Saturday, December 27, 2008

Getting serious...



I had a nice conversation with a friend in 770 on Friday night, and he mentioned that more people would read this little blog of mine if I were to include pictures. I asked him if he was planning on sponsoring a digital camera. That got him, but I did promise to try and post a picture for all of you people's to look at. It is, as you may have guessed, a Purim picture. I don't normally dress like that. Nor am I normally that drunk. But it was fun. As is this cute little article from the Jerusalem Post. Oh yeah, and before I forget, let me just say Mazel Tov to Shneur Pruss whose Kiddush I attended today in 770 and who wondered if he'd make it on to TRS. Rest assured Schneur, you got my back, I got yours.

Meanwhile, on with the show. I promised someone that I'd write a nice character-driven (not like Joshua) story tonight, while to another someone I promised a mushy, self-introspective, angst-ridden post that would reveal my inner essence, lay bare my soul, make all you men out there vomit in disgust. So what's a guy to do? Could I kill two birds with one stone, and write an auto-biographical story, character-driven of course, which would also do all the other things I mentioned? I suppose I can try... Still, it'll be a pain. You see, too many people who know me would start asking questions or making references. I'm not interested in that. So here's the deal I'll make with y'all: If you're related to me then you can't ask questions. If I only know you a little then ask away. Fair?

This is the story of a boy named TRS. He hated thinking about serious things. To put it a different away, he hated thinking about things that required serious thought. Sometimes he'd blog for a couple hours, and G-d would, for reasons known only to him, cause all of TRS' hard work to go down the drain. TRS didn't like this of course, but he didn't let it stop him.
So what's up with serious and not serious? When did TRS decided to become the joker? He doesn't know. He isn't particularly interested in finding out. After all, the past is nothing, it's dead and done for, what good will come of dredging it up and peering at the little things that caused the big problems? Still, because TRS promised, he will look back and try to determine from whence his disease derived. When Pirkei Avos says that one shouldn't sit in the company of leitzim, it's generally translated as "scoffers", but I think it's more like cynics. What is a cynic? The question is half the answer, and cynic is defined as
1. a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.
2. (initial capital letter) one of a sect of Greek philosophers, 4th century b.c., who advocated the doctrines that virtue is the only good, that the essence of virtue is self-control, and that surrender to any external influence is beneath human dignity.

Basically, it originally meant one thing, but no one knew what that was, so they used it inappropriately and now it means whatever it is that people want it to mean. Regardless, whatever it is that cynic means, G-d doesn't want you to be one. In fact, he doesn't even want you to sit among them. When people are sitting there "blessing" G-d, he wants you to pick yourself up and get the heck out of there. He'd prefer if you'd preach to 'em, or at the very least to douse them all with gasoline and send them the way of the South Vietnamese monks, but leaving is an option for the weak of heart and mind.

So there you have Mr. TRS, the cynic himself, the guy who takes nothing as he should, him who laughs at the most sacred and divine, not to mention the serious, and he has to examine his past and figure out what it was that went wrong. He thinks about it for a little while, ponders the question, but he can't come up with anything intelligent to write. Maybe it's just genetics. That would be a convenient cop out. But no, his whole life he's been copping out, maybe just once he can tackle the challenge head on instead of dodging it the way a punter runs for the bench whenever a return man gets within ten yards of him.

