Is Halacha Everything?

During a conversation I had when talking about some of the characteristics in girls I like to date, a question was posed to me that completely stunned me. "Why do you value halacha as everything? That is, if she doesn't have halacha as a priority, you wouldn't be willing to date her?"

Where to begin. Having come from a more right-wing background, halacha really is everything. There's very little focus on the spiritual aspects of Judaism, and that side is supposed to be found internally, on one's own. I disagree with that, but that's what it is.

Questioning my belief in the importance of halacha shocked me. I mean, what is more important to focus on? The spiritual side of Judaism is incredibly important, but how can you have a spiritual connection if you're breaking all manners of halacha on a regular basis? I'm not saying you can't, I just don't get what that spiritual side is. What does a person mean when they say they have a spiritual connection to God?

There are those who say "God understands" when they blatantly break halacha. I break halacha. It pains me when I do. But I don't say that God understands, but 'unfortunately, this is where I'm holding.' It sounds like semantics, but there's a big difference. The way I phrase it acknowledges that I have work to do on myself and that I'm not happy with where I am. The way they say it, it sounds like they have a buddy-buddy relationship with God and He's cool with their decision to pick and choose what they want to follow. I acknowledge that I have to change, so I can change. Of course, knowing that I have to change doesn't mean I will. But without that understanding, what can cause a person to person to change?

I'm honestly puzzled as to how people happily live their lives as frum Jews without the ever-present thought that they have to grow. God forbid, I do not judge them. I don't know where they came from, what they experienced, what they’re going through presently or what will be. I just don't get what they view their religion as. Is it a religion they were born into and are stuck with? A religion they're happy to be a part of but don't see the need to adapt their own lifestyles to? Or are they perfectly happy with how they live their lives and pick and choose what they find easy to follow and shuck the rest of it?

It's baffling. How do they view their religion? And if halacha isn't everything, or not the most important thing, what is?

How Embarrassing

Um, so, people, ya know how I posted yesterday, Tasteful Tunes Thursday and got a whole bunch of really great comments that I'll reply to one of these days? Well, awkward moment. Yesterday, um, wasn't Thursday.

This, amazingly, dawned on me at 7:30 pm today. I work. I worked yesterday. I had a meeting yesterday. I planned additional meetings and phone calls yesterday. I had college yesterday.

Somehow, someway, I managed to redo an entire day of the week twice. I woke up this morning, wondering if it was Friday and then said to myself, no no, today is Thursday. This, after just having had a Thursday.

The best part is that it seems that no one noticed! The Beckster, who commented minutes ago, thought it was Tuesday, which is great because I've decided to change it to Tuesday. Alliteration-wise, it sounds much better too, so it works out nicely.

I'm not sure if no one noticed or if everyone noticed and decided, out of the kindness of their hearts, not to say anything.

Who would've thought...

Tasteful Tunes Thursday

I decided that with the frequency of my posting, or lack thereof more accurately, I should set a day, or two, where I post on a specific topic. So, welcome to my first installment of Tasteful Tunes Thursday. I intend on posting a song every Thursday that I come across that I find interesting or really really good. Hope you enjoy.

I haven't decided if I'm going to post songs with kol isha. While I do listen to kol isha at this point in my life, I'm not sure if I want to be 1) condoning my listening by posting it and 2) putting other guys in a position to listen to it. For now, until I find across a song to share that is so unbelievable I can't stop myself from sharing it, I'm going to try and stay away from them. For now....

This first song, isn't really in tune with Tasteful, but it's so good, I have to share it. It's a "Punk goes Pop" song which means that it's a cover of a pop song, done in a punk way. I'm not really sure how they define punk because this song is what would be called "Screamo." Screamo, for those who don't speak English so well, has screaming in it. Not shrieky screaming, but screaming. I've never liked a Screamo song until this one. The amount of screaming is minimal relative to other songs I've heard and the lead vocal's voice is amazing. Be advised, there is some cursing, another aspect that makes it less tasteful, but the original song does too so it's less so.

Anyway enough of me talking. Enjoy the music and the accompanying video which is also done really well.




Next week's will not be happening I just realized because of Shavuos, but the next installment will most definitely be more tasteful.

You will Fail

The following question, quoted verbatim, I heard on a TedxTalk.

"Do you really, do you really, want to use your family, do you really ever want to look at your spouse and at your kid, and see your jailers?"

The name of the TedxTalk is "Why you will fail to have a great career: Larry Smith at TEDxUW" I've embedded it below.

I felt a kinship with the Talk before I watched it. I had a suspicion of what he was going to discuss, and while I wasn't exactly right, I was close.

He talks about how fear holds people back from chasing after their dreams and dream jobs.

For me, it's not fear. I suspect Mr. Smith would beg to differ, and perhaps he's right to some extent. But practically, the professions I would most prefer to go into do not make enough money to support a Jewish, Orthodox family.

