If Robert had found a CF card, there would be pictures. But instead, there's just me, telling you about the best Passover seder ever (to this point, which doesn't say much becuase I've only been to two, but hey, it rocked). The evening was a lot of time with the Omaha/Lincoln college Jews hanging out at Beth El and then at Robert's, where we all crashed about 3 a.m. The seder was awesome and sitting between Sari and Dan made the meal and seder swim by. The food was OK (nothing compared to first night seder). It was the afterparty that made the night worthwhile.
One hundred dollars worth of booze -- 16 bottles of Manishewitz, some UV, some SKYY and mixers. With toasts to this and that and life, L'Chaim ... we were well on our way to being intoxicated. People came, people went. And I, for the first time in my life, got drunk on Manischewitz and couldn't have been more happy about it. We sat on the porch at Robert's and talked Family Guy, ethnicity, politics, language and other topics. It was funny, it was serious, it was good conversation with people who I deeply care about. Sari became known as "Raber tooth tiger" and it became known that I was a spy for Jesus and Geno was working with Michael and the KGB. It was ridiculous, and it was fun. And I felt so at ease under the stars last night. On the drive home this morning (at 8 a.m., mind you), the four of us in the car sat somewhat silently recalling our favorite plagues, favorite events of the evening and other stuff. But I just looked out the window and smiled. I was up ass early and it was OK because I felt so comfortable and happy. I got compliments in the evening about my "Jewish knowledge" -- one from a guy who said I know more yiddish than he does and another from a gal who said I seem to know so much about everything (her mom converted and "really tries," she said).
It makes me sad that all this started so late. It's amazing how being around people who think and feel like you do makes you feel so alive. These people put me so at ease. It gives me faith and conviction that I will be fine, no doubt.
In nonPassover-related news: Evidently, Alyssa (a DNer) seems to experience the same painful chest pains I do. She also found a name for it: Precordial Catch Syndrome. Yup. Too bad my doctor couldn't have told me that, eh? The thing that sucks, though? There's nothing that can be done about it. It's kind of a "deal with it" kind of thing. It happens a lot in children and teens, and is normal into early adulthood. We'll see if it goes away. It's been a while since I last experienced it, but the last time was the ultimate time (when I went to see the doctor and they ran all the tests and found nothing).