Friday, September 14, 2012
Good Fences and Terrible Neighbors
Pfft. My neighbor is obnoxious.
Once again, clad in his underclothes, he scolded me for not managing my air conditioning correctly. I told him that if he has a problem, he should speak to me rather than shout at me.
To which he replied "I didn't shout at you! Last time I was speaking to you, and you started to walk off and THEN I started shouting."
His high-decibel "not-shouting" had included mentioning that he is capable of coming to my apartment to bother me in the middle of the night. Next time he says that, I shall inform the police that the barely dressed old man is threatening to come into my apartment in the middle of the night.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Hello!
Hello dear blog!
I have begun to miss you once more!
Here I am in Israel, with all these thoughts, and a terribly neglected blog!
Shame.
I will be better. I hope.
I found that the blog was motivation to do interesting things and improve my time management. And there are so many things to do!
Though I have a day job now, I will do my very best to post new and interesting things.
Things to look forward to:
Embroidery projects! Watch as YGirl learns new things, becomes fixated on the linen wonders of linen, and tries to sew things by hand that haven't been sewn by hand since the invention of the sewing machine!
The annual Counter-Terrorism Conference! And related worrying about resume and business card design (seriously people, give me advice about business cards!) How stylish can I go before I look like a Helvetica-obsessed madwoman? How serious can I go without looking like a self-important pompous ass? Serif or Sans-serif? Black and white or should there be some grey in there? Or perhaps, God forbid, a color?!?
Musing about Israeli apartments! Fixing air conditioning units, learning how to wash tile floors without breaking one's back, water conservation, YGirl's failed attempts at growing things!
Occasional outbursts about life in Israel! If you are lucky I will re-tell the great story of my altercation in a gelato shop. Bragging about Israeli healthcare. etc.
I have begun to miss you once more!
Here I am in Israel, with all these thoughts, and a terribly neglected blog!
Shame.
I will be better. I hope.
I found that the blog was motivation to do interesting things and improve my time management. And there are so many things to do!
Though I have a day job now, I will do my very best to post new and interesting things.
Things to look forward to:
Embroidery projects! Watch as YGirl learns new things, becomes fixated on the linen wonders of linen, and tries to sew things by hand that haven't been sewn by hand since the invention of the sewing machine!
The annual Counter-Terrorism Conference! And related worrying about resume and business card design (seriously people, give me advice about business cards!) How stylish can I go before I look like a Helvetica-obsessed madwoman? How serious can I go without looking like a self-important pompous ass? Serif or Sans-serif? Black and white or should there be some grey in there? Or perhaps, God forbid, a color?!?
Musing about Israeli apartments! Fixing air conditioning units, learning how to wash tile floors without breaking one's back, water conservation, YGirl's failed attempts at growing things!
Occasional outbursts about life in Israel! If you are lucky I will re-tell the great story of my altercation in a gelato shop. Bragging about Israeli healthcare. etc.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
England - Cousin's Wedding
My second day in the UK was my cousin's wedding. The event took place in Surrey so we piled into the car to schlep out of London.
The wedding was in a beautiful lavender garden.
Parents and aunts and uncles.
Dear cousin playing the guitar before the bride and groom entered.
My lovely mother and aunt.
The huppah.
Following the ceremony my cousin R and I enjoyed (many) cocktails and appetizers.
The band was epic. Truly epic.
More cousins.
Posing with the table sign and cousin M.
Good times with lovely family!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
England - Exploring London
In late September I went to the UK for my cousin's wedding. My parents arrived only about 12 hours before me from Seattle. I took EasyJet from Ben Gurion Airport to London Luton. It was a traumatic experience because the Israeli mentality doesn't really match up with the EasyJet system (no seat numbers and first-come first-served EVERYTHING). In any case, after a sweet goodbye from D, I set off on my adventure.
I landed at Luton in the evening and had to find my way through the airport to the strangely unmarked bus that took me to the Luton Airport Train Station. It was an awful train station with no schedules, announcements or staff. However, I met a helpful couple that let me use their phone to call my father. We arranged to meet at St. Pancras Station.
After a slow train ride and some very assertive crowd management maneuvers I was in the cold London air, searching for my father. Upon meeting up, we frantically moved the car to avoid a parking ticket and were on our way to the Dunstans' home in Acton.
They fed me and I collapsed into bed.
The next day we explored London.
I landed at Luton in the evening and had to find my way through the airport to the strangely unmarked bus that took me to the Luton Airport Train Station. It was an awful train station with no schedules, announcements or staff. However, I met a helpful couple that let me use their phone to call my father. We arranged to meet at St. Pancras Station.
After a slow train ride and some very assertive crowd management maneuvers I was in the cold London air, searching for my father. Upon meeting up, we frantically moved the car to avoid a parking ticket and were on our way to the Dunstans' home in Acton.
