Movie Quotes Quiz!!!

Welcome, one and all, to the first Movie Quote Quiz here at Myriad Musings. I will give you a number of movie quotes (thanks to IMDB for help), and you can feel free to guess in the comments section. Some will be more mainstream than others. I'm going to start off pretty easy with this one :)

I will announce a winner in the next post, as well as the correct answers. Have Fun!

Myriad Movies of Marci Quiz

1) "And in the morning? I'm making waffles!"

2) "I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen."

3) "The Pit of Despair- don't even think of trying to escape."

4) "I felt like destroying something beautiful."

5) "Every time I try to talk to someone, it's always 'Sorry this' and 'Forgive me that' and 'I'm not worthy'..."


Okay, folks -- what are your answers?

An Evening (cough) with Sir (cough,cough) Ian McKellen (cough, cough)

Oh, the humanity. I am totally mortified -

A colleague, and friend, invited me to see a visiting production of The Seagull with her tonight. The biggest selling point? Sir Ian McKellen, himself, was appearing in this Royal Shakespeare Company production. Awesome, right?

Well, it was, and I am still enjoying it. However, my lovely readers, you may recall that I had that awful flu a few weeks back. I THOUGHT that I had gotten rid of it. If only...

About 15 minutes into the first act, I got that tickling feeling at the back of my throat. I thought to myself, "Hmmmm. That feels like a cough tickle." So I turned to my left and to my right, to eye my placement within the row. Yep, right smack in the middle. Then, the first COUGH. Maybe it would pass? COUGH, COUGH, COUGHCOUGHCOUGH. I tried to relax, but then started thinking about the fact that I was sitting in the SECOND ROW. Directly in front of SIR IAN MCKELLEN!! Yeah, that realization didn't help so much.

The coughing continued. I couldn't stop, and started to feel like this was only going to get worse and worse.

COUGH!!

Decision time - keep annoying this great actor a mere 10 feet from me, as well as disturb everyone around me, or tumble over all the people in the row.

Uh oh, the cough was getting bad - I decided to bolt out of there. Ran out of the row, darted up the aisle, across the theater, down the stairs.

Where was the bathroom? What if this cough triggered my gag reflex? Even a water fountain would have helped.

I wound up getting lots of caring assistance from the ushers - they were so concerned and kind. They handed me a free bottle of water, and a hard candy (as if they were prepared for this kind of thing?). They helped me find another seat further back, on the aisle, for the remainder of the first act. I reunited with my friends at intermission. At the end of the show, some of the ushers checked in with me again, to see how I was feeling.

And Sir Ian? Well, he never missed a beat. That's true acting - thank goodness I didn't disturb him.


Ever have something like this happen to you???

A cool picture I took...

I don't know, I kinda thought this turned out pretty cool...

(Had this urge to take a picture of my hair spread out like that)

....thanks for indulging me.

Monday Meme

A fun Monday meme, found at Curious as a Cat. Thanks to Skittles for recommending this one! Here goes...

1) When was the best time, or what was the best experience, you've had with a sibling?

For rabbinical school, I had to live in Israel for a year. Lindsay, my sister, came to live with me for one month during my stay. She and I did many wonderful touristy things while she was there, but one stands out the most: we decided to climb Masada. Most people go before sunrise, while the desert is still cool, and reach the top as the sun comes up. For some reason, we decided to go in the afternoon. In the desert. In the salty air near the dead sea. Oy. It took us two hours to reach the top, and we thought we were going to die a number of times on the way up. The miraculous thing? It looked like it was going to rain the whole time, but didn't begin until the EXACT MOMENT that we reached the top. Wow.

2) When do you feel the loneliest?

I have a big family - there are six of us altogether (four kids). I am used to having someone around to talk with at any given time. However, sometimes, everyone else is busy, and all I get is voice mail for each phone call. That is when I feel the loneliest - no one in the whole family to talk to...

3) If a one-year period of your diary were to be published with your name attached, what year would you prefer?

Hmmmm.... funny thing is, I have always kinda figured that my diaries would be published one day. Guess that is why I love blogging so much. :) But, if I had to pick a year, it would be 7th grade - I was terribly depressed, and really had such a terrible, angst-ridden year. I would want to publish the entries, poetry, and reflections to show that, well, look where I am today. I would want to say, "One day, it is going to be okay. It may not be soon, but, I promise, it won't always feel this bad."

4) What has been the biggest accomplishment of your life (so far)?

Definitely becoming a rabbi. Oy - it was five years AFTER college, and encompassed some of the most difficult, painful years of my life. There are many times that I probably should have taken a year off, but, somehow, I made it through. I love being a rabbi, and am so proud of it.

5) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.


I look at these bookshelves and think, "There is so much room left for more books! My shelves, both at home and at my office, are overflowing with books, and all I want are more books! I am certainly a bibliophile, with a great craving for more additions to my personal library.

Sunday, Sunday - so good to me...

Hope you all had a good Sunday!

I CANNOT believe it, but I made it through the High Holy Days. Wow! For those of you who don't know, these are the most awe-inspiring, meaningful days of the Jewish calendar. We are supposed to examine our souls, our lives, and our relationships, and look for ways to be better in the coming year.

