Blessed be he who revives the dead
Jun. 26th, 2019 07:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
redrikkiMonday night was our last Talmud study group until after Yom Kippur. I've never considered myself to be particularly religious, but I'm really glad my friend got me into Talmud study. It's a fun intellectual exercise and it's a pretty interesting group of people who come. Plus, I'm learning a lot about my cultural heritage that I missed out on as a kid. This Monday we read Maimonedes' writings on the saying of blessings. Apparently, if you run into someone you haven't seen in 6 months, the appropriate response is "blessed be he who revives the dead." Is that not the most passive-aggressive Jewish mother thing you've ever heard?
Last night at our women's march planning meeting, I volunteered to make pink pussy hats to sell for fundraising. I've already made three, but I best get knitting. I also volunteered to manage our website and sponsor at least two tie-in events at the museum where I work because I am a crazy person. At least I managed not to volunteer to be in charge of making sure the sidewalks are clear.
On to Wednesday reading!
What I just finished
Smithsonian magazine, June 2019. The big articles for this month were on the 1969 moon landings, deep sea exploration, and artist Francisco Toledo. The moon landing was my favorite. It explained the politics and technology which made the whole thing possible. Apparently, the space program was so unpopular with politicians, the public, and the scientific community, we probably wouldn't have gone if Kennedy hadn't been assasinated. Crazy.
Supersons vol.3 "Parent Trap." I understand that people who grew up in original flavor Talia hate what has been done to her character, but I really like the way this dealt with parental abuse. Jon's unwavering support for Damian as he dealt with his mom's mind games really helped sell me on their friendship. I should probably track down volume 2 since I seem to be missing it.
What I'm reading nextby
No idea. I just got a bunch of 20% off coupons form Barnes & Noble, so it will probably be something new instead of something from my back log.
Last night at our women's march planning meeting, I volunteered to make pink pussy hats to sell for fundraising. I've already made three, but I best get knitting. I also volunteered to manage our website and sponsor at least two tie-in events at the museum where I work because I am a crazy person. At least I managed not to volunteer to be in charge of making sure the sidewalks are clear.
On to Wednesday reading!
What I just finished
Smithsonian magazine, June 2019. The big articles for this month were on the 1969 moon landings, deep sea exploration, and artist Francisco Toledo. The moon landing was my favorite. It explained the politics and technology which made the whole thing possible. Apparently, the space program was so unpopular with politicians, the public, and the scientific community, we probably wouldn't have gone if Kennedy hadn't been assasinated. Crazy.
Supersons vol.3 "Parent Trap." I understand that people who grew up in original flavor Talia hate what has been done to her character, but I really like the way this dealt with parental abuse. Jon's unwavering support for Damian as he dealt with his mom's mind games really helped sell me on their friendship. I should probably track down volume 2 since I seem to be missing it.
What I'm reading nextby
No idea. I just got a bunch of 20% off coupons form Barnes & Noble, so it will probably be something new instead of something from my back log.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-27 10:18 pm (UTC)Wow it's been 50 years since the moon landing! Coincidentally I visited a space museum last weekend and remember thinking, as I looked at the spacesuits and paraphernalia on display, that manned space missions may be remembered more as a hugely expensive relic of history than a precursor of the future. Unless private sector space exploration takes off, that is, which is going to come with a whole new host of problems--and body count--of its own.
no subject
Date: 2019-06-27 11:21 pm (UTC)Yes and no about the relic verse precursor thing. Before the space program, computers filled rooms and took hours, if not days, to do their computations. The first microprocessors were used in space missions where astronauts needed their computers to give them answers in seconds, not hours, and to be light and small enough to get off the ground. Plus, they developed a bunch of other cool tech for the space program which underpins a lot of our modern world.