Jewish Musings, Thursday 5/9

[lee058]

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:


Frieda (hopefully)?

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!

[lee058]

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

Sorry I'm late today; I was up late, then this morning I slept in and DS and I spent some time together once we did wake up.

Today's topic: Mysteries.

Like psychology, I think solving mysteries is a "Jewish thing." As a people, we have constantly been faced with trying to figure out situations and people's motivations.

I do NOT read or watch gory mysteries. I prefer ones in which the crimes (especially murder) take place off-screen. The character that exemplifies this is Hercule Poirot. He gets the facts, then figures out the solution with his "little gray cells." I think David Suchet is a marvelous actor; when I think of Poirot, I think of him. Besides the TV shows, I have read most, maybe even all, of Agatha Christie's books about him. I also am very fond of Miss Jane Marple!

Another writer I like very much is one I have mentioned here before. Laurie R. King writes about Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell, his Jewish companion (later wife). I strongly recommend these books. Mary Russell talks about religion and at least one of the books takes place in Jerusalem.

A third character I like a lot is Perry Mason. Strictly speaking, the TV show is a courtroom drama, but it always involves his figuring out who committed crimes. DS and I watch the show practically every day. I don't think I've ever read any of the books (yet).

BTW, I had a wonderful day yesterday, and thanks again for the birthday wishes! Have a peaceful day, Lee

[peachymom1]

I don't read or watch gory movies or books either. I don't like gross stuff, and I don't think it adds anything to the writing/acting.

I remember watching Perry Mason when I was a kid, but I don't remember it. I'll have to try watching them now and see how I like them. For TV, I am a huge fan of the old Columbo show. Not only is it not gross or graphic, Columbo himself is likeable, polite, and clever.

Today is the last day of my eating week before my WI tomorrow. I have been doing very well this week with my eating and exercise, and I feel good about it. I'm having dinner with a friend tonight and have already planned what I'm eating (we always go to the same restaurant). Even if she wants dessert, I can either share one with her or just have some ice cream when I get home (more point-friendly).

[louise]

I love readking mysteries. On Lee's reccommendation I read all of the Laurie King books. Love Sherlock on TV too and mystery Masterpiece Theater shows. Loved all the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books, and Kate Atkinson books (Jackson Brodie detective). Daniel Silva has a series about Gabriel Allon, Masad intelligence chief that I have also read all of. And then there's Louise Penny's books featuring Inspector Gamache. I keep up with these authors and read each new book as it comes out. Is mystery solving Jewish? Well I do think of us as thinkers and problem solvers, so there is that!

[hollygail]

I get to the computer early in the morning, and if the thread isn't up, I pretty much miss that day's topic that day. Today is another example. I'm not blaming you, Lee; I'm saying I forget to come back here during the day! I'm busy with students and making lesson plans and other things that keep me busy. I sort of devote time early in the morning to checking here. As a result, not infrequently do I post the following day. It happens on the other threads I read too. So here I am, Friday morning, reading the Thursday thread.

First, today I have yahrzeit for my god-son, my sister's first-born child. I carried him at his bris, which made me his god-mother. I was there influencing him before his bar mitzvah so that he knew I was the only person he could ask for the gift he really wanted for his bar mitzvah (a specific Elton John album), I led motzi at his wedding reception, and I gave a eulogy, chanted the el malei, led kaddish and gave a eulogy at his funeral. He was around 50 when he died of a relatively rare (at least for the time, and at least in the US) type of cancer. I still miss him.

The Thursday topic: Mysteries. Me too! I haven't read too many in recent years, but started reading them in high school and never got tired of them. I'm not into the gory kind either. Nowadays, DH and I watch many, many TV mystery shows. Since the pandemic, we've seen lots of mystery shows from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and a few from the European continent. Current ones include Hudson and Rex (it takes place in Newfoundland, Canada), Murdoch (Toronto), Ms. Fisher's Modern Mysteries (Australia; it's slightly an updated Ms. Fisher's Mysteries which lasted three seasons and I LOVED it! DH prefers the "Modern" one to the original; I'm not sure which I like better). There's one with a British female cop partnered with a German cop; the captain is from Spain and it takes place on an island governed by Spain whose name escapes me right now... The Dr. Blake Mysteries ended; I looked forward to each week's update from the previous week. There's also another one with international characters, and although I'm seeing the main characters in my head, I neither remember any of the characters' names nor the name of the show... (Some of these are on PBS, some on Ovation.) And on the "regular" commercial networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) we both love So Help Me Todd (which is in its final season now [maybe season 3?] and DH and I are both VERY disappointed that it hasn't been renewed).