(no subject)

I'm finally back at work after missing two days. Feeling much better today (although, of course, I'd much rather be home watching Law & Order).

Things that rock my socks:

* Achewood

* Samurai Champloo -- This is the latest anime from the guy who made the phenomenal Cowboy Beebop. This one also involves a lot of music, this time hiphop rather than rock/roll. The characters are all awesome and well developed. Normally I'm annoyed with shows that are all one-shot episodes, but with this show it doesn't seem to be that irritating.

(Also, I've decided to get a set of tattoos based on the tattoos of one of the characters -- because they are quite spiffy looking. It's basically a set of two blue bands on each arm, near the wrist. I think they look excellent.)

(Also, also, one of the characters, Jin, is *the* epitome of emo. I really need an icon with his pic on it that says 'emo' on it.

* A co-worker was nice to me today -- she gave me a can of mt. dew she didn't want. Hoo-ray!

* I got a most excellent skirt at floating world this weekend. Ok, so most of you are thinking -- "when have I ever seen mgg in a skirt?" Hopefully we can change that a bit.

* Law & Order is the most soothing television ever.

* Tiny (aka Ahab) is a most excellent cat. Very affectionate, very playful, and getting along great with the other kitties.

*****

I need something new to read. I've almost finished my current stack of books. Anyone have any suggestions (non-fic or fic, any genre)?

(no subject)

Holy Crap! Freehold is insane.

Here's a quote from the article:

"A New Jersey rabbi has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the township where he lives, saying local officials in Freehold Township are conducting an illegal surveillance of his house and restricting his right to pray at his home.


The federal lawsuit was filed today in Trenton on behalf of Avraham Bernstein, who is represented by the Rutherford Institute, a Charlottesville, Va.-based civil liberties group that focuses on First Amendment and religious freedom cases.

At issue is whether Bernstein, a rabbi with the ultraorthodox Lubavitch Chabad, is allowed to host a minyon, the necessary 10 men to pray under orthodox Jewish law, at his home on Shabbat, Friday night to Saturday night.

The Monmouth County township says he is violating local zoning ordinances because he is using his home as a house of worship, according to the lawsuit.

Bernstein received a zoning violation in February 2007 and a summons in April; in May he filed a lawsuit in New Jersey Superior Court. The township retaliated by "secretly setting up a video camera," aimed at the Bersteins' home, which is operated on Friday afternoon before Shabbat until its conclusion on Saturday, the lawsuit alleges."

This has enormous implications for other religious groups -- Pagans in particular. We generally don't *have* houses of worship; we almost always worship in our homes. How can Freehold be claiming this kind of thing is illegal?

blarg

Things have sortof exploded recently. Everytime I think things are getting a little bit better, something else comes up to make it worse again. Urgh!

I just want some sort of stability. I want something to go right.