Tikun Olam: Save the Alberta Shul

My (slightly belated) November donation was toward a campaign to save a local historic synagogue from being torn down for condos. You can read more about the Alberta Shul at albertashul.org and see it in this brief video.

I'm involved with the group trying to preserve the synagogue because I'd love to see more Jewish community on the east side of Portland.

If you feel moved to contribute - every little bit helps! - here's the GoFundMe: gofundme.com/savethealbertashul

Links: asexuality

I've been forwarding links about asexuality to a friend who's still absorbing that it's a valid way to be. Folks here might find them useful too.

Asexual humor posted by brithistorian

7. They have magical powers, but we'll discuss that later.

Ace Is Some People's Place by Debbie Notkin

Being asexual is completely normal, and not especially rare. A reasonable estimate seems to be that about 1% of the population is asexual. So if you have been on a crowded commuter train platform, you’ve likely shared that space with more than one asexual person, and if you’ve been to a major sports event or a rock concert, statistically there were a few hundred asexual people in the audience.

Stories! with a common thread of hope

A Wound Like an Unplowed Field by Max Wynne. I like the slowness of the magic in this story. It feels organic, the way change happens, no matter how much we demand instant results. I also like the quirky relationship. There's a warmth to it, although it's ambiguous enough that I was hesitant about posting this. The author commentary on the story brought more light to the ambiguity.

Notes from Liminal Spaces by Hiromi Goto. A story with oddness and desperation that feels coolly distant, interleaved with commentary by the author that feels warmly personal, even the parts that are literary analysis. The combination feels full of possibilities and hope.

The Secret Life of Bots by Suzanne Palmer. It turns out that being obsolete and out of date can be a source of hope.

via forestofglory and via bibliogramma