TED: Ideas Worth Spreading

The Internet as Random Acts of Kindness
A fascinating way to view the internet, thought I'd share with you guys. It's a bit long, but well worth it.

L'Shana Tova

Have a healthy, happy and sweet New Year! May we all be inscribed in the book of life, and let this year be the year Mashiach comes.
Chasima V'Chasima Tova!

Superpower Meme

Child Ish tagged me with Mike in Midwood's Superpower Meme, and since I didn't really have any other ideas of something to post, I figured why not? However, I am feeling slightly limited by having to choose just one power, after all, there are so many cool ones to choose from. (I had been going to type "they're all so cool..but I can think of plenty that would be very uncool, and useless.)
Ok, hmmm, which to choose? Mind-reading has always been one of my personal favorites, just because it would help me to finally understand people. On the other hand, I've read too much stuff to think that that would really help me. So, not mind-reading.
Oooh, talking to animals, another favorite! (For obvious reasons) I'd finally get what my pets are trying to tell me. THough, let's be honest, while animals are wonderful companions, I'm not sure they'd make such great conversationalists...no Dr. Dolittle-ing for me then.
Teleportation? Telekenisis? Telepathy? Teleportation would be cool, but I get the feeling I'd take it for granted after a while. Telekinesis would be cool, though it depends on how much effort it took (I'll admit, I'm lazy in the superpower department) Telepathy kinda falls under mind-reading, and is only really useful if there's someone else who has that power too.
Allright, I've got it. Shape-shifting, with no limitations. If I can imagine it, I can shift to it. How cool would that be? Gives me the ability to fly (another one I'd love), "talk to animals", and hey, I could even shift to dragon! (Yes, I added that in, come on, you guys didn't expect anything different, did you?)

Alright, I'm not gonna tag anyone, mainly because I'm feeling too lazy to try to link it. Anyone who wants to do the Meme (and I'd say go for it, it's fun, and gives you a post when you can't think of one) can do this.

The Newest Dog Breeds

NEW DOG BREEDS!

Collie + Lhasa Apso
Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport

Spitz + Chow Chow
Spitz-Chow, a dog that throws up a lot

Pointer + Setter
Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet

Great Pyrenees + Dachshund
Pyradachs, a puzzling breed

Pekingnese + Lhasa Apso
Peekasso, an abstract dog

Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer Spaniel
Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as a whistle

Labrador Retriever + Curly Coated Retriever
Lab Coat Retriever, the choice of research scientists

Newfoundland + Basset Hound
Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors

Terrier + Bulldog
Terribull, a dog that makes awful mistakes

Bloodhound + Labrador
Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly

Malamute + Pointer
Moot Point, owned by.... oh, well, it doesn't matter anyway

Deerhound + Terrier
Derriere, a dog that's true to the end

Bull Terrier + ShihTzu
Oh, never mind....

9/11/2001

An infamous day in American History. Anyone old enough could tell you were they were when they heard the news. Possibly even what they had eaten that morning, to what they were wearing. 4 planes hijacked by 19 muslim terrorists. Two planes went into the Twin Towers, one went into the Pentagon, the fourth crashing in a field. Many people lost thier lives that day. Many people lost loved ones. And yet, even in such tragedy, there were many little miracles. That the planes didn't crash just a little later in the day, that people were delayed coming into work, that someone missed thier flight. Perhaps that day they had been slated to die, and yet were spared. For some, they don't want to remember that day at all, for it meant a change in our world. But, if we want to continue on, as a nation, as a people...we must remember it, and all it stands for. There are those who would see us dead for what we are and what we stand for. We might not want to remember, but we must never forget.

Uploaded Pics from My Camera

Decided to upload some pictured from my camera last night, and found some pictures of the pets (mainly Mittens and Mariner) Oh, and there's a picture of Sammy, my father's dog. Enjoy!

