nourish the nurturer

its been a busy month. On this overcast drizzly day I'm making red lentil soup with butternut squash and carrots that I'm going to add tumeric, cumin, lemon juice, garlic, spinach and olive oil

People are calling for bodywork, so want to find a space to practice in. the palace that I am in is a possibility, but I want to respect boundaries when its someone from the community. Its an intimate thing to come into other peoples spaces, but I seem to navigate it well.

Things were slow at Title 9, getting more comfortable with the computer, still have a lot to learn about bras and support. A woman came in needing a double DD-she said she was an E in England. Wow, wouldn't know about that. Makes me look at things differently-what we carry around. An Indian woman came in yesterday with her boyfriend, he spoke to me about creating a bra with a nipple guard so they don't show. Things that don't pass through my consciousness.
Yes, I want to buy a lot of the periwinkle tops by Horny Toad. Customers and staff are waiting for the halter print dress by Pattagucchi to come into the store.

angels exist

I depend on them for helping me get to work on time. Its not that I don't wake up early enough,I get involved with projects-like in the kitchen and head downhill 10 minutes late. I got a ride from a man from Tibet. bless his soul.

Creative collaboration

Tonight was the shul's fundraiser La Vie Que Rit-fancy food and entertainment. On the subject of food, it was too much work. The caterer is a person with a lot of vision, and gets caught up in the details. The marzipan mice and shortbread cookies that looked like swiss cheese were nice, but a lot of work. Less is more. The highlight is seeing people in the community get up and perform. We are fortunate to have such talented Rabbis-the Chabad Rabbi, Rabbi Ferris has a band called the Ferris wheels, and he is one cool cat. Rabbi Creditor, the new Rabbi of Netivot Shalom played the guitar and sang soulfully. I hope that one day they will sing at my wedding. The Purple Prophetess gave a performance she hoped would be more polished, but it is a process

Been burning the candle at both ends, and I have a lot to heal with my nerves and stress. Definitely have a Vata imbalance to take care of. My goal is to get a massage this week-I would like to check out Aruveda.

nourishing the nurturer

I got some clarity why I start eating foods I usually wouldn't want to eat when babysitting.Honey nut cheerios and milk is a comforting thing I'm at my friend's house and its well stocked with all kinds of kosher goodies, like Seitan Teriyaki strip, I just had a Lime Mesquite primal stip, its satisfying my primal cravings. I am always curious to know what people eat-or at least fill their cupboards with. In the processed packaged department, there's LARA bars, fruit and nut bars. I am learning more about refigerator efficiency-how to stock one and use whats in it. There are hoarders-those who collect small bits of leftovers with the idea that one day its going to be used-thats me. I am getting my ways reformed with the people I live with. If its in the fridge, move it or lose it.

I'm digging listening to the music, playing Kabbalah Dream Orchestra, which my friend Dan Fries worked on. Yeah.

Its Farmers market day, but its been raining on and off. Silly-or very optomistic me left the house without any raingear.

our saviour

from cleaning mold to babysitting for a mom who'd daughter is in the hospital, Alona is here! juar had a trying moment with the middle child-I let her watch a dvd too long and she had a meltdown from not eating. ok breathe. she wants a banana. got to go make a rice cake with avocado
she's telling me to open her stainless steel kleen canteen
she's very articulate, she had me put on a bandaid on her finger(not bleeding) and made sure it was wrapped around. around.

hitchiking

How come no one hitchikes anymore? Sometimes my long legs don't get me to where I need to go fast enough,so I've been standing at bus stops, sticking my thumb out in the cold weather. The manager at work laughs at the image of me in the hills waiting for a ride. I've had a few angels take compassion on me, and hopefully I'm helping them by helping me. Valerie, the woman who picked me up in her red rental car this morning, turned around to come pick me up. bless her soul. We had a great conversation, sharing the Breema principles with her, and I got to class a few moments late. It takes a little holy chutzpah to go over and ask people who are getting in their cars or already in them-doesn't always work as well-for a ride in the direction they are going in. Most people are self absorbed-speaking on the phone, driving way too fast to notice. The greatest thing you can do is someone a favor.

TuB'shvat

I hosted a lovely seder last night with honored guestsAvishai and Vivianna, Judith and Scott, who came from Pt. Reyes, Keith a friend of Judith's, Loolwa, my Iraqi sista, and Andrew. We feasted on nuts, pomegranates, pomelo, orange,dates, olives pear, coconut butter...I had people introduce themselves and what they brought, and the source of it. Got to clean up...We sang, we shared our visions, definitely fun. Its been drizzling and cold. Went for a hike today near Cordinices park and fell on my behind-mud on my skirt. Paraded through the farmers market with that statement. May we see fruits from what we nurture.