That's life. That's fact. Speaking to my mentors and my rebbi, they have all told me, look at the jobs that will provide your family with a comfortable income, and then choose the one that you'll enjoy the most. Hm.

I still hope to have a "great" career, but I don't think I'll have maximized the enjoyment of my career. In that sense, I'll fail.

To watch this amazing talk, here it is below:

Poetry

My poems always rhyme
I know no other way
Cadence, rhythm, meter?
I learned none of that
I wish to know how, I suppose
Why not?
More ways to write!

"Rhyming is a childish form"
One friend informed me
"When it's serious and rhymes,
Behold, irony!"
Ya, whatever, dude

I see other poems
Written fast and furious it seems
Effortlessly
Are they?
My "ironic" poems are
This poem, is not

What's a poem anyway?
Are "Poetry Slams" full of poetry?
Is there rhyme? Is there reason?
Is there cadence? Is there logic?
Or are these poems, not "poems"?
The history of Free Verse Poetry?
Short.

You criticize my style
I HAVE a style!
Yours?
That's a rhetorical question
Poetry Slams exist to question
The perceived rules of poetry
That's cool
I'm all for it
Style though? No.

Using your style to criticize mine
Is irony
My poetry isn't ironic
It's poetry

Betraying Myself

When I started this blog, I decided from the outset not to let a soul know who I am. The topics I intended on writing about were, and are, of the more personal nature, and while the information imparted wouldn't be identifying, I didn't want people's impressions of me to be affected. Cowardly perhaps, but the way I felt and feel.

But, I collapsed. Not once, but three times. In less than a week. One I'm happy about, the other two, not so much. I'm unhappy that I revealed myself to the two that I've been friends with for a few years. The haven I created is no longer a haven. It's my fault and I accept what I did. I don't blame them as it was of my own volition that I informed them.

Nevertheless, the place that I had wanted to vent in, it seemed, was gone. Until I realized that I really didn't care anymore. I am who I am and am going to write that way. What their perceptions of me now are an unknown quantity so if it changes, and I still don't know, no harm, no foul. Therefore, I will continue to write as I please. I'm threadbare enough with details as it is, that even knowing who I am tells them nothing, and I mean nothing, about who I'm writing about or who I have already written about. That won't be changing.

With that said, not only will I continue writing, nothing about this blog is going to be change. I will continue to write the content I wish to, and if those readers who know who I am learn something about me, so be it. Be it good, bad or neither, I will not be dissuaded from my writing what's on my mind. 

To repeat myself: There will never be identifying information about a person I write about. You may think you know I'm talking about, but you won't. That I can guarantee. 

To those readers who know I am: Please, when you comment, if you comment, please do so in a way that gives no indication that you know who I am or any other information that a reader could use to learn anything about me. If I choose to reveal myself to a reader, it will NOT be on a public forum. Please respect my wishes and allow for ME to be in control of what identifying information is revealed. 

This was a post I was hoping I didn't have to write, not because of the content, but because of the mood of it. I hope there won't be any other like it.

Strong

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

                                                                                                      Running

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

         Through the Streets

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

            Steadily             Suredly                    Confidently               Calmly

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

                                                  Strongly

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

I’m almost there

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

                Almost made it

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^>>>>>>>_>>>>>>

Right turn ahead                                                                                >>>>>>>>>

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^>>>>>>>>>>>>>

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

                                                                     The Final Stretch!!!

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

  

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

I can see the Finish Line!                                                                                |

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

Closer!                                                                                 |

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                                         BOOM!!!!                           |

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                BOOM!!!!                                                                     |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                                               In Front                              |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                Behind                                                                              |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                 Shattered Calm                                                                 |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                                              Shattered Happiness            |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                          Shattered                                                |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                Roads                                          tattered                          |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

              People                                          battered                          |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

Everywhere I look                                                                               |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                             I see                                                    |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                Blood                                                                                |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                                           In Front                                  |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                Behind                                                                              |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                           On me                                                   |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                          I’m ok                                                     |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                       I can help!                                                  |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                                               Be Calm                            |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                Be Steady                                                                         |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                                          Be Confident                           |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                Be Sure                                                                            |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                                    BE STRONG                                                 |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

-^^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^^-^-^-^-^-^-^- ^-  - ^ - ^   -^{^} _^-^{^} ^ -  ^ ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

                BOSTON                                 STRONG                            |

-^-^^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- -^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^   ^-  - _{^ -}^{^ -}  -  ^{^}- ^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-|

In Silence

                                                  We stood with you                          Together
Steadily                   Suredly                    Confidently            Calmly

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

                                Next Year                                                 

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-
              Running                                                    With      You

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

         Steadily                   Suredly                    Confidently            Calmly                                

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-

                                                   Strongly        

-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-