Our dogs have fleas, which, I think, is impressive, seeing as they are both regularly (daily) with anti-parasitics. I consider fleas to be parasites, but apparently they are not in the family of parasite that they are already treated for. We got the cheaper option for flea stuff today, as I did not have 85$ to spend on Frontline plus. We’ll see how this other stuff works, and if it does work, maybe we’ll just go with it. The gal at the pet store said it did work, just not as well as Frontline.

We also hit the book store and I got a Mrs. Meyers how-to book. It contains step by step instructions for people like me who never learned how to properly clean. I am kind of excited about it. Ok, no kind of about it, I really am. I try very hard to schedule cleaning time, and to stay on top of things, but I really never learned how. I sweep and mop and it still looks dingy. So, this book is a good thing.

I also got Crafting Jewish, by Rivky Koenig. I am going through a Jew phase. Pesach is coming up and I figured I’d have some things to do with the kids. I kind of want… modern Judaism. Not the throw back old time religion, but 21st Century Judaism. It’s out there, and I am on a mission to find it. If you YouTube a lot, look for Punk Torah. He’s got some good video blogs up.

We’re hosting first night here this year, and perhaps second. We were invited out, but I’m not sure if we’re going yet. I am pretty excited about it. I am going passover shopping tomorrow morning.

We are beach bound on Sunday. We haven’t been at all this year! I think it is hilarious that I am saying that, seeing as from 2000 – 2006 we went less than three times. Last year we started going about once a month. The kids love it. I am trying to find a way to sand-proof my camera so I can get better shots. I might just stick to my P&S though.

I think that might be it.

Then the next year, we had a court house ceremony. It was paid for by a friend, accompanied by her, and one other friend, and Dorian (um, and embryo Mal). It took less than twenty minutes, Michael went to work right after and I went home. I don’t remember what I wore… I think I wore my friends (one who wasn’t there) wedding dress (which was just a dress, it was from her… second wedding IIRC), he wore his work suit.

Two years ago, I had a friend (who I don’t really talk to anymore b/c we’re too different) tell me she wanted to have a proper Jewish wedding for me at the shul, and it never happened.

Now? I don’t really want to have a wedding. My mom wont be there. My dad wont care (he hates going to shul, for any reason whatsoever). No one will be here to be frilly with  me or get excited, so whatever, you know?

I am really looking forward to Sara getting married. I’ve never even been to a “proper” wedding that I can remember. I am looking forward to experiencing it. Eshiva too, but Sara is a bit closer lol

I have been thinking, for a while, that Michael and I might see about renewing our handfasting in 2010, but seeing as we aren’t near enough to anyone to do the ceremony, it probably will not happen. I think we might try to go on a vacation instead.

Just rambling I suppose.

We had dinner with my Aunt, Uncle, Gram, Zaide, and the eight of us. My Aunt & Uncle got the kids gifts. Mal got visibly upset because he got a smaller bag than the other two. He is quiet enough and was talking into my neck enough that we passed it off as him being tired. Poor guy. He got over it quick enough (he got a very cool card game, as did Eshiva, but hers was packaged in a bigger box, and Dor got a ball that was not inflated, but it was packaged bigger too) but we felt bad for him. I remember how I felt getting a gift that I thought sucked when everyone else got cool stuff.

We bought boxes today. I am packing up our breakfront full of crap so I can get rid of the breakfront and sub out something much smaller. All the “crap” in there were my folks wedding fits, my moms owl collection, our “Jew” stuff and some misc. tchotchkes. Dad is asking why I am keeping it. I can’t bear to tell him it’s because I’m a girl and I am emotionally attached to anything that I feel still reminds me of mom. It’s getting better, I’m not saving *everything* some of it really is crap.

I told Michael to box up the tattoo stuff and take what he can to work – I haven’t drawn in over six months, and I haven’t set up the machines in almost as long. I went as far as looking through the stencils today and I just wasn’t feeling it.

