Not my best picture ever…

But it will have to do. Sometimes you have to go with the army you’ve got. This one has slightly protruding front teeth, but if I say it first, you’ll give me credit for vulnerability and self-disclosure.

Until February 29, 2024, I worked as a full-time rabbi in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Now I’m “of counsel,” which means I wake up later each morning and do pretty much what I want. I loved many parts of my official career, but I’m glad to let others have their chance. I’ve also noticed that I swear more, and that many (all?) the filters are gone. Just in the last month, I’ve said terrible things about many different people, mostly elected officials. If I believed in Hell, I’d be going straight to it.

“Thoughts and prayers” is part of the empty language of our time. It’s what you say when there is nothing to say and you should probably honor the power of silence and empathic presence. I titled my blog this way to be provocative. I also like the sound of titles like “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” That’s why I added “Snark.”

The purpose of this blog is to comment on politics, culture, and religion, and to become famous if I can. I want it also to be a repository of writing that I’ve done over many years, so that when I die, you’ll be able to find much of me in one central location. Think of this as a pharaonic effort to build a pyramid in my own honor. I’ve done worse things in my life, so bear with me.