Monday night

In the news this past week, the death of Steve Jobs at 56 apparently from pancreatic cancer. His public persona at least was inspirational on the subject of facing up to one's mortality and from that, living, really living. May Steve Jobs rest in peace and may his memory be a blessing for his family and for his friends and for his employees and for his customers - that probably covers quite a few million people, myself among them.

Also read a book review of new book of essays by Christopher Hitchens, another person facing his own mortality with courage and even flair. Esophageal cancer.

I have a CT scan - regular 6 month - on Friday. I find I am nervous about it. No particular reason, except as time goes by between the regular scans, I find that in the last 3-4 weeks before the next one, my anxiety level increases. For whatever reason, the further in time I get from the end of treatment, the more nervous I feel about each scan. As if I have more to lose. A friend at work pointed out that the further in time I get from the end of treatment, the more statistics are in my favor. I guess it's true but I never really got into the statistics of my own "case".

A nice longish talk with my daughter while she was in the Miami airport, on her way back to Haiti after 10 days in the U.S. Another way to remember what's what.

This past Saturday was Yom Kippur. 26 hours of fasting. Synagogue services. The old melodies. Community confessions. One thing Yom Kippur does for me every year is physically remind me how spoiled we living in fat capitalist western societies are. One day. A mere 26 hours without food or water. Yet we think it is difficult. For how many people is a "fast" day not a once a year experience but a "normal" routine?

Occupy Hartford has pitched tents kitty-corner from the railroad station in a little patch of ground cut off by I-84. There appeared to be 15 or 20 tents. The news reported that several hundred people marched and fewer pitched tents and prepared to stay. But they are staying.

I am sick of the media and political pundits criticizing the Occupy Wall Street-99% movement for not making concrete demands. Put all of those responsible for the "great recession" in jail. How about that for concrete? Tax the rich. How about that for concrete? Rent don't foreclose. How about that for concrete? Impeach every national politician. How's that for concrete. Wait, wait... I've got it. How about this: Get rid of capitalism and start constructing a society based on justice, equality and peace. Concrete enough for you?

Peace, peace, far and near. OWS. 99%