And please, don't say that TRS is being harsh on himself. No one knows TRS better than himself. Of course, he's also blinded by self love, but that seems to be a common condition. So again the question is, what happened? What turned that sweet, trusting little boy into the raving lunatic who stays up 'till 5:00 (and beyond!) writing nonsense?
I don't know. Sorry.
Sometimes when TRS is at a farbrengen and taking things seriously he thinks about all this. TRS doesn't like to think seriously because he doesn't like the facial expression involved. When he graduated from kindergarten he received the "Mr. Smiles" award. He had wanted to get the "Mr. Architect" award because he was the big man on campus when it came to building vast cathedrals out of blocks during nap time, but some undeserving little something or there got it instead. But maybe TRS' teachers were right. If there's one thing of which he can be proud, it's his smile.
Which is exactly why he doesn't like being serious. Being serious wipes away the smile. Please, don't comment "lav davka" because by TRS it is davka. Don't go 'round distributing Tzvi Freeman or Yossi Jacobson articles which say that true joy comes from taking life seriously, or some such nonsense. Yes, it may be true, but it doesn't put a smile on your face. You want to smile, you can't take yourself or other people too seriously. The New York Times never smiles because it takes itself too seriously. The Rake too, even though you'd think it would know better.
Before this descends into a typical youth vs. world revolutionary rant let me remind you that this is TRS on serious. He isn't normally this full of himself, but when pressed to, he can do it with the best of them. Sure, it might take him seven hours, banging out a few words here and a few words there, but it gets done eventually. TRS not on serious makes fun of youth vs. world, which is merely another variant of youth vs. world, al derech the rye catcher. However you want to go about it, it's pretty hard to transcend stereotypes. Oscar Wilde may have done it, but since then? Whether you're with them or against them, writing vaguely so that no one has any idea what you're talking about or in excruciating detail so that they don't care what you're talking about, or even if you're hungry and regret throwing out the chili a couple of hours ago, there just doesn't seem to be much you can do to escape the fates.
The spirit catches you, but it doesn't bring you down. Spirits aren't that classless, they're much worse: they make you into one of them. When the spirit grabs hold it transforms you, and there you are, all spiritual yourself. What's a serious guy to do?
______________________________
There, you people liked that? Has anyone vomited yet? Make sure to do it in the toilet so as not to inconvenience Rabbis who rejoice in the name of Mottel. I hope I satisfied your desire for existentially angsty shtuff, even if I didn't quite manage to turn it into a story. Next time give me something better to write about, and before you can say "Peter" there you'll be.

88 comments:

le7 said...

When I write existential angst, I use less words. Thought I'd note that.

Also character driven trumps mushy any day.

le7 said...

Also, wear coral pants more often. It matches, um, your beard yeah.

Just like a guy said...

I use more words because I'm not used to it. And I'll see what I can do with character tonight.

re: pants- do you really think so?

le7 said...

Okay.

Not really. Although it is amusing.

Just like a guy said...

figured.

le7 said...

Maybe green or brown. Not coral.

Farbrengen said...

BS"D

Thanks. I enjoyed this.

Just like a guy said...

Elisheva: you're trying to take over cheerio's job?
Fab gal: you better have, I didn't sleep last night because of it.
Also, as every other blogger does, I will now ask, "No comments on the toichen?"

Anonymous said...

thanks for the great picture!!
but my attention span cant read that much.
i wonder if posting random pics that have to do with what youre saying will destroy the blog. idk

big fan

Anonymous said...

Photo Credits: ?

le7 said...

Yeah there is no reason to post pictures unless you really want.

Okay so bottom line you're cynical and make fun of everything because you like to smile?

Just like a guy said...

Big fan: That's why I put a picture in for you. Will it destroy the blog? I doubt it.

SZB: You sent it to me, you didn't take it. Still, I do owe you a thank you. SO, thank you.

Elisheva: I would love to post pictures, but I don't have a camera.

Perhaps. Something like that. How should I know?

le7 said...

Granted pictures are fun.

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
Basically, there's a great train of thought in this piece of writing. I particularly enjoyed the last paragraph regarding "spirits" and their powerful grip that transforms you. I'd like to know what motivated you to write that.
This was definately an eye-opener into many aspects of TRS, and a long and enjoyable read.


Okay, I'm going to do the most annoying thing right now. I'm going to physchologically analyze your writing here.
Keep in mind, I don't really know anything about you, as you've said to me "you don't know jack about me". So it could all totally be a whole ball of nothingness. Please take no offense, I just get a kick out of this stuff. It's fun for me even if I'm completely wrong (which I no doubt probably are) No harm in an aimless atempt at psychology though, right?