Root Canals and Laughing Gas

Today I had my root canal...or to be more accurate, part one of my root canal. I need to go back next week to finish it. As I type this, my mouth is still numb from the novacaine, though the laughing gas has probably left my system by now. Since i was given laughing gas however during the whole procedure I think my behavior was a little bit....off. I felt like I do when I'm hyper and giddy. Which basically meant I babbled a LOT. And when I couldn't (since they had my mouth held open) I started "singing" along with the music from the ipod I borrowed from CJ. Disney songs. The nurse started laughing at that. I also made weird faces when the novacaine started to kick in (I was already on the laughing gas for a few minutes before that). Overall wasn't so bad....though I really dislike being numb. And it's over. Till next Monday at least.
Add: Ok, once the novacaine wore off, not so fun. I felt like I'd cut my own my head off if I thought it would stop the pain. Instead I took advil and went to bed.

What to post about?

Let's face it, I don't get a whole lot of comments on here. Not that I'm compaining (ok, maybe just the tiniest bit...) But if I really wanted more comments, it would probably require me making this blog as something other than what it currently is. What would get me more comments? Posting on shidduchim, (which is a topic that has been just about bludgeoned to death by almost everyone) on politics (I'm a right wing conservative, but I refuse to get pulled into useless battles) or other contoversial topics. Now me, I'm not controversial. I like nice, easy simple...I LIVE with controversial people, they thrive on it. When you live with that 24/7, you occasionally need a break, right? Right. So I guess I'll stick with my blog as is, my online journal. A place to vent, share my observations...and generally let the whole world (or those who care at any rate) how my life goes. I'm just one blogger among many. I guess I should be happy I get any readers period. Thanks guys!
Edit: Getting my first root canal on Tuesday, wish me luck!

Pack or Herd?

Walking along the Breezeway, on my way back to my car after class, I looked around me and watched the way people walked. I saw a loose group of guys and girls walking easily and loosely. Then, around the corner I saw a group of guys walking, close together, very loud. The first thought that crossed my mind when I saw them was "Pack - predators". After that, I realized there were two ways people tend to group together, as a pack, like the predators they are, or as a herd...easily led, and easily swayed.
So how about you? The next time you're out and walking, you might want to watch...pack? Or herd?

My Trip to the Dentist

Today I went to the dentist to get a cavity filled in, this was my first time at this dentist, and I didn't know what to expect. Apparently I didn;t only have a cavity, but I had several and what I had thought just needed to be filled in needed a root canal. Actually, I don't just need one root canal, but 3!!! The best part? The total that they gave me was $11,915. Lotta money...so I handed the problem to my mom and in the meantime, my teeth hurt!!

So CUUUUUTE!!!!!!

Tiger Quadruplets @ Yahoo! Video

Here's a thought...

My favorite song...Live Like You Were Dyin' by Tim McGraw. So here's my question....what would you do?

Broward cops are wusses, but don't #%&* with Miami Cops

First I must begin this post by explaining the difference between the 3 different counties that make up South Florida (Technically 4 counties, but Monroe doesn't always count.) Palm Beach, Broward and Miami Dade. Palm Beach cops neither astound with unbelievable stupidity or incredible bravery, and thus have not made it on to my radar. The Broward and Miami-Dade Cops however, are what we are going to discuss today.
A few years ago, a Broward cop was shot and killed. The police response? They put out a reward of $200,000 for any information regarding the possible suspect, last seen driving away in a white car. They still have not found the cop killer.
Several weeks after the incident with the Broward cop killer, a Miami cop was accidentally shot. BIG difference. The police were all over it, they shook down the community, practically shut down the neighborhood were the shooting took place, and by the end of the day, the cop killer was dead in a shoot out.
The lesson? Don't mess with Miami cops, but Broward cops have their hands tied by bureaucracy (stupidity).

Money

It can buy a House

But not a Home

It can buy a Bed

But not Sleep

It can buy a Clock

But not Time

It can buy you a Book

But not Knowledge

It can buy you a Position

But not Respect

It can buy you Medicine

But not Health

It can buy you Blood

But not Life

So you see money isn't everything.

And it often causes pain and suffering.

I tell you this because I am your Friend,and as your Friend I want to take away your pain and suffering! So send me all your money and I will suffer for you!

Cash only please

High Speed Chase? Not So Much....

