Blog/July 2010/July 23rd

July 23th (See this week's devar torah)
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Hi again!

Fasting frenzies, IT ignorance, editorial escapades, Sarah's shopping spree, monstrous movie.

As you know, the fast of the ninth of Av was this week -- never a happy occasion, but always during the hottest part of the year. It wasn't actually too hot this year, but it was -- for some reason I cannot figure out -- the hardest fast I've endured in quite a long time. By late morning I was already suffering. I would like to say that was due to my extreme connection with the Temple and our national loss -- but the reason was more mundane: a terrific headache which only got worse though the day. Nevertheless, we passed the day, thank God -- and look forward to Mashiach coming so we don't have to have another fast!

Both Esther and I experienced a number of "IT" (Information Technology) problems this week. Her email at work got "messed up", and so until she finally figured out how to work around the problem, she had no email. I confess that she asked me for help, and I was unable to help at all (mainly because I never use Outlook). In my office, the "IT" staff messed with our email settings (without letting anyone know), and so our production environment stopped working properly. I wasted half a day figuring out what the problem was, and motivating the IT bozos to finally do something useful about the problem they had created. Then our phones at work went dead for no apparent reason.

Sarah's been having a jolly time in Buenos Aires. Besides getting to be the object of a "show-and-tell" at her cousin's school, she got to go sightseeing in that big city (among other things, seeing the big art museum). But she's also benefited from her grandfather's great love of shopping (no, I'm not being facetious). So we wonder if she's going to need to get a couple more suitcases for her return trip?

Last night, just to have a 'family night', Daniela, Esther and I watched a movie. It's a movie we've had laying around for a couple years, but never really wanted to see. But since my mother said it was a "good movie" and that despite the name, there wasn't any bloodshed in it, we sat to watch "There will be blood". Sorry, Mom -- but there was blood. And the movie was very disturbing (and excessively long to boot). The good thing is I was able to sit with my laptop and do productive things while the monstrous movie was unfolding.

Those "productive things" of which I spoke revolve around the "translation project" I'm working on. As the work progresses and I ask various people for their feedback, I'm continually surprised by the interesting and helpful comments made; and even more surprised by the way their comments make me think and rethink and learn more deeply. Even if I never actually publish the translation, it's a worthwhile project for this reason alone. I hope to have a first "edition" of the "Preface" ready to be shown publicly next week, B"H. This project is taking up a considerable portion of my time, and I'm gaining a newfound respect for the difficulty of adequate translation.

In an interview, the Prime Minister of Russia, Vladimir Putin gives us advice on Gaza. And for your edification, we have exclusive video coverage of the Humanitarian Crisis there!

There's only three of us this shabbat, but since we have to make up for fasting, we have: the most amazing brownies, period, chicken Provençal, zucchini-dill soup, abuela Esther's eggplant, mahogany chicken-wings, potato salad, okra winfrey, fresh seasonal fruit, super-spicy Hilba and other assorted salatim.

Until next week,
Shabbat shalom !

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