Jessie Flips: About Hanukkah

The Hanukkah Chronicles Part 2: The other side of the family

As you all know, I will be going to Montreal for my first ever Hanukkah. Sure, there was a conflict before but we changed it all around!! I will be going to Montreal for Hanukkah on December 15, 2012. Which is great, because on Dec.8 I have community day with Propeller. And I think that this is a perfect solution.

Drummer Boy is my boyfriend and life partner and he asked me to join him and his dad  to visit his dad’s side of the family. Jeremy’s dad’s family is part Jewish Orthodox. This is my very first time meeting them and I’m nervous but still really excited. I’m excited because this is the next step in our relationship. I already met his mom’s family, their Greek side, I will be meeting his Jewish side of the family. DB already met my family at my parents’ wedding. The reason why I’m nervous is because I don’t know what would they think of me and what if they wished that DB married a Jewish woman?

I know what your thinking, your probably wondering why be nervous? When meeting another side of your boyfriend’s family you need to be yourself and be polite. DB had told me that this side of his family would love me. Sure, it might be scary at first but it’ll be worth it. And in the end if they like me then I’ll be happy.   

It’s great that DB and I are meeting both of our families because it gives us time to get to know each other more and both of us get to know the other’s family traditions. It’s amazing how you can explore the other’s family faith.     

Some Days



 Some days are just blessed affirmations and involve the right balance of winter sun, worship, affection, a good book to delve into, right relationship, a daughter in love, and of course, chili and the Super Bowl game on TV. Not to mention a 7.8-kilometer long frozen canal with a Winterlude festival offering free bus shuttles, ice sculptures, and beaver tails! 

Happiness and contentment reign, at least for this moment, in our family.

Identity Theft

The problem with the “family” computer is that it really is my computer, in my office— which actually happens to be the family room. Go figure.

I gave up my basement office years ago when Dan started to work freelance from home. But somehow, when he got a job and started going to a real office in a real downtown office tower, I never quite got my office back.

The point being (yes, the point) that many people end up using my computer in the evening because they don’t want to go to their own offices and computers because then they might have to actually go up (Jessie) or down (Dan) stairs.
So. Many different people log on to Facebook from my computer and unless you are very, very careful you just might end up posting under an identity that is different than your true and rightful identity.

Which might not be a problem—unless someone is posting love messages. And the love message happens to read:

Apparently that is the message I sent Drummer Boy, Jessie’s boyfriend, the other night.

I just have one word, and it’s probably the same word he has: YUCK!!!!

True Love, Hockey, and Values

In the midst of the madhouse of Jessie hosting her PATH (a planning session for her future held last weekend) and the rehearsals for the Propeller Dance show (this weekend) she has had time to follow (just on radio and the newspaper) the Stanley Cup and Vancouver’s trouncing. Never mind that a year ago she would not have been able to correctly name even one NHL team, she now pounces on the newspaper (another first) to see the hockey scores because the love of her life—Drummer Boy—is an avid hockey fan. This morning’s newspaper was, of course, filled with the debacle of the rioting in Vancouver that followed the Canuck’s loss. Jessie was upset. At the loss that is, not the riot.

“Drummer Boy says the Boston Bruins [I didn’t even know she knew the name of the team!] don’t deserve to win!”

“Jessie,” says Dan in a firm voice that he rarely uses. “It was a RIOT! . . . over a HOCKEY GAME! We have to have some perspective here. Rioting over a hockey game is just not right!”

“But Dad, Vancouver should have won! It’s not fair!”

“But a riot? Come on Jessie. You have to have some values. And not just agree with Drummer Boy on everything.”

“I do have values,” says Jessie with pride and determination, “And one of my values is Drummer Boy!”

This is where Dan kicks me under the table to let me know that this might not be the time to give her one of my lectures/rants, as it would probably not have the desired impact.

Final score: True Love 10, Feminism 0.