So it's insanely hot and humid outside, to the extent that I'm not really prepared to venture out while I'm fasting. Instead I'm staying in with the air conditioning and catching up with LJ. (I've basically not been around for a week.)

hatam_soferet is sitting beside me writing a Megillah. We read through Lamentations together last night; Jeremiah really doesn't pull punches. And we got things slightly in the wrong order, so straight from reading that into maariv (the evening service): For God is merciful to forgive sin and not destroy...

While I'm having a quiet day at home with LJ, a couple of book reviews that people might be interested in:

Vladimir Nabokov: Pale Fire
William Goldman: The color of light