committed_togrowth wrote on 11 Jan 2022 18:25:

Jewishmusicstream.com, the Shirali app, JewishMusic.fm

Do these music services require internet connection? Or do they have a donwload option?

strugglingWithMyself wrote on 12 Jan 2022 11:49:

Most are apps or websites. The Jstream app is available for 4g flip phones on apps4flip.com

Hi all, 

Another quick question. Does anyone know of a way to apply filters to the slack and gmail iphone apps? My work supervisor communicates frequently with me on those apps and they're pretty key for day to day, but I'm concerned because they are capable of opening web links within the app. BH I don't have an urge to leverage this as a loophole, but I'm trying to prepare for a rainy day. Maybe I will just have to delete them and find another way to handle communication.

committed_togrowth wrote on 19 Jan 2022 21:43:

if you’re using an iphone, you can create a whitelist in the screen time settings that applies to any app

That is perfect thank you!

Day 30

Keep up the good work!

I want to share something small with the chevra here that's been giving me chizzuk as of late. It's a quick story, someone can help me fill in the gaps if they know them. There was a chassidic rebbe once who was very careful about going to the mikvah. Even during the winter he would pick away at the thick ice covering the lake near his town in order to toivel. When he went to pick away at the ice, his yetzer hara would set his snare saying "how could you possibly go to the mikvah in this cold? just go home, this is crazy, it's not worth it." Once he broke through the ice, toiveled, and walked home another voice would come saying "you're such an incredible tzaddik, no one can do the incredible things you do, who else is on your level that they'd chip through ice just to go to the mikvah." Of course both voices are the yetzer hara just changing his tune before and after an act. The rebbe would respond to both voices saying "be quiet you old fool." I was inspired by this story to try out calling the yetzer hara an old fool out loud when he comes for me. He keeps on trying to entice us with the same tricks, and we can just say to him "back off you old fool, I'm not a customer." I find that saying this out loud actually helps. Anyway, just wanted to share in case it will benefit anyone else  

committed_togrowth wrote on 09 Feb 2022 02:40:

wiki.guardyoureyes.com/Find_the_Fox

I want to share a thought that's been bouncing around for a bit here (disclaimer it's my own thought I don't have a Torah source for it). While everyone has challenges in life, some people seem to merit particularly special stations in life and never have to leave the sanctuary of kodesh v'tahor (maybe examples would be talmidei chachamim or those born in previous higher generations). Our station on the other hand (please forgive my phrasing if it is offensive), can feel like we were assigned the job of garbage man. Sometimes I feel a complaint about being assigned the role of trash collector while others get to serve in the king's palace so to speak. But recently, the thought occurred to me regarding what a garbage man actually does. He takes the trash out of the city! Yes there might be a bad smell around his place of work, but he himself if a very clean guy! After all, he's the guy who removes the waste. A city can't run without him. That's some pretty clean work even though he gets his hands dirty. I don't know why Hashem has placed us in this position, but I think we should feel pretty special and dignified about the role we have to play. Just some recent thoughts, I hope it gives chizuk to some. Shavua tov all.

Beautiful thought - walk with your head held high!

By the way, unfortunately, many guys on this site, are in the sanctuary in their real life jobs, but unfortunately need help from the sanitation crew.....

Point taken, I suppose anyone dealing with this really is on the sanitation team though

Hi all, 

Just updating the chevra on how things are going. Today is 63 days which I think marks my highest ever streak. One of my biggest takeaways so far has been that this battle is really about time. My journey has definitely not be linear and I still haven't hit the 90 day mark, but it is very clear to me that each streak I have changes me as a person. A fall in no way implies that we start over, because every clean streak moves the needle closer and closer to where it needs to be. As a proof, over time the impulse to look at non-kosher content as an immediate response to stress has weakened. Right now BH the battles I'm facing are less about putting out fires and more about proper maintenance. When I let myself get exhausted/hungry/depressed that's when the old thought patterns creep in. I really think this might be the time that I get to 90 days. I try not to attach too much to numbers, but I want to get there! Thank you all for your support here, I'm inspired by each of you. Let's keep chipping away at this and with Hashem's help we will get there

Amen! Great perspective!