to elevate the sparks

I better get to sleep so I can nap for 2 hours before the sun is up. I had a fantastic time at the party. It was a hat party with the theme of vintage,so it was fun to see how people got into the theme. I wore a cream satin hat with no brim that people commented looked gypsy. I had the elegant Bohemian gypsy look. Fun to dance.Its all energy, got to know where to put it. Being highly critical, I am quick to judge that a lot of behavior in the room is self indulgent-dancing, drinking, flirting. I was able to see things in a different way, to see it as an opportunity to elevate sparks; wishing people a shavua tov, sharing a Torah about TuB"shvat, giving blessings. I would not have felt comfortable at the party a year ago. Now, my approach is to listen and hear where people are coming from so I can have an understanding. I was able to shift my consciousness from half empty to half full-the party is an opportunity to connect, to be part of community, I don't need to judge that people (myself included) have commitment isues. That takes some sensitivity,"I'm on fire about plugging people in. One man said to me," I have regrets I didn't marry a Jew." echos in my heart. If only people had a more positive identification being a Jew, to be proud.

rockin' shabbos

Its Saturday night and we're getting ready to go to a hat party in SF. Shabbat is truly a vitamin for the soul-great food eating food that Alexis made-homemade pitta, babaganoj, fennel salad, salmon with olives, hamuod-a vegetable sauce. My whole wheat challah turned out dense. Great to have dinner again with Dan who recently came back from Israel, and Linda who was there recently. We walked to Chochhat HaLev-singing onthe sidewalk, and then blissed out singing from my soul. Services are too long. I have had enough about discussing boys-enough already. Woke up early, went to self breema class, went to Chabad for Torah reading, a potluck up the street to Daniel Lev's house and joined other Maggids. Great to share Torahs, I am in my power as a priestess and a sourceress-connected to the source A good discussion with Avram Davis about sexuality and lack of commitment in the community.-to have learning on that. Went to Willard park with a frisbee, joined Allie from NZ, Greg, and Anuk from India. We joined forces with another group of people and got a game going. afterwards we joined a music jam on the grass. I'm off to dance.

Mold madness

I traveled twice across the bridge in a Prius-the second time driving to the airport. I got to briefly visit the 95 year old woman who I am doing an oral history at the Jewish home for the aged. I don't know what I would want to lose first, body functioning or mind? A friend of mine called me to help her out cleaning the mold in her bathroom-she's had a sinus infection and thought it would help. I must confess, I get great delight cleaning spaces that get transformed. Secret weapons-hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and grapefruit seed extract. She cooked dinner-a nourishing bowl of quinoa and steamed broccoli with basil, garlic and hemp seed oil. I'm preparing for shabbos kodesh, so ready to rock out and sing-making some challah that I hope will rise and tahina.

sensory overload

I am presently at Macworld 2008. what is a hi touch person doing in a high tech place? its a chance to connect with my dad, who I am reminded is the king of Chachkes. He's collecting pens I'm a bit overwhelmed. photoshoppodcastsinferface connect. As we walk around, he says to me,"hold on, hold on." how hard is it to lose track of an almost 6 foot woman wearing an orange hat.
I'm sitting on a white leather couch in the blogger lounge, think its time to go back into the wild world of info. a brief respite from the load on my shoulders. I spotted a friend bye!

fermentation fun

I am a tired girl. I matzah ball soup at the kosher deli to warm up my hands. Went to the Berkeley farmers market. Got home now from a 3 hr fermentation class on making kimchi, learned about kombucha, and my intestines are saying hello! I'm alive. Welcome to the revolution, bringing what our great grandparents used to practice. I got to get some sleep. found out there's going to be a raw 5 course seder with the shivat minim-or at least I can think of with dates, pomegranates, figs and olives. We'll see how well it gets organized. For events to succeed there needs to be some delegation and a Virgo like me.

farmers market fun

My hands are cold! I'm sitting outside the ferry building in SF. There's a farmers market here on Tues. Food is not cheap. I'm enjoying connecting with the people who bring the food to the city. Bought dried pluots and rainer cherries I met a colorfully dressed Israeli woman who is living in San Jose Tasted chocolate covered almond paste-off the hook. The fog is starting to burn off here. I'm going to head back to the E. bay and cruise the other market.

good stuff

Eli B, I think you are one of the few readers. where in the world are you? NY area? Pomegranate wine sounds good. Anyways, I'm going to a fermenting class to learn about making pickles. Yes, a sip of high quality wine that is actually made in the Santa Cruz Mtns by a man named Binyomin Cantz is the ticket. Check out Four Gates Winery. Do you have a recepie for a 7 species salad?-make sprouted wheat with pomegranate seeds, olive oil, figs, dates, and got to get the barley in there

on the work front, I just scored a Timbuktu Messenger bag. I am a bit burdened by bags, especially with a bicycle and traveling on BART, but I do it.