Deep breath.
Okay, here goes.

I believe that in this piece, you belittle yourself in your own estimation.
I think that your evasion of "seriousness" and your embrace of cynicism stem a lot deeper then a smiling award.

For the past 20+ years, you have developed into who you have become. You are known for your wit, sense of humor, and jovial self-ssertation (spl?).
You have an image.
You are a "persona".
Through your character garments, you have dressed yourself up as the funny, innovative, chuzpadik guy that people all like.

Seriousness is like throwing you a curve ball.
You're suddenly hit with something unexpected.
If you need to be serious, you need to shed the smile, which would mean shedding the personality that you have wrapped around yourself like your very skin. It is much more than a garment, your jovial self is attached to your very being.

Yet, deeper than all this, is a far more intricate individual.
Every so often, you slip, and suddenly for a glimmer of a moment you allow others, and perhaps yourself, to see another deeper, serious, and inspiring side of who you are.

Yet, why do you hide this side of your own essence and being? Why do you block yourself from allowing this side of you to reach a potential higher than you knew existed within you?

Perhaps, the reason is that it would shatter the familiarity and work of the past 20 years.

Who would you be? Who would you have become?

The infrequent serious side of you is refreshing as a reader, because it allows me to see that there is a real multi-sided individual behind the cycnism and sarcasm. What's more, is that this multi-sided individual has the ability to inspire others and open their eyes, yet he does so with laughter and joy. It is this very laughter and joy that makes the reader want to listen.

This then is a balanced harmony. Where a serious topic can be given over, yet through enjoyment and delight- that is where you truly shine as you.

Don't evade topics of serious nature, embrace them and find yourself within them. Not only does it bring out a deeper side within yourself, it inspires and impresses those around you.
__________________________________

Okay, I tried... I need to brush up a bit, but it was cute while it lasted :)

le7 said...

Farbie, want to do me next?

By the way please don't. I don't want the deep recesses of my soul revealed to me anymore than you have already.

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
LE7, our conversations haven't been that torturous have they? If you'd like, I can stop calling :)

le7 said...

Don't threaten me. It's not nice.

Just like a guy said...

Fab Gal, you're a freaking genius. I'm being serious. I'll try and deal with all your points. Let's go:
1. Spirits. Hmm...I had some brilliant kavana when I wrote this. In fact, if you'll notice, there are a lot of allusions to different shtuff floating around in here. In this case, there's a book called "The spirit catches you and you fall down", about some girl who got cancer, or something like that.
Over here I was talking about life, how you become whatever it is you are, and there's no chance to be different. Oscar Wilde was different. Lehavdil, the Lubavitcher Rebbe was different. But unless you're truly incredible, there's no way that's happening. I don't like that very much.
2. Yeah, you're spot-on when it comes to this psycho analysis. It's not that I've never heard this from people, but I'm impressed that you got here without knowing too much about me. Or maybe it's like they say, a visitor for a short while sees a mile.
So why don't I embrace my serious side? Because, for twenty years, I've rejected it. Why waste all that hard work?

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
I'm so glad that you enjoyed this instead of being upset at me for pyscho-analysis... phew!

I told you, I can grasp a person very well. Online it takes a little longer, but it is still very do-able.

If you were to embrace your serious side your not rejecting all the hard work of the past two decades. If anything, it's quite contrary to that.

You see, if you would work a little harder for a little while, you will have built a personality that is so much richer and deeper then what you have now.
You will tap into an oasis of potential.

You won't diminish you're funny side, you'll only be enhancing it.

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
Btw, it's an avoda of a lifetime to change who you are, but it's definately something to it. Something that we need to work on and aspire to. Not forsake and give up on.

Just like a guy said...

