Wow it's Early

Never one to shirk my duties, I was at shul at 12:50 this past Motzei Shabbos as you probably were. I listen to the announcment that Daf is 5:30 the rest of the week, and on Friday it will be 5:00. How can I do teshuvah while being tired and irratable?

Elul, Girls, Vacation & Zodiac

OK where to start... This past week, we went on vacation. To some this means Florida, Virginia, or who knows what else. My family goes to upstate NY. Our first stop was to visit some family in Woodridge, NY. We had a great time, and I enjoyed the shul a lot. Not so much because of the spectacular davening, but the really beautiful murals of the Jewish Zodiac they have painted across the top of the shul. You don't find to many murals downstate in "frummy" shuls (of which I am a member). We then went on to spend a great week with some family in Rochester. My kids love it there because they can play outside and with other kids on the block w/0 having to worry to much about cars, abductions, and other things you find more of in Brooklyn (the worst being Brooklyn land mines left by people who don't clean up after their dogs). The Shul I davened in in the mornings has always been a nice building, having originally been a church. The shul is even called St. Regis at times, being located on N St. Regis Drive. What I always liked was the chandeliers. They also have the Zodiac images on them. I was curious how these things relate to not making an image, because if I wasn't Jewish, it would be a curious thing to see murials and images of Virgins, Centaurs, and other things you don't find in a typical Brooklyn shul. How interesting that Elul is the Virgin and this ARTICLE about not wearing make-up appears. Make your own damned inferences! anyway, here is a LINK I found from Ohr Somayach about the Zodiac. Hat tip to Lion of Zion for sharing my feelings of wedding make up!

It's Been A While, and We're still Here

It's been some time since I got a chance to post, time being the major obstacle.

So once again, it's September and Elul. I can't believe the summer is gone...

Well, didn't YOU think the geulah was coming? I know Mrs. LFD was looking down the street by Birchas HaChamah expecting Moshiach to come at any second (isn't he supposed to be riding a donkey or is that another JUB Jewish Urban Myth). Personally, I was always curious to ask someone in their late 80-90's about maintaining bitachon and seeing wild world changing events so frequently this past 100 years. Let's hope for a good year!

And Tonight is Ladies Night!

This post is dedicated (wow!) to my friends E & D who Mrs. LFD & I have had the pleasure of having them as guests at our house. E & D are sisters, one of whom I met one summer while she was doing a summer school stint for the NYCDOE. E is an occupational therapist. When I see another orthodox Jew at my school, I always invite them over for a Shabbos meal, and E told me her sister would come over with her the first time. A good friendship was established through cholent, chicken soup, and rotisserie chicken (yes they have come for evening & day meals).
Anyway, E & D are interesting, and well versed. If I was to be forced to categorize them, they would be a little left of center, which brings me to my next point (this is a rambling kind of post). I find that there are two kinds of Orthodox Jews when it comes to learning about Judaism. The first is the kind of person who learns from shall we say, the Artscroll versions of what frum Judaism is all about. These kind of people by their nature, (and I feel I’m one of them some of the time) will move to the right of center. The other kinds end up more like Lion of Zion, who is, in my opinion is extremely well versed, as well as demonstrates a better understanding of early and modern Jewish history. Most right wingers that I know don’t. Now me, I do like to question, and find out. There are some who read and learn and “tow the party line”. I hope that I’m enough of an individual that I can pendulum around left and right to see all points of view. Back to E & D. E told me that she’d had an interesting experience davening at a Ladies Minyan in Flatbush. That she went was kind of cool, in my opinion, although I have to admint it made me uncomfortable. Why? I’m not sure. I don’t know how I’d feel if Mrs. LFD went to a Ladies Minyan. Is it halachically acceptable? From what I have learned, it is. It just is not what I’m used to. Maybe that’s how a BT feels when they learn a new halachah. I don’t know. Last time E & D ate over, E told me she was going to go to the minyan again, and she would guest post. I don’t know if she did yet, but this reminded me: http://www.vosizneias.com/35041/2009/07/15/jerusalem-orthodox-feminist-movement-gaining-ground/.
Well E, if you went, you owe me a post! And when are you coming over again? Hope it’s soon! And you could always bring some Stella Doro cookies.

Oy Gevald!

Say it "Aint" so! While perusing the Yesiva World News, I saw that Streimel cookies may soon be no more. The Stella Doro are my favorite cookie. For a while, they tried to go milchig, but then went back to the tried and true parve. Please excuse me for reading YWN, but it's a good source for important things... like Stella Doro cookies. Maybe Kitov or Mishpacha could come out with a pale "heimishe" imitation. On second thought, why ruin good memories.

You Go Kid!

This Shabbos my brother was over for lunch along with some other friends of ours. My brother, like me has an aversion to veggies. I personally don't care what others eat, and Mrs. LFD & I try to have a number of greens on the table. My brother who likes to have his opinions heard stated aloud that the reason Karbanos are all animals is because meat is tastier than things that come from the ground. My son, who is always one step ahead pipes up and says:
"First of all, BIKURIM, second, the Korbon Mincha is wheat wich is grown and was bought every day!".
Smart kid!

So it's summer

I ran into Jacob Da Jew today who gave me a reprimand for being so conspicuously absent. I have been doing some work for an online company and it's taken much of my time. Sorry.
Some points I've been meaning to write about:
1. Mrs. LakewoodFallingDown and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary!
2. Two weeks ago's Daf talks about having a Sela coin that gets rubbed out. The Gemorah tells us an appropriate way to get damaged coinage off of the market is to make a hole in it an give to to your son or daughter to wear. So jewelry for men (and boys) was promoted. It made me feel good, because I am the only one in m Shul that wears a ring.
3. I had the foresight to buy sand toys for a beach wedding we attended, and my kids, nieces and nephews had a blast digging by the Chuppah.
4. I love when everyone empties out to the mountains. I can find parking in Brooklyn.
5. I did Monster Island for this years cultural fair in public school. Give things a latitude and longitude, add some pictures, and anything can be believed (the native food was Soylent Green).
6. Our tuition bill for next year included an $800.00 "family assessment" fee. What the heck does that mean?!
7. I discovered that Treppinwitz and I both love root beer.
8. We painted our apartment, and made our bathroom dark blue (looks good)!
9. Paperwork stinks.
10. I don't have a facebook or twitter account. Someone set up a facebook account with my name, but it does not lik to me nor does it exsist anywhere I can find.
More updates when I have time!