Full of things that have never been.

The full quote, by Rainer Maria Rilke, is “And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.”   It wasn't in one of his poems, but a letter to his wife, the sculptor Clara Westhoff, written on 1 January 1907.

What are my plans for 2023?  Many of them are the same as they have been, and which I listed last year:

• Cooking
• Reading
• Knitting and Crocheting
• Eating Ice Cream

What shall I do that is new, that "has never been"?  I have some ideas, but as always, there are lists available for those who need help.  Both Parade Magazine and NPR provide sample lists of resolutions.  Another site gives a list of "101 Things to Get Rid of on January 1st", and I am pleased at how many of the items I don't have.  I do have old toothbrushes and socks with holes, but I use these for cleaning - socks make great dusting mitts.

Thanks to a dyer/designer's blog I found the artist who created this list:

While cleaning out some things I found an old list from my congregation.  Surprisingly it contains only seventeen items; usually Jewish lists of this type include eighteen, because the word for "eighteen" in Hebrew is the same as the word for "life": חי (chai)

Again, many are things that I do.  Some are complicated; some are harder.  At the bottom is "Learn Something New".  While earlier they suggest the Hebrew language, there are other new things I can try.  I still haven't figured out what it might be.

So for the moment, these are my

Resolutions for 2023

Reading:  Of course!  I told Goodreads I would read 12 books, and on my  "Resolve to Read Giveaway" entry for Half Price Books I said 16, since they don't have you track.  I'd rather set the bar a bit lower when I am held accountable.  Personally, I am going to try for 18 again.  And yes, as with last year it will include the in-progress books, although first I want to read this one:

Just the title suggests it's a good starting place for a new year.

Completing UFOs:  I still have the second sock of the Magical Miniskeins set, but I am closing on completion as I'm in the leg portion:

Paused because I have to wind the next mini-skein.

While doing some organizing and sorting of things during the year, I've found some others.  Many others.  So quickest to hand as I write this post are a shawl, for which I think I know the pattern, and if not will start something else:

And the other baby blankets in the bin I pulled out when looking for yarn for Warm Up, America! items.

I may add to the list as the year progresses and I decide to work on other items, or just keep track of them as an unearthed UFO when I record their completion.  I know there's a blanket, and at least one other shawl, and at least one mini quilt top, plus one that is pieced but needs to be completed with backing, filling, and edging.

Cooking:  Yes, I'll be doing that.  Today I made hoppin' john (but with merguez instead of andouille sausage), and a blueberry pancake, both of which are traditional in my family.  I will keep making cheese soufflés when I visit my parents.  So what will be my new cooking challenge this year?  I think I'll try to cook once per month from one of the historical cooking YouTube channels I follow:  Tasting History, Townsends, English Heritage's "The Victorian Way" series.  And if I find others, I may try those too.  Franklin Habit has some cookery on his channel, and has blogged a few things, so I may try one of those as well.

Something New:  Still pondering.  I'll let you know what I decide.

The one on the right is from The Reader's Digest, in case you don't recognize the logo.

Looking Back

As many people do this time of year, I am looking back to see what I have accomplished.  Starting with my original set of resolutions, most of which I have accomplished.  As of the last day of 2022, I am still working on the second sock that was one of my carry-over UFOs:

That's just shy of the heel on the in-progress sock, with two or three rounds of the gusset to go before I could turn the heel.

According to the chart I kept, I finished fifty-two knitted or crocheted items this year, which works out to one per week.  Not a huge output compared to some, but satisfactory.  Three were for my grandmother and six for me, which should please my mother who thinks I make too many things to donate to charities or give to others and not enough for myself.

In terms of reading, I set the bar low, because the previous year I didn't find a good focus.  So I ended up exceeding my intentions, completely reading eighteen books:

I did read parts of others, two of which are pending to be finished in January (one at my bedside, one in my parents' guest room), and a couple which I gave up on without finishing.  Life is too short to read bad books.  Maybe they will be to somebody else's taste.

Am acquaintance posted that she read 73 books this year, so eighteen isn't much, but I am pleased with the number, especially since three had over 500 pages each.  Plus I do a lot of other reading, mostly periodicals.  I've been piling up the unread magazines and am working through them quite steadily.

Goodreads did an analysis of the books I read, which is a very eclectic assortment:

 

Back to the sock while I watch TCM's annual "Thin Man" marathon.  Part of the reason the sock is not further along is a very exciting Fiesta Bowl.  Sadly, U Michigan managed to keep their bowl games losing streak alive.

So this happened...........

One of the groups that sprang up online as a result of the pandemic is Plague Mask Players, which started as a group of actors frustrated when theatres shut down, and stayed shut.  They began performing the entire Shakespeare canon, and branched out into other less-known works, preferably by female authors, as time passed.  As the world began to open up they shifted to less frequent performances.