They fed me and I collapsed into bed.
The next day we explored London.
My lovely mother in the London sunshine.
Ema and Abba navigating and driving in London.
You see this face? This is why it happened:
I never thought that chai lattes would be such a big deal to me.
I was also shocked by the kind, polite, swift and efficient service.
I was also shocked by the kind, polite, swift and efficient service.
Really English buildings.
The Thames!
Quaint buildings!
Only in Israel - Winter 2011-2012
This Winter I found some very uniquely Israeli things to photograph. Here they are, for your enjoyment.
Giant Soufganiot (Doughnut) Banners
Heaters with Nearly Bare Coils Advertized by Nearly Naked Babies on the Telephone?
Giant Soufganiot (Doughnut) Banners
Heaters with Nearly Bare Coils Advertized by Nearly Naked Babies on the Telephone?
Genuine Lime. Not Fake. Not Imitation. The Real Deal.
Man Socks and Woman Socks.
Oh, and Some Kids Socks.
Cereal with Halva (sweet sesame seed paste) Cream.
Only in Israel.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Easing Back Into Blogging
Here I am, trying to get back into the swing of blogging.
A quick update:
School: I have one more exam and one more paper to finish. Then I will be finished!
Work: I am nearly finished with TAing the Israeli Politics course. Only two more exams to grade and hand in. Then I need to write the Moed Bet (retake) exam and be present when the students are taking it. Then grading. I have found grading to be very difficult because I get frustrated and bored.
Next semester I will TA two course for one of my very favorite professors. He even asked me if I would like to present a case study of social movements in the suffragette movement. Very exciting.
I have been doing research for the same professor to help him with his next big project.
I have been doing some editing work for some students at school. I find it rewarding and challenging work. It is something that I think I could enjoy as a full-time job, actually!
And soon I will need to find a full-time job like a grown-up.
Apartment: I found a new roommate to take E's room. We will call her E2. She is very lovely. She cooks and bakes and listens to fun music. Her fiance came to visit in December and he was also delightful! She and I have been going a little Pinterest crazy in sharing ideas for her forthcoming wedding.
Friends: Many of my friends moved back to their home countries after school finished in September. E, D, Sweet J and the International Man were among them. Some lovely friends remain, though Canadian A is moving back to her hometown soon. I have been making an effort to spend time with new friends, especially those that intend on staying in Israel.
The Boy: He and I are still together. Liking each other lots and trying to figure out the logistics of relationships. There are some challenges including my uncertainty about finding a job here that will support me adequately. I met his parents several months ago and they have been sweet to me. His father likes to share new wines with me and his mother likes to feed me.
Hobbies: I have taken to following fashion and style blogs more than before. I have a fairly limited wardrobe here, but I like to experiment a little. I really like home decor blogs as well, and have all sorts of grand plans that don't seem to come to much. In the spirit of blog-following here is a new video from Garance Dore - stylish, beautiful Frenchwoman.
A quick update:
School: I have one more exam and one more paper to finish. Then I will be finished!
Work: I am nearly finished with TAing the Israeli Politics course. Only two more exams to grade and hand in. Then I need to write the Moed Bet (retake) exam and be present when the students are taking it. Then grading. I have found grading to be very difficult because I get frustrated and bored.
Next semester I will TA two course for one of my very favorite professors. He even asked me if I would like to present a case study of social movements in the suffragette movement. Very exciting.
I have been doing research for the same professor to help him with his next big project.
I have been doing some editing work for some students at school. I find it rewarding and challenging work. It is something that I think I could enjoy as a full-time job, actually!
And soon I will need to find a full-time job like a grown-up.
Apartment: I found a new roommate to take E's room. We will call her E2. She is very lovely. She cooks and bakes and listens to fun music. Her fiance came to visit in December and he was also delightful! She and I have been going a little Pinterest crazy in sharing ideas for her forthcoming wedding.
Friends: Many of my friends moved back to their home countries after school finished in September. E, D, Sweet J and the International Man were among them. Some lovely friends remain, though Canadian A is moving back to her hometown soon. I have been making an effort to spend time with new friends, especially those that intend on staying in Israel.
The Boy: He and I are still together. Liking each other lots and trying to figure out the logistics of relationships. There are some challenges including my uncertainty about finding a job here that will support me adequately. I met his parents several months ago and they have been sweet to me. His father likes to share new wines with me and his mother likes to feed me.
Hobbies: I have taken to following fashion and style blogs more than before. I have a fairly limited wardrobe here, but I like to experiment a little. I really like home decor blogs as well, and have all sorts of grand plans that don't seem to come to much. In the spirit of blog-following here is a new video from Garance Dore - stylish, beautiful Frenchwoman.
More to come!
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