Jewish musings, Tues., Oct. 24

[gazelle18]

What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.

Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy

And for those of you that stop by to read this thread without posting — you are welcome to, but you are also welcome to chime in. Don’t be shy!

[gazelle18]

So, I decided that this week, I would zig zag between happy/silly topics and serious ones. (In case you hadn’t noticed.) Today: a lighter topic:

As you know if you are watching the news, the republicans cannot seem to elect a Speaker, which has the government at a standstill. The other day, on CNN, a one republican congressman was being interviewed about his party’s in-fighting over the election of a Speaker. The interviewer asked: “Does it seem to you that your party is acting like high schoolers?” The congressman replied, “That’s an insult to high schoolers.”

Today’s topic: what was the dumbest or silliest thing you did when you were a teenager?

Also, still waiting to hear about the wedding, Louise.

[gazelle18]

Louise, just read your post from last evening regarding the wedding. It goes to show the importance of practice! Mazel tov on your achievement

[lee058]

Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well and SAFE! Please pray for Israel.

Re today's topic: If I had to pick the stupidest thing I did when I was a teenager, it would be difficult because I did so many. I think the dumbest thing I did was to trespass in abandoned mansions' grounds with friends. There were a few of these near where I lived in NY (Nassau County). Or maybe it was trying smoking. Or maybe it was going places alone when I should have made sure to have company. Or maybe it was not talking with my parents about things that were upsetting me. I don't know; like I said, there were just too many dumb actions to pick one in particular!

I'm lucky to be here! I did some risky things. Oh, and hitchhiking, although I did that more when I was in my twenties.

I'm glad I'm alive and well.

Have a peaceful day, Lee

[gazelle18]

The stupidest thing I did as a teen turned out to be one of the smartest. When I was about 15, I was enticed to try a cigarette. I so wanted to be cool. Instead of taking a tentative puff, I took a long deep drag, and inhaled the smoke into my innocent lungs. I proceeded to cough so hard my friends thought I was going to pass out. It was epic. The coughing fit scared me so much that I have not had a cigarette since then.
(Oh and then there was that one time I had unprotected sex with a near stranger…. ). As Lee said, sometimes I think I’m lucky to be alive.

Both incidents taught me that I don’t really enjoy being a risk taker!

[peachymom1]

I cringe when I think of how many times I walked alone as a teenager, went places with kids I barely knew, got into a car when I didn't know if the driver was sober or not...I wasn't brought up to value or even think of my own safety. It's a wonder I survived. Luckily, I met DH when I was 15, and he drove me places, and that was the beginning of learning to take better care of myself. He's a good egg. :+)

[hollygail]

I know I did not only crazy but also stupid things as a teenager. Right now, the silliest I recall was in 7th grade. There was an old TV show about a beatnik, Maynard G. Krebs. The name of the show was Dobie Gilles who befriended Maynard. And there was a girl who liked Dobie. She made a cute face at him whenever she saw him and most of the time he responded making the same face but then he grimaced. Ok; we all watched that show (whether in 7th grade or maybe reruns by then; who remembers that far back...). There was a girl in 7th grade (in one particular class) who made that face at me and I responded the same way. This went on a few times in class each day until one day a friend of mine told me (outside of class) that this girl was making fun of me (she apparently was telling other girls to watch what I did each time she'd make the face). I stopped responding to the girl immediately (kept a 100% straight face each time she tried). I still remember her (though not her name); she was one of the prettiest girls I'd ever seen.