I Am Large, I Contain Multitudes

The 10th of Av is Aria's Hebrew birthday. Last year, like this year, it was the observed date of the fast of Tisha B'Av since the actual 9th of Av fell on Shabbat. Last year I missed the candlelight reading of Eicha because I was at the hospital in hour 17 or so of "early" labor. (I was reliving my own version of Lamentations though.) Last night I missed it because it was competing with baby bathtime/bedtime and I just couldn't face the logistics of driving 40 minutes each way to shul and back. But it's still on my mind.

I'm not fasting, either, to be honest. I thought about trying, but my brain is so foggy already these days that I just can't face spending a day in the fasting zone. I need to be able to do things.

Wishing a meaningful fast to those who are observing, though.

My husband is a music teacher. He was a music teacher when I first met him 20+ years ago. I've gone to see him perform in bands. More recently, I have performed with him in bands. I've seen videos of him playing in high school talent shows. He made me this recording for my birthday last year. We have in the house an entire room dedicated to housing what must be 20 musical instruments (piano, organ, accordion, numerous guitars and bass guitars, an upright bass, ukulele, mandolin, percussion...), where he receives students two or three days a week.

But somehow, it's discovering him in the music room one December evening after dinner, noodling around on the piano playing jazz Christmas carols, that really makes my heart go "Holy shit, I married a musician." :-)

<3

So, etrace and I are back in our respective (for now) homes, after a fantastic 12-day stretch in the same space in the second half of December.

This included some time in Boston, during which we had to balance visiting time with wedding-logistics time and actual downtime... so I apologize to everyone we didn't manage to get over and socialize with. In particular, we missed the NYE party I had meant for us to attend, because after dinner that evening I started feeling pretty wiped out and, even if I had been up to the walk through the 15-degree weather, just not up to facing the Wall of People awaiting us on the other side of it. (etrace: "Er, well, now you know how I feel pretty much All The Time." Me: "Yes, but when I feel that way, it is a sign that I'm physically unwell!") So I will hope we can catch some of you fine folks at Arisia, instead. Maybe in small doses at the MuffinButtons table. :-)

I am overdue for a real entry and will try to get some updates together in the next few-to-several days... but it's been (surprise!) awfully busy with wedding stuff and Blue Hill Troupe stuff and of course actual work stuff eating my life.

Unfortunately for my lurking/reading public, however: it also came to my attention over the break that posting my calendar publicly may be... unwise at this juncture. So one of my 2014 resolutions/changes is that I am going to post the calendaring entries friendslocked going forward. Of course, I encourage all my readers to either create a LiveJournal account or create a Dreamwidth account so I can grant you reading access. But I think once I move in April, anyway, it may be time to phase myself over to the Google calendar system... the end of a long and fruitful era.

Wishing all of us a year of physical health, emotional growth, and spiritual abundance.

Posting this on Monday morning (Labor Day, 9/2), but backdating to last night for consistency. :-) I am late because I was away at the Victorian Lyric Opera Co.'s 5th Great Gilbert & Sullivan Sing-Out in Rockville, MD, where I had a smashing time and whence I got back late Sunday night. Sorry that I wasn't foresightful enough to stay over an extra night and visit any of my other awesome DC/MD peeps... I do miss you, and would love to come another time soon, but I also am SO GLAD to be at home with a leisurely day today. :-}

Anyway. ( Let the Month of Yontifs begin! )

So, Tisha B'Av (the 9th of the month of Av) is a catastrophic day in the history of the Jewish people: anniversary of the destruction of both temples in Jerusalem, and of many many other calamities over the millennia.

"From the moment Av arrives, we are to diminish our rejoicing."
For the nine days preceding Tisha B'Av we observe intensified restrictions. We do not:
• eat meat, except on Shabbat
• drink wine, except on Shabbat
• purchase or wear new clothes
• get haircuts

At the same time, the month of Av is traditionally given the epithet "Menachem Av," Av the consoler. Hurt/comfort, if you will.

Nu, so Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av is Monday, July 8.

Right now I'm trying to pull my moving date back (or is that push it forward?) to Sunday, July 7, in an effort to get the fuck out of here. Because we are done. So very done. We had a chance to end things positively and respectfully, but no. I've often said that justom will never be contented until he has driven my expectations all the way down to zero. Well, our relationship has finally descended onto the Kelvin scale.

As noted on Facebook, I signed a lease in Brooklyn with alanscottevil the other night. (Pics of the lovely place here. Hoping for some kind of housewarming right after Tisha B'Av.)

I have accordingly begun the sorting/packing blitz, and ordered moving boxes to be delivered tomorrow (Friday) evening. Anyone NYC-local feel like coming over Sunday the 30th to give me a hand packing books and such? I'll feed you. Yes, I know it's the Pride Parade, but this is my own pride parade.

PS: On the topic of relationship recovery, capnawkward_rss offers up the poem "Love after Love" by Derek Walcott.

PPS: In happier news, my new band, the Bliss Jockeys, is playing tonight at Cafe Wha? down on MacDougal St., 7:00-8:30pm. I'm not actually singing with the band tonight -- my debut gig will be July 18, also right after Tisha B'Av -- but I'll be there rocking out (and helping out). This is a Perceivable Joy.
"There's more than just one recipe, girl, to feel good about what you choose,
So when it comes down to it, do what you gotta do."