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I watched the inauguration today with a Huge room full of JTS people- the auditorium was totally full, as far as I could tell, including a bunch of us standing in the back. I found myself much more moved by the experience than I had expected; I never think that political stuff is going to get to me, but this time it really did. I think that I was especially moved at the very end, where a room full of JTS folks stood up and sang 'God Bless America' (not a song that I know well, as far as patriotic songs go, but I muddled along)- after all the shtick about Ramah camps doing Hatikvah and not the Star Spangled Banner, and such discussions, seeing the JTSA acknowledge the A part was pretty darn cool.
I spent the afternoon mostly catching up with Steve, Steve and baby (who has done all sorts of impressive growing, and can turn herself over- amazing what babies can do in the course of a few weeks), and returned home to continue care of the ailing computer. The situation is slowly improving, I think. (I'm using it now though, so perhaps I'm pushing my luck.) Apparently McAfee was not doing a great job: after all, it let this rather nasty bunch of viruses through. Do any of you computer-literate types have suggestions for computer-protecting programs? My father tells me that contemporary wisdom is to always run two at once- is this true?
Before said inauguration, I had my first class of the semester: Pastoral Care, which seems likely to be excellent, and quite challenging on all sorts of levels as well. Tomorrow I go have a TB test to get ready to do the volunteering that goes along with it. I'm both looking forward to doign that- I haven't done anything of that sort on a volunteer level in a long time (even if this is only sort of volunteer, since I'll be getting credit for doing a rotation for it), and also more anxious than I expected, since now I'm not just a cute high school kid cheering people up and helping with bible study (something I did one summer in high school- something Mom basically signed me up for, but which was a really fabulous experience), but I'm supposed to be starting to have some clue of how to actually do real listening and help people address religious issues.
It also doesn't help, I think, that on my previous visit home, we stopped to visit my great-great-aunt (my great-grandmother's sister, the last of that set of 12 siblings still alive) at the Jewish Home in New Haven, and she was pretty darn out of it. Between her terrible hearing, and general dementia, she really didn't know who we were, I think, and she didn't react very much to Dad or I (and she's a relative on Dad's side)- although Mom got through to her just a little, mostly by giving her some M&Ms, to start with. It was rather intimidating- I love her, and she's been this fairly stable old lady for pretty much my whole life, and she was still mostly with it the last time I saw her (too long ago, I'm afraid). And just knowing that I had no way to reach her, really- makes this whole thing seem harder. On the other hand, it also tends to be true that it's always easier when it isn't your own family... So we'll see, I guess.
I spent the afternoon mostly catching up with Steve, Steve and baby (who has done all sorts of impressive growing, and can turn herself over- amazing what babies can do in the course of a few weeks), and returned home to continue care of the ailing computer. The situation is slowly improving, I think. (I'm using it now though, so perhaps I'm pushing my luck.) Apparently McAfee was not doing a great job: after all, it let this rather nasty bunch of viruses through. Do any of you computer-literate types have suggestions for computer-protecting programs? My father tells me that contemporary wisdom is to always run two at once- is this true?
Before said inauguration, I had my first class of the semester: Pastoral Care, which seems likely to be excellent, and quite challenging on all sorts of levels as well. Tomorrow I go have a TB test to get ready to do the volunteering that goes along with it. I'm both looking forward to doign that- I haven't done anything of that sort on a volunteer level in a long time (even if this is only sort of volunteer, since I'll be getting credit for doing a rotation for it), and also more anxious than I expected, since now I'm not just a cute high school kid cheering people up and helping with bible study (something I did one summer in high school- something Mom basically signed me up for, but which was a really fabulous experience), but I'm supposed to be starting to have some clue of how to actually do real listening and help people address religious issues.
It also doesn't help, I think, that on my previous visit home, we stopped to visit my great-great-aunt (my great-grandmother's sister, the last of that set of 12 siblings still alive) at the Jewish Home in New Haven, and she was pretty darn out of it. Between her terrible hearing, and general dementia, she really didn't know who we were, I think, and she didn't react very much to Dad or I (and she's a relative on Dad's side)- although Mom got through to her just a little, mostly by giving her some M&Ms, to start with. It was rather intimidating- I love her, and she's been this fairly stable old lady for pretty much my whole life, and she was still mostly with it the last time I saw her (too long ago, I'm afraid). And just knowing that I had no way to reach her, really- makes this whole thing seem harder. On the other hand, it also tends to be true that it's always easier when it isn't your own family... So we'll see, I guess.