Dear Readers,
I am pleased to say that in the months since I have established this blog in September 2010, I have now over 1400 hits on this blog. Most interestingly is some of the places where some of the hits have come from. I have had 4 hits from Iran, over 10 in the past from Iraq, 32 from Japan, 28 from Russia, 24 from the Netherlands , 11 from France, 12 from Canada, 8 from Sinagpore, 8 from China, 8 from Germany and a few from the United Kindom. Brazil, the Czech Republic, Belarus and the Phillipines. Of course the majority are from the USA numbering some 1200. I am really surprised that in such a short time, this blog has had over 700 hits in the last month as well as so many hits in places where I do not know a person with whom I have directly shared this blog. That said, I will take this as a complement. I hope that you all feel free to comment on any of the stories. If you wish to send me an email, please do so at cjbus2@gmail.com and indicate the blog name in your title. I hope that you find this an interesting and enjoyable read. I welcome critiques and would like to know who some of you may be, how you found my blog and your thoughts on the content. Many thanks.
There are other blogs I author and you may wish to visit, please check out:
http://www.sirwaltersbackgammontable.blogspot.com/
http://www.sirhenryschimney.blogspot.com/
http://www.tulippatrol.blogspot.com/
there are more under the about me heading on this blog.
Enjoy!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Making sense of a tuba player
I have to blog this one. Today I was new to learn that someone we are family with has told us that "leaving an avacado seed in the guacamole" will make it brown a little bit slower. I must say that this is a silly bit, but I do believe it constitues academic and scientific heresy. An avacado seed does not remit any major gaseous emissions that would indeed affect the entire bowl of guacamole. I do not know that there is any science behind this one, but I suspect that is it a fools treasure. I must say that the guacamole rarely lasts more than 2 days in our home and it is always tasty. I hope that noone puts seeds in their guacamole, but if indeed this is a science, please comment your thoughts. If not, please excuse the sillyness that I have included here but hope that it does make you smile a bit.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Pop goes the Ultimatum
This is about how I feel being a Jewish fellow who listens to country western music.
I feel great. Really. I must tell you that obviously, country music is pocked with a few songs that mention Jesus, the bible or other christian leanings. This is not a factor in my enjoyment. I do like all of the songs and I admit, there were a few times that I felt that the evangelicism of some of these songs was problematic. It is not at this time a factor in my enjoyment.
There are a number of songs that mention Jesus. Jesus take the wheel.... A Brad Paisley song.... A little big town song... one by Brooks and Dunn. Others. I must say that I usually change the lyric in my mind when listening to a few. I really dont feel offended in the slightest. You have to realized that alot of people who listen to country music are people seeking a faith sense and this is how they get it. None of these artists is trying to make an evangelical statement. Jesus is more of a yellow rug that they can pull in front of your ears to make their sound fit the common thought processes of most of those who are music listeners. I am now used to this and any new songs, unless it may be extremely exaggeratedly profane and undermining of my own personal comfort, do not seem to provoke a sense of anti jewish fervor.
I fully endorse country western music and I must admit that I can not imagine living in a place without a station. This may mean Israel might not be a place for me to be happy. I do not know if they have country stations, but I can firmly believe that many of the Jesus commenting songs would not be played. I must say that I like being in a nation where I don't feel that this is going to be a common issue. I do not hate these songs.
Until then, I must say that I will alter the lyrics to my own liking and enjoy the music value of the song to which I listen.
I feel great. Really. I must tell you that obviously, country music is pocked with a few songs that mention Jesus, the bible or other christian leanings. This is not a factor in my enjoyment. I do like all of the songs and I admit, there were a few times that I felt that the evangelicism of some of these songs was problematic. It is not at this time a factor in my enjoyment.
There are a number of songs that mention Jesus. Jesus take the wheel.... A Brad Paisley song.... A little big town song... one by Brooks and Dunn. Others. I must say that I usually change the lyric in my mind when listening to a few. I really dont feel offended in the slightest. You have to realized that alot of people who listen to country music are people seeking a faith sense and this is how they get it. None of these artists is trying to make an evangelical statement. Jesus is more of a yellow rug that they can pull in front of your ears to make their sound fit the common thought processes of most of those who are music listeners. I am now used to this and any new songs, unless it may be extremely exaggeratedly profane and undermining of my own personal comfort, do not seem to provoke a sense of anti jewish fervor.
I fully endorse country western music and I must admit that I can not imagine living in a place without a station. This may mean Israel might not be a place for me to be happy. I do not know if they have country stations, but I can firmly believe that many of the Jesus commenting songs would not be played. I must say that I like being in a nation where I don't feel that this is going to be a common issue. I do not hate these songs.
