Arcade Fun

The littlest one asks to go to Chuck E. Cheese pretty much everyday, at inopportune times, like right after dinner on school nights. I always promise we'll go, later. Today was later, as well as Palm Sunday and the celebration of St. Patrick's day and many Purim Carnivals, so perhaps there were fewer people there than ordinarily show up. The place had about 100 empty tables at least and on every one there was a placard that said reserved. Apparently now you can only sit at a table once you've purchased food. No more free lounging. Still the kids had fun. I saw body language I could clearly interpret as extreme happiness. But the place makes my ears hurt, I can only take about an hour and a half. I like to space out our visits fairly widely, like twice a year.

On the way through Target we took in the Easter decorations. A good idea, the peep flowers.

St. Patrick and St. Patrick's Day

Parade Information: Monday March 16, 1pm, Prospect Park West and 15th St.



Even though 15th St. is a busy street it has a very odd and strangely village like feel between 7th and 6th Avenues. Yesterday I watched 2 police officers leisurely pass by on majestic mounts just before twilight, they took their time and the elegance of the horse's motions in time with the sounds of their hooves dominated the block. Today what drew me in were these St. Patrick's Day decorations, whose charm the picture doesn't really capture. I associate leperchauns and green beer with that holiday, because I really don't know much about it.

Today I came across a morning prayer supposedly written by St. Patrick. I never even new there was such a thing as a morning prayer until 2 weeks ago when I was reading a National Geographic article about Lubavitchers in Brooklyn recounting Rabbi Schneerson's charisma. I wonder what it must have been like to hear him talk. I want to go to his grave sometime and look at all the prayer notes that people leave there. Anyway this article mentioned a Jewish morning prayer and I regret that I have never heard one. My mornings have no room for prayer, just rushing around, slogging around, I feel like the day starts before I can find a proper orientation.

I wonder if any Irish people still say St. Patrick's morning prayer:

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven–
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendour of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock

It conjures an image of the scope of the universe you might experience standing on a sea cliff on the Emerald Isle. It doesn't mention God at all, but concocts a picture of gloriousness drawn from the splendor of the elements.

St. Patrick. Who was he?

Pray for Me

Whatsa Matter Santa?

Happy Holidays Shack

The only sign this place on Windsor has is a small one that says happy holidays. It's covered with some kind of wirey stuff and has a caged texture.

It's not unusual for tree stands to go nameless, no brand necessary to orient people to what they're getting when it comes to tree stands. You see the tree, you smell it, you get it.

When I pass by the happy holidays tree shack I feel like I'm in New Foundland, where I've never been beyond reading Annie Prouix.

Triangles (and other shapes) in the Circle

This menorah that stands on the North side of Bartel Pritchard Square (circle), greeting cars heading South on Prospect Park West, compels me. The fact that it presents triangles within a circle seems alchemical, and it also reminds me of a Southwestern Indian power motif you might see. It reminds me of a broom or feather duster, which is a fact I find significant as you shall see if you bear with me. It also echoes the forms of the nearly leafless Horse Chestnut trees in the circle, and if you ask me I would wager that a menorah is one of the many tree of life forms you find in sacred traditions.

I learned this year that the menorah for Hanukkah is called a Hanukkiah. See how cute one little "i" can make something? I also learned that Hanukkah means "rededicate," referring to the cleansing and consecration of the temple after it was defiled. I was so happy to discover these facts in a child's sticker book I picked up used at Babbo's.

Knowing this has meant a lot to me and brought me peace for some reason. It brings me the light of a new beginning, the brightness of dawn. Another day rededicated to attuning to the first light. The buoyancey felt after rearranging the furniture.

Festive Ctown