Yom Kippor

Yom Kippor is one the Jewish high holidays that represents the end of the new year celebration Rosh Hashona. It is a day of fasting and repentance. You are supposed to go to temple for a long service, think of all the bad things you did during the past year and ask for forgiveness.

Sounds like a lot of fun, eh?

I’m not a big fan of temple – I don’t understand Hebrew, don’t subscribe to most of the faith and god parts of Judaism, and have a low attention span to boot – so mostly its a exercise in patience and boredom. Well, seeing how I’m a bad Jew and all, I’ve transformed this holiday into something personal. I fast during the day and reflect upon all that has happened in the past year since last Yom Kippor. We’ve gotten into the habit of writing what we’ve been up to on our calendar, so I slowly review the past year day by day. I try to remember something about every event that we’ve written down. Then I go through the concert tickets, recalling something about every concert I went to. This year I was able to read the last couple months of my blog – something I had in mind to do when I started it. I actually found it pretty boring, and started skimming through it. Man I’m wordy. Not doing much in this post to address that issue though.

This was a fairly busy year it turned out.

Some highlights:

• a bunch of visits from far away friends (long ones from Josh and Kerry Jo)
• seeing a lot of Dave Patry
• too many concerts – a couple really wierd standout ones like The Advantage (an old school nintendo cover band) and Hurra Torpedo.
• good progress on a new album - meeting lots of musicians and bringing them into my studio
• playing @ spectraball
• going on lots of solo adventures
• the I am 8-bit art show with warlords (my favorite arcade game) that led to the arcade party @ Brett’s warehouse
• my 10 day 30th birthday celebration. Holy shit that was epic.
• a couple of truly kick ass weddings
• the thanksgiving keg
• really getting to know some amazing new friends (the thanksgiving keg helped with some of that)

Lowpoints:

• Stina’s appendix rupturing
• Good friends moving away
• Some sad breakups
• Some Job bullshit – and my coworker of 5 years leaving
• Stina’s back giving out during tri training
• Several Rat deaths

I tend to get a wee introspective in the days leading up to Yom Kippor. One things I’ve been tripping on is the duality of our existence. On one hand, every moment is a gift, and its essential to celebrate it. You never know if this is that last time you’ll see this band, eat at this restaurant, hug this person. On the other hand, it is impossible to live like that. You can’t approach every situation like that – it would drive you mad. I can’t be thinking, this is the last time I’ll see my parents every time I go to Boston. Or sleep in the same bed with my wife.

I guess to me its just important that I recognize that bad shit can happen, cause I mostly don’t. I coast on the surface of live, dipping my hand in all the goodness I can find. It’s ok to be surprised by a sudden turn of events. I don’t need to spend my life in constant preparation for it, but I should still be mentally aware that it can happen. Like all things, its important to find balance, and I generally veer too far on one side of the equation.

Mostly its important to stop doing stuff, and take a step back to see all that’s going on, and take in how I’m feeling. To relive moments from the immediate and not so immediate past. I’m not so good at that. This is why its good to have at least one day reserved to do so.