Recently I sent a mail with the following content:
"I' ve got an idea!
I suppose any of us may have somewhere inside a profound wish for realizing or creating something in this new year 2004. It doesn't have to be necessarily good intentions, it may also pertain to a deeply felt desire to actualize some potential or something...Wouldn't it be nice to share this with each other... ..
by dedicating a few lines to wording this wish, putting it in a mail and send it to me and I will place it in the safe part of the Cassuto family site, so each of us may read it!

It will be a stimulus for realizing it and who knows we meet an unexpected side of the other - and maybe we have a piece of advice or support ..."

Here are the first responses!

of course you can send your UPDATE 's

Rob,

What an excellent idea. We call these promises to ourselves "New Year's resolutions" because we resolve to accomplish a given goal. I will submit mine to you know, available for public consumption as you publish them on your website.

I, George Henricus Cassutto, resolve to aspire to the following goals with the start of the 2004 calendar year:


1. To dedicate myself more deeply to God, in whatever form he takes to His people. This requires greater Bible study as well as carrying out His commandments in daily life.
2. To be a more loving, kind, and gentle father to my three Children, Grace,
Gabriel, and Glorie Cassutto. I promise to be their voice as they experience
the changes that divorce brings; to take their needs into consideration
before my own, and to teach them love and understanding between each other and
the people with whom they come in contact.
3. To examine within myself the causes and effects of marital separation and
the breakdown of the nuclear family, and to write one or more articles that
outline these causes and effects for publication in a national magazine such
as "Men's Health" or "Men's Fitness."
4. To continue my doctoral studies at George Mason University in Virginia,
USA (which I began in the fall of 2003) in the area of curriculum and
instruction with an emphasis in educational technology.
5. To achieve the goal of physical fitness through correct diet and adequate
exercise, reaching a goal weight of 165 pounds and a Body Mass Index (BMI)
within the "normal" range. This goal requires an additional weight loss of up
to eight to ten pounds. Reaching this goal will finalize the loss of forty
pounds since 1998.
6. To continue revisions on my book "Middle School Civics," which is a
collection of US Government lesson plans for teachers not certified to teach
Civics in their state.
7. To be a more effective teacher and department chairperson at Harmony
Intermediate School in northern Virginia. This promise involves not only carrying
out my basic responsibilities but also to maintain a positive and cheerful
attitude in the face of adversity and volunteering, when possible, for
responsibilities over and above my required duties.

Well, that's it for now. Thanks to Rob for the great family website and for
the wonderful idea!
With love to all!

George

Datum: vrijdag 2 januari 2004

Dag Rob.

I like your idea very much. For me, a "wish list" is always a "prayer request list", but each person can approach the list in his or her unique way.

Along the lines of a "wish list" however, there is one family wish that we hope will be resolved eventually, and that is that Alex needs to find a way to visit his brothers in Greece, since he has not done so since 1990. I think his job would allow him the time off needed, but he insists that he not go alone and wants me to come. I am not sure that I can take the time off from work, and I would prefer if he went alone. We have been contemplating this problem for a few years now with no resolution.

Dean's best friend, who was his travelling buddy when he came to Holland in 2001, is like family to the Chryssovergis', and he is in a situation where he needs to find steady and secure employment.

Those two are the major wishes that I can share right now, that would be different from the constant wish for health and happiness for all of us.

Veel liefs, Lynne

UPDATE One of my wishes was for a job for Steve (Dean's friend travelling companion to Holland in '01). He was going to take a waitering job, as a last resort, but then Dean took him to CompUSA, where he used to be employed during his college years. They hired Steve full time with benefits to work in the shipping and receiving department. This is an answer to all of our prayers. Groetjes van Marilyn!

 

I would like to go singing again in a choir,

make a habit of "lernen" (Jewish bible study) and in this scope prepare a lecture about a certain subject of the old testament, the spiritual aspects of the Moses story, which I find more and more interesting.
(a beginning may be read on my personal site, go to essays)
During this year I intend to give this lecture.

improve my relation with Minke, the woman who is most near and dear to me but we have to work at some things not yet clear.

I have to make steps to improve my health. A residue of the strayings of my youth is a weak liver condition. I have to research into the best medical way to deal with it and not postpone it any longer, apart from keeping my diet and do my fitness work outs. I used to do a lot of jogging, but now my right knee is not willing anymore, so my plan is to buy a mountain bike.

