An update to start the updates

Hi, I exist. I have been lax in both my reading and writing. If you've written something on any medium and I haven't responded I welcome linky love.

Work has been busy - last week was four days of all-day meetings plus flying to/from PA. I'm feeling good and productive but So Many People! I actually felt un-stressed enough about work to take yesterday off and observe Rosh Hashonah a bit. More on that in the queue, too.

I need a new mattress but failed to get up the oomph to go shopping yesterday. It's interesting how much wearing out a mattress is a boiling-frog problem. Ours is old and my body has adapted to its ongoing lack of support, very very slowly.

I'm going to try making the updates more atomic, and hopefully digestible, rather than a wall of text dumped here.

Apres ca, la deluge...

Happy New Year

As noted, I actually went to synagogue this year. Many years I've not religiously observed the holiday at all. Pygment and Thing 2 found a synagogue they liked and go to hear Torah and shofar. This year I went along and it was nice (except for the ongoing allergy attacks; we are the household of sneezes and watery eyes).

The rabbi's sermon was interesting; she took on the idea of "random kindness" and urged people to make kindness less random and more a regular part of everyday life. Worthwhile to think about. It's interesting to see a connection drawn between "walking in G-d's path" and enacting values in our everyday lives.

Listening to her I thought about how the notions of kindness and civility have been weaponized against marginalized people and had this thought-stream. It's not "civility" per se that's the problem. It's that the complaint of lack of civility is used by those in power to demand performance from those with less power. I am reminded that slave owners demanded that their slaves be civil and yet felt no need to behave with compassion toward these other humans. If we stop demanding things of others, and instead focus on our own actions, then civility can return to a more reasonable place. If I behave in a civil manner, speak civilly toward others, then that is its own value. The idea of "random kindness" is that it's given without expectation of return. We are kind, compassionate, or civil as we enact our values. These are not things we demand of others.

I know I could stand to be more compassionate, more civil. I'm... working on it.

As always at this time of year, I ask that if I have harmed or offended you please tell me about it and if I may apologize or make amends I wish to know that as well.

May you have a good, sweet year, and also a just and inspiring year.