I recall a few years ago, there was a car-jacking, that had cops after it for several hours. Sounds cool, no? Only one problem with this scenario. The car that was hijacked was a little mailtruck...that at it's fastes only goes about 30 mph. So the "high-speed chase" that lasted three hours, was more like a snail chase. Funnily enough, they were reporting it on the radio like it was the biggest thing ever. (Never mind that SoFl, especically Miami, has much more "exciting" things happening than that) I remember feeling very bad for the woman who was stuck in the mailtruck with the hi-jacker, and being relieved when he was caught. But you've got to wonder...what on earth possesed him to hi-jack possibly one of the slowest moving vehicles you can get around here?

Savannah, Georgia

The Historic district: One of the largest historic districts in the U.S., and CJ and I walked all over it yesterday. We also drove all over it on a trolley tour, which was pretty cool. After the trolley tour, we had lunch and went on a walking tour. We got our own private guide (probably because it was 2 in the afternoon, and it was HOT) we walked pretty much everywhere, and after the tour, we learned to orient ourselves by the squares that were equally spaced througought the historic district. We went through an old mansion, and the carriage house. It was amazing, but sadly, we weren't allowed to take pictures of the indoors. Then we went shopping (of course) while waiting to go to the ghost tour. The ghost tour wasn't as scary as CJ had hoped, but we agreed later, it was still pretty good. All in all a good time, and definetely something I would recommend to anyone in the area, especially history buffs.

Hilton Head, Here I come!

Tomorrow I'm leaving for Hilton Head at 7 am, and driving up with CJ. It's an 8 hour trip, so should get there in plenty of time for shabbos. Currently packing, and worrying I'm gonna forget something. But, no worries, I'll be taking lots of pictures, and posting them. Yay for road trips!

Pitfalls of Pets

Cats and dogs are hunters. You forget this at your own peril. Especially if one of your animals is an outdoor/ indoor pet. Heck, even just an indoor pet can do plenty of hunting with the bugs that enter the house. We are constantly finding "gifts" left by Boots by our sliding glass door out on the patio. A dead bird, usually dead lizards....with their guts ripped out. One time we had a half grown tadpole get in the house (how? I have NO idea) and Mittens killed it, and then it looked like Mariner was gonna try to eat it. I threw it out. Just now, I found a still twitching lizard's tail that had caught Mariner's and Mitten's interest. I just REALLY hope neither of them tries to eat it. Otherwise they'll throw it up, and guess who cleans it up? Much as I love my animals, this is the one thing I dislike. On the other hand, they eat the bugs too, so that's good, as well as amusing to watch.
Add: I found the rest of the lizard...

The Foundation of a Relationship

Honesty. Trust. Respect. These are the three main basics of any kind of relationship. Whether it be a friendship, a marriage, between co-workers, an employer and employees, I think you get the idea. Lacking one of these key ingredients, the relationship will inevitably fall apart. I'm confronted with an accusation? I react defensively perhaps, but underlying is my honesty.That leads to trust, does the other party trust my honesty? Which both lead to respect. There is NO relationship without mutual respect from both parties to the other. Lack of respect means the relationship will inevitably fall apart, because one party views the other as inferior, and not worthy. Keep in mind, when interacting with another party in a relationship, do you have these? Or is one missing? Look inside, face the truth, and decide whether it's worth fixing.
Edit: Written at almost 4 am, I'm not sure how much sense this makes, I'll fix it up when I can make sense of it.

Tagged!

Moshe and frum single female tagged me for a meme of 7 things you love.

Ok, most of this everyone who reads my blog probably already knows, but whatever. Here goes, in no specific order:

1. Animals! Or at least the cute furry ones. (This includes my pets)

2. Dragons! Actually most mythical creatures, but my love of dragons is probably the most obvious.

3. My family - despite the fact that they tend to drive me up the wall at times.

4. Reading - fantasy mainly, though I've read almost every other genre. Except for horror, that I refuse to read.

5. Feeling the changing of seasons (one thing that I miss by living in Florida)

6. Sitting and talking with good friends - who know me inside and out the same as I do them.

7. Meeting new people and learning new things!

Who to tag?

Jacob Da Jew, Mike in Midwood, SuperRaizy, Material Maidel, Child Ish, Frum College Girl

Treasure Hunter Part Deux

After being long awaited, here's more of Rhea, you're favorite treasure hunter. And some new characters!

