person to maneuver. We are going to have to unbox it first and have at least two people carry it up the stairs on its end… it is the only way that we are going to be able to make the turn.

Thankfully there should only be one more big item that will be delivered in the coming weeks as we have another couch due to arrive this week. This too will have to be taken up stairs but this time to my wife’s office to serve as the guest bed for when we have overnight out of town visitors. Hopefully it is like the other couch and I can simply take it up in pieces and assemble in the right place.

There will also be a continued package bombardment as the due date approaches and the baby continues to accumulate more and more items. But at least we are nearly done with the items that we wanted to get to complete our new home. Everything is finished in the basement (at least everything that I had planned on putting down there), my wife’s office is nearly done, and the first floor is full of all our existing furniture. The baby’s room is the only one that will continue to accumulate a heck of a lot more stuff… stuff in all different sizes of boxes.

Why This Day?

Like most religious holidays, especially ones that have become a piece of commercialized pop culture, it is interesting to look at the roots of the Christmas holiday and basically how it came to fall on this particular day in December. It seems that almost from the very beginning, the selection of this date has been a marketing play to ensure the success of the holiday and the spread of the religion. And you can’t really blame the early church for doing this because of the simple fact that it works. This theory is summarized on Wikipedia in the follow passage:

One theory to explain the choice of 25 December for the celebration of the birth of Jesus is that the purpose was to Christianize the pagan festival in Rome of the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti means "the birthday of the Unconquered Sun", a festival inaugurated by the Roman emperor Aurelian (270–275) to celebrate the sun god and celebrated at the winter solstice, 25 December. According to this theory, during the reign of the emperor Constantine, Christian writers assimilated this feast as the birthday of Jesus, associating him with the 'sun of righteousness' mentioned in Malachi 4:2 (Sol Iustitiae).

An explicit expression of this theory appears in an annotation of uncertain date added to a manuscript of a work by 12th-century Syrian bishop Jacob Bar-Salibi. The scribe who added it wrote: "It was a custom of the Pagans to celebrate on the same 25 December the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these solemnities and revelries the Christians also took part. Accordingly when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnised on that day." This idea became popular especially in the 18th and 19th centuries.

It is interesting in the origins and evolution of the holiday that the, for lack of a better term, mood of the holiday has changed so drastically back and forth over the centuries. What was once a means of celebration to rival that of a pagan holiday transformed into a day of reverential awe. Now we find ourselves, regardless of our own particular faith, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the season which are downright joyous. And while it is no longer my holiday of choice the messages of peace, love, family, appreciation, and joy are universal and should be embraced by all. And for everything else there is always Festivus!

A Season Of Fellowship

I was one of the last to leave the office last night having to make a top at the apartment before heading off to Ardmore for the evening. Thankfully, it was the last day in the office for the week before the holiday and I would be able to make up for the few minute that I lost when I headed out the door. With a fair amount of things still left in our previous dwelling, I found the time to pack a few more boxes and get the mail before pulling out of the lot.

Just two days before Christmas and I found myself at the lodge waiting for some other brothers to arrive. While it wasn’t an inconvenience for me (even though Hanukkah was coming to an end), I anticipated that the holiday would decrease attendance pretty significantly for the night. Just as I realized that I had misplaced my set of keys for the new place, my fellow brothers began to arrive.

My mind was in a few places and I was trying to text and talk at the same time but we still managed to establish a plan for the evening and by the time everything began to settle down, everyone was where they needed to be working on the degrees that they were required to study. Even with the rush of the holiday season around us, there were a number of committed brothers who made their way to the lodge last night.

Again, this is very different than that of the previous year as I don’t recall the same participation from the brethren this close to the end of the year. There is not just a dedication that can be seen in many of the new brethren but a true desire to learn about the fraternity from their fellow brothers. While we don’t always have the answers for them, they are still asking the questions and pursuing the answers to deepen their own knowledge. I am excited to see what comes about from this thirst for more light.

