You know how the haggadah says “Drink the first [second, third, and fourth] cup of wine”? Do you gulp it down or take a sip? Every seder I’ve been to, people take a sip and move on. Wait a minute. Let’s read between the lines. Let’s read “and talk” when it says “drink the Nth cup of wine.” The Greek word symposium literally means “drink together.” And the idea of “drink together” is “talk together.” So, instead of taking a sip, why not talk for as long as it takes everyone to comfortably finish a glass of wine? Talk about the meaning of Passover. Talk about Passovers past and Passovers future. How have you been helped up with a mighty arm and outstretched hand? Don’t just eat, pray, sip. Eat, pray, drink! And talk, and drink, and talk.

Just don’t drink and drive.

Real good smoothie. Zoey dives in for extra goodness!

Yuletide Plates. Originally uploaded by danielgreene. I am a Jew who loves Christmas. To me, Chrismastime is a season, not a celebration of Christ. I do not believe that Jesus was the messiah. Personally, I do not believe that there will ever be one Messiah; instead, I believe that each baby born brings with him or her a great hope that he or she may help, in his or her own way, to heal the world (tikkun olam). The Nativity story, while I do not … Read More

via Just Singin’ & Signin’ in the Sun

My husband Andy decided to put on a pink shirt, red tie, and wear my red zip-up fleece vest today. I made us a strawberry-banana smoothie. I figured a photo of Andy toasting the holiday with a pink smoothie in front of all of his pink and red would be cute. Unfortunately, he was in a hurry to go to work, so when I asked him to smile, his expression was frighteningly fake-looking. So I just cropped the photo down to the pink and red, and I’m sure Andy does join me in wishing one and all a very happy and healthy Valentine’s Day– even though he had to hurry off to work.

We’re not afraid to say it:
Happy Chanukah!
Originally uploaded by danielgreene.

Our home’s chanukiah (the proper term for a Chanukah menorah) on the first night of Chanukah. It’s displayed prominently in the front kitchen window, facing the street.

The title of this photo is a reference to some Christian people’s response to secularism, in particular, a BBQ restaurant sign in Nashville, TN I photographed that said, "We’re not afraid to say it: Merry Christmas!"

By the way, those are multicolored LED Christmas lights reflecting off the chrome of the chanukiah. We are an "interfaith" couple; besides, I grew up celebrating Christmas in a secular or, let’s be honest about it, pagan way. What’s all the fuss about anyway, folks? Don’t know know why Christmas, Chanukah, and Ramadan are all around the same time? They are religious overlays to a pagan foundation of celebrating the winter solstice! If you ask me, we’re all just trying to cheer ourselves up by lighting candles, stringing lights, and giving gifts at this, the darkest and coldest time of the year.

Today, I partook of an American custom– the Labor Day Pool Party. This year, my partner and I bracketed our summer with a Memorial Day pool party and a Labor Day pool party at the same house. It was fun. Hope you had fun too!