I’d almost view what happened a few hours ago as a sign that maybe I shouldn’t be.
THE DAY
Out late with friends last night, so a lazy start to the morning and an only okay cup of coffee (not thrilled with this latest blend). Or I might just have been out of sorts. Since I rarely sleep past 6:30 or so, dragging out of bed around 8 already felt like an inauspicious beginning. I also knew that I’d be cutting out of the house around noon to go to the gym and then come back, bake, watch the playoffs (yeah, such troubles). Anyway, not the best day, not the worst day: about 1 k.
But not great.
Every few days, I lose faith, though. I think I’ve never written anything quite so crappy; I don’t like what I’m doing; the book is never going to work…does this all sound familiar? Today was one of those days, too, and I know why: because I decided to add that one twist that I think is interesting to this character. But that means imagining a setting and . . . well, I won’t bore you or myself with maundering. Suffice to say that it was definitely one of those ye of little faith days.
Anyway, we do the gym. I stop off at Starbucks and grab a pound of decent coffee and a nice afternoon cuppa. We head back to the mountain; I’d hoped the Vikings would pull it out, but they didn’t. (The one lousy field goal of the entire game the guy misses has to be that last one.) I’m getting stuff out to start baking…when I look in my backyard and there are these guys with yarmulkes and tzitzit hanging on the deck with the husband.
I’m thinking, OMG . . . they’re Chabad.
And they are. They turn out to be new here, too–moved down from NY in August, though the rabbi’s wife, Mushka, worked in the Chabad center down in Birmingham which is, apparently, going great guns after 25 years. We had a nice visit.
So here’s what is astonishing to me about Moshe and Mushka (and all Chabad who go off to places where they know no one and try to set up a community): you have to really respect and admire their faith. I’m not talking about faith in a deity; I’m talking about their commitment to a cause and a mission. Now, it’s also true that Mushka mentioned they’ve been back to New York (where she’s from) every month, but that would be normal, too. They need to recharge, see family. Think of how alone they are down here. The Chabad I knew in Fairfax…at least when they started, I think they were two families, or maybe three. So there was some support.
Here, they have only each other and their mission.
That really does make you sit back and think.
So…will we end up going to some Friday nights? Sure. I always enjoyed Chabad in Virginia, though I think that any shul ultimately rises or falls on the quality of its leadership. You have to WANT to follow someone or listen to what he has to say. In Fairfax, I learned a lot from Rabbi Deitsch and, on occasion, I still think about and wonder how he’s doing. Every now and again, I drop by their webpage; I remember that they started off having services in a room of their house. Now they have a shul and a mikvah and they’re big enough that one rabbi’s gone off to start another Chabad in Reston or Tysons…one or the other.
And if I’d never met Rabbi Deitsch…I would never have written any of the Jason Saunders stories, a series I keep meaning to come back to.
So the husband says that this is a sign: that I should write another Saunders thing after I’m done with this book–but that I must finish this book.
Arrgghh.
But maybe I could learn a thing or two about persistence, faith, and tenacity from the Chabadniks.
WRITING OUT LOUD
GHOST IN THE MACHINE
Day 1: 4326 Day 11: 2500 Day 21: 1800 Day 31: 745
Day 2: 2085 Day 12: 500 Day 22: 0 Day 32: 0
Day 3: 3011 Day 13: 1000 Day 23: 2700 Day 33: 4000
Day 4: 2652. Day 14: 3700 Day 24: 3500 Day 34: 2800
Day 5: 3210 Day 15: 5630 Day 25: 1500 Day 35: 4500
Day 6: 3450 Day 16: 1060 Day 26: 0 Day 36: 4800
Day 7: 0 Day 17: 130 Day 27: 0 Day 37: 0
Day 8: 2756 Day 18: 0 Day 28: 380 Day 38: 450
Day 9: 4580 Day 19: 3000 Day 29: 390 Day 39: 1000
Day 10: 2670 Day 20: 2600 Day 30: 380
Blog Post: 1000
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What I’m Watching:
At the moment, I’m watching the Packers MAYBE wrap up this game against the Redskins. But I don’t count on anything. It’s the Freudian in me.
Earlier, I bagged Making a Murderer. I found it to be only fitfully interesting but mostly tedious and predictable, and since I was in Wisconsin when this case began, I know what happens; I know about the outrage, blah, blah. Okay, I got it. The filmmakers have an agenda; they bludgeoned me over the head with it, enough that I decided that life was too short.
So I started The Affair on the advice of a friend. So far, I’m . . . kind of interested? I mean, the initial setup–the cliched nature of the guy’s situation and all that–I was rolling my eyes, thinking, Someone thought this was a good idea? This is popular? Then we got to her POV, and I’m thinking, Okay, so the stereotypical male POV would be what gives this guy permission to…
So I’m interested. I think. I have to wait and see.
I’m just hoping they don’t kill off Joshua Jackson’s character. DON’T TELL ME IF THEY DO!!
***
What I’m Reading:
Was so tired last night, I think I got a page into Pet Sematary before dozing off.
***
What I’m Listening to:
14 by Peter Cline. So far, so good. OTOH, I also need to make time for the fourth episode of Serial. Again, I don’t think this is as compelling or interesting as last year’s story, but I’m still willing to listen.
***
Oh, and I baked today: Olive Oil Citrus, just turned out of the pan. I’ll dust with confectioner’s when it’s cool. But that crack? I have no idea how that happened.