Once this surprisingly satisfying evening drew to a close, I made my way, for the first time, back to the townhouse after lodge. While a longer drive than what I have become accustom, it was a relaxing commute that allowed me just the right amount of time to reflect on the night. I guess this is just another reason why this move and my decision to remain committed to my lodge (rather than transferring to one closer to home) was a great decision.

Black Friday Turning Grey

Every year the same pattern persists as Thanksgiving all too quickly gives way to the consumer holiday shopping spree also known as Black Friday. More so than any other year, the emails came heavy and soon filled my inbox with deals. Actually, the digital deluge began on Monday as pre-sales and teasers streamed across the screen. However, the fact of the matter is that the deals are not nearly as good this year as they have been in the past.

A few years ago I was one of those people who, eager to fill a few holes in what we needed for our new apartment, ventured out on Thanksgiving night to try and stretch our money as far as I could go. That trip was a success as lower prices combined with a few coupons I had on hand allowed us to completely furnish our place as well as check off most of the people on our gift list for the season. With the economy still recovering the discounts were deep especially for those of us who took the time to put a game plan together and leverage every discount available to us. This allowed me to get everything done all while not waiting in a single line.

This year was almost the exact opposite as there was nothing being sold that offered the same kind of bargain. Don’t get me wrong, we still spent a few dollars but not like the flurry of activity from just a few years ago. Everything has pointed to a resurgence in the retail environment and the lack of discounts reflects that change… although that fact didn’t seem to stop people from filling the stores and clogging the roads.

So this year my wife and I did exactly what the stores didn’t want us to do… we stayed home and kept our money in our pockets. The few things that we were keeping an eye on just in case didn’t seem to change much in price so why would we buy now? There is plenty of time for us to look for those things at a later date and there are definitely other things on which we can focus our attention. Maybe part of the equation is that we have changed and our priorities have shifted but at the same time if the deals aren’t there it is not worth the time or the money.

The Ebb And Flow Of Fellowship Nights

With Thanksgiving only a couple days away, attendance was pretty light at the lodge last night. That combined with a little bit of illness and some travel mixed in and the turnout wasn’t what it was last week. However, this is to be expected throughout the year especially during the holiday season. It is the natural ebb and flow of the fraternity.

And sometimes we need night like the one last night when a few of us can get other work done and coordinate our efforts for upcoming events (have you signed up for our blood drive yet?). At the same time, it also forces some of us to take on roles during these evenings that we are not part of our usual routine. This is especially true when you consider that there were a couple candidates that made it out and all the usual instructors were unable to attend last night.

I was surprised at just how much I have been able to retain over the past year and a half. Many of the phrases and much of the ritual is immediately brought to the forefront of my mind with very little prompting. It is by no means second nature and I still have a long way to go but I am making progress and I am confident that my future goals in Freemasonry may not be as daunting as I once thought.

These are the moments that I am not used to experiencing and the conversations that I am too seldom able to have with brothers during their first few months as a Mason. Having spoken with and assisted in relaying the information needed for their next degree last night, I am impressed with these new brothers and I look forward to having them as members of my lodge. Heck, they are picking things up much faster than I did when I first became a Mason (I know that is not saying much).

It is amazing to think about the difference from last year… that is what really struck me last night. On an evening when our attendance was down it was still many more brothers than we would have seen this same time last year at the lodge. While I wasn’t able to accomplish all that I had set out to do last night (I got some things done in the place of others), I was happy to have been a part of the training and conversations at the lodge and I am looking forward to seeing the many more faces during our Tuesday night fellowship. Sometimes it is the best possible way to end a long day.

Too Soon!

As stores moved their Halloween candy and decorations to the clearance section out came the Thanksgiving items to be put on display. But the turkey day decorations are limited in their shelf space as the Christmas stock was already dominating the aisles. With nearly two months to go, the winter holiday was already on full display smacking you in the face the moment you walked through the door.

