Thursday, November 30, 2006
I HATE WINTER SPORTS(If you call ski a sport)
With the winter ahead of us, my yearly childhood trauma is surfacing again.
Some of you may have seen this post already, and you all had fun with it so here goes again.
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I don’t know how many of you have had a chance to ski, but I bet that those who have, loved it and those who haven’t would very much like to try it out.
For me skiing is like math, both being awful childhood traumas.
I’m particularly sensible to the cold and skiing is certainly not a conducive activity to feeling warm and fuzzy.
But since the family packed up to join the hordes of sheep-like people going to the mountains every winter, I wasn’t exactly asked whether I felt like going along.
My earliest memory of skiing goes back to when I was but an innocent child of eight.
I went along with a group of kids and one teacher (only 1 for perhaps 10 kids!!).
I kept falling and hurting myself, not to mention that with every fall snow crept in my clothes and slid over my already icy body.
The teacher didn’t pay much attention to me, he must’ve thought I was a troublemaker, and the other kids all seemed to be pros, as if they had skied right out of the womb.
So it happened year after year, I complained, even begged not to have to go, but it was easier to ignore the cries of a weird child (which normal kid doesn’t like skiing?) than to find an alternative to keep me busy during the winter break.
The second year I feared the worst only to find out it actually gets worse, we went higher up and for that we had to take the “platter ski lift”. To me then a frightening engine that would surely drop me, and swallow me whole if I didn’t jump out on time before the platter turned back.
I've had needles the size of a pen injected in my back around the same age and wasn't half as scared of that than of these lifts. (just to give you an idea)
Needless to say I fell out sufficient times, got hurt and lost and only thanks to H’Ashem’s kindness found someone I knew after walking with heavy ski’s for 45 minutes.
That same evening I vowed to recite 30 kapitlers Tehillim(psalms) if I wouldn’t fall off the platter lift the next day, and believe it or not, I didn’t. And yes I honored my vow.
This went on for years until one year I actually dared fight back against my parents.
That morning I refused to leave the house and while they tried everything from cooing to threatening, I stayed at home.
Being an compliant child neither my parents nor I knew very well how to handle this rebellion.
It was a very unpleasant period; I tried to make amends but insisted on not skiing and so these issues we only resolved once we got back home.
Since then I haven’t skied and I don’t intend to ever again!Rereading this before posting I realize it’s sort of a childish post, but with my friends all running off to the mountains to have ‘the time of their life’, all these memories flooded back and I needed an outlet!
Labels: ski, winter sports
Monday, November 27, 2006
Anti Mel Gibson Cartoon
Mel Gibson movies were once popular titles in the video store located in my neighbourhood.
Since he decided we are to blame for all the world's problems, we felt it's only fair to blame him (that Rasha!) for all our problems.
The Polish and Russian immigrants don't rent that many movies and thus our boycott was quite successful.
We decided to boycott any movie with him in front or behind the camera.
The poor owner (Non Jewish), who's a nice guy, offers to sell all video's/dvd's starring (or rather disgracing ) that evil personage at.3.30$
Any takers?
Saw this cartoon and thought it was brillaint!
cartoon by Nick Anderson
Monday, November 20, 2006
Credit where Credit is Due!
Since we’ve got plenty of nice and inspiring holidays I never felt compelled to join in on non Jewish celebrations even though they are widely advertised everywhere and albeit less meaningful, they seem to be more enjoyable, less restrictive and more fun altogether.
The upcoming, technically christian, but in all fairness basically world holiday is already on every billboard, in every magazine and in many very enjoyable made for TV movies.
I have no objections against any religious holiday as long as its spirit is not anti-semitic.
In fact strolling and looking at the manifold and beautiful christmas decorations is very pleasant and relaxing.
Yet there’s something that definitely bothers me about this holiday.
Hard working parents, spend hours looking for the right gift, stand in line during what is considered the most hectic shopping season of the whole year, lovingly take the gifts home and hide them.
Then when it’s time to distribute the presents they tell their kids that an old mystical figure, who in all honesty would not be chosen to represent weight watchers, is the guy they have to thank.
Why would anyone hand over credit to a nonexistent character instead of being the recipient of the child’s love and gratitude?
Buying a gift for someone else can be greater than buying something for oneself, but that is only true if you see that person reaction and joy.
We are not referring to a case of donating Tzedakkah where anonymous giving is the ideal way to do it.
If I buy a gift, I’m sure not going to tell the beneficiary that some stranger from the mall is the one to be grateful too.
The upcoming, technically christian, but in all fairness basically world holiday is already on every billboard, in every magazine and in many very enjoyable made for TV movies.
I have no objections against any religious holiday as long as its spirit is not anti-semitic.
In fact strolling and looking at the manifold and beautiful christmas decorations is very pleasant and relaxing.
Yet there’s something that definitely bothers me about this holiday.
Hard working parents, spend hours looking for the right gift, stand in line during what is considered the most hectic shopping season of the whole year, lovingly take the gifts home and hide them.
Then when it’s time to distribute the presents they tell their kids that an old mystical figure, who in all honesty would not be chosen to represent weight watchers, is the guy they have to thank.
Why would anyone hand over credit to a nonexistent character instead of being the recipient of the child’s love and gratitude?
Buying a gift for someone else can be greater than buying something for oneself, but that is only true if you see that person reaction and joy.
We are not referring to a case of donating Tzedakkah where anonymous giving is the ideal way to do it.
If I buy a gift, I’m sure not going to tell the beneficiary that some stranger from the mall is the one to be grateful too.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Totally Absent
This blog is not closed yet, just no time to write and no time to comment.
I hope to be able to visit all your wonderful blogs very soon.
Prag
I hope to be able to visit all your wonderful blogs very soon.
Prag