And I want to paint and draw more and make beautiful and interesting websites!

Rob

UPDATE Febr. '04 I took the step of joining a choir in Nijmegen; it has a repertoir of Jewish liturgic and jiddish songs. Sunday Febr. 8 I paticipate in a presentation in the beautifully renovated Nijmegen shul. The choir counts jews of all feathers and "goyim", half to half. The atmosphere is "gezellig" and the songs are beautiful.
See also on my website CASLOG my column about the choir
columns at robcassuto.com and
the choir website Hatikwa choir

I bought a new bike! Very beautiful specimen, which inspired me
to a Column about my bike

UPDATES
The lecture about Moses came upon my path! I was requested by my Reform Jewish Congregation Gelderland to prepare and conduct a study hour ("lernen") of the congregation after the Shul service of Shavuot on Tuesday night May 25. And the subject was the revelation to Moses of the Thora on mount Sinai....
Of course my preparation required a lot of study as I am a relative newcomer in the Jerusalem of Judaic thought and praxis, but all went very well and many a participant encouraged me to proceed on this way.
I included the notes of my argument on a page of the congragation website; if you are interested you may read them here.
May '04

Concerning my health and my liver condition: after a consult with a hepatologist of the Amsterdan University Hospital I have taken the decision to subject to a medicine cure with rather heavy medicines. I have to take them probably for a year and the side effects are rather drastic. But I may have a good chance to get rid of the virus which now is active. After a previous cure, which was not succesfull, this is a second try with a slightly different medicine and better monitored than the first cure. It feels like good decision, as it is the best means of avoiding nasty complications in the long run.
Let it be in the will of the universal source and stream of creation that the cure will be effective. ( I keep a diary of the various experiences in this field)

May 29 '04

I bougth a row apparatus for work outs at home!
a week ago I started with the hepatits c cure, with interferon (brand: Pegasys) and Ribavirin. Up till now the side effects are less than expected.
see for further detail the diary

Aug. 11 '04

 

My wishes for the future are to be more selfish.
Before you say "what?" I mean that I'm going to start doing what is in my best interest instead of always thinking of what the other person wants of me whether it's a good thing or not.

I will be vigilant about my health and know from recents test screenings that I must eliminate certain foods from my diet in order to keep my digestive tract healthy. So that means the diet colas are gone and I'm weaning myself from coffee as well.

I also want to save up enough money to take a trip to Holland and not worry about what certain people will say to stop me because of finances.

I have goals for home improvements that I know are doing extremely slowly. I resolve to get things done around my house that need improving this year and no later.

Lastly I will strive to be the kind of person that people can count on without taking advantage of me. I will do this with God's ! help because He knows what's best for me

Canne

 

Liefste Rob;

Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar van de oudste Amerikaanse Cassutto! Now I will continue on in English...

I read my sisters, brother and your 'wish list' for 2004 with much interest. Here are my ideas....can't say 'resolutions' really because I am a 'go with the flow' kind of person, and hate to add the stress of trying to keep a promise, even to myself!

George and Carolyn are keen on their health issues.
I must say, that after the very distressful 2003 that I had, I have to add to that. I wish for a 'healthier 2003' as well. This means there are steps I will have to take to make that happen.

Since I just added a sluggish thyroid to my other assorted problems, I will maintain a watch on that condition. I will have to modify the fats, sugar, salt and carbohydrates in order to bring down the cholesterol and blood pressure levels, which, I have been told, are dangerously high.

I will try to get moving, and get at least a minimum amount of exercise.(walking is good...)

I will try to rest more and work less to relieve the stress on my hand and elbow, which is recovering from recent surgery. I have had a successful start to that goal by reducing my work schedule and accepting more help from my co-workers.

I will learn to relax and let go of things that cannot be changed by my worrying about them.

I will make time to travel, take short weekend trips with my husband ( 35 years in 2004!) and see my children and Jim's family in Florida whenever possible, and my siblings and friends.

This also means making time to do the things I enjoy... see the sports ( baseball, football!) and go to shows and concerts.
Maybe there will be a trip to Holland in my future, right Canne?

I also wish for peace, thank the Lord for my blessings, and get a good night's sleep ( very hard to find.)

Veel liefs en goede wensen voor iedereen in 2004!

Hetty

 

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