So, we’ve been doing this Hanukah thing with Joe. (We’re not getting presents until Christmas though, which is a total rip-off.) Every night, Joe lights the candles, says the prayers, and talks with us about his family and being Jewish and all that.

Man, I never knew that Hanukah was about rebellion! In ancient times, the Greeks ran the government and tried to outlaw the Jewish religion, but the Jews stood up to the man and won. That’s cool.

I also didn’t know that Joe’s dad was born in Czechoslovakia. His family was a pretty big deal over there—they owned a vineyard, a bank, and ritzy houses. Joe’s grandparents and their kids left everything behind when Hitler invaded. They caught the last boat out. A bunch of their relatives didn’t make it.

This wasn’t the first time I heard about Hitler, but it was the first time I heard someone I know talk about what that nutjob did to their relatives. Here’s what really confuses me about the whole Hitler thing. Hitler hated the Jews. But, how do you decide that you hate strangers? I don’t get that.

I spent some time with Alex before I decided he was a freak—it’s based on his freakish behavior. But, I didn’t decide that all male action figures were freaks or anything like that. Lots of people bug me, but that doesn’t mean that anyone who looks like them bugs me. I’d have to meet them first.

Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that human history doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t understand why a lot of the stuff on the news happens either.

Ugh—too many deep thoughts. I wonder where Tricia hid the Christmas presents…