Finally having a break to breathe, she took a look at the artifact she had been sent for. It was a curious object, all rounded edges and curved lines. She discovered that looking too closely at it gave her a headache and made her feel nauseous and dizzy. She put it away. Let her employer deal with it. That was his arena, not hers. She looked around, seeing the choppy waters glinting in the moonlight, noting the lights off the starboard of her boat, indicating a seaside city. Rhea looked around, searching for the bobbing lights she knew were out there. She scanned the horizon, narrowing her eyes against the sea spray.
There, slightly obscured behind a seaside cliff, she saw the tell-tale red and blue lights of her employer’s boat, dipping on the wavelets of the sea. Turning the boat, she headed toward them, grateful that she was drawing close to the end of her job, and that she would finally get paid. This was of course no more dangerous than jobs she had accepted in the past, but it was far more dangerous then she had originally been informed, that would cost her employer dearly. Of course, he could more than afford it. After all, he was one of the wealthiest men on the planet.
This was what made his hiring Rhea, one of the most well known thieves (though she preferred the term “treasure hunter”) on the planet, all the more odd. If he was so wealthy, couldn’t he merely have purchased the item, instead of stealing it? Though all of those precautions set in place for such a little thing…she glanced at it again, out of the corner of her eye. When she looked at it this way, it almost seemed pretty. She shook her head, and focused on her goal.
She pulled up alongside the boat, more of a yacht than a mere “boat”. “Ahoy the ship!” she called out, not raising her voice overly much. Voices carried well over water, why borrow trouble by alerting anyone else in the vicinity? “Rhea? Is that you?” A tousled blonde head peered over the rail. The head belonged to a 17 year old boy, her nephew actually, who was also related (in some distant fashion she didn’t entirely fathom) to her employer. “No, it’s Donald Duck. Of course it’s me, now let down the ladder!” she half scolded, smiling. It was hard to be serious and grim around the infectious joy that Aeries inspired. The fact that her adrenaline was still spiked from near death experiences lent some giddiness to her as well.
There was a clatter, and a rope ladder was tossed over the side of the yacht. Tucking the strange artifact inside a satchel, not quite looking straight at it, she tucked the satchel close to her body and shimmied up the ladder. “I’m so glad you’re back!” he cried, still keeping his voice down. He threw his arms around her and hugged her tight for a moment. Then, remembering himself, he coughed and drew back, his face a brilliant scarlet, just barely visible in the moonlight. “I mean, um, I’m glad you’re safe.” He muttered. She grinned, safe in the knowledge that her face was still hidden in the shadow, but kept the laughter out of her voice. “It’s good to know someone was keeping a lookout for me. Oh, and you better not let Mr. Thomas see you covered in all that ash, he might think you disobeyed his orders and came with me like you wanted.” Aries looked down, dismayed. In his enthusiasm, he had hugged his aunt before checking the state of her clothing, and a great deal of the ash and dirt that covered her from head to toe had transferred to him. Then he looked at her, and took in the grey ash, turning her already grey camouflage even darker. Her light-brown hair was grey and brown with ash and dirt, her face was streaked with it.
Her light green eyes danced with amusement at the dismay in her nephew’s face. “Don’t worry, I’ll cover for you. Just go wash off, and get changed. I’ll meet with you and Mr. Thomas in fifteen minutes in the briefing cabin.” She strolled off, looking as calm and collected as ever. She always looked calm and collected, even when she was panicking inside. That was one of the things Aries admired most about her. That, and who wouldn’t admire someone who went off into danger, on grand adventures at the drop of a hat? So it was dangerous, as he had been lectured many times before, but like any teenager, he thought he was immortal.
Aries cleaned up as thoroughly as he cared to, and threw on a new t-shirt and cargo pants. He just hoped Mr. Thomas wouldn’t do a very close inspection. Sticking his hands into his pockets, he wandered over to the briefing cabin, though he knew he’d be the first one there. HE didn’t mind though, there was always something good to eat waiting for him in the room, no matter what time of day or night. Pushing open the door, he sniffed the air appreciatively it was his favorite, fried mangoes. Settling down in one of the big plush chairs around the table in the center of the room, he grabbed one of the sticky treats from a platter on the table. Just as he was about to take a bite, Mr. Thomas, walked into the room and Aries started guiltily.
Mr. Thomas was not a tall or imposing man. In fact, he was rather short and round, with a neatly trimmed red goatee, and his red hairline rapidly receding from his forehead. Despite the fact that he typically had the aura of a favorite uncle, he could be incredibly intimidating when he chose. Fortunately, now was not one of those times that he chose to. He smiled indulgently at Aries, and made a sweeping gesture. “Help yourself. I had it specially made for you and Rhea-“
“Did I hear my name uttered in vain?” Rhea asked, sweeping in, looking a bit more presentable then when she had been pulled over the side of the yacht. Her hair was up in a bun, her face was clear of ash, and she wore a clean t-shirt and jeans. “Oooh, fried mangoes, my favorite!! See, this is why I love working for you Mr. Thomas, the effort is well worth the reward.”