Over the past couple of weeks the oversaturation has only gotten worse as the music is filling the stores and the slowly trickling into the radio rotation. And this week is seems as though the weather has joined in on the premature celebration with the cold and flurries filling the air. Even as I write this line there is the Hershey kiss red and green holiday bells ringing in the background. All of this is too much and way too early.

Growing up this was a time of year that I looked forward to… it was a something that I waited for with great anticipation and I could count on the decorations and music to change the world around me the week following Thanksgiving. Now it is an entire season, the same length as winter or fall, that overshadows all the other days that make up autumn. For some this is a welcomed change but, for me, it is robbing the appreciation that we once had for the sow decent into the cold weather and the holidays, events, and transitions that I enjoyed years ago.

But I guess this is to be expected during a time when people want everything right now and want it for as long as possible. With instant gratification found in every corner of the internet and easy access through all means of communication, there is no more patience left in everyday life. That is what I think I miss the most, the enjoyment of the day to day. Each day offered a little change during the fall and built up the anticipation to what we knew was to fall upon us at the very beginning of winter.

While my focus has changed as I have gotten older and the holidays which I embrace are completely different, the spirit that fills this time of year seems to be watered down by extending it over such a long period of time. Now, we find Halloween trees on display in early October and a mix of music filling stores in the midst of the fire that fills the autumn landscape. If only we could go back to the slower pace and patience that came with the day to day enjoyment of the season. Maybe we could enjoy the individual holidays rather than suffering from a merry overload by the time December comes around.

Can’t Say I Saw Last Year Coming!

One of the other great aspects of the fall is the Rosh Hashanah holiday. It is the time when we take the time to reflect on life and all that has happened over the past year. It is safe to say that we have a lot to look back on.

In some ways I can’t believe all that has changed and that is about to change. While there are many things that I had hoped to accomplish by now (see my previous resolutions posts), there are many things that I did not expect to happen but I am glad that they have. From family and friends to work and lodge, my daily life is nothing like it was at this time last year and I am grateful for every change, no matter how chaotic and overwhelming they may seem at times.

While this is a time when I try my best to look back at what has happened. This year, I can’t help but think about how things will be different this time next year. A new family and a new home. Another year as a Mason and another year doing what I love for ‘work’. All of these things I hope comprise my reality a year from now. But this is all part of the ‘new year’ and how we embrace the holiday. After all, this is Judaism 101:

In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "head of the year" or "first of the year." Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. This name is somewhat deceptive, because there is little similarity between Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year, and the American midnight drinking bash and daytime football game.

There is, however, one important similarity between the Jewish New Year and the American one: Many Americans use the New Year as a time to plan a better life, making "resolutions." Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year.

There have certainly been mistakes made over the past year but nothing I would change and not really anything that would cause me to change my outlook on the coming new year. While by no means perfect, the new year is something that I am eager to embrace and share with those I love. However, even though I can’t say I am looking forward to screams replacing the sounds of the shofar the next time autumn comes around, I am excited to share this holiday, this holy time of year, with a gift that only G-d can give. L’Shanah Tovah!

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.

Finding The Afikomen In The Easter Eggs

I remember scurrying around the church grounds when I was younger looking for those little plastic eggs filled with assorted sweets. Looking back it is fascinating to think about how all the kids around me and I were so focused on a singular objective to find those mythical embryos. Fed by competitiveness and sugar, there was nothing stopping any of us until we were certain that all of those pastel containers were scrounged up and piled high in our baskets. In that moment, Easter was not a religious holiday it was simply an afternoon scavenger hunt.

These days, much like the Christmas holiday, Easter is a time to spend with family. As a Jew there is nothing that really appeals to my religious side but being able to spend time with everyone is something that makes me look forward to this time of year. Of course, seeing the little kids with that same singular objective in their eyes does make me think back to those afternoons and is also a reason why I enjoy this day. I guess you could say that his epitomizes the difference between watching or seeing and observing.