As a rabbi, I give my biggest sermons, lead the longest worship services, and have the most stress before and during the holy days. Due to my back pain, I was quite concerned in the weeks leading up to these days - how was I going to be able to do my job? I needed to stand for 11 hours of services yesterday. Luckily, the day was so filled of profundity, of beautiful liturgy and music, and of family and friends - I didn't have enough time to think too much about my pain!

It all got me thinking about how we each deal with stress. One of my most powerful stress reducers is music. Certain songs immediately relax me, get my feet tapping, or bring a smile to my face. Some of the ones that helped most this year:
1) "Feel," by Robbie Williams
2) "Hey Eugene," by Pink Martini
3) "Midnight Train to Georgia," by Gladys Knight and the Pips
4) "Waiting for My Real Life to Begin," by Colin Hay (mentioned this a few days ago)
5) "Rehab," by Amy Winehouse
6) "Such Great Heights," by Iron and Wine
7) "Sin Wagon," by the Dixie Chicks
8) "Thursday's Child," by David Bowie
9) "When the Stars Go Blue," by the Corrs, featuring Bono
10) "Young Folks," by Peter Bjorn and John

SO, what about you? How do you de-stress? I can't wait to hear what works for you.

Have a great week!

Wordless Wednesday

A waterfall I visited in Minneapolis last year...

"Waiting for My Real Life to Begin"

I just have to share some lyrics with you. This is my current favorite song - "Waiting for My Real Life to Begin," by Colin Hay. The lyrics are so poetic, gut-wrenching, and beautiful. If you enjoy them, feel free to look for the song itself on iTunes or Youtube.

Waiting for My Real Life to Begin

Any minute now, my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
I'll stand on the bow,
feel the waves come crashing
Come crashing down down down, on me

And you say, be still my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in
But don't you understand
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin

When I awoke today,
suddenly nothing happened
But in my dreams,
I slew the dragon
And down this beaten path, and up this cobbled lane
I'm walking in my old footsteps, once again

And you say, just be here now
Forget about the past,
your mask is wearing thin
Let me throw one more dice
I know that I can win
I'm waiting for my real life to begin

Any minute now, my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
And I'll check my machine,
there's sure to be that call
It's gonna happen soon, soon, soon
It's just that times are lean

And you say, be still my love
Open up your heart, let the light shine in
Don't you understand I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin

A Good and Healthy New Year

As we approach the start of a new year on the Jewish calendar, I wanted to wish you all a good and sweet year.

May we all have a year filled with good health, joy, love, friendship, growth, and success.

May the shofar blast, the stirring sound of the ram's horn, awaken us from complancency, from stagnant routines, and from anxious paralysis. May it cause our eyes to open, our hearts to beat with hope and intention, and our lives to change for the better.

With the fresh start of the new year, may we be inspired to come closer to our true selves, closer to our souls' potential, closer to our beloved family and friends.

And may we feel prepared to engage in new acts of tikkun olam, acts that repair the brokenness in the world around us.

Happy 5768!

Updates

I am back home, having spent most of the week in Chicago at my dad's hospital bedside. He's only 59 years old. What a challenging time it has been. Your comments and prayers have meant so much to me and my family.

There's good news and bad news. Let's do the bad news first:

My dad seems to have had several strokes, all at once. He has weakness on his right side, and trouble speaking. His eyes didn't focus for the first three or four days, though they seem to be doing better (I told him he was so lucky that he got to see two of me!). He is totally exhausted all the time, no matter how much sleep he has gotten.

And now, the good news:

The doctors are saying that he could have a complete recovery. I don't know how long it will take, but there is much hope. His personality and wonderfully absurd sense of humor are intact. He smiles, he is able to walk (albeit slowly and with help). The hospital has been attentive, caring, and kind. My sister is there now, and we will be able to visit again after the High Holy Days. I told my dad that this was quite a creative way to get all us kids home again :)

All in all, it looks like we may have been very lucky. Perhaps this is the final warning sign from God, and we have to see it or else. With love, help, and lots of family and friends, we can get through this.

I hope you are all doing well. Have a great weekend.

PS - I came down with a terrible flu as soon as I got home last night. OY VEY!!!

Please keep us in your prayers

Dear Friends,

My dad has had a stroke. I am flying home to be with my mom and to see my dad. I think that my siblings and I might alternate who visits over the next week or so. I have no idea how this is going to turn out. I am grateful knowing that I have so many loving and caring friends and family to help us out. Yet, at this moment, I most need to pray:

Mi Shebeirach avoteinu v'imoteinu, May the One who blessed our ancestors, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob, Leah, and Rachel, please bless and heal my father. May he soon return to our family with a complete healing of mind, body and spirit. Please bless his doctors and caretakers with knowledge to do what is right, and allow them to do the holy work of healing so that he can come back to us in wholeness.

God, please help me cope with this uncertainty. Please quell my fear, calm my heart, and keep me strong. I am so scared - scared for my dad, scared for my family, and scared for myself. I have no idea what is ahead, and I will need you, God, to give me strength and hope.

Blessed are You, Adonai, Healer of the Sick. Amen.