Nu, how do I do it? It would be a great parlor trick, to accurately psycho-analyze everyone. I'd always be the life of the party!
Because the truth is that I'm pretty terrible at analyzing people or things.

Anyway, why are you so convinced that seriousness is a good thing?

Just like a guy said...

BTW, what did you find re: Rosh Chodesh Teveth?

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
You have to be sensitive to the words and emotions that come from different people. You need to pick up on nuances etc.
In person you need to read body language, eye contact, and voice octaves.
You also need to genuinely care. When you take the time to talk to someone for 3 minutes, and really listen and open your heart to them, even if it's small talk, you'll be able to read them like a book... and help them if they so want.

Why is seriousness so important?
In your case, I think it's quite obvious.
You've created a personality that can't really go much further. You're a 9 out of 10 of who you can possibly be at the moment.

But, if you add in a new element, a new dimension, you'll suddenly realize that your a small precentage out of the enormity you have within.

That's another thing about me, I see potential in others. Where you see a brick wall, I see a door waiting to be unlocked. There is an ocean of vast personality and potential within you, and if you would only allow yourself to use the right keys, you could unleash a giant of a personality.

Re: Rosh Chodesh Teves, I'm on Chinuch.org, and soon I'll check out Chabad.org :)

Just like a guy said...

Holy smokes, that was a pretentious comment.
Yeah, I'm pretty self-absorbed, maybe that's why I don't notice other people.
I'm not even going to respond to the rest of the comment, because I don't think it was very fair, nor very true.

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
Let it be pretentious... who cares anyways?
Why though was the rest of the comment not fair and not true?

Just like a guy said...

I'm much less inclined to take anything you say seriously if I feel like you;re full of yourself.
Because I don't look at people as if they're brick walls. I'm TRS for crying out loud? You think eight years of hard-core Chassidus has had no effect?

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
Firstly, I know what I'm good at and what I'm not. If you'd like a list of my deficiencies, I'm more then happy to share them.
I happened to have mentioned somethings I'm good at... but there's loads of things that I have no clue about and I'm awful, like really awful at.

Also, I never said you see other's as a brick wall. If that's what you understood, I apologize for my lack of clarity.

What I meant to say was that you don't see past the wall of yourself- you TRS see other's, but do you really see yourself?

You definately see others and prick info out of them. And the years of Chassidus are evident. I'm just saying that you have a mountain of potential... use it.

Just like a guy said...

I don't see them because all I see is myself. I thought we established that already. And yeah, "prick" is a good word. I never find out what's actually happening.

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
Yes, but you make the effort, and that's why people keep coming back. They feel like you're actually interested in what they have to say... yet there's always room to say more.

Okay enough analyzation. It always ends in a ruddy mess... I have to clean up my act on this.

Just like a guy said...

Sure I'm interested in what they have to say. If they take the time to comment on my blog, then the least they deserve is to get a half-decent response.

Yes, you do need to clean up. V"DL.

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
We appreciate the half-decent responses.

So how do I get my act together? :)

Just like a guy said...

You really want to know?

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
I wouldn't have asked unless I meant it.

Just like a guy said...

Okey dokey then.
This is bad for my blog, but the number one thing you can to make yourself better is to stop commenting on this blog and get any and all girls to stop their commenting as well.
As I said, this is blogging suicide. Get rid of more than half my audience. But sometimes you've got to air the truth out a little.

Farbrengen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cheerio said...

this is the side of trs that is fascinating - the side that knows what's right and does what's wrong anyway. ok, that was a little mean, but i do it too (all the time), and what i was really trying to focus on was the contrast on trs. you have the sarcastic, cynical posts, you have the nonsensical joshua posts, and you have the farbrengen posts. i think that the serious side of trs is often evident.
um, what am i trying to say? i dunno. my fever is annoying the heck out of me.
maybe this: 20+ years of being one way doesn't mean beans in comparison to the rest of your life. don't excise the sense of humor that makes you the trs you are. but a little more of the other parts of trs wouldn't be a bad thing.
of course, then i might no longer be allowed to read this blog, and that wouldn't be any fun.
the whole post/psycho analysis was awesome. farbie, can i get some, too?

