I'm not trying to be critical

[August]

Judaism is just as fucked up and downright stupid as christianity, but you're topping both, Hilda.

[Rachel333]

... This reads like a joke, and I really hope it is. Sometimes I'm really effin surprised at how ~wacky~ my religion seems to people. Did you grow up somewhere with no Jewish people?

No idea about the motivations or background of the OP here, but I did grow up somewhere with no Jewish people and the idea of a Shabbos goy isn't just common knowledge to most people. I was surprised to learn recently when it came up in conversation that my middle-aged parents had never heard the concept. (I think I learned about it as a kid reading one of those Dear America books about a Jewish immigrant girl.) Like pretty much every religious practice, yes, it does sound very weird if you're not used to it.

Going "whoa, those people are weird" is a terrible reaction when you learn about a new tradition, though (especially when it's from someone who has no awareness that their traditions would seem equally strange to someone unfamiliar with them). I've even actually been surprised to find myself feeling a bit offended here sometimes when people go on about a fundie practice that's familiar and harmless to me but new and strange to them.

[Coconut Flan]

I'm thinking perhaps Get a Date ToKnight by OPI.

[already hungover]

I need to find a new nail polish but it will have to be subdued. Pink blush?

I like Mademoiselle from Essie but mostly I just bite the shit out of my nails instead.

[Rachel333]

Ugh, okay, after seeing her other posts: definitely a troll.

I have nothing to contribute to nail polish conversations (I actually really am not a fan of these, but I know it's just part of the board culture and that's totally fine), as I'm a chronic nail peeler with perpetually bare nails. The few times I have painted my nails I was unable to resist chipping it all off right away.

[already hungover]

Ugh, okay, after seeing her other posts: definitely a troll.

I have nothing to contribute to nail polish conversations (I actually really am not a fan of these, but I know it's just part of the board culture and that's totally fine), as I'm a chronic nail peeler with perpetually bare nails. The few times I have painted my nails I was unable to resist chipping it all off right away.

Omg the nail peeling. It's the worst but I do it all the time. That and cuticle picking. Nail polish actually makes my fingers feel all claustrophobic.

[Rachel333]

Do you ever accidentally peel too far but have to keep going anyway? So painful.

[NurseNell]

OK, I looked up her other posts, yes, a troll.

My only reason to wear nail polish is so I can peel it. I love, love peeling it off, almost as much as squeezing big ole zits.

[Minerva]

FJ needs to start our own line of nail polish. We can name Badly Feigned Outrage after Hilda. It will be a lovely shade of aqua.

[Hilda]

No idea about the motivations or background of the OP here, but I did grow up somewhere with no Jewish people and the idea of a Shabbos goy isn't just common knowledge to most people. I was surprised to learn recently when it came up in conversation that my middle-aged parents had never heard the concept. (I think I learned about it as a kid reading one of those Dear America books about a Jewish immigrant girl.) Like pretty much every religious practice, yes, it does sound very weird if you're not used to it.

Going "whoa, those people are weird" is a terrible reaction when you learn about a new tradition, though (especially when it's from someone who has no awareness that their traditions would seem equally strange to someone unfamiliar with them). I've even actually been surprised to find myself feeling a bit offended here sometimes when people go on about a fundie practice that's familiar and harmless to me but new and strange to them.

Thanks for expressing my ideas better than I did myself (I "liked" your post).

I probably didn't choose the most diplomatic wording for the point I was trying to make, but you summed it up pretty well.

Some of those concepts I mentioned (and inquired about) were new and somewhat foreign to me.

And I still feel strongly about the word "shiksa." I doubt that anything will change my opinion of that. It is a horrible way to refer to someone of a race or religion that is different from one's own.

[already hungover]

Do you ever accidentally peel too far but have to keep going anyway? So painful.

All the time. Sometimes I have to do a big YANK on the very base of the nail, which hurts a lot momentarily but is satisfying.

I will say that my urge to pick has decreased noticeably (but not disappeared totally) since I upped my dosage of Prozac.

[Hilda]

Judaism is just as fucked up and downright stupid as christianity, but you're topping both, Hilda.

I'm very sorry, but try as I might, I cannot bring myself to "like" this post.

:cry:

[outrunningzombies]

I am sressing up as Black Widow from the Avengers for Halloween. Do you think I should do subdued or bright red nails?

[Rachel333]

All the time. Sometimes I have to do a big YANK on the very base of the nail, which hurts a lot momentarily but is satisfying.

I will say that my urge to pick has decreased noticeably (but not disappeared totally) since I upped my dosage of Prozac.

That's really interesting. I've been thinking about going back on Prozac, since even though it didn't help my depression at all, it did seem to make a difference with OCD symptoms (I've counted my steps for years, and after a while I was able to mostly stop counting, which is huge. I also found that without really realizing I slipped back into counting just as much once I was off of it).

[Hilda]

That's really interesting. I've been thinking about going back on Prozac, since even though it didn't help my depression at all, it did seem to make a difference with OCD symptoms (I've counted my steps for years, and after a while I was able to mostly stop counting, which is huge. I also found that without really realizing I slipped back into counting just as much once I was off of it).