growth, renewal

Sunshine! clear skies. yay. went across the bay to Marin to sub at hebrew school. the Rabbi leading tefilla did not do it for me. It was easy since they had a Green Day.Stories, dance, and an engaging scavenger hunt.I'm going to make sure that they are not saying borei pri hagafen over Capri sun lemonade drink or oj. Then to work where everything is rearranged with the new spring shipment. Yes, what is our holy princess working in retail? Yes, she would like to be the in store model. Its fun, get to see women I know. A customer who was in a hurry was rude to me and had no patience for my lack of proficiency on the register. I'm not taking it personally.
I saved the day stopping off at the Beit Midrash-I wasn't even there for kiddush-and the place was a sty-ants on the floor. I'm really ready to teach a class on cleaning B'simcha-its a segula for parnassa! shalom bayit, and meeting your zivug. I think I win the Aishet Chayil award for the week.

Now, to respond to the comment on fermented foods. Obviously you're not from planet Berkeley that when I hear fermented I'm thinking pickles, kimchi, and kombucha. You're thinking beer. No, no, its time to take care of the digestion.
off to bed, throwing the liver off balance. too much creativity to channel to sleep, but, got to get a little unconscious.

shabbat charges the batteries

I definitely needed shabbat this week. I baked whole wheat challah, I'm listening to Adi Ran.-Eze Kef l'hiot yehudi....I'm looking forward to a week of subbing hebrew school, learning about fermenting foods, and appreciating whats growing after the rain. Saw some wild looking mushrooms!I appreciated a kale salad that was marinated with ginger, garlic, olive oil, and honey, as well as a squash souffle-better than the sugary sweet from the kiddush in shul. I got a lot to say on changing what we serve...a small group will change the masses. And why so much talk at the table about food? WW points? Its better than politics.

do I need this?

I went shopping at Trader Joes yesterday, and I bought several things that I don't need, nor is necessarily food-vegan soy frozen sandwiches-like the healthy version of toffuti cuties, flax seed chips. come on what do I really need? organic carrots? I got dried cherries lkavod TuB'shvat. I was able to exercise restraint and put back the chocolate covered expresso beans. I miss the farmers market. I want beets and greens.

a busy day

yes, what to do when your coworkers are coughing around you? Eat lots of garlic? My cold is clearing up B'h. As well as the weather, some blue skies. Chodesh Shvat is here, and feeling the energy of creativity and manifesting the vision. I just made some delicious tahina with parsley-that has vitamin C, and lentils and rice, which I hope will keep me fueled for the next few days. A long quiet day at work, listened to a lot of Tracey Chapman-mellow music-and one song that's not Tracy is in my head. The coolest aspect of my job is the conversations I am having with the manager who was born in Mexico raised as a Jehovahs Witness,and told me me that her great grandmother is Jewish but was a converso.
I started work in a womens sportswear store-and its feeding the gashmiut monster a bit. We are here to enjoy material things, and raise them up, not be consumed by them. I got to give myself a little slack that I live simply, but not not have conspumtion guilt.
Off to sleep for the adventures I have tomorrow.

Shabbos

I'm recovering from my cold, eating pomegranates definitely helped, as well as my friend's chicken soup. The syngagouge has a community wide lunch with learning for shabbat mevorchim, and I dislike that its buffet style and not family style. The food could use some improvement. The cholent wasn't well cooked, and had huge hunks of carrots and zucchini and peas. What's a mechaya is that the plasticware is compostable. My shabbat specialty is parsley, garlic in olive oil, known as sparlic at some tables. One person at the table commented, its like having garlic bread. yeah

returning to rain

Earlier today I was walking in Carmel Valley in a t-shirt. Now its raining, which is much needed. I have a bit of a cold that is going around-I thought I would be immune. My friend Rolinda who teaches Breema in Jerusalem is in town with her husband, so it was great to come home to the palace that I am presently dwelling in and have a California style dinner of salmon and asparagus. the conversation went to antioxidants and pomeegranates. Pomegranate syrup was used on the barbequed salmon. Lavender ice cream for dessert-delicious! It would be good to tank up on pomegranate juice.. Wishing everyone a Good shabbos.

the simple life

I'm appreciating getting out of the urban environment for a few days and staying with my friend's parents down in Carmel Valley. I can see stars at night-sparkling, the awesomeness of the ocean's waves and the hills. Its good to get out of town and have inspiration from Hashem's creations and declare Ma Gadlu Massechaya
Its knowing wherever we are as Jews we can elevate and appreciate what is around us. Its not really wanderlust that I have, its a desire to live life simply in a seemingly complex world. Where I'm staying there is a woodburning stove, and we're eating lots of locally grown, seasonal vegetables like kabocha squash, beets, and greens.
Its good to be simple, I do have an appreciation for nice things, and went a little gaga in the shoe store-I've been wearing the same pair of shoes from Payless Shoe source for the past 3 months, so I thought it was ok to check out what's out there. L'kavod shabbos.