Mike Doyle

Updates

My Kind of Town

And another kind of anniversary. What a difference a decade makes. On how ten years ago, to my surprise, I became a Chicagoan.

Downstate Illinois

Louisville, No the Other One

This month, my relationship with Ryan becomes my longest ever. And so much for being Chicago Carless. Try as we might, it's a love we can't stop re-living from the front two seats of a car.

Technology

I'm Not a Mac #12--Linux, At Long Last

In my eleven-part 'I'm Not a Mac' series begun in 2009, I blogged about my migration from OSX to Windows 7 after 15 years as a confirmed Mac user. Last fall, I said good-bye to the Windows ecosystem, too. Hello, Linux. Here's why I'm yours now.

Judaism

Sixteen Christmases and a Chanukah Bush

Last year, I rejected the Jewish 'December dilemma' by forging a new December holiday tradition. This year, the Eitz Moed rose once again--with much joy and no angst required.

Judaism

A Badge to Visit Your Rabbi (Video)

Overly earnest security measures can carry a great price. They can make of our synagogues unnecessarily unwelcoming places. I explore that idea in this video post.

Judaism

Rock, Paper, Scissors, Synagogue

When I left New York, I promised myself I would not support the creation of the same type of useless security measures that ultimately devoured my hometown. And now my synagogue wants to create one.

Judaism

The Big Idea Is Jewish

Changes on my blog since September have been designed to take Chicago Carless all Jewish all the time. Here's why.

Pets

Goodbye, Little Girl

This Thanksgiving, Ryan and I have a lot for which to be thankful. But we're most grateful for having had the opportunity to give an elderly, withdrawn little black cat a home. And to love her.

Judaism

The Tallit of Phillip Shenkler--UPDATE

I'm happy to report the tallit of Phillip Shenkler got a hero's welcome this morning--its first Shabbat morning in use in a congregational setting in at least 26 years.

Judaism

The Tallit of Phillip Shenkler

Phillip kept the the memorial booklet from Sara's funeral in his tallit bag for 32 years until the day he died...and no one knew it until I opened the bag another 26 years later.

Judaism

The Amidah Project: Modeh Ani (Video)

The Modeh Ani: prayer upon waking or jaunty country song? It's how I greet the world every morning, thanking God for the gift of another day. But I'm never able to get a certain Kol B'Seder melody out of my head. And that's okay. Gratitude is never something to be embarrassed about.

Judaism

The Amidah Project: Laying Tefillin--Wearing Your Prayer on Your Sleeve (Video)

Phylacteries. Except, no Jew calls them that. They're tefillin, and Jews are commanded to wrap themselves in them before morning prayer. They're a part of my morning ritual. Here's what that looks like.