23 Tishrei/11 October, 2009

I started Patrick Swayze’s autobiography “Time of My Life” that he wrote with his wife Lisa Niemi. “Dirty Dancing” is my favorite movie; I can watch it anytime it comes on or just randomly and always find new fun things in it. I remember when it was released in Russia, I was young, maybe nine or so. I couldn’t go to the movie because no one under sixteen was allowed, but I loved the poster. It fascinated me for some reason. I watched it many times since I came to America and it took me a long time to understand all its nuances. It took me a bit of growing up to understand that the movie dealt with abortion, and a bit longer to understand that in 1960s abortions were illegal in the United States. I also share fond memories watching this movie with Grandma Tanya, who couldn’t understand English but could still follow the plot and all the action. I think I like the movie because it is not about “true love” but about two people who influence each other at a certain time. Patrick Swayze was perfect in that role. I’m glad that he had a chance to finish this book before he died. He writes in a very straight forward style and it is obvious he is trying to be honest about himself and his life. (I also never knew that his family called him Buddy and not by his first name. Seems more appropriate. His father also died at 57, the same age as him)

Because Bear was late today, since he had to visit his grandmother, I was able to do some cross stitching (light yellow green is the color of the day) and finish Chapter 4 of Hebrew book. Chapter 4 is about masculine noun and verbs and the definite article. The chapter also gives some vocabulary. I noticed that I’m more comfortable now reading Hebrew and I’m making fewer mistakes. I also like the exercises in each chapter. They make me write in Hebrew and really remember the vocabulary words. It was fun reading some basic sentences.

Highlight of Bear’s visit was the long walk along the ocean all the way to the pier. It took a little more than an hour and we talked about many things from philosophical to silly.

Leviticus WTF moment of the day: chapters 6 to 10 are still about the various offerings and ordination of priests. The priests finally begin their ministry. I do like that in addition to an offering a person who stole something or took something by extortion must make restitution also. Priests get to keep the hide of the animals offered as burnt offering. The harshest punishment, well other than death, seems to be being “cut off from his people” mainly for doing anything unclean like eating the blood of birds and animals. Vampires would be cast off then. So would raw steak lovers. And of course the most WFT moment took place when God just killed two of Aaron’s sons because they started an unauthorized fire for God. Ritual is very important to God. Moses even tries to justify it to Aaron. Aaron just stays silent. Aaron and his other two sons were not even allowed to grieve. Other relatives could but not Aaron and other kids. This just seems cruel and sad.