Skidded in to friday.. Tired from a long week. Tonight was a fun event the annual Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering (VASE) dinner. We began with a speach by ex us congressman and current ceo of the american association for the advancement of science Rush Holt. He gave a quiet and passionate speach about the state of science literacy in the us..which was .sobering

Afterwards we all had dinner nad celibrated our two teacher of the year awardees and our four new vase members. I was very pleased to introduce one of the new members my good friend dr david harame.., a ball of brilliant energy !

Now.. I need sleep. More tomorrow

Nite all, nite sam

-me

 

 

Very long day… Down in New Jersey the client. Great meeting… But the real bonus was a chance meetings I had around The meetings . I saw my friend Brett, I met a very helpful person named Jodi and i met josh, Both jod josh were very lucky chance meetings

I am very much in need of help on a topic related to a big deal meeting i have in oct. It's something I know very little about.mjosh called me Out of the blue. He has just the right background. Turns out he's a heckuva guy and a very observant Jew. I don't know what part of my metaphysics allows for just the right person showing up at just the right time but I think in Hebrew they call it ברצון ..(beratzoom.. G-ds will) ..i'm not getting more religious… Don't worry but I don't believe in coincidences either

Josh and I met in Teaneck work great business meeting which turned out to be more of a personal meeting and some really good kosher sushi. Who knew there was such thing as Kosher sushi?

 

Who knew is really red wines were this good ? I had to finish it at the airport I thought it was too good to throw away

 

Nite all, nite sam

-me

 

Today was Yom Kippur.. I had hoped to take it all off.. but couldn’t make that happen entirely because of work I did manage to escape with only 5 hours of meetings.. which was OK

 

I fasted for 24 hours.. which actually felt good. its on of the few things I do ‘religiously’ these days.. i do think it helps sharpen your intraspection

We spent the middle part of the day in an interesting way .. which made the day special. Find Ben took a few of us out on his boat .. i was wondering what it would be like fasting out on on a boat.. but it was great. a few good friends.. a beautiful quiet day.. it was very fun.. and moving..

 

 

There was good cell coverage on the boat.. so i was actually abe to sneak below deck an attend to the work that i needed to get done today..

 

we landed around sunset.. which was a perfect way to break fast..

we didn’t have wine.. so we said the blessing over our rum

 

and finished up with ice cream.. !!!

 

On the way home we stopped at a Bernie rally in Burlington.. we even signed the potential to get him on the ballot !

it was a good day.. i actually relaxed a bit..   It was a good end to a good year,

i hope you all are sealed in the book of life f.. and  have a happy healthy new year !

nite all, note sam

-me

On my way home to VT. It’s Erev Yom Kippur.. the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the jewish calendar.. This is the time we all think about the previous year and consider how we spent our time. One of the main things we do is consider anyone we wronged in the past year.  If you are reading this.. and I have wronged you in any way.. I am sorry .. very sorry (not just saying that)

 

There’s a prayer we say called the Al Chet.. It  enumerates all the ways we may have screwed up last year (we Jews are big enumerator)

Many of of them are everyday things.. . I won’t share my check marks.. but i definitely have work to do

For the sin which we have committed before You under duress or willingly.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by hard-heartedness.

For the sin which we have committed before You inadvertently.

And for the sin which we have committed before You with an utterance of the lips.

For the sin which we have committed before You with immorality.

And for the sin which we have committed before You openly or secretly.

For the sin which we have committed before You with knowledge and with deceit.

And for the sin which we have committed before You through speech.

For the sin which we have committed before You by deceiving a fellowman.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by improper thoughts.

For the sin which we have committed before You by a gathering of lewdness.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by verbal [insincere] confession.

For the sin which we have committed before You by disrespect for parents and teachers.

And for the sin which we have committed before You intentionally or unintentionally.

For the sin which we have committed before You by using coercion.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by  desecrating the Divine Name.

For the sin which we have committed before You by impurity of  speech.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by foolish  talk.

For the sin which we have committed before You with the evil  inclination.

And for the sin which we have committed before You knowingly or unknowingly.

For all these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, atone for us. 

For the sin which we have committed before You by false denial and lying.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a bribe-taking or a bribe-giving hand.

For the sin which we have committed before You by scoffing.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by evil talk  [about another].

For the sin which we have committed before You in business  dealings.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by eating  and drinking.

For the sin which we have committed before You by [taking or  giving] interest and by usury.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a haughty demeanor.

For the sin which we have committed before You by the prattle of our lips.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a glance of the eye.

For the sin which we have committed before You with proud looks.

And for the sin which we have committed before You with impudence.

 For all these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, atone for us. 

For the sin which we have committed before You by casting off the yoke [of Heaven].

And for the sin which we have committed before You in passing judgment.

For the sin which we have committed before You by scheming against a fellowman.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a begrudging eye.

For the sin which we have committed before You by frivolity.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by obduracy.

For the sin which we have committed before You by running to do evil.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by tale-bearing.

For the sin which we have committed before You by swearing in vain.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by causeless hatred.

For the sin which we have committed before You by embezzlement.

And for the sin which we have committed before You by a confused heart.

 For all these, God of pardon, pardon us, forgive us, atone for us.

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a burnt-offering.

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a sin-offering.

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a varying offering [according to one’s means].

And for the sins for which we are obligated to bring a guilt-offering for a certain or doubtful trespass.

 

(Ok.. they get  little extreme from this point on.. but hey.. it’s hundreds of years old)

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of lashing for rebelliousness.

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of forty lashes.

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of death by the hand of Heaven.

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of excision and childlessness.

And for the sins for which we incur the penalty of the four forms of capital punishment executed by the Court: stoning, burning, decapitation and strangulation.

 

ok.. i wish you all a healthy and thoughtful new year..

nite all, nite sam

-me