I knew a couple people who were part of the founders, and watched some early shows, and on a whim jumped into the 'casting' process - which consisted of the first ## persons to "Claim!" a role when the casting post opened.  While I've been part of theatre most of my life, most of that has been spend backstage (a bad role gave me serious stage fright early in high school, from which I've never really recovered) and I found that I thrive backstage, especially roles such as props and stage manager.  Of course there is very little need for these in a virtual theatre (except such props as each performer brings) so I've had to overcome my fears and learn to perform.  The upside of how PMP works is that it's just a reading, you don't have to learn blocking and memorize lines and all the things I find difficult.

So it's been fun, and while I couldn't be in every show, I've done a number of this season's performances.

At the end of the season they hold an awards ceremony, the Billy Awards:

I didn't attend last year's ceremony for some reason, and although I was nominated as part of a troupe, we didn't win.

This season, I was nominated for Best Stage Directions for the production of Antigone.  (I also jumped in last-minute to play a small role when the scheduled performer had a medical emergency, so was Creon's son in an "Almost Famous" sweatshirt - the sort of costume choice one makes on ten minutes' notice.)  I was a presenter for Best Props at the awards ceremony.  And I was surprised enough that I won for Stage Directions:

Then, towards the end of the ceremony, shortly before Best Production (for Alice in Wonderland, I think to nobody's surprise), this happened:

I think I am going to be in shock for some time to come.  One of the founders, producers, etc. said when posting about it after the ceremony:  "Special shout out to Margo Lynn who is our MVP! She is an invaluable member who embodies everything we are passionate about. She is all-in, always performs to the fullest, jumps in to help, and is a joy to watch."  For somebody who has been happiest behind the stage, to be recognized for performances is truly an utter shock.

Especially when I am part of this group of winners, several of whom won in multiple categories:

Christmakah

Today, Christmas and Channukah overlap.  I love these images:

My rabbi sent out this set of wishes, and I posted each one with a photo of my candles each night:

1.   May the candles brighten our hearts and souls and remind us of all the GOOD in our world.

2.   May they give us COURAGE to be ourselves and resist the latest trends around us.

3.  May the Shamos - the helper candle -remind us that we can HELP spread light in our darkened world, we must help others.

4.  May we TRUST that there will be enough. That what we have is enough. That what we are is enough. For that cruse of oil that shouldn't have sufficed, sufficed.

5.  May the give us HOPE - All too often we are told, there is no more oil left to burn when there is - “The proper response that Chanukah teaches is not to curse the darkness, but to light a candle.”

6.  May we have FAITH - as we light these candles. Remember we light the candles when it is darkest.

7.   May we SHARE our light with others. We are taught that we should place our menorah on our windowsills, so that the light invades the darkened streets and alleys.

8.  May we remember that our future has not been written yet. If our observance of this holiday strengthened our bonds to our past and to those around us, if we can focus on the light over the dark, if we can share the light with others and brighten our world, and if we can REDEDICATE ourselves to that which is holy, then our observance of Chanukah was meaningful and worthy. 

I hope that whichever holiday you celebrate, you have warmth and peace and light.

Time and Team.

I have been busy with work and other things, so this will be a short post and I'll try to catch up later this month.  As I told somebody, about the only break I had all week was performing in an online version of "Alice in Wonderland" - which was fun, and I was glad to have a fairly small part so I could enjoy the other performances.  As somebody who is usually backstage, the creativity of real performers always amazes me.

A friend posted something about a gift I'd sent last Christmas, and I want to add a bit to it.  We're both fans of Time Team, something to which my friends introduced me during a visit to their home, because they like to watch shows while they eat supper.  Being a curious person who loves history and mysteries, I became addicted to the series as well.  And when they announced that they would bring the group back together, I was as excited as anybody.

On October 23, 2021, they asked people for thoughts about their return.   Here's what I posted:

"What am I most excited about with Time Team returning, and why?" I like seeing how the team pulls archaeology, geophysics, and everything together to give a complete picture of the people of a location and how they live. Too often seeing it in videos or museums or books it's just "here's a thing" and it's hard to see it in context and understand why it's important other than being an old thing. I love seeing the excitement of finds and the realization of how the puzzle pieces come together, even when it's not the expected picture in the end. 

You can read the rest of the story on my friend's blog.

Patriarchal Preparations.

This Friday brought another lay-led service at my congregation.  This month my co-leader wanted to handle the service so I did the d'var Torah, a short interpretation of or perspective on the parasha (Biblical passage) of the week.  In the Jewish tradition we read through the Torah, or Pentateuch, every year, with a specific passage every week.  So as you can imagine, it can be difficult to find something new to say.

I read what had been said in the past, and some current commentaries.  In the opening, I mentioned a number of these, but deleted those paragraphs here, and am providing just the final result, which really resonated for me - probably why it became my focus:

Parasha Vayishlach offers many options for somebody wishing to discuss its lessons.  We are most familiar with the story of Jacob meeting Esau after many years apart:  How Jacob and his household wait at the side of the river; how he goes off by himself and has a vision, then wrestles with an angel, who gives him a new name – and how we know the supposed man is a messenger of G-d because only G-d gives names; then the reconciliation and parting of the brothers.

