Rant #2,500: Brand New Me

 

Wow!

That is what I have to say.

Wow!

It’s the confluence of two major celebrations—one joyous, one somber—here at the Ranting and Raving Blog.

First of all, it’s time to give ourselves a par on the back, because today, we have reached 2,500 posts.

I think that that is a pretty huge accomplishment, if I do say so myself.

Since May 4, 2009—nearly 11 and a half years—this blog has given you my insights into everything under the sun, everything from sports, to politics, to my likes and dislikes, to just about any topic that suited my fancy, and my words.

There have been many changes to the blog—we were hacked at one point, forcing me to set up the Ranting and Raving Blog II—and earlier this month, the format of the blog changed, and I was forced to search around for another suitable landing site, only to revert back to this one.

It has forced me to make changes in the way I set up the blog, some of which I don’t like and of which I am not yet comfortable—but the blog rolls on, and it will be turning a solid 12 years old in the coming months.

During my period of joblessness, I always had the blog to turn to, to rev up my writing engines once again, at least for a few moments.

Now as a retired person, it allows me to do what I like to do the most—write, write and write some more—and in the process, it helps me to become a better writer, and to engage my readers—you guys and gals—in topics that I feel are important enough to write about.

And as we celebrate our 2,500th post, it also is a somber occasion, because we are fast coming up on the holiest day on Jewish calendar, Tom Kippur, signifying the coming of the new year.

This year, the holiday begins at sunset on Sunday night and ends at nightfall on Monday evening,

Unlike other new year celebration, the Jewish New Year is somber, reflective and it provides insight to where you have been and where you are going as an individual.

With all else going on in the world today, it also gives us pause, gives us time to look at the past and look at the future at almost the same time.

Way back in Rant #811, exactly eight years ago to the day on September 25, 2012, I wrote the following, and it still applies today. So with some slight editing, here is what I wrote about Yom Kippur way back when:

"For Jews around the world, this is the holiest time of the year, the time where we pause to reflect on what we did the past year and how we can begin anew in the new year.

Even many non-observant Jews follow this holiday, and this is the only time that they venture into a synagogue during the entire calendar year.

Prayer and reflection are paramount here, as is refraining from drinking or eating anything for the duration of the holiday.

Some Jews don't even bathe, watch television, drive cars or do anything but pray and fast during this period, which ends when the shofar is blown at Yom Kippur services.

I will be fasting again this year, and it isn’t as difficult as it appears to be. From my personal experience, fasting is not hard to do. Sure, it takes you out of your routine, but it really isn't that difficult to do for a day.

What is difficult is doing it while you are in synagogue. The constant getting up and sitting down--when the Torah is displayed--makes it very difficult.

I remember in the old days, you would hear women crying in the back of the synagogue. Not eating can do that to you.

As far as my family, my wife has tried and can't do it, my son the same, my daughter, I know she has tried but she can't do it, either, or at least not without some level of water intake.

I have to tell you, after I fast I feel very, very good. It is almost as if everything bad in my body has been cleansed out of it by fasting. I might have a little buzz headache, but this is something I have been doing continually since I was 12 or 13, so  am pretty much used to it.”

And that is pretty much the sum total of it.

So to all my Jewish friends, and to all of those people I know who aren't, Happy New Year to everyone.

I will be taking off on Monday to observe the holiday, so I will speak to you again on Tuesday.

Have a good weekend, and if you are feasting, have an easy fast, and a wonderful new year.

And that really goes for everybody.

Let’s try to make a new start for ourselves.

With all the is happening, it won’t be easy, but let’s refresh ourselves, let’s reboot ourselves, and let’s make the remainder of this year as good as we can, and look forward to next year as something much better.

I know that will be difficult, but we can do it, I know that we can.