I'm thinking about getting a PhD. I'd like to be taken more seriously as a "thinker," and do more interdisciplinary things (you know, aside from blogging). I'm just not sure what you get a PhD IN when that's your goal. Something too soft and it's useless; something too quantitative and you get pigeonholed. Any thoughts?

My Passover Diary

Day 1: The seder last night was delicious. Still have yet to decide whether or not I'm keeping Passover. As long as Mom's cooking, though, it's easy, so I might as well keep my options open. Matza brye is delicious. They should serve it at IHOP.

Day 2: The second seder was also delicious. Used Passover as excuse to have lunch with coworker I haven't seen in a while. Had to eat a salad, but it was worth it. Beginning to think I might keep it this year. The idea of keeping my streak alive, and ergo a smooth pattern intact, becomes surprisingly persuasive. Pondering the addition of "Overcome OCD" to my "To Do" List.

Day 3: Jewish guilt setting in. Decided to keep at least one version of Passover (the regular kind, and/or my "no-chocolate" kind--replacing the "bread of affliction" with a product actually grown by slaves). Still have consumed no chocolate or leavening. May wind up doing both; wouldn't that be hardcore.

Day 4: I can do this. I just don't want to. Wishing I had good reason not to, but in absence of rationale I consider legitimate, I eat some vegetable-laden Chinese food. Thanks, Grandpa, for the corn syrup in the cola, which is making this deceptively colorful pile of bland mediocrity remotely edible. Dinner consists of a jar of applesauce. Still no chocolate or leavening.

Day 5: Thanking the Lord yet again I'm technically Sephardic by Jewish Law. Rampant sexism has it's benefits. I think of my paternal grandfather appreciatively as I eat surprisingly edible sushi I bought in a train station. I also down another salad. Have now taken 3 leafy bullets this week for the J-Team. Still no chocolate or leavening.

Day 6: The Oreo Cakesters in the office vending machine mock me as I walk by. They call me names like "insane" and "crazy." I refuse to let their childish taunts make me question my sanity. I can hold out until tomorrow night; the wyvern told me so. Still the prettiest.

Day 7: Freedom! Sweet juicy freedom! The Red Sea of despair parts like the warm, welcoming mouth of my pizza box, that wonderful cardboard crucible containing my post-holiday redemption. Barbecue Chicken Redemption is particularly delicious. As I celebrate with DeluxX, Sheba, Chuck and his new girlfriend, Lucy (who brought me a cannoli!), I have renewed appreciation for liberty, for freedom, for those who have neither, and for the myriad leavening agents that I consider true and valued friends.

My Confusion

Why is Israel not talking?

Hamas wants to talk. They want a temporary cease-fire. Who cares if they're on the run; who cares if they're just buying time to regroup; who cares if it might be a ploy. Israel's not going to militarily press a tactical advantage to the extent it would need for any Hamas weakness to be decisive; they couldn't if they tried. They don't have to agree to a ceasefire; they don't have to agree to anything; they don't have to give an inch. No one can force it. But there's an offer to talk.

Why not talk? The downside is tiny; the upside is unlikely but great. The minor fallout from not talking is probably as bad as the worst-case-scenario if they do sit down at a table. That's all they have to do...and they don't even have to do much talking. They can just listen, and talk if they want to.

Why not sit down?

There are a lot of policies I don't support, but this one I barely understand. Israel has a formerly implacable foe willing to talk, possibly willing to do things like recognize their right to exist and get on board with a two-state solution.

JUST TALK. That's how things get done. With words, behind closed doors. They don't have to change a single thing they're doing...just send a few people with authority to a meeting or two and see what happens.

(Also, the United States should be helping, not hindering, a dialogue between interested parties. "You want to talk on neutral ground? Come to Camp David.")

Israel, just talk.

The woot.com blog posted a list of things the pope didn't get to do while in America, all of which are more or less good suggestions that will never be followed. The list includes things like eating a deep-fried Twinkie or finding out why his hat is so funny. I especially liked the Number One item on the list: "Convene a panel of bishops to determine the correct canonical position on the question of who makes Philly's best cheesesteak"

Not only is that awesome, but I'm adding it to my "to do" list if I ever become pope (I'd be such a good pope...come on, guys, just give me a chance!).

My Best TV Segment Ever

This may be the greatest segment I've ever seen on TV.

My OT2

For some reason this web-based blogging software hasn't been working well recently, and my last couple of would-be-posts got lost in cyberspace. Sorry about that.

Anyway, last night the Flyers won in double overtime--which was awesome, though made me tired. I'd like to propose two rules:
(1) If the Flyers or Eagles play past 11pm on any night, work starts later the next day. City ordinance.
(2) In multiple overtimes, the number of pucks is equal to the number of the overtime. In the 2nd overtime, there'd be two pucks on the ice. 3rd overtime? 3 pucks. It's like pinball. Multi-Puck! It'd be exciting, and keep me from missing game-winners due to needing to get up for work. Also, it'd be tactically fascinating.

Any takers? On either?

As a follow-up to my previous post, and to respond to Chuck's comment, my previous a capella early-morning incoherent melody-of-choice was, in fact, the SportsCenter theme (Na-na-na! Na-na-na!). DeluxX has a few amusing anecdotes which confirm that.

Soteriologically speaking, I believe Modeh Ani to be a marked improvement.

My New Prayer

So I was at my cousin's Bat Mitzvah this weekend, and we learned a new prayer (Modeh Ani). At first I thought it was annoying and sing-songy, but then I realized it was only annoying because the cantor was treating us like idiots and doing it super-slowly and word-by-word. When I sped it up in my head, it was slightly less annoying, just as sing-songy, and "It's A Small World After All" level of addictive.

And maybe the cantor was onto something after all, because I actually remember 4 out of 5 of the lines (I've just sort of been humming over the middle one).

Basically the prayer is a child-like poetic way of saying "Hey, G-d, you know how I didn't die in my sleep last night? Thanks for that, BTW." I don't think I'm going to get any gratitude points with the Big Guy, but at least it's not blasphemous or really inappropriate. The last line's melody is especially addictive.

Anyway, it's in my head and I've been singing it every morning in the shower. And on the way to work. And humming it at random times throughout the day. Apparently you're supposed to sing it every morning while still in bed, but I'm just not that coherent (not to mention melodic, awake, or able to access any memory engrams). Starting in the shower is perfect. Also, the water (A) makes me sound better and (B) drowns it out for my roommate.

Further bulletins on my humdrum activities as events warrant. Now I'm off to sing inappropriately on my way to work.

I'm going to be busy this weekend, but I wanted to post a few awesome things before I disappeared for a little while:

I am seriously considering getting this pet. Awesome to the max.

I know I have some business-card fans in my readership, so this one's for you. I like the scratch-off one...it's honest.

Some good old fashioned nerd humor, since I haven't posted any in a while.

And this is possibly one of the most absolutely amazing sites on the Internet. If a lot of people agree, or a lot of people don't get it, expect a longer post about just this organization.