That Time of the Summer
Our new mail slot, #thecreativepause with master coder & music producer Levi Ukraincik, and a few end-of-the-season recommendations
It’s the time of the season when I come to accept reality. By now, I know I won’t get all my summer projects completed. Some summers, I don’t even get them started. That we managed to replace our old, cracked front door last month is a huge win.
The new door has a mail slot. From the way I show it off to everyone, you’d think we have a new puppy. Our old door did not have one and I’m excited about the addition. The one hitch is that we can’t remove our old mailbox because we have asbestos shingles on the house. They pose an environmental hazard if disturbed. So we decided to leave things as they are.
The lingering presence of the old mailbox confused our mail carriers from the get-go. To solve the problem, I handed our regular mail guy a bottle of cold water on a very hot day. Channeling my inner Vanna White, I pointed to the mail slot while he drank. “Nice,” he said. “No problem. And thanks for the water.”
Then he went on vacation. One day, the substitute mail person put the mail in the box. The next day it arrived through the slot, and on this went until our regular guy returned from wherever he went to relax. I thought I’d crochet a mailbox cozy, figuring that would shout, “Hey! I’m no longer a mailbox.” Of course, there’s really no such thing as a mailbox cozy, but why should teapots have all the fun? Anyway, I quickly dismissed the idea for its lack of durability.
So check out our new planter. And never turn down the chance to get creative.
#thecreativepause - Chatting with Master Coder & Music Producer Levi Ukraincik
Speaking of being creative….
Levi Ukraincik is a broad-thinking, multitalented creative – a software developer and a music producer. He sees a deep connection between his creativity and his relationship with G-d, each making the other richer and more meaningful. Levi also happens to be my son.
How did your discovery of coding change your world?
As a kid, I liked to take things apart so I could figure out a different way to rebuild them. I went at challenges from an unexpected angle. It was great fuel for my creativity. But it was hard when I approached things this way in school, where thinking out of the box is less valued than doing it “the right way.”
I was twelve or thirteen when I first watched people hacking in suspense movies. “Whoa,” I thought, completely astounded by it, which compelled me to teach myself computer programming. At first, I liked coding for the results. Over time, I fell in love with the process as well. It just synced with how my brain works.
You produce music, too. What speaks to you about the process?
Music has always been my happy place. Headphones on, volume up. It speaks to my soul. But none of the music I produced when I started in 2020, writing songs for a friend who raps, was any good. There was no life to it. Then I began experimenting, practicing, and I got better. At a certain point, I was able to clear my head and honestly ask Hashem, “Let the music flow through me. Let me make Your song.”
Now, I trust myself. I go with my instincts instead of following what I hear someone else do. It’s still a technical process, lots of tapping in kicks and beats on my keyboard. The creative part is tuning into what it’s my head, feeling where to add ear candy, mixing instrumentals and vocals to imbue the music with a certain feel.
Is there a creative connection between music and coding?
No. Music comes from my right creative brain and programming from the left. But I can program creatively, coming in with a new idea from an unexpected angle. Sometimes, honestly, it’s just poor thinking and I backtrack. Other times, it turns out to be a much better way of doing things.
How do you strike the balance between Shabbos observance and a creative life?
It’s hard to turn off the music on Friday. About ten minutes before Shabbos, I just sit and listen to a few songs, watching as people start heading out to shul, the sun setting on the horizon. Then I pray. Hashem, I say, Be with me. Walk with me through Shabbos. I tap into the music, the emotion of the moment, and that connection with Him.
For me, Shabbos is about unplugging from my computer and plugging into a different world of honest, interpersonal relationships. All week long, my friends and I talk from anywhere in the world through technology. But on Shabbos, I can connect only with the ones physically present with me. When we give kavod to Shabbos by not being on our phones, we are also giving kavod to the people with us. We’re in the moment, and we use the time and space to make our human connections more meaningful.
Last thing. Where do you most deeply feel the link between Judaism and music?
Music is a way to connect with myself and my emotions and G-d, bringing Him into the process. The whole vibe of Shabbos – the food and the schmoozing and the singing we do at the table – opens a door inside us. It lets G-d in, allowing for a special connection with him. It makes room for creativity and holiness in everything we do.
Some End-of-Summer Recommendations
I can’t stop watching this video of Jerry Block and Sheldon Harnick singing what could have been the opening number in “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Sima’s Undergarments for Women, a novel by Ilana Stanger-Ross, has been sitting on my bookshelf for a decade. What a fun way to pass a Shabbos afternoon.
In other reading, I finished Noa Tishby’s Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth, a spirited and concise look at the history and nuances of the Jewish State. All the talking points you need to have a conversation about Israel.
Currently, I’m near the end of Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead. It’s our book club read this month. I’m finding it moving, the writing beautiful.
And I’m savoring Abraham Verghese’s The Covenant of Water. I wish I could sink into the 700+ pages and stay there until I’m done. No coming up for air or laundry or making dinner. But alas, life doesn’t stop for a book.
Asking a Small Favor
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Wishing you a wonderful, safe, relaxing end of summer.
Love,
Merri