So here we are again, the high holidays are approaching and its almost time to start looking back on what we've done, or haven't done. This year has been a big one, well, at least for me. I started my Jewish journey by converting, I had my tonsils removed, I loved, fought, lost and prevailed, I've done good and bad, been happy, enraged, confused, and sad. I think over all its been the most insane year I have had (but I am positive I'll have many more to come) its had its ups and downs but never a dull moment.
Now as I look back I think of every time I hurt, or offended someone. In the weeks leading up to Yom Kippur your supposed to ask forgiveness of the people you've hurt. This for me is hard, my pride and anger get in the way and I think "That wasn't wrong he deserved it." Pride is a pain in the butt, but that's what Yom Kippur is about looking back at the wrong things you've done and making sure you don't do it again.
May G-d be with us all as we work towards making this coming year better than the last.

I know its a little early but it was on my mind so what can I say.

NEW POST!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while I've been out. (Nothing serious just surgery)
So what to talk about... Ah the light of my life, the life preserver that keeps my head above water, the food and water for my soul and mind. Yes the magical substance I am talking about is religion. The thing that keeps insanity at bay and clears away the confusion of the world (or at least part of it).
Now not all religions can do this in fact in my opinion only one, the one, you guessed it Judaism. Oh-yeah!
Judaism is a full body religion, an experience, you have to live Judaism to understand it, books are good, great really. but when it comes to certain things you have to experience them in order to understand them. And oh how I am experiencing Judaism!
Every time I turn around there is something else to love about Judaism. Holding the Torah, an Alliah picking fruit, yes even picking fruit is an experience. There is something about, having a certain prayer for every thing that makes life that much more meaningful.
Every morning, every night, every meal, it all has meaning and its wonderful, fantastic.
Well that's enough of my raving for a while.

Oh I almost forgot, my surgery was very minor I just got my tonsils removed, and I don't want to hear anyone telling me that its bad or that the doctors just do it for the money. I don't care its already been done. More on that later.

Live long and prosper.

Jewish

I'm Jewish! Yesterday was my Hatafat dam Brit (The poking bit, I wont go into details) then I went in the mikvah followed by a ceremony where I held the Torah for the first time as a Jew, said Shema for the first time as a Jew and was Blessed with my name Nachman Ovadya "compassionate servant of G-d".
Words alone cannot begin to explain the over whelming joy that pulses through my very soul right now. last night and this morning I said my prayers as a Jew and it was amazing like I said I can't explain it.
Tomorrow I am going to weekly minion and Saturday I will have my first Aliah, Life is good!

Me

Well I guess since I have a blog I should actually post.
I'll just start with the basics of what I like to do.
Probably the number one thing I do is read. If I start a good book I will get nothing done. I have always been into science fiction and fantasy until I discovered something that changed my life forever. The classics! Now I read Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, and Albert Camus. Don't get me wrong I'll still read Hubbard or Tolkien every now and then, but the mastery of the Classics is unbeatable.

My other obsession is writing, I know it's the classic -nerd reads book and says "hey, I can do that!"- story, but alas that is me.
I am not a very good writer, my stories are dull and my characters are flimsy, but I enjoy it, its therapeutic for me.
Another problem I have with writing is that I always start a new book before I finish the last one. The result is that I have about ten unfinished books on my computer in note books or just on stray pieces of paper.
I think, hope, that one day I will finish a book and publish, maybe.

To further my nerdiness I am a juggler. It all started when my dad came home with a Duncan juggling kit, complete with balls and instructional video. Now I juggle everything in sight including flaming pine cones and snowballs.

Last but not least I unicycle. My father and brother use to ride the unicycle and it inspired me. It all started one day when my dad was at a thrift shop when BEHOLEDETH him a Schwinn unicycle. It was in terrible shape. The rest is history.
Now even though neither my dad nor my brother ride the unicycle I try to ride it every day.
Now let me sort out a common misconception...I am not a big, red-nosed clown riding around terrorizing children. I Muni! Which is simply mountain unicycling. I live on a dirt road where there is a trail that leads to what we call the "Pipe line". Which is a series of large hills that four wheelers, (And muni's) ride up and down.

So that's Ian in a nut shell. Besides sleeping (which is my favorite thing to do) eating and working on my conversion to Judaism.

Post at you later

Nerd out