I’m tired but I’ll write even before I eat dinner. Life is returning to normal. Yesterday I went to my first seder since the before times. I made what will hopefully once again be my annual trek to Norwalk Connecticut to celebrate Pesach with my once-a-year family. This year was a bit weird, as we are just returning to normal, not at normal. My once a year family is the family of my sister’s high school boyfriend and her college roommate. She of course introduced them. What makes it weird as my sister wasn’t there. She’s out of practice and bought theater tickets. I have the Jewish holidays on my Google Calendar, so I don’t do that. She wasn’t the only usual attendee missing so we had less than half our usual crowd. One person missed it because he has COVID-19. This is close enough for normal for me. I have my personalized Haggadah, I have funny toys on the table representing the plagues, I have a kazoo, what the host doesn’t hand out kazoos at your seder? Is that OK with Reform Jews? And I have people I love. We go through a very modern yet traditional seder. It always makes me relate to holiday to the present. This year we had sunflowers on the table as that’s the national flower of Ukraine. I’m an atheist and don’t think there’s a god judging me on whether or not a take part in the seder. I do it for the same reason I read the Declaration of Independence every July 4th. It’s to remind me to think of what the holiday represents, for Pesach that means freedom. I think of it as Jewish Thanksgiving. There’s also chocolate matzoh, how can I have forgotten to mention that before. I took the train back to New York with one of the hosts’ daughters, her dog, and her friend. I should have mentioned the dog earlier. There is nothing better than other people’s dogs and children.
There’s an idiot story. I can take the train from the nearby Botanical Gardens station, I have to walk down to Fordham, over a mile away. That’s nothing, not a big deal, I just have to leave the time. I should say that “usually that’s not a big deal;” last night it was because I’m an idiot. When I left the house, it was 66º. I put a jacket on even though it was a bit warm with it on because I knew it would be cooler when I came home. Too bad I didn’t check the weather forecast. It was 46º when I got back, with a windchill of 42º and worst of all it was raining. I of course had no umbrella. I did have a baseball cap as I never go out with my head uncovered. I either want to keep it warm or keep the sun off it. Yesterday was about sun when I left and rain and warmth when I came home.
Today I went to a senior center on the Upper West Side to see Christine Lavin. My first thought was that I hadn’t seen her since the plague started but I saw her in November. Ellen was at both shows. This was my first time seeing Susan since the before times. It was my first time seeing Betsy Franco Feeney since years before the before times. If you are fan of Christine’s, you have probably seen her. She made a book of Christine’s song, Amoeba Hop. She illustrated it and included “real science.” It won a science education award and the seal of approval of the American Society of Microbiologists, “that’s a real club. Betsy brings out a giant copy of the book and turns the pages and Chris sings the song. I of course got singled out when Chris did the Jeopardy theme song and joined her onstage for Sensitive New Age Guys. I should put that on my resume. Don White is the only one that might have joined her more than me. Chris taught us napkin folding during the intermission. I hope I remember how to do it. I decided that’s a great first date gambit.
After the show I walked down to Columbus Circle from 73rd street to catch the D train. It was cool but a beautiful day. I had great timing with the train so there are no commuting horror stories. This was a quite easy place for me to get to. It’s been a great weekend. Now I have to make dinner and prepare Gord’s Gold. I haven’t even finished sequencing it yet. I’ll record it tomorrow. Chag Sameach everyone, not just those celebrating. I want everyone to be happy.
Wise Madness 