Just like a guy said...

My policy on this blog always has, and always will be, that anyone and everyone are welcome to read and comment, as long as they can keep a civil tongue in their mouths.
You think the Joshua stories are nonsensical? They might not make sense to everybody, but in fact they make a lot of sense to me-there like parables that reflect what I'm thinking and feeling. In that sense, they're the most serious posts on the blog.
Bichlal, when I post a Farbrengen, I like to do it in a way that someone who wasn't there can feel like they were, along with my snarky comments. You know the annoying guy who always has to say something sarcastic of make a joke during a farbie? That's me!

Cheerio said...

i guess the parable is just too deep for me. i guess i'm gonna have to pay more attention to the joshua stories and try to get a feel for their seriousness.
about farbrengens: i was always the one sitting next to the girl version of you, snickering behind my hand. being a little bit sarcastic about things helps me process spiritual stuff. otherwise, i feel too woo-woo holy.

Just like a guy said...

Did you guys drink much by your farbies? My jokes are always funnier when I've said some lchaims.

Cheerio said...

unfortunately, no.
q: why is it not chassidish for girls to drink? i once had a bochur tell me it wasn't chassidish for me to drink, but he couldn't really tell me why.
your opinion? i know we can count on you to give us the hard, cold truth.

Just like a guy said...

I never really heard it talked about, but I think that the bochur meant "the thought of you drinking is a very unattractive one." honestly, you would have to ask your mashpia on this one. My sister told me that when she was in sem some of the girls would get plastered regularly.

Cheerio said...

oh, ouch. i really don't think it was that. really, really don't.
but i'm not talking getting plastered. just drinking. why is it cool for guys to do a lchaim at a shabbos table, but if a girl puts out her cup, she gets weird looks?

Just like a guy said...

Girls aren't supposed to want to drink.

Cheerio said...

why the heck not? that's like saying guys shouldn't enjoy bubble baths or something.

le7 said...

Boys should enjoy bubble baths. Girls shouldn't enjoy drinking. Simple.

Cheerio said...

explain yourself.

le7 said...

I don't feel like it. I feel like making unback-upable-blanket statements.

Just like a guy said...

Let me put it this way. Can you imagine the Rebbitzen saying lchaim? I can't. A little liquer maybe, but smirnoff?
And yeah, I know that plenty of women out there drink, but is that really tznius?

Cheerio said...

can you imagine the Rebbe in a bubble bath?

le7 said...

An invisible line has been crossed.

Just like a guy said...

Cheerio: no. That's exactly my point. And I agree with elisheva, don't say things like that. Very few things in my life are so sacred that I don't make jokes about them. G-d I make jokes about. The Rebbe I don't.

le7 said...

Sorry Cheerio, but I'm with TRS on this one.

Cheerio said...

you guys are totally right. i regretted posting it immediately after.
but why is it okay for guys to drink, and girls not to? i'm seriously asking here, not just challenging a status quo. trs, can you tell me why, tell me what is different, explain it to me so that i understand, even if i choose not to behave accordingly, why girls drinking is not tznius?

e said...

le7, I like the hyphenation.
endOfWorld, learn from le7 how to hyphenate.

re: girls and booze
Perhaps this is an instance of how expectations of chassidishkeit for girls are different than for boys because the girl version of chassidishkeit was made up in America. For example, it's evil for boys to have a secular education; even in the "chassidish" schools like Mrs. Turen's in Chicago the girls learn secular studies.

Chassidish guys (try to pretend that they) express themselves better in Yiddish, s'lozt zich arois a vort af Yiddish. But even chassidish girls speak English.