My uncle is trying to find a cheap way to send me his studio lights, and we’re going to build a backdrop stand from PVC sometime soon after they arrive. I’m pretty excited about that. I also hinted that I’d be happy to take any other old equipment he isn’t using off his hands and give it a good home (he said he’d like to see his lights get some use in a good home) so maybe I’ll get some other surprise goodies too

I think I might branch out into printing some general greeting cards and stuff. Nothing in big batches, little micro batches I can list at my leisure to sell.

Cliff Bar brand put out organic twisted fruit leather things – I picked up a box on impulse today. They worked out to about fifty cents a package and the kids love them. One full fruit serving in there! Score!

I am back on my “mostly raw” raw diet. I put on a pair of size 10s this morning. I got them on, and had disgusting muffin top BUT I got them on and buttoned. I could not do that even last week. I took them off and put on a comfy pair of size 16s that fall off unless I belt them down. A few more weeks, I think, and I can dig out at least six pair of pants that I haven’t been able to wear for longer than I care to admit.

I’ve been food shopping at the WalMart food store. This should go in confess I guess, but I spent 200$ where I’d normally have spent over 300$ so I don’t care that bad. It’s not like they are putting Publix out of business or anything.

I <3 my dreads. I feel bad putting wax and crap in them, but I need them to look good and not like I am wearing a rabid mop on my head. All in all, it’s working and I am pleased with them and have not threatened to brush them out or cut them off. Yay!

I think that’s it. I am feeling restless and I want to be doing all these things and I just can’t pick one to focus on, so I am kind of doing like, 5 – 10 minutes of a lot of things. It sucks.

I have been getting steady emails from my local Chabad to pray for this family and the others. I kind of shook it off. Why? Forget the religion part for a moment please. Praying, lighting candles, and sending positive energy out into the world is a waste in cases like this, because unless you are open to that positive, it wont reach you. So I was so saddened to hear that this happened.

As it turns out, one of the men and his 13 year old daughter were also murdered. My father knew them, lived down the street from the man when they were kids, went to camp with him… it’s a terrible world we live in on this day. The Rabbi’s baby was let go with the nanny yesterday. What can you even begin to tell that child?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/28/india.attacks/index.html

Rabbi, wife among Mumbai terror deaths

* Story Highlights
* NEW: Death toll rises to 160 civilians, police and military
* Rabbi and his wife among five hostages reported killed at Jewish center
* Indian official again suggests that terrorists came from Pakistan
* Police say Oberoi Hotel standoff has ended; One gunman still at Taj Mahal Hotel

MUMBAI, India (CNN) — Security forces believe one gunman is still holed up inside a luxury hotel in Mumbai as it appears military operations against the terrorist gang are winding down at two other sites.

As the death toll from two days of violence rose to 160, details of some of those killed were emerging including Indian police and military, a rabbi, an American father and teen daughter, and a British yacht magnate.

The bodies of five hostages were found at the Chabad House Jewish center where commandos stormed the building through a hole blasted in the wall.

After several hours of gunfire and explosions from inside all went quiet and CNN’s senior international correspondent Nic Robertson said it appeared the operation was over.

The death toll from attacks in nine locations was 160 — including three Germans, an Italian, an Australian and one Chinese among the at least 15 foreigners killed — with a further 327 injured. VideoWatch troops shooting at Chabad House »

Maharashtra state official Bhushan Gagrani said the death toll is expected to rise further and includes civilians, 16 police and two commandos. Eleven terrorists have also been killed.

Earlier, police said they had cleared the Oberoi Hotel, killing two militants and freeing hundreds of trapped guests. They found 30 bodies and were searching the building. VideoWatch hostages walk to freedom »

The killed Americans identified as Alan Scherr, 58, and his daughter Naomi, 13, from Virginia died at the Oberoi. They were visiting India with a meditation group. Read more about those killed in the terror attacks

Fighting continued to rage at the Taj Mahal Hotel — where one gunmen was reportedly still holed up.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor told CNN-IBN the gunman was shooting and throwing grenades at security forces.