I originally decided take inspiration from the beginning of 32:25: “Now Jacob was left alone”.  Then I noticed that 32:8 says that the previous night “Jacob was terrified.”  But look at what he does next.

Jacob doesn’t fall on his face in prayer.  He doesn’t bewail the situation.  We don’t read of him speaking to his family, or taking council with his wives and household leaders.  He doesn’t send for help.  Instead, Jacob takes action.

 He prepares.  He plans.  He isn’t frozen by his fear, he considers options and implements the one that he thinks has the best chance of success.  Yes, he does pray – but only after he separates his household into two camps.  Only after he prepares for what could happen when his brother arrives.  Instead of asking for inspiration, he asks to be saved from what could happen, and reminds G-d that he is following G-d’s requests, that he has apparently been favored by G-d, and that he hopes the preparations will be successful.

G-d does not answer.  Jacob does not get instructions the way Noah did (to build an ark) or that Abram gets with the Akedah.  And when morning comes, Jacob makes more preparations.  He sends a series of gifts to his brother, and then puts his family and remainder of his household across the river, while he awaits his brother.  Jacob makes all these preparations – and this time, he does not ask G-d for a sign.  Instead, Jacob takes some time to be alone.

Many people have read Jacob’s wrestling as a metaphor, as Jacob makes the final decisions before the reunion with his brother.  Whether real or imagined, the key to me is that Jacob is alone, without anybody to help him, or with whom he can discuss his decisions.  He has no sounding board, for even in the description of the wrestling, there is no record of any communication.  They only converse when the angel has to leave, at dawn.  And then Jacob walks back to his family and household, limping and alone.

As he does so, Jacob sees Esau approaching, and he makes one final preparation, to organize his family and household, before his brother arrives.  He still doesn’t know whether Esau will welcome him or fight, but Jacob has considered and prepared for all possibilities.  Again, we see that Jacob doesn’t pray for instructions.  It is, in many ways, like the final shuffling of pages or check of a slideshow presentation before ascending a podium or going onstage.  Many of us have the times when we have prepared all we can, and we don’t know until the event begins whether it is enough.

I take all of this as a recommendation that when you are faced with a daunting situation, especially one that terrifies you, you should tamp down the fear; prepare as much as possible; then take a few minutes to calm yourself before stepping into the unknown.  When you do, may the result be as positive as the one that Jacob received, in Chapter 33:4, when “Esau … ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him.  And [the brothers] burst into tears.”

Jacob Sees Esau Coming to Meet Him
James Jacques Joseph Tissot, circa 1896-1902
The Collection of the Jewish Museum

It wasn't clear until Friday afternoon whether my co-leader had arranged for challah, so since I was baking bread I made a mini-loaf to take if needed.  She advised that she made challah to bring, so I have mine, but it came out fairly well for a first attempt at this design:

Unbaked on the left; baked on the right.

The majority of the dough went into a regular loaf for slicing:

Dough in two simple twists.  I did the previous loaf in eight
balls set in two rows of four and wanted to try something different.

Twists side-by-side in the pan, ready to rise.  I wasn't trying
for a fake braid, but they worked out this way.

Baked loaf.

Thankfuls, Part 4

Wrapping up this month:

27:  Museums! I cannot remember how old I was the first time I went*, but it was the days before children's museums, so I went to the regular ones on Best Behaviour and was introduced to science and art and history of all kinds. I am not shopping for #MuseumStoreSunday as I don't need things and don't know people who need anything this year (we already have all the "Museum Nerd" swag) but you should as they have really cool items.

* My mother told me that I was two years old: "You were two and I prepared you for a visit to the Art Institute by showing you pictures of some of what we'd see. We got to the top of the stairs and you looked at the painting in front of you and said in your two year old voice 'Oh, El Greco.' The several nuns standing there just about fainted."

The Assumption of the Virgin (1577–1579)

28:  Music!  Do I really need to explain it?  My first concert was also when I was two years old, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in residence at the Ravinia Festival.

29:  Books, and authors, and libraries.  The wonder of reading**.

30:  The ability to see.  I've never taken it for granted - you don't when you are so myopic that you began testing as legally blind (without corrective lenses) at around age six, plus I have astigmatism, plus cataracts, so I am very aware of vision.    A number of years ago (yes, earlier than many people expect to hear about it, but that's the way of my family, see Day #21, the memory from 2012) I had my cataracts removed, and they were able to correct 12 diopters of my vision, which means I am only about 2.50-2.75 diopters of correction which translates to around 20/225 vision.  I cannot tell you what it would have been before, as most of the conversion charts stop around -6.00 diopters.  I am also very thankful for a skilled doctor who performed the surgeries, and also the people who keep improving the process.  I still find wonder in the power and gift of sight.

** As of today I have finished fifteen books this year, most of which I started this year.  That is three more than the number to which I committed on GoodReads, where I guessed at doing a book a month.  Some months I didn't finish any; other months I finished two.  Given that two of the recent ones were from the "Historical Whodunits" series, and around 500 pages each, I think it's an acceptable accomplishment.