Boy chassidishkeit was invented in Europe, where everyone spoke Yiddish, didn't learn secular studies, and drank [trs, please insert adverb here].

girl chassidishkeit was invented in America where ppl lean secular studies, speak English, and find drinking distasteful.

Cheerio said...

so it's a social construction...

Cheerio said...

oh, and e. - thank you for the intelligent and succinct answer.

e said...

re: joking about god and not joking about the rebbe

I think that's a really bad way to approach Judaism, unless you don't mind heading towards kefirah, the exact type of kefirah that the vilner Goan and his buddies worried about. You can read a discussion on this topic by visiting http://therealshliach.blogspot.com/2008/08/special-300-edition.html

(It's also a fairly funny post.)

Cheerio said...

yeah, i almost forgot to address that.
DUDE, SERIOUSLY??
what, you think G-d can take it and the Rebbe can't?

e said...

cheerio, I'm not sure if it's correct. It might not be as simple as "girls' chassidishkeit Americanized." There may be something about drinking that's unwomanly.

btw, it's possible that in Europe they didn't drink like they do today. In hte frierdiker Rebbe's sichos, he needs to convince the listeners to take mashke on the big holidays, and it seems that he doesn't approve of drinking on the minor holidays. Sure people drank, but it wasn't like today when ppl drink every single week.

In hte more recent past, my aunt says that in the days when the rebbe would farbreng, ppl wouldn't drink because they were at the farbrengen. Now they have nothing to do shabbos afternoon, but they're already accustomed to not davening and not spending shabbos with their family, so they revert to their baser instincts...

Cheerio said...

look, i'm not advocating getting drunk. not at all. i've been there, and its not pretty, for either men or women.
drinking is, apparently, an issue in lubavitch. i remember my sister cringing when my brother made jokes in her chabad house about drinking, because in too many peoples' eyes, that's all lubavitchers do.
i almost think that if we could teach kids to drink for the enjoyment of it, it would help. you have a glass of scotch, a cup of wine, a shot of tequila or vodka, a bottle of beer (okay, not all at the same time) - but in small amounts. that's how you enjoy liquor. you get drunk, it's not fun anymore.
as for girls - no, i think you hit on something. the drinking done in lubavitch is in the form of "lchaims", i.e., farbrengen drinking. that's the socially acceptable version of drinking in lubavitch. girls don't really have the same kind of farbrengens as boys, and didn't participate in the Rebbe's farbrengens in that way, either. so there is no socially acceptable form of drinking for girls in lubavitch.

e said...

But girls do have farbrengens. And as far as I can tell they're identical to boys' (in form, if not in content) except for drinking (and no herring).

le7 said...

You are wrong mister e. (I figured I should make 'mister' lowercase to match 'e.')

Girl farbrengens generally suck.

e said...

Fine. But they have the same form, i.e. mashpia talks, or participants talk, songs between talks, food, socialization, discussion of holy things and not-such-holy-things.

Perhaps the content sucks, but if this social schema creates an acceptable setting for drinking for boys, it should create one for girls too.

Cheerio said...

yeah, from what i've heard, boys' farbrengens differ vastly from girls. probably because of the lack of alchohol.
what, you think just because we're XX chromosomed, we're comfy opening up to our peers and rabbis/rebbetzins? ha.

le7 said...

It doesn't.

Not that it bothers me truthfully. I guess I'm not so hip on social justice.

Cheerio said...

you'd think, right? but no....

Just like a guy said...

Re: Rebbe vs. G-d: what do you want me to say? If only my fear of heaven was as strong as my fear of man. How do I respect G-d? By respecting his scholars. Or something like that.
Re: drinking. once when did drinking become a socially acceptable thing for Jews to do? Cheerio, I think your suggestion is terrible.
And e, from what I've heard, there was plenty of drinking going on underneath the bleachers by the Rebbe's Farbrengens. My father tells me that on the weekday ones in the early mems they even had some drug use.
Re: girl's farbies-never been to one, so wouldn't know.

