Since I started using the S+ sleep device to track my sleep, I have been thinking about how to get a better night’s sleep. I realized this week that my very famous MyPillow was not very comfortable after all. I have been using MyPillow on and off since I bought it almost one year ago. With all its hype, I … Read More
May I Introduce You to a Few Older People?
I have been doing genealogy for 40 years, since 1977. At that time there was no Ancestry.com. I went to the Mormon Family History Library in West Los Angeles to do my research. There, on microfilm, were records of the Jews in Poland, including my great- grandfather. I photocopied 100 of those records, spread them out on the floor, and … Read More
Now I Am Sleeping Creatively
After one month of sleeping next to my SleepScore S+ device, I am ready to present some findings. BTW, the new SleepScore Max, which will replace the S+, is due to arrive next month. It will be interesting to see what differences there are between the two devices. In addition to sending signals to measure my breathing at … Read More
Getting to Know Four Holy Men
Rabb Isaac Luria
I enjoy learning about the lives of the Jewish bible commentators. This week I read about four rabbis who were given the title “the holy” after their names. In Hebrew, the title “the Holy” is HaKodesh or Hakadosh. Here is a little information about each of these four rabbis. Rabbi Moshe Alshich HaKodesh, aka Alshich Born in … Read More
A Secret About My Ancestor 34,000 Years Ago…
23andMe is the name of Ancestry’s individualized DNA program. For $200, and a sample of my saliva, Ancestry sent me a link to a website showing my ancestral lineage, and my genetic health findings. Ancestry Findings My ancestral lineage is 99.5 percent Ashkenazi Jewish. I always wondered if the reason my aunt was of dark complexion was a Sephardic … Read More
You Won’t Fall Asleep Reading This Essay
I never wanted to go in for a sleep study. The thought of sleeping with electrodes attached to my body sounded so unnatural. Then a week ago, I was reading my son-in-law’s Popular Science magazine. I came across an ad for a $150 sleep device that would measure all aspects of my sleep without wires. I learned that the device, … Read More
Meet My New TV Hero
TV shows and movies starring superheroes are fine, but they are not my cup of tea. I mean, didn’t you expect the bullets to bounce off Superman? Wasn’t it a foregone conclusion that Wonder Woman would defeat 12 armed attackers? I enjoy watching heroes who are more like me – quirky and unassuming, with a savant flare … Read More
Avatars for Great-Grandma Sue’s Party
In just three short months, it will be my mother’s 100th birthday. I am getting ready to produce a 15-minute video presentation to show at Great-Grandma Sue’s birthday party. The presentation, made with iMovie, will consist of photos and video clips, and will be projected onto a large screen in my living room. Some photos go back to my mom’s … Read More
Uh, Alexa, Will You Marry Me?
Alexa now lives in our kitchen, bedroom and computer room. Here are some of the ways my wife and I interact with her. All we need to say is, “Alexa, . . . Play jazz, Chopin, “That’s Amore,” 1070 AM, oldies, a thunderstorm, or the news. What is that song? Read Tom Sawyer (free from Audible this month). … Read More
And Peppa the Pig Makes Three of Us
I enjoy watching Peppa the Pig with my three-year-old granddaughter. It is a fascinating cartoon series aimed at preschoolers, which my granddaughter gets to watch on Sundays via YouTube. And, I am lucky to get to watch it when I am there with her. Peppa and her family, as well as her many animal friends, enjoy adventures together in short, … Read More