Until then, I must say that I will alter the lyrics to my own liking and enjoy the music value of the song to which I listen.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Effigies plastered all through your days on earth
I must say that being a newly Torah orientated Jew, I have obviously come to know the ChaBaD. They mean well and they clearly know who their 'leader' is, but that said, i find it very ill inspiring that there is an effigy of their beloved rabbi plastered nearly in every persons house and all throughout their discourse in their efforts to 'improve yiddishkeit' here on Earth. I am not a big fan, though I am willing to learn more. The rabbi, though certainly of higher standing, is in my book no greater than many of the other Great Rabbis who have lived before. To plaster his effigy, sometimes in 20-30 foot high photographs around the world creates a world of worship of the icon rather than a world that remembers the person. To place an effigy all over is to force that persons memory in our day. To truly remember a person is to remember his teachings and his influence. To put effigys is almost like what they do in the worlds that Saddam Husseim and Khadaffi are leaving, it inspires a demigod appearance to the person and does not bring his light to our day.
I like to see his photograph on say a book or perhaps remembered as your friend in life, but to attribute this person superhuman qualities and show his likeness everywhere shrinks any true spirit that he may have had. Where are his written teachings? Where are his audio recordings? I see nothing in my day besides an effigy. I will pass on having one in my home. Thanks!
I like to see his photograph on say a book or perhaps remembered as your friend in life, but to attribute this person superhuman qualities and show his likeness everywhere shrinks any true spirit that he may have had. Where are his written teachings? Where are his audio recordings? I see nothing in my day besides an effigy. I will pass on having one in my home. Thanks!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Taking the eggs to the butcher
I am having a really hard time on the topic of same sex marriage as I have as of today rethought my position on this topic. I must say that I had for a while found this topic to be quite anathematic and that I really never felt a real need to make a major position statement on this one way or another. True, the Jewish faith has Torah weddings and that Torah law endures all of which we take into our lives. That said, same sex marriage is a true quest for many in the same sex world with many supporters on the side of those who are not involved or pursuing same sex relations. I had thought that whatever the state or nation passes would be hopefully the way things go forward. It does not mean that Judaism supports a same sexual Torah based Marriage. I say that it does not. But that said, Judaism supports tolerance and in doing so, it would make sense to accept those who are married under common law as people who have a significant relationship based on the law of man. I have to say that once in the past I had thought that it was the right thing to support same sex marriage. That idea lasted a few weeks where upon I felt that I realized that this was not what was the best for mankind. I have to say that the best for mankind is a healthy community with healthy relationships. I realize that those who feel that they need to be given a married status by common law seek to do so for their own perceived or real needs of emotional and community health. So seeing that as a physician, my goal is healthy human beings and a healthy communty, I must now realize that I do have a need to have a position on this topic. I must support that which brings true health to our state and nation. This I see today must mean that I support same sex wedding rights in my nation and state and community. This does not mean that I believe that Torah must change. I do not feel this at all. But Torah mandates that we serve mankind as ambassadors of truth, temperance and tolerance. I feel that this is the only way that I can faithfully be a Torah guided individual. I am going to be struggling on this one for a while I imagine. I do not believe that G-d is angry with me for my decision. I even feel that My Creator agrees with my position now. Perhaps this is a leadership role that I must make if I am going to be a true Torah Jew, a physician and a community trust. I say this, if you don't support same sex marriage, do you do so because you believe your Creator would be angry with you or is it your fellow man. If you realize that your concerns come from xenophobia, you must change your beliefs. No one should make a position because they are afraid of their fellow man unless it means that they will not be able to fulfill other purposes that they feel that they exist to pursue. I feel that by doing so, I realize that my own popularity and consideration by my own fellow man may not be to the liking of all persons, but that said, I feel that I am indeed serving my God, my country and my fellow man. So on that note, I will conclude by saying I will be voting yes on any same sex marriage bill in the future. I do reserve the right to amend this at any time. Thanks.
Taking names, numbers, hair spray, tokens and wants
This is a blog that I have written from experiences. In the end, I dont think that this blog is how I am going to be remembered. True its a work that I have produced. But if you really wanted to know who I really am, you'd have to have conversations with me, share a cigar smoking experience, spend a day with me. See how I live. I do not think this blog would give any person an indication of how my life was really lived. Just some of my experiences. So that said, I hope that I have given enough reading material to the world and hope that when I am remembered, my time is what you remember and not my anxieties, headaches, worn out experiences or any other situation which is not characteristic of my soul but rather an experience I have met.
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