Fasting as a method of focus

One of the reasons given for fasting on Yom Kippur is that it removes the concern and focus on food from the holiday, freeing you to focus on prayers for forgiveness. I find that fasting leaves me lightheaded, unfocused, and tired, conditions that make it extremely difficult to focus on asking G-d's forgiveness. Not to mention hours of standing on very hard floors, and prayers in a language that I struggle with when they have all my attention.

I find that I am satisfied if I get 75% concentration on Yom Kippur, but just once I would like to be able to say that I was able to focus 100% of the time. Ah well, I will just have to try again next year.

Only the holidays of Sukkoth and Shmini Atzereth remain. Next week is another 2 day week at work, the following week is a three day week. I come back and everyone asks how was my vacation. I hate to answer bad, but it isn't what I would choose to do if I were taking a vacation. They don't tend to leave me very rested. Next week my in-laws will be here as well. I love them, but it does add to the pressure. I keep telling myself, by October 10th this will be all over for another year. No major holidays until Passover at the end of April, late this year.

Escort service

Today I was trained on how to properly perform my escort duties. Comments?

NOTE -- I purposely throw this incredible softball at all my friends and acquaintances for the pleasure of reading their witty (and possibly not witty) comments, signatures preferred, but not required.

Public Service

What constitutes public service?

I ask this question because it has been on my mind a lot lately. My firm does a large amount of consulting with the federal government, and the federal employees are often referred to as public servants, but are they really? Many, make that most, federal employees seldom have contact with the American public in the course of their daily work. So are they public servants or performing public service?

They do work in the public sector, but how many of them are there for altruistic "I want to serve the American people" reasons. For that matter, how many of our politicians, House and Senate are there from a true desire to serve. What percentage of the former have a job with the federal government because those jobs have been historically safe and secure? What percentage of the latter crave power?

I know this is sounding cynical, and I don't mean to be cynical, but recently my companies president sold his shares in the company to a management team. He had always wanted to experience working in three areas, academia, private sector, and public sector, and now seemed the time for him to try the public sector. I truly believe that Rick really wants to serve -- and I know that historically that has been a common theme in the United States, but how much has that changed in the last decades.

Is Rick in a minority?

10 days of repentence

Part of asking G-d to forgive us during the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is that we must ask our fellow man to forgive us. This is the time of year when, if you know you have offended someone, you must go to them and ask them to forgive you. The Rabbis say you must ask three times -- sincerely ask three times, and mean it. If the person refuses to forgive youeven after that, then the sin is on the other person's shoulders and your slate is clean.

Often this becomes a ritualized process. Perhaps because we can never know who we may have offended during the year. The president of the synagogue will stand up and ask forgiveness from the congregation if they have done anything to offend during the year. Kids seem to think it is quantity not quality. They will run from classmate to classmate asking for forgiveness, barely listening to the answers before moving on to the next person.

I tend to be somewhere in the middle. I have a fairly good idea of who I may have offended, but I can be obnoxious, and who knows what I have said that I didn't mean the way it sounded, and therefore caused both offense and hurt. In that respect, to the people who read my blog regularly, or even occasionally, if I have offended you in any way in the last year, I hope you will forgive me for that offense, and know that it wasn't intended.
Erica

Still not ready to write about the Jewish Holiday

The events were incredibly upsetting. So instead, I am going to do something every self-respecting Washingtonian should swear to never do, bitch about the Redskins. I watched the game yesterday with good friends from work. That part was wonderful. Whether they were being nice to let me intrude, or really wanted me there, doesn't matter, it was exactly what the doctor ordered. After a holiday of tension, stress, cooking, washing dishes, eating, praying, sleeping, and yelling (not necessarily in that order) I needed to escape.

Unfortunately, the Skins didn't exactly come through with the cap to the afternoon. Even playing a lousy team like the Giants (sorry all you Giants fans out there), the Skins, and particularly the quarterbacks, handed the win to the Giants on a silver platter.

I watched the opening game live. The offensive front line looked solid. What is it about Ramsey that seems to turn them into a sieve. And was he pushing to hard? I mean 3 interceptions. Special teams still seems to have some holes too. All in all, not a stellar performance. Better next time is good, but next time is Dallas on Monday night. They need to get A LOT better.

Any way, next week I will be watching from the cosy comfort of my kitchen on the small TV my daughter is going to return this week (hint, hint, hint.) I am already starting to think about preparing for the next holiday. Does this ever stop? Not in the fall....