Cheerio said...

trs - like many of my suggestions, you are probably 100% right ;) what do you expect from a woman, after all?
and when was drinking socially not acceptable in Judaism? a little wine or scotch on Friday night - shabbos oneg, dude.

e said...

Well, it's circular then. Girls don't drink because they don't have farbrengens like boys. They don't have farbrengens like boys because they don't open up to their peers and rebbitzins. They don't open up because they don't drink.

And on such farbrengens they want to raise a generation of tmimoos?

TRS: the heavy drinking was prevalent just like the drug use was prevalent. And my aunt probably had a better understanding of what Joe Crown Heightster did than your pops.

Cheerio said...

ooh, them's fighting words, e.!
re: circular thinking: yup. um, what i mean is... yeah. tmimoos? what the heck?

e said...

I don't want to mix too many issues to one thread, but RE: God vs. Rebbe

It's not just respecting the Rebbe because it's a route towards respecting God. Because if that was the case, chassidim wouldn't *in principle* care for the Rebbe more than they do for God. And they certainly wouldn't be proud of these mixed-up mores and try to inculcate them into the young 'uns at farbies.

e said...

cheerio, it was meant to be tmimos. That's what they called them in the Chicago High School. Of course in the chauvinistic times of the Previous Rebbe, they were called "achos hatmimim."

Which words are fighting words?

e said...

TRS, go to any farbrengen and say that your respect for the Rebbe is only a way to help you respect God. If you walk out in one piece, we'll continue this discussion.

Just like a guy said...

e: was your aunt underneath the bleachers by farbrengens? I didn't think so.
Re: Rebbe vs. G-d: you'll have to excuse me, I believe we've had this argument before, and I'm not particularly interested in having it again right now.
Drinking: guys open up to their friends and mashpiim? Not without some heavy drinking going on.

e said...

At farbies the drinkers were under the bleachers. The normale folks drank wine and stood b'eimah b'yirah b'reses u'bzeih (for the ignorant girls who haven't the benefit of an alchohol-lubricated education, it's "with awe, with fear, with quaking, and with sweating").

The nuts were drinking under the table.

And my aunt did no where Joe Crown Heights husband spend Shabbat afternoon

Cheerio said...

e - how do you know what they called them in Chicago HS (and would that be moscowitz or turen?)
fighting words:" And my aunt probably had a better understanding of what Joe Crown Heightster did than your pops."
and trs took up the gauntlet...

e said...

I knew the LGHS lingo when my sisters attended, which was before the Turen-Moscowitz split.

Mrs. Turen probably continues to refer to her acolytes as tmimos.

Cheerio said...

sisters and brothers... very valuable fonts of information. almost spies, really. i wonder if you could fake being a lubie girl online with just info garnered from your sisters.

Farbrengen said...

BS"D
I've faked being a bochur once :)

e said...

Maybe ten years ago, when my sisters were in LGHS and I was at home. But not now. I'm way out of it.

Cheerio said...

definitely outdated info...
wait, farbrengen, when?

Just like a guy said...

What's the problem cheerio? And yeah e, your average baalaboss wasn't beneath the bleachers. My father would stand there because he could hear the same without getting smashed to smithereens.

Cheerio said...

no more problems than usual.

Anonymous said...

Returning to the girls drinking issue: It's not aidel when girls drink. When you drink you lose control, which is the opposite of tznius and aidelkeit.

I will probably now get blasted because who says that boys don't have to be aidel either? And my answer is that it's an issue that applies mostly to girls regardless of the original source of aidelkeit. And also that is one of the reasons (IMHO) the Rebbe said not to drink more than four.

le7 said...

New Poster - Well said.

Cheerio said...

and if you're not drinking enough to lose control?
(ok, ok, i'm just being a nudnik now. you have a good point. and you were fair ;)

Just like a guy said...

You know what cheerio? You want to drink, go drink.

Cheerio said...

i do, and i do.