I Am Large, I Contain Multitudes

It's Purim! Chag sameach!

I don't always do much costuming for Purim services, but for this year, I was feeling saucy and decided to trot out the Maenad costume that I put together for Halloween of 2002 (photos archived here). I adored that costume and have kept all the pieces lovingly stored (and, in some cases, displayed in my living room) all the intervening years. Mind you, at the original party, I walked in and found a dryad (coraline) and a satyr (jonathanjo) and we got a group photo, and scholargipsy walked in shortly thereafter and exclaimed unprompted "Nice thyrsos!", which still ranks among my favorite compliments ever. Sadly, this time around, it was not as well received wearing it to shul last night. Rather, although it was much admired, I got a lot of "Oh, you are Spring! Oh, you're Mother Nature!" Um. I would have liked to add an animal-skin wrap and a kantharos, but realistically I don't think that would have helped much. :-} I think for next time I need to create a special label for the bottle that glosses from Edith Hamilton or something.

Anyway, I was also playing Vashti in the tremontstshul Purimspiel, so I ALSO brought the black velvet dress once ruled too dangerous for shul, and a silver tiara, and did a quick costume change after megillah reading. It was worth doing.

And justom was with me. *beam* Because it was his spring break, in fact, he was here all the past week, which was wonderful, and there were restaurant outings and Cheese and at least one lazy morning. But he's on the bus back to NYC at this very moment. Sniff.

Now I have to head out for Menschen rehearsal, so instead of a more in-depth entry, I give you a meme. Stolen from suntop, it's ( this silly A-Z meme. )

I woke up at 5:30 today -- worse than usual, I've been getting to 6 or 6:30 and occasionally even to the 7:15 alarm of late -- so hey, I'm using the time to finish up this long-overdue entry.

Reply to this meme [by yelling (or even saying gently) "Words!"] and I will give you five words that remind me of you. Then post them in your LJ and explain what they mean to you.

It's taken me several days -- perhaps because I got rather more rambly than was strictly necessary! Having seen this meme go by a whole bunch in the meantime, I find that I tend to prefer (aesthetically) the responses that stick to one reasonably pithy paragraph per word. But the words that lillibet gave me are pretty major themes in my life, obviously (heh, almost all of them are existing tags in my LJ, for that matter), so I just wrote on... and here they are.

( Acting. Judaism. Music. Marriage. Community. )

Take a picture of yourself right now.
Don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair... just take a picture.
Post that picture with NO editing.
Post these instructions with your picture.

'Tis Talk Like A Pirate Day! Arrr!



(Yes, this is what I'm wearing to shul tonight. Also, writing lame pirate jokes for a dvARRRR Torah at dinner! And bringing the rum!)

Here's a meme that was going around again recently.

Five random idiosyncratic things about me you probably don't know:

1. I have to have at least two kinds of shampoo and three kinds of conditioner in my shower at all times. (Not always the same two or three kinds, although I certainly go through phases. But I have to have an active rotation.)
   
2. I have never lived in a house with cable television.
   
3. I have a thing for radiant heat. Saunas, hot tubs, sunbathing. (This is apparently one of the traits I inherit from my dad. Unless I was a salamander in some previous life.)
   
4. Breakfast just does not taste as good unless eaten in pajamas. Bathrobe is an acceptable second-best. But the only reason to put on the day's actual clothes before breakfast is pressure of time, and I hate that. (I make an exception for breakfast or brunch out.)
   
5. I am drawn to objects that use text as a decorative motif. E.g.: My cookie jar is green glass with the words for "cookie" in a dozen languages embossed on it. My old coworker Sadi said this was because I was a typographer at heart. I believe it.

Five more facts about me which I consider obvious but are apparently not universally known:

1. I converted to Judaism at the age of 23. (Really, it amazes me that more people do not know this. But I 'pass' extremely well.)
   
2. I grew up in northwest Indiana, about an hour outside of Chicago.
   
3. I have only one sibling (my brother Rick, two years younger than me) and four cousins (two on each side, all girls).
   
4. I graduated high school at 16 and college at 20.
   
5. Every job I have had since graduating college has had to do with books (retail or publishing).

... And now, I'm off to meet Tiger Boy at Burdick's. :-)

Boy, it's a long time since I did a silly meme like this. :-) But I find this one appealingly poetic.

Ganked from many corners including navrins? [no, apparently I was conflating with other recent memes], bethr? [ditto], awhyzip, greenlily.

1. Explain what ended your last relationship? conflicting choices
2. When was the last time you shaved? Friday morning
3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.? paying bills
4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago? tasty sandwich
5. Are you any good at math? passed calculus
6. Your prom night? worked punchbowl!
7. Do you have any famous ancestors? doubt it
8. Have you had to take a loan out for school? thanks, Dad...
9. Do you know the words to the song on your myspace profile? not applicable
10. Last thing received in the mail? bank statements
11. How many different beverages have you had today? coffee, water
12. Do you ever leave messages on people's answering machine? almost always
13. Who did you lose your CONCERT virginity to? Duran Duran
14. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach? when sentimental
15. What's the most painful dental procedure you've had? braces tightened
16. What is out your back door? dilapidated fence
17. Any plans for Friday night? magid's zmirot
18. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair? beachy goodness!
19. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns? office gift
20. Have you ever been to a planetarium? Adler, Chicago
21. Do you re-use towels after you shower? change biweekly
22. Some things you are excited about? remedial sleep
23. What is your favorite flavor of JELLO? (goyische) lime
24. Describe your keychain(s)? Brandeis medallion
25. Where do you keep your change? Wedgwood dish
26. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people? Margaret Ghost?
27. What kind of winter coat do you own? biker jacket
28. What was the weather like on your graduation day? super windy
29. Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed? darkest possible


( Part 2, shortly thereafter )