There are many holidays that happen around us every year, even within our own families, many of which we see all around us and we enjoy watching all that happens during those times of year. There are also times when we observe our holidays and the roles within our families are reversed. And there are times when I find doing a little bit of both during many of the Jewish holidays as I try to build a mental database of memories of all the different holidays and ways that people and families observe them.

This is something that many people who were raised in a faith take for granted. Seeing the different holidays from the very beginning you build upon a series of memories in youth which influences the way that you observe the holidays later in life. As converts we have a bit of a mixed bag in that we have those mental records from another faith but observe completely different holidays later in life. While it takes a little more effort during our chosen holidays, the memories of those former holidays easily surface during various times during the year.

The trick is harnessing those memories of childhood, accepting them, and looking for a ways to embrace some of those moments, like searching for eggs, and applying them to your chosen holidays. Maybe Easter has made us better as hiding the Afikomen. Maybe that need to search, that desire to see things to the end, lead us to take a lead of faith, search for, and find our faith. Maybe that Easter egg hunt was only the beginning of our search. Maybe that is the reason why those memories are so intense and the emotions tied to this holiday, for me, are absent of religion. Beyond the questions, it is a great day to spend with family and that is really what the focus should be on during all of our holidays.

Don’t Pass Over Passover

When it comes to Passover I have always been a ‘bad Jew’. Even during my more observant years, there were many observances that seemed to go unfulfilled. From attending synagogue to ridding the apartment of leavened products, the holiday always seemed to sneak up on me and these basic tasks were put off with the hope of improving next year. Well, like many things, if you put them off they are just not going to happen.

However, I always took time to remember the story of Passover and have taken time every year to think about the importance of that moment in my faith. Whether you believe that it actually happened or not it is a story that really makes you stop and think about the ‘what if’ that could have prevented Judaism from continuing to exist. For those of you in need of a quick refresher, here is the very condensed overview provided by Chabad.org (Click here for the full Passover story):

After many decades of slavery to the Egyptian pharaohs, during which time the Israelites were subjected to backbreaking labor and unbearable horrors, G‑d saw the people’s distress and sent Moses to Pharaoh with a message: “Send forth My people, so that they may serve Me.” But despite numerous warnings, Pharaoh refused to heed G‑d’s command. G‑d then sent upon Egypt ten devastating plagues, afflicting them and destroying everything from their livestock to their crops.

At the stroke of midnight of 15 Nissan in the year 2448 from creation (1313 BCE), G‑d visited the last of the ten plagues on the Egyptians, killing all their firstborn. While doing so, G‑d spared the Children of Israel, “passing over” their homes—hence the name of the holiday. Pharaoh’s resistance was broken, and he virtually chased his former slaves out of the land. The Israelites left in such a hurry, in fact, that the bread they baked as provisions for the way did not have time to rise. Six hundred thousand adult males, plus many more women and children, left Egypt on that day, and began the trek to Mount Sinai and their birth as G‑d’s chosen people.

For those of you that can’t believe such a series of events ever having occurred, I invite you to consider the explanations presented in “The Exodus Decoded”. Simply put, this is applying science to the story and applies many of the seemingly unrelated events and possibilities to the Passover story. If anything, it is something interesting to watch and will undoubtedly make you think a little bit.

In the end, regardless of your observance, Passover is a time to think about your faith and also what your ancestors have done for you to ensure that you have a place in this world and a faith to which you can hold fast. The story, the challenges faced by Moses, and the journey that began with that sequence of events is something that we can all apply to our own histories. This is a time to be thankful that sometimes G-d passes over us in order to save us and the challenges we endure will come to an end and bring us to a state of peace with ourselves and our faith. So, take time to embrace Passover, the freedom it represents, and apply that to your life.  Be thankful for all that you have, the challenges that you have faced, and the bright future that is always within reach.

Looking Back On A Bipolar Year

2013 was an interesting year. It was a twelve month period of highs and lows that, fortunately, ended at the highest point on the calendar. We had our struggles but pushed through them all and came out stronger than before. And, most importantly, we took whatever time we had to appreciate what we have and looked forward to what could be rather than commiserating about what was the reality at the moment.

