The Bar Mitzvah (Including a new foot-in-mouth episode!)

We had our cousin David's bar mitzvah today. Eve and Jeff picked me up and we drove to Winchester for the service, then on the Bedford for the pah-tay.
Some moments of interest:

1. When we walked in to the ceremony (at 3:59 for the 4:00 service) there were three rows of seats available in the front, and several in the back. In the back, the seats were next to a window overlooking a pond...great for staring out of during the service. The father of the Bar Mitzvah boy came up and said we should sit up front. I really wanted to sit in the back so responded with, "But aren't those just for family?" Yup, he's my first cousin. D'oh!

2. The Torah and Haftarah portions this week were about leprosy. I shit you not. This poor kid. For those that don't know, Bar Mitzvah kids need to discuss their portions. David did an excellent job of dancing around commenting on a Haftarah portion that started, "The four lepers slept outside the gate." Definitely makes you wonder about updating religious ceremonies...

3. I swear the DJ's were Yankees fans. They played "New York, New York," then "Cotton-Eye Joe." I went up to one and pointed this out, requesting "Sweet Caroline." He played about 30 seconds of it while judging the wrap-the-kids-like-mummies contest. Whatever.

4. Another first cousin came up to me to tell me about his Jets tickets (which he pointed out a few times were at field level.) He was telling me about how if he can't use them he sells them for face value. I told him if he ever needed to unload, he could count on me to buy them. Then he added in that if he doesn't sell his preseason tickets, he adds in about 10-15 dollars per ticket when he sells them to cover the cost. OHMIGOD. Tackiness. Um, dude? We're, like, family, right?

5. All-in-all, it was a good time. I got to see my great Uncle Fritz, who just turned 80. He still takes classes at Pitt to keep his mind fresh. He's taking one on terrorism now. David did a great job, had lots of friends, and Dan and Sara looked great.

6. Why are all dances now line dances or otherwise organized? I remember doing the Electric Slide at my Bat Mitzvah, but other than that, we were free and easy. Now every song either has an official dance or the dancers that come with the DJ's lead one. With all the Innovation classes I am at MIT, I would think the society would promote more of it.