5February2008
Posted by Adiel under: Stam.
I was listening to a Dave Ramsey clip recently and he said a big thing about the school system and teachers: Teachers don’t get paid appropriately for what they do. If you think about it, he’s right. Teachers breathe life and spirit into children and set them up on the path for the future more than parents do. And they can easily apply their skills in the workplace and get paid more than double what they’re making in the school system.
So give your teacher (or kids teacher) proper respect (unless you can see that they don’t know what they’re doing).
3February2008
Posted by Adiel under: Stam.
I had some time this week to get out since my Internet was down for like 3 days. So I took my trusty Canon ZR70 miniDV camcorder out to a park here (which i JUST discovered) that overlooks JFK airport. The quality of the footage is poor - especially for anyone who has been spoiled by the amazing quality offered by our DVD: Everyday Kosher Cooking (www.everydaykoshercooking.com) .
What you’ll be seeing in this clip is some airplane take-offs (in the distance) and then the 2nd half of the clip shows the planes as they head back in at sunset. I’ve increased the velocity of the frame rate by 300% so you can get the time lapse effect. The video is 8 minutes and 15 seconds with some smooth relaxing music.
Enjoy and lemme know what you think (its ~27MB):
(right-click and “save as…”) http://www.adiel.com/hacked/timelapse-jfk.wmv
28January2008
Posted by Esther under: Hock; family; Shaina Nechama.
Getting a little bigger each day. Dr. Simai said she’s gaining weight nicely and is nearly a pound bigger than when she left the hospital. Thank you to Bubby Price for taking such good care of us the past couple of weeks and for the other family, friends and neighbors who have called, emailed, sent gifts, cooked dinners and came to visit. It was great seeing the Nooches last week in Far Rockaway.
Me and my boppy (and pacifier)
Peek-a-boo!
20January2008
Posted by Esther under: Hock; family; Shaina Nechama.
…but since some of you asked, we do have a baby registry.
Babies R Us Registry
We expect to see all of the items bought at the end of the week….;)
Just kidding, really no pressure we are thrilled with just visitors / emails / posts / phone calls / letters (!?) too.
18January2008
Posted by Esther under: Shtark; family; Shaina Nechama.
Thanks for all of the mazel tov wishes, everyone. Shaina and I (and Adiel) are doing well, and anticipating our first Friday night (but second Shabbos) together.
These are for Mom, Amanda and all the rest who are clamoring for more pictures.
Warning: Shaina Nechama really hasn’t changed much since the day she was born.
Coming home from the hospital, to Mommy’s house. 
Waiting for her first doctor’s appointment in the pediatrician’s office
Are you looking at me? 
Looking nice and girlie 
Model Pose!
17January2008
Posted by Adiel under: family.
I don’t know about nowadays, but when i was growing up, this was a bad word. Listening to the words they can use on the radio makes me wonder if there is any more censorship at all in the media. So i guess we can use the R word in the title of this post.
Now that Esther and I have our newborn daughter, Shaina Nechama (i’ll be calling her Shaina), a lot of thoughts have been flooding my mind. Try to imagine the following scenario: You are in a helicopter crossing the pacific ocean from Japan to California. Mid-flight, the copter goes out of control and you have to bail. You jump for your life into the ocean. It’s good you’re wearing a lifejacket, cuz the waves keep smacking you up like a peice of shnitzel in my kitchen. The water is intense - so intense you have ocean water coming out of your nose. Thats like the RESPONSIBILITY (parent’s, make sure your kids are nicely tucked into bed) that comes with having a baby. It’s overwhelming and comes through your nose when you really care. If you dont care, there is no ocean, you jump from the helicopter onto dry land (ouch).
When I look at Shaina, I think about how I want to do soooo much for her. But realize that a parent can do everything for their child except for one thing: Live their life. And as much responsibility I take for her, she will still have to suffer from cuts in the playground, classroom politics, making friends, doing HOMEWORK (like im gonna help her, lol), DATING, getting ripped off, making a parnassah, making a family of her own etc. What can I do to ease the pain? What can daddy (that’s what i’ll be going by) be doing to make it all better? Not much I can do….Except being as responsible as I can…
14January2008
Posted by Adiel under: family.
Today, I named the baby: Shaina Nechama - May she be zoche to Torah, Chuppah, and Ma’asim Tovim (and give her parents a LOT of nachas)!
13January2008
Posted by Adiel under: Hock; family.
Here are some quick pix for you to enjoy! More to come later!
This is a YAWN, not a screaming infant. 
10January2008
Posted by Adiel under: Stam.
I found some old pics on the 8MB SD card that comes with my camera when you buy it. The main SD card we use with this camera (1GB) was left at home. Check out these super cool pics i took when i wuz still single living in the barf green room in lawrence.
7January2008
Posted by Adiel under: Shtark.
Thats because I just found out that I am a Levi!
I got someone in Israel to look up some records and found an affidavit from a gabbai in some shul some 30+ years ago that my father was a Levi at the time he got married.
Here is the response from the person who did the research after I had thanked him:
Dear Adiel,
We were so happy to be able to help. Credit goes to my cousin in Far Rockaway who saw your original message and sent it on to me. Also to my mechutan who kept nudging the people to find it and who finally had the excellent idea to look for the marriage certificate. So credit goes to Klal Yisrael who usually try to help a fellow yid.There is a story I teach called "Link in the Chain" that I want to share with you.A poor young man is floundering economically and a man in shul gives him a large amount of money telling him it is not tzedaka but a loan without a due date. When he feels he can pay it back, he will. Time passes. The young man succeeds and goes to his benefactor to pay back the money. The benefactor refuses to take the money. When the young man protests, the benefactor tells the following story. "Once I was on the brink of bankruptcy and a man in shul gave me a loan without a due date. When I came to repay it, he told me that I would repay it - but not to him. One day when I would meet somebody who needed a loan and was worthy, I was to give the money to that person with the same conditions that I had - to pass it on to someone worthy who needed it. So I passed it on to you. Now it is your responsibility to pass it on to somebody else". And he did.
So what can you do for me in your happiness? Be a link in the chain and pass it on. Do a lot of mitzvos helping your fellow yid and help us bring redemption closer. That will help me and you and all Klal Yisrael.
Also, we have grandchildren serving in the Israeli army. Please add a prayer for peace for am yisrael and safety for all our soldiers to your daily prayers.
Best Wishes,
E&S G
Me and my boppy (and pacifier) 
Peek-a-boo!