The year began in promising fashion as I added a day job with a financial services firm to immediately follow my night shift working the front desk of my apartment building. At the same time, I was slowly increasing my Rotary involvement and was beginning to line things up to join the local Masonic lodge. While all of this was going on, my wife was continuing to work in her chosen field and hating my hours at the same time.

As the first couple of months passed, I was struggling to establish myself in my new profession while trying to stay conscious after working all night and having to commute to Delaware daily. It was a struggle but it also helped me to figure out what my body and mind was capable of and has continued to help me throughout the year. It was also around this time that I began to increase my political involvement by voicing my opinions, showing my support for my party, and attending various events in the area.

By the beginning of April it was time to move on from my day job and really look for an opportunity in my chosen profession of public relations. It was a good thing that I did not give up my night job. By the end of the month, some significant changes had occurred as it was that by the end of the month I was no longer a man, I was a Mason. That seemed to be the turning point that served as the drive that was beginning to waver. It was with this new found self respect, confidence, and motivation that I entered May.

The month of May was one that saw many new endeavors and responsibilities. As you know, this was the month when this blog was created and, so far, has been a daily exercise to keep me writing and motivated. It was a month of fortuitous introductions as it was during this 31 day span when I made initial contact with the woman who would eventually become by boss. At some point I also officially accepted the honor of becoming president elect of my Rotary club come July and also the month when the miles began to add up as my wife and I started our Pennsylvania exploration (this travel was in addition to the New Jersey trip we took to support our friend as she received her doctorate).

The summer months all blended together as the blog posts began to rack up and the formation of the secondary Phillies related blog began. Additionally, I began doing some freelance writing for a Red Sox publication pulling together game recaps. Travel occupied much of our free time during this period as we traveled around much of the eastern part of the commonwealth. Many of the interviews, meetings, and events around this time tend to run together but I vividly remember a few of them as I was finally able to meet my current boss face to face, I was able to meet and talk to Governor Corbett, I was able to watch my niece graduate High School, attending my mom’s much deserved retirement party, and I slowly began taking additional steps in my Masonic journey. Of course, Rotary remained a grounding mainstay during the sweltering months. This was also a month of tremendous change as the level of our religious observance shifted not because of a faltering faith but because the faith and passion burning inside of us needed a way out that better fit us and our life.  

 

September was the month when much of the hard work from earlier in the year began to pay off. There were many great Rotary events and meetings, a professional turning point when I finally sat down for another interview (in a different location at a different company) with my boss, and I began taking on additional duties at lodge by assisting the Secretary which later turned into me accepting the honor and responsibility of stepping into that role at the end of the year. This was also a huge month for my wife as she started at a position in her field that was no longer a job but the beginning of a career. This month of holidays and reflection also served to reassure our previous decisions and confirmed that we were on the right path.

The past three months have been busy. I have been working hard at an amazing company, working with great people, doing the job I love (my only job as I was finally able to resign from the night position). While not as extensive as over the summer, my travel continued as I was able to see Arizona for the first time. During this time I have had to drastically cut back on my Rotary involvement because of the timing (I still graduated from RLI and attended the foundation grant training), my Masonic journey has been one of incredible growth and contained many moments that I will never forget from attending a meeting the Academy of Masonic Knowledge as well as the quarterly and annual communications, to my initiation as Secretary and receiving my 32^nd degree through Scottish Rite.

 

Throughout much of the year this blog has remained a constant and will continue to be a daily log of my life so long as I am able. There are many things for which I am thankful as I look back on the year. There are also many things that didn’t quite come to fruition but that will be achieved in the coming year. Things are looking up for a change as the calendar turns and we all begin the annual routine of figuring out what we can do better with the next twelve months. While not everything was accomplished in 2013, I wouldn’t change a thing. While it had its rough spots, it was an amazing year overall and one that will have a positive impact on the rest of my life.