It's just like Mardi Gras... only without the purple and gold.
I've been celebrating two holidays lately, St. Patrick's Day (probably the biggest drinking holiday in mainstream America) and Purim (easily the biggest drinking holiday in Judaism). I think I should get an award for getting through both of these holidays without drinking any alcohol -- like, World's Most Sober, or something? At Judaism class on Thursday night, we studied Purim, and Rabbi B very theatrically told us all the megillah story. He kept pushing us to boo louder and louder at Haman's name, not just after it, but over it ("You have to anticipate when I'm about to say it!") since the mitzvot is actually to block it out. It was fun, but I was pretty near boo'ed out by the time class was over!
Today was the day of the local St. Patrick's Day parade. I walked in it with some other volunteers from the Humane Society, and while it was a lot of fun, it was so different from the Mardi Gras parades that I grew up attending. It was a lot smaller and shorter, and there was a big rule about not throwing candy. I thought at first that the parade-organizers must be kidding, but they were totally serious! You were supposed to hand candy to the parade-goers instead -- something you'd never see at a Mardi Gras parade, where getting smacked on the head with hard candy and running into the street to pick it up were part of the experience.
I got there a little late to walk a dog, so they handed me a big bag of candy instead. I won't have minded at all if I could've thrown it, but handing it out was darn hard work! I spent the whole parade scrambling to give candy to every kid and running to keep up with the adoption mobile. It was hectic, but fun. At some point, I remembered that sharing treats is another mitzvot of Purim, and I started saying "Happy Purim!" to every kid I gave candy to. There were also some really cool costumes and decorations, and I liked getting to walk through downtown. I rarely go into that part of the city, and there were some really cool old buildings and architecture. I wish I could've taken pictures, but it was just too crazy. It was predicted to rain today, and it did, but fortunately, the rain didn't start until after the parade was over. I was so exhausted from it when I got home, I opened up my window to listen to the rain, and napped away the afternoon. (As always, I was up too late last night writing fanfiction.)
I think it's finally safe to say that winter is over, so today, I folded up all my sweaters and heavy winter clothes, put them away in the back of my closet, and broke out my t-shirts! It was such a great feeling and incredibly overdue!!! This winter was probably the most grueling of my whole life, even worse than that winter I spent in France. There was just so much snow and ice. I haven't gone bike-riding in so long, but I'm determined to change that tomorrow! I want to start biking to Shabbat services again soon, and the hilly route to temple was pretty grueling last summer, so my goal is to do it more often this year. It's gotta get easier at some point, right?
Today was the day of the local St. Patrick's Day parade. I walked in it with some other volunteers from the Humane Society, and while it was a lot of fun, it was so different from the Mardi Gras parades that I grew up attending. It was a lot smaller and shorter, and there was a big rule about not throwing candy. I thought at first that the parade-organizers must be kidding, but they were totally serious! You were supposed to hand candy to the parade-goers instead -- something you'd never see at a Mardi Gras parade, where getting smacked on the head with hard candy and running into the street to pick it up were part of the experience.
I got there a little late to walk a dog, so they handed me a big bag of candy instead. I won't have minded at all if I could've thrown it, but handing it out was darn hard work! I spent the whole parade scrambling to give candy to every kid and running to keep up with the adoption mobile. It was hectic, but fun. At some point, I remembered that sharing treats is another mitzvot of Purim, and I started saying "Happy Purim!" to every kid I gave candy to. There were also some really cool costumes and decorations, and I liked getting to walk through downtown. I rarely go into that part of the city, and there were some really cool old buildings and architecture. I wish I could've taken pictures, but it was just too crazy. It was predicted to rain today, and it did, but fortunately, the rain didn't start until after the parade was over. I was so exhausted from it when I got home, I opened up my window to listen to the rain, and napped away the afternoon. (As always, I was up too late last night writing fanfiction.)
I think it's finally safe to say that winter is over, so today, I folded up all my sweaters and heavy winter clothes, put them away in the back of my closet, and broke out my t-shirts! It was such a great feeling and incredibly overdue!!! This winter was probably the most grueling of my whole life, even worse than that winter I spent in France. There was just so much snow and ice. I haven't gone bike-riding in so long, but I'm determined to change that tomorrow! I want to start biking to Shabbat services again soon, and the hilly route to temple was pretty grueling last summer, so my goal is to do it more often this year. It's gotta get easier at some point, right?