Although I can't relate firsthand to the things you mentioned in your post (never took Prozac, never suffered from depression or OCD, never counted my steps), I couldn't help but "like" your post.

[Coconut Flan]

I am sressing up as Black Widow from the Avengers for Halloween. Do you think I should do subdued or bright red nails?

I'd go bright red.

[halfheartedheroine]

I'd go bright red.

I agree on red. Isn't there a quote for Black Widow about cleaning up the red in her ledger?

[Hilda]

That's really interesting. I've been thinking about going back on Prozac, since even though it didn't help my depression at all, it did seem to make a difference with OCD symptoms (I've counted my steps for years, and after a while I was able to mostly stop counting, which is huge. I also found that without really realizing I slipped back into counting just as much once I was off of it).

I thought of something else. It's kind of an old thing, but works for some people.

Warm milk.

You may find it helpful.

"Shiksa" is an ugly, offensive word.

[August]

I just realised last week that I hadn't had to cut my kids nails for months. They've been picking and peeling very efficiently, it seems. Do you think I should stop them?

[thekate]

I just realised last week that I hadn't had to cut my kids nails for months. They've been picking and peeling very efficiently, it seems. Do you think I should stop them?

How old are they? They might be old enough to cut their own nails with supervision.

[treemom]

Gah it sucks when a troll brings to light a conversation I would like to have.

[treemom]

Nail biting is going to come under obsessive compulsive disorder in the DSM-V. This will help those in the US get insurance coverage for treatment of it.

My son is a nail biter. I have no idea when it started...and it don't bite my nails.

[2xx1xy1JD]

Yikes! The one near me isn't like that. All their kids have braces, and the rebbetzin flat out told me that if a mother's life is in danger, the woman should have an abortion, and that if anything medically happened on shabbat they'd take their kids to the ER without a second thought. Basically, they follow the Jewish laws and whatnot, but aren't insane crazies who pray away illnesses.

The one thing I always wonder is if people aren't allowed to carry things with them during shabbat, what do you do about a diaper bag? Do you keep a spare one at the synagogue?

Most babies who need diapers also need strollers, so if there is an eruv, both diaper bag and stroller are fine, and if not, babies stay home. Otherwise, though, some people do keep things at the synagogue if they can't carry them. [Most cities with large Jewish populations have an eruv - usually, it's a wire running along electrical poles, and it makes it possible to carry things within that area on Shabbat. The eruv in Toronto is really big (most of the city and Thornhill). Some follow stricter opinions and don't rely on the general eruv.

Re: Abba and Raffa

"Avinu" (our father) gets used in some Hebrew prayers. I've only heard Abba used for intimate, spontaneous prayer in some Hasidic sects (I think I remember hearing it in the movie Ushpizin). There is a reference to God healing the sick in the Amidah prayer, said 3x/day, but the title Raffa is not used. In any event, all streams of mainstream Judaism are perfectly clear that (1) saving a life comes before everything else, and (2) people have an obligation to safeguard their health, which includes seeking medical treatment and following medical advice. Doctors are seen as a vessel through which the divine blessing of healing may flow.

Raffa vs. Rapha - there's no difference, the Hebrew alphabet is different so it's all transliteration.

Re: using lights on Shabbat

These days, people use timers so that the lights go on and off at set times. You can also program your oven. The idea is to avoid starting or extinguishing a fire on Shabbat itself, although benefiting from an existing fire is fine. The rule for fire got extended to electrical devices in most cases. The rules are only for Jews, so there's nothing wrong according to Jewish law with a non-Jew turning on a light, but Jews are not supposed to ask a non-Jew to do it directly. If you have an ongoing understanding with a neighbor, you could say, "Wow, it's dark in here" if there's a power outage in the area which messes up all the pre-set stuff.

Only responding since some non-trolls seemed curious, and I don't mind genuine questions.

[dawbs]

I have nothing to contribute to nail polish conversations (I actually really am not a fan of these, but I know it's just part of the board culture and that's totally fine), as I'm a chronic nail peeler with perpetually bare nails. The few times I have painted my nails I was unable to resist chipping it all off right away.

Once upon a time, there was a nail polish designed to be peeled off...It was THE AWESOME. You didn't have tiny chips that would scatter everywhere, it came off 'clean'...it was just fun

("I liked your post" can become my 'pretend signature' :lol: )

HA, apparently it still exists, but is marketed to kids:

http://www.amazon.com/Expressions-Peel- ... eel+polish

http://www.amazon.com/AllyKats-Water-ba ... eel+polish

[Savoring Samsara]

Once upon a time, there was a nail polish designed to be peeled off...It was THE AWESOME. You didn't have tiny chips that would scatter everywhere, it came off 'clean'...it was just fun

("I liked your post" can become my 'pretend signature' :lol: )

HA, apparently it still exists, but is marketed to kids:

http://www.amazon.com/Expressions-Peel- ... eel+polish

http://www.amazon.com/AllyKats-Water-ba ... eel+polish

I used to have that stuff when I was a kid! I could never manage to keep it on my nails for more than a few hours. It was just too much fun to peel off!