Gafoor said most of the attackers had been heavily armed. “They were carrying an AK-assault rifle, one or two hand guns, and grenades.”

Outside, onlookers and reporters cowered behind cars as gunfire was exchanged and explosions could be heard. VideoWatch CNN’s exclusive access to some of the wounded »

CNN’s International Security Correspondent Paula Newton said UK authorities were checking reports that some of the attackers were of British origin.

Meanwhile, Pranab Mukherjee, the external affairs minister for Maharashtra state, where Mumbai is located, said the preliminary investigation “indicates that some elements in Pakistan are involved.”

“I can’t tell you the details since the investigation is going on,” he said. “Until the investigation is complete, it will be difficult to say where they came from and how they came.”

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also indicated the gunmen came from Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, in a telephone call with his Pakistani counterpart Friday.

In response, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said he would send the chief of his country’s intelligence agency to help with the investigation.

The gunmen were young men in their 20s who “obviously had to be trained somewhere,” a member of the Indian navy’s commando unit said Friday.

They fired at guests “with no remorse” and knew the layout of the hotels well enough to “vanish” after confronting security forces, the commando said.

“Not everybody can fire the AK series of weapons, not everybody can throw a grenade like that,” the commando said outside the Taj hotel. “It is obvious that they were trained somewhere.”

The shell-shocked city woke Friday to television images of Indian soldiers rappelling down ropes from military choppers on to the roof of Chabad House, which houses the Mumbai headquarters of the Chabad community, a Hasidic Jewish movement. VideoWatch the commando talk about the attackers »

The Chabad-Lubavitch International group said Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg, 29, made a phone call to the Israeli Consulate to report gunmen in the house. “In the middle of the conversation the line went dead,” the organization said. His wife, Rivka, 28, was also killed.

The couple’s toddler son, Moshe, escaped with his nanny, the organization said in a written statement.

The bodies of three other hostages were found in the building. Two gunmen died in the battle at Chabad House, CNN-IBN reported.

The identity of the attackers remained a mystery. Police said they came by boats to the waterfront near the Gateway of India monument and the two hotels.

Indian naval and coast guard investigators have determined that two vessels recently seized in the Arabian Sea have no links to the Mumbai attacks. A fishing trawler, however, remains in custody.

The Press Trust of India, citing Union Cabinet Minister Kapil Sibal, reported the gunmen had worked for months to prepare, even setting up “control rooms” in the two luxury hotels that were targeted.

Indian authorities said no one had claimed responsibility, although the Deccan Mujahideen took credit in e-mails sent to several Indian news outlets.

Interpol said it would send a delegation to India.

“When such coordinated and planned terrorist attacks are carried out against international targets and when a country’s head of government states there are suspected ‘external linkages’, the police in the country concerned require international assistance,” said Interpol’s Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.

CNN’s Andrew Stevens, Mallika Kapur, Harmeet Singh, Sara Sidner, Alessio Vinci, Reza Sayah and Paula Newton contributed to this report.

B”H

Dear Readers of TheJewishWoman.org,

I’d like to take a moment of your time for a small favor that will have a huge impact…

A few years ago a girl by the name of Leah Larson emailed me. At the time, she was only twelve-years-old. She was the editor of a new magazine called Yaldah (meaning “girl” in Hebrew) and was inviting me to judge its first essay contest. The email was so eloquent and well-written that it never occurred to me that I was talking to a pre-teen. But then again, nothing about Leah Larson is typical. This is a young woman who dreams big and who makes her dreams her reality. She wanted to start a successful magazine, by girls for girls, and she has done a remarkable job with it. She runs workshops for girls and a summer camp, and her ideas grow as she grows. She is actually the first girl thus far to have been part of our “Jewish Women You Should Know” series (click here for the article: http://www.chabad.org/467829)

So why am I telling you about Leah? Because with our help, Leah has the unique opportunity to win $100,000 for Yaldah Magazine. It appears that Wells Fargo Bank also realizes how special Leah is as they chose her as one of the finalists for their Someday Stories Contest: http://blog.wellsfargo.com/somedaystories/

There are only four days left to vote for Leah. It takes literally one minute to fill out your email and zipcode and then you click “vote” under the video for Evelyn from MA (Leah is still under 18 so her mother is her representative!)

