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We went to see "Priest" this evening. A fun post-apocalyptic vampire flick, heavy on the anti-Church sentiment, dismemberment and dark, skanky places. Karl Urban is lovely in long-toothed veneer and glowing green contact lenses. Paul Bettany really does it with the Bladrunner noir feel and looks great in bruises and a light smattering of blood. The priestess is kickass, too. Oh the angst, oh the PTSD.
Today involved errands and hair cuts and yes! more packing.
Yesterday, we went down into LA to see a friend's son become ordained as a rabbi. It was uplifting, when various folks weren't being long-winded in their welcome. Seriously - 5 people needed to give us speeches of welcome? The kid will be a great rabbi and the exhortation from the dean and a couple of various sponsors on what it means to be a rabbi and teacher were things I could hold close to my heart, too.
We got home and packed up the chickens and took them up to their new home. I joke about our dearly departed flock, which is now in a better place. I'm not kidding - their new home is painted robin's egg blue, has individual laying boxes, a crystal chandelier, a mural of Tuscany on the wall and lacy curtains made of oil-cloth. I have lived in apartments both smaller and less well-appointed. They are in a terrific place and will be even more spoiled, although likely to get less pizza crust, which is a chicken's natural food.
Saturday was errands and the like and then a graduation party for 2 of my kids, one of whom has been my mentee. We had a lovely time chatting with lots of folks we know from the temple AND being told how much we have influenced them or their kids or their families for good. It was like being handed bouquets of roses again and again - with cookies!
Friday night we had Shabbat dinner with one of my friends/teachers, then went down to Sinai Temple in LA for Craig Taubman's "Friday Night Live". It's a once a month musical service that draws almost 2,000 people. HUMONGOUS temple. The music was great and the sermon by Rabbi David Wolpe was astonishing for its brevity and its depth. Seriously, one 5 minute sermon and we are still discussing it and ruminating about its message. The whole feel was very much a Jewish tent revival experience. It's not a way I could pray often, but it was a particular charge of energy. (Although I still have issues with using Leonard Cohen's Halleluiah for Shabbes - I think the song is gorgeous but the tone is a little too stark for the message of Shabbat, imho).
That's it from the Left Coast.