The End Is Near

Yesterday I bought a dress. For me. The end is, indeed, near. The end of the Purim season, that is. Purim, the Jewish holiday being celebrated this weekend, has ruled my life during these weeks each of the last 7 years, which made good sense when I was the youth director of a large synagogue. It's somewhat more puzzling now, but it's the case, nonetheless.

It occurs to me that I've not yet explained the dress. Monday night, I will be performing in Temple Israel's annual Purimspiel, a frivolous retelling of the Book of Esther (the story of Purim). I'll be playing a lady, competing in a pageant to be the new queen of Persia. I can't tell you whether or not I win the pageant (don't want to ruin the show for you), but I can tell you that I am quite the looker in my Purim lady getup!

Before I can be a lady, though, I'll be directing the kids' Purimspiel, "Candy Store: The Sweetest Purim Story Ever Told," which I wrote. It stars forty 4th, 5th, and 6th graders and should be fun. It will be performed Sunday morning and if the old saying that bad rehearsals make for good shows is true, this will be the greatest play ever staged!

The Runnin' Rabs finished their fifth season with a hard-fought victory the other night. Final record for the season 4-6-1. That may be the most wins we've ever compiled in a season. Interestingly enough, it is tied for the most ties ever. This league has ties. I love that!

Black Snake Moan, a movie filmed in Memphis and directed by Memphis native, Craig Brewer ("Hustle and Flow") opens around the country tonight. I'm torn on whether to see it. I want to. I hear it's good. I'm still smarting, though, from the "audition" process. (See archives for "Hollywood Tears Me A New One" post from August 22, 2005) I want to see a good movie and want to support local artists and Memphis's burgeoning film industry, but I'm really not sure I can drop the grudge and pay the people who made it. Not sure I would feel right sitting on my "new one" for this picture.

Speaking of the end is near, did you see the Texas/Texas A&M game the other night? Excellent game! So much fun to watch. Just what I needed to get ready for the rest of this month and the college basketball excitement it shall provide. Long game, though. The end kept being near. Then it kept moving further away. Double overtime! That league should think about having ties!