Spring is here

And I am sooooo ready to start planting. Now if only the weather would cooperate...

Omer NOMers

Updated: You can buy these online at my shop
Shipping is free, if you live in the U.S.

Ta-da! I'm finally ready to show off what I've been playing with for the last couple of months:


Based on an idea from Amy Meltzer, I've been making re-usable Omer Counters with pockets for each day, for treats (if you have kids in the house or a sweet-tooth) or kabbalistic meditation cards based on the theme for that day. Each one has a large pocket on the back which holds an 8.5 x 11" card with the blessing for counting the Omer and the counting, in Hebrew and English, for each day. Pretty cool, huh?

Now I just need to figure out where to sell them, and how, and for how much... before Passover.

3 new things

I feel like I've been stuck in a rut for a while, but that's really just because the startup phase of a new business is hard, and my daily routine still revolves around making breakfast/lunch/snack/dinner for a small child and working around his school schedule. Kids create giant routine-ruts around themselves, even though they are constantly changing. It's the only way we can feel like we've got a handle on these funny little short people.

Anyway, I decided I'm not actually in a rut. In the last couple of months, I've learned three important new skills that have changed me:

1. Bought an embroidery machine and learned to use it. This may sound like small potatoes, but I have very little patience with new technology. I swear for an hour every time Facebook changes its UI. With about 120 hours of practice, I'm actually getting quite good at it now, and have dealt with several different technical snarls (literal and figurative) by myself without throwing it through the window. Which is good, since we rent.
2. Discovered how I would respond when faced with a morally complex situation. We were getting importuned by a couple neighborhood boys who wanted to come over and play uninvited, and it soon became clear they may not have enough to eat or adult supervision at home. I went the range from inviting them in and stuffing their faces to talking to the school counselor and social worker, to setting boundaries on when they could come over that would push back a little against their guardian's negligence. (They do, in fact, have enough to eat, so all the Jewish mothers can relax.)
3. Decided that I do not have to do things just because I am good at them. I'm a great editor, and I love it, so I'm going to keep doing that. I'm a pretty good copywriter, and it makes me want to tear my hair out, so as soon as my current obligation is over, I'm never doing it again. Ever.
   

So, that's my list. What all are you learning, lately?