As readers and subscribers of TheJewishWoman.org I wanted to invite you to help a passionate young woman inspire other Jewish girls to use their writing, their imagination, their creativity and their intellect, to follow their dreams.

At this very moment, Leah has 17,616 votes, and another contestant has 17,679 votes. Let’s have TheJewishWoman.org be the force to tip these scales.

Please vote now! Again, the direct link is: http://blog.wellsfargo.com/somedaystories/

Thanks,

Sara Esther Crispe
Editor, TheJewishWoman.org

Now, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I am not SuperJew. In fact, I often find myself irritated with SJ for reasons not quite clear to me. However, religion aside, what an amazing opportunity for such a young girl! We should encourage such reaching for the stars in any way we can. It will only take a moment. What’s a moment in a day packed full of them?

Punky Moms: Kicking Motherhood in the Ass <– Clicky-Clicky!

We’ve got new goodies, old goodies, better goodies and tons of fun! Check out our new look today!

Don’t forget to enter the Cherry Canary contest in our newsletter! Click Here and scroll most of the way down the page. It’s pretty easy, just fill out the form! I’ve got three prizes to send out, a flower hair clip and two pairs of clips too! Winner is chosen on September 30, so enter today! You do not need to be a Punky Moms member to enter, but why wouldn’t you want to be?

Punky Moms Holiday Ad Book!
What is the Holiday Ad Book you ask? It’s a one stop directory of places to shop! It’s more than a holiday gift “guide,” it’s a resource people will hang on to and reference all year long. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve directed someone to this place or that looking for the perfect holiday gift, baby gift, mama gift… you name it! Whether you sell Avon, Body Shop at Home, Candles, Clothing, jewelry, you have a place in our book!

What a great way to reach over 1000 people (and growing daily!) all at once! We’re planning for our holiday shopping guide and we want your ads!

For the ridiculously inexpensive rate of 20$ per 1/8 page ad (the size of a business card) you can have a spot in our holiday digital book. The book will be available for free download to everyone as well as being distributed around the web.

Want a larger size? All of our rates are ridiculously inexpensive!

We have 16 1/8 page ads available @ 20$ each
We have 8 1/4 page ads available @ 35$ each
We have 4 1/2 page ads available @ 60$ each
We have 2 full page ads @ 100$ each

We want to have this created and ready for download and distro at the beginning of November for those who like to do their holiday shopping early! As long as the ads are in it will go out on time!

http://punkymomsforum.com/2008/09/18/links/

Free Links! This tells you where to post your free links!
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You can use HTML in your post. We do ask that if you use an image that you use one less than 400 pixels in width to preserve our template.

You do need to sign up with us in order to comment. Punky Moms will not sell, barter, give away or otherwise abuse your information.

Maybe I am looking in the wrong places? I go to Chabad. It’s an ultra-orthodox shul. I am not ultra-orthodox, but they accept us, and we can’t afford to go to the reform shul. So SuperJew it is!

Why is SuperJew so incredibly not… super? Why is SuperJew anti-abortion, even when it’s rape? Why is SupoerJew up McCain’s ass?

I cannot find a single thing I agree with McCain/Palin on. Not a one.

