***CAUTION - VENTING AHEAD!!***

Ok - I realize that this "vent" is totally outside the general topic of this blog - but I have a need to do it!

So I got this email from a mother of a kid in my son's class....note, my son goes to a Jewish school - clearly not the most frum by any stretch of the imagination - but Jewish nonetheless.

Hello Everyone,

I am resending the below email as we have not gotten many RSVP's.

All Kitah Alef families are joyfully invited to celebrate the last night of Chanukah at the School. On Tuesday, December 11 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. we'll gather in the lunch room for a yet-to-be-determined dinner, gelt, and dreidel spinning. Bring your menorah and candles so we can see what 270 candles burning at one time looks like! We will also be collecting contributions for Chanukah tzedakah. We would like to sponsor a child through The Smile Train. Through this group, physicians provide free cleft palate reconstructive surgery to children in the Third World. It costs $250 to sponsor one child's surgery and according to their literature, the full 100% of our donation goes to providing medical care. The cost of the evening should cost about $20/family. (This includes the evening, the food, and the donation) You can prepay Paula or pay the night of the party. Please RSVP to Paula at [edited]@aol.com by Monday Dec 3rd.

I have a few issues with this -
#1 - I give tzedaka like everyone else, but I resent being told (and not being included in the decision) where my money is to go for stuff like this.
#2 - Come on - this is a Jewish school - can't we find a JEWISH place to send the money??? I mean - seriously! And as one of my politically incorrect, yet usually right friends pointed out - if a kid is living in a third world country, there has to be more important things than oral surgery. I tend to agree. (However - I have a sister who had a cleft palate, so Im acknowledging the difficulties of it ...) But really - its doesnt have to be fancy!! Give the money to the school for crying out loud!!

Independent Frum Thinker wrote an interesting post on the topic.

So I'm torn - I would like Zev to go to the party - all of his friends will be there. Do I let it go, pay my $20 and not say anything? I'm not one of those parents that complains about everything. Do I fire off an email to this women who probably wouldnt get it anyway? Perhaps a letter to the rabbi? My inclination is to, instead, announce my own donation of $20.00 to Kahane Chai - I mean - if your gonna protest do it right, you know?

Any advice?

Trades for Tuesday 11/27/07

Opening Trades:

SS XHB @ 17.10

Trades for Monday 11/26/07

Closing Trades:
BC XLF @ 28.77 (.50)
BC XHB @ 17.81 (.50)
Sld BGP @ 11.86 (-.35)

No new trades - COMPUTER BROKEN!!!!!!!

Trades for Friday 11/23/07

Opening Trades:

SS XLF @ 29.27
SS XHB @ 18.31

I'm still short BGP.

Gutt Shabbos, All!

xox

I've Been Tagged..........

"
by Come Running and Miriam

Here we go......

8 Passions
1) My son and his happiness
2) My friends and their happiness
3) Investing and Stock Strategies
4) Business
5) Painting (when I am in the mood - it tends to be all consuming, but I havent been there in a while)
6) Israel
7) Survivors of abuse in general, but particularly in the frum community
8) How to rectify #7

8 Things To Do Before I Die:
1) Seeing that my son is happy, independent, and productive
2) Make aliyah
3) Get over my issues and myself
4) Do something really useful with my life
5) Adopt (stop rolling your eyes, Steven)
6) Make peace with my hair
7) Learn how to fix cars
8) Im gonna go with learning to take a compliment (sorry Miriam - but its a good one!)

8 Things I Often Say:
1) "I'm sorry!" (not as in - i did something wrong and I'm sorry about it - i don't often apologize when i should - rather as in YOU: Ach - I'm stuck in traffic! ME: I'm sorry!)
2) "STFU!" - the actual words
3) "Ach - whatever!"
4) "You're the best Zevi ever!!"
5) "I lost money today" (well - I've been saying that lately - hopefully it will change)
6) "I DID call you back!!" (For Ms. Sharon)
7) "You rock!"
8) "IHVSFFU!!"

8 Book I've Read Recently:
1) Awareness by Miriam Adahan (my handbook - lol)
2) Perfect Match by Jodi Piccoult
3) The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright (great book - thanks to my supplier!)
4) A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer
5) The Little Midrash Says - (Zev and my erev shabbos ritual)
6) Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenides
7) Souled by Hanoch Teller (ok - I'm old school people!)
8) When Do The Good Times Start by Avraham Twerski (old school again!)

8 Songs That Mean Something to Me:
Pretty much everyone with some significance in my life has a song....here's a partial list!
1) How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You - James Taylor (Zev and I sing this at the top of our lungs in the car when it comes on!)
2) Refuge (When Its Cold Outside) - John Legend (also reminds me of Zev)
3) I'm Feelin' You - Michelle Branch -(for my relationship with my SO)
4) #40 - Dave Matthews Band - for a very good friend - its how our relationship goes!
5) Brick - Ben Folds - reminds me of a very difficult time in my life, but also a time of growth...
6) Two Step - Dave Matthews Band (YOU know!)
7) When You're Strange - The Doors - (my dad used to sing this a lot - reminds me of good times)
8) What A Good Boy - Bare Naked Ladies (sums up some conflicts that I have)
8.5) Anything by Nickleback - (major cheese!!!) :-)

8 Things I Look For In a Friend
I dont have that many friends, so clearly I'm not that successful, perhaps I have high expectations, but I am grateful for the ones I have!
1) Loyalty
2) Openmindedness
3) Self Awareness
4) Looking to improve themselves and their lives
5) A good parent to their children
6) Non-Judgemental
7) Something about them that doesnt "fit" (does that make sense??)
8) The ability to put up with my crap!

Wow - that took a long time! I'm gonna pass it on - but I don't have 8 people to pass it to - so here are a few:
Rebel
LakewoodVenter
CarpeDiemMommy
HaKiruv (but i thought I saw u tagged somewhere)
.......also - Ehav - but he's got an interesting discussion going on on his blog and I dont want to break the flow - so, Ehav, if you see this, consider yourself tagged when you get a chance!

xox

Trades for Wednesday 11/21/07

I couldnt stay away...

OPening Trades:

SS BGP @ 11.51

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

xox

Trades for Tuesday 11/20/07

Closing Trades:
BC CPB @ 34.40

No new trades til after the holiday!

xox

Trades for Monday 11/19/07

Closing Trades:

BC XLF for 70 cents


Opening Trades:

SS CPB @ 34.90
(I'm prepared to hold this one to make more)

xox

Missing Her.......

What Can I Say.......

The market sucks...........

And though Im no expert, I think it will get worse before it gets better - even with today's gains......Currently I'm short XLF and holding til i realize some gains................

In the meantime, check out my other project....

http://gettingofftheground.blogspot.com

xox

Trades for Friday 11/02/07

Closing Trades:
BC TTI @ 19.26 (.15)

Opening Trades:
B NVTL @ 25.10

Trades for Thursday 11/1/07

Closing Trades:
Sld BLKB @ 27.12 (.15)

Opening Trades:
SS TTI @ 19.41

For My Friend WIth the Questionable Taste in Music

Ok - maybe not questionable.....everyone is entitled to be cheesy and have guilty pleasures every once in a while!
So here, indulge a bit, my friend..........and tell me, what's your guilty pleasure - musical or otherwise?