Today is day 32 of the Omer. Today's quote from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks:

“You are as important as you make other people feel.”

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I've got an early morning so just enough time for a quick check-in.

Yesterday went exactly as-planned. Another "win" for the challenge. As Lin suggested, there is somewhat less "white-knuckling" through the evening. There are still thoughts of "gee, it'd be nice to relax with a glass of wine while I read" while I am driving home, but once I get home, and caught up with the work-to-home mental transition, those thoughts mostly dissipate.

Today's quote fits nicely with the overall theme of self-improvement. While we shouldn't completely deprive ourselves, there is great value in reaching out beyond ourselves. It's often easier said than done, but moving away from self-centeredness and towards an outward point of view would make ourselves, and the world, much better!

Today is day 33 of the Omer (also known as Lag b'omer). Today's quote from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks:

When you experience suffering, the question to ask is 'Given this has happened, what then shall I do?’ for this has an answer not of thought but of deed.”"

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A little background on the time-period of the Omer is in order. While counting the omer is a biblical commandment, other customs have arisen around this time period. During this time period, Rabbi Akiva (one of the most famous of the Rabbis that lived around the time-period of the destruction of the second Temple, and perhaps was a supporter of the Bar Kockba revolt) had 24,000 students who died (perhaps via plague). Jews spend a part (in my tradition, it's the first 32 days) of the omer period following certain mourning practices (like no haircuts or shaving). On the 33rd day (Lag B'Omer), the deaths stopped, so the mourning period stops. Also, another major rabbi (Shimon bar Yochai), died on Lag B'Omer, but before he died, he said that the anniversary of his death should be a celebrated day, rather than a day of mourning. As such, Lag B'Omer is a semi-holiday for Jews.

I bring this background to note a tragedy that happened today in Israel: at least 44 people were killed by a "crush" at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. It's horrendous and unbelievable. Rather than a day of celebration, today is a day of sorrow in the Jewish community.

This all brings me to our quote for the day: there is suffering today. "Given this has happened, what then shall I do?"

I don't have a great answer for that at the moment, except to say that I will try to put a little more positive energy into the world. I need to create an action, rather than simply "thoughts and prayers" (though these are also helpful). I will think about that today and work on a plan.

So, onto the relatively mundane: I completed this week by sticking to my plan even better than I had anticipated. There were no alcohol or snacks from Sunday through today, which is a total win. My cravings are improving and I'm feeling a bit more in-control of myself.

I was rewarded with a 0.2 pound gain! Ha ha ha.

This isn't actually bothersome, though. I know I did the right things, and if not this week, then next week I will see a little more movement on the scale. There's simply no way that I can't! It may just take a little time for my body to catch up with my intake/output.

Saturday was day 34 of the Omer, and today is day 35 of the Omer. Saturday's and today's quotes from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks:

“Never let negative emotions distort your perceptions. To see the world as it is, not as you are afraid it might be, let faith banish fear."

“If you seek to learn, grow, pursue truth and find freedom, seek places that welcome argument and respect dissenting views.”

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I had to go into work today because I have a major deadline coming up, and there simply aren't enough hours during the normal work-week to finish! I did get a lot done, but I'm now totally fried from focusing so deeply for so many hours.

Shabbat went very well, mostly as planned. Reasonable portions (though maybe Saturday lunch was a little more "generous" than I intended, I still think it was reasonable), one dessert each on Friday night and Saturday lunch, plenty of wine, but no extra snacking. I even had my Shabbat beers before we shut all of our electronics down.

Today has also been on-track, so far.

The one thing that I am already recognizing is the "I deserve" thought process. My brain is saying "gee, I worked hard today and now I'm drained...wouldn't it be nice to have a glass of wine to relax with?" Plus, it would be very easy to rationalize it today...I *did* work hard, and it *is* the weekend, right? Plus I *do* need to relax, right? The rationalizations are coming fast-and-furious, and the problem, of course, is that I *kinda* believe them!

So we'll see how the evening goes. ;-)

BTW, both quotes above are great!