I like to think I am a good Jew. I might not be as Jew-y as SuperJew, but the Torah teaches us there is no such thing as a bad Jew. The Torah teaches us love, compassion, understanding, and so many more things, I just cannot understand why SuperJew wants to keep so many of my friends from being married, wants to force women who have been raped (possibly by family!) from having abortions, wants to keep women who might die if they carry a child from abortion. Why does SuperJew want the shackles of religion controlling the government? If God is in charge of the US, can we start taxing God? Can we start repealing the commandments? We’ll take them, one at a time, to the supreme court. I bet if we get the right judge and jury we can have them repealed too, right along side Roe. Vs. Wade and so many other long standing, landmark cases, as well as some newer ones.

I google Jews & Obama. These gems are the first few entries:

http://jewagainstobama.wordpress.com/

http://jews4barack.com/mythfacts/?page_id=40

I am not even linking the creepy articles I’ve seen. Oh, sure I will. To get a good idea of how they think, read this one. Want satire? Try this.

Now before you think wrongly of me… I love being Jewish. I love the tradition. I love the comfort it brings me when I really need it and I love the freedom it allows me when I don’t. It is not my be-all end-all. It can’t be, because if there is a God, and s/he controls everything… I just don’t want to know. Too many things have gone wrong for me to be willing ot believe that. That said, I also do a lot of things that go against the teachings of the Torah. And that is OK by me, because I am not out to be SuperJew and I am not yet willing to devote my life to those teachings. Maybe I’ll never be. Maybe in another lifetime.

It frightens me just how many people are supporting McCain/Palin because they are “down home people” (they aren’t, he married money and she’s a gun-toting hockey mom in charge of a population smaller than the bottom half of Manhatten, nothing against guns or hockey, but not my image of a VP) and I wonder how many trully believe what they stand for… or even know.

I may not exactly be “for” Obama… but I am most definitely again McCain. I am not afraid of genuine, positive change. Change that I think Obama can start (and maybe see finish!) and that I know McCain will not even consider, and will start us in reverse. We certainly don’t need another four years of the Bush administration (or worse!), why elect someone hwo will be more of the same? Sure, the same might be comforting and familiar, but what have you been complaining about for the past eight years? SuperJew, it’s up to you to help do something different, and I have faith that come November 4, you will do the right thing, not choose blindly because it feels safe and familiar.

Dazzle your eyes with the many creations of our very own members. Shop for unique items ranging from clothing to jewelry to purses and more.

If you’re a purveyor of goods, then this is the place for you! You can sell single items or start your own store. Our rates are low and you’ll have the advantage of working under our already established and well-known brand/name.

For our Grand Opening, we are running specials for those opening shops. We are also having a sale in the Punky Moms store.

So come and peruse the Alt Bazaar today!

The Alt Bazaar Grand Opening Specials and Giveaways!

During the month of September we are offering a Grand Opening special where you will get two months worth of a Medium shop for the price of one! Open your Medium shop before October 1st and get a Medium Shop absolutely free for the following month! This is a thank you from us to you for signing up. This offer is only good for our grand opening so hurry up and open your shop!

Want to win a FREE shop for SIX MONTHS ? Yes, you read that right! Six months for free! Every shop that is opened during the month of September will be entered to win a Medium Shop for six whole months!

Punky Moms got over 6200 front page hits in August alone, PunkyMomsForum.com got over 63000 (yes, three zeros!) and that is where our ad book will be available for permanent download. That is some serious exposure!

For the ridiculously inexpensive rate of 20$ per 1/8 page ad (the size of a business card) you can have a spot in our holiday digital book. Spots are limited! The book will be available for free download to everyone as well as being distributed around the web.

Want a larger size? All of our rates are ridiculously inexpensive!

We want to have this created and ready for download and distro at the beginning of November for those who like to do their holiday shopping early! As long as the ads are in it will go out on time!

For complete information and links please visit this post.

4 silver daisy chainmaille flowers connected by beautiful blue glass beads
silver toggle clasp
a one of a kind piece made by my 2 little hands

Go check it out!