"There is only one freedom of any importance, freedom of the mind."

I'm glad that lots of you enjoyed your Pessach vacation doing various things.

I unfortunately only was able to see J-cop Jr. twice during Chol Hamoed. It was a very uncomfortable feeling having to watch him under the hawk eye's of My STBex (Soon to be ex) and her mother. Try playing with a kid, especially your own while you have two wardens watching every move you make because they are paranoid that you are going to try and flee.

Both visits were relatively short due to the uncomfortable-ness of the situation, but I hope that once a formal schedule is set up and once I'm able to take him out (without causing a ruckus) things will be different. At least thats what my lawyer keeps assuring me.

Besides those situations, I tried to enjoy Pessach as much as I could this year. A friend lent me the keys to their apt and I spent most of Chol Hamoed, catching up on movies I had missed over the years and speaking to friends I hadn't spoken to in a long while.

Most of the movies were nothing to write home about, but there are two exceptions:

1) Sideways - The story of two buddies that decide to spend one last week touring the California Wine Country before one of them gets married.

I really felt for the characters in this movie and JG if you are reading, I say that it was better than all 4 of the other Best Pic Oscar noms last year (Million Dollar Baby, Ray, The Aviator and Finding Neverland). The movie really made you feel like you can know these kinda people, they are ordinary people not a singer, not a movie director/corporate millionaire, not a writer of a children's book from the 1800's and not a female boxer, just ordinary people living their lives.

2) Gettysburg - I have wanted to see this 4 plus hour movie for more than 10 years, but had so much trouble finding a copy. It came out on DVD last year, so I finally got my hands on a copy and really enjoyed it. I wish I coulda seen this on the big screen though. (Cant have everything).

The makers of this movie really did a wonderful job of depicting the battle and also makes you understand the motivation of soldiers (officers and regular soldiers) and try to understand what people felt about slavery and fighting for what they believe. i tried reading the novel that the movie is based on "The killer Angels" years ago and couldn't get into it. maybe it's time to try again.

I guess you can say that an epic movie about the greatest battle in the US Civil War is appropriate to watch during Pessach, the Holiday of Freedom.

Enjoy Rumplenacht


Shabbat Shalom

J.

today's quote is from Iris

------------------------------------------------
The possibility that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.
– Abraham Lincoln