Path Taken

I close my eyes.
I stand at a crossroads, which road to choose?
So many to choose from, but where do they go?
To decide one path is to rid myself of any other choice.
But what if it's wrong? I can't go back.
I look down one path, I squint down another, trying to figure out which is best.
As I stand there undecided, one path disappears.
Wait! But...what if I had chosen that path?
It's too late. I can't take the time any longer.
I choose my path.
I open my eyes.

Another E-mail My mother sent me

ENOUGH:
Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged, and the mother said, 'I love you, and I pray you enough.’
The daughter replied, 'Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I pray you enough, too, Mom.'
They kissed, and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'
Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?'
'Well...I'm not as young as I once was, she lives so far away & has her own busy life. I have some challenges ahead, and the reality is - her next trip back will be for my funeral,' she said.
'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I pray you enough.' May I ask what that means?'
She began to smile. 'That's a prayer that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.' She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I pray you enough,' we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.'
Then, turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.
I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more
I pray you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I pray you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
Then, she began to cry, and walked away.
They say, it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them.
TAKE TIME TO LIVE......
To all my friends and loved ones,
I PRAY YOU ENOUGH....

She sat alone in the dark room, motionless, as the tears dripped down her cheeks and off her chin. She occasionally sniffled, staring off into the shadowed corners of the room. She wondered why she was crying, why she felt so miserable. She recalled that earlier that evening she had beeen her carefree, easy, cheerful self - in the space of a few short minutes, all of that changed. She now sat alone, as miserable as could be, wishing she had the courage to stand up and face what she had to. But she couldn't, she just stared into the dark with large tear-filled eyes, not yet willing to put aside her fear and tears. Finally, she uncurled from her position, and went in search of paper. After tearing out a sheet of paper from an old school notebook, she wrote down the events that had taken place a half hour ago. Perhaps that would ease her pain and she could get on without the burden - perhaps it would help her to understand why she cried. In the course of writing, her tears dried up and her nose unclogged. The mere act of getting the words down on paper had a soothing effect. No longer were they inside, unspoken. They were now on a page, visible to anyone who cared to look. Even if locked away, they were free. She looked up, wiped the last tears from her eyes, and decided to go out the door. She would not let anything hold her back any longer.

Mariner Goes Swimming

My mother and brother took Mariner to the dog beach today. He liked the beach and the dogs, but he was too scared to go in the water. So when they got home, they decided to take him into our pool. I just got home from biking when they decided to do this and I took some pictures. He wasn't too thrilled about being in the pool, but he looked VERY cute.

Driving, Directions and Getting Lost

Typically, when I'm driving I have a fairly good sense of direction, especially if I've gone to my destination at least once before. If I've gone once, I can find my way back ther with a minimum amount of mishap. If I've never been there before, I rely on Mapquest or my brother. (We had a GPS, it broke, haven't gotten around to replacing it yet.) In any case, it's all fine when I'm the one drving. However, stick me in the passenger seat, and then ask me for directions, even to a place I know WELL, and I will manage to get us lost. CJ has finally learned this after many many repeats. She's learned to question whether I'm absolutely certain...I'll say yes, and then around 3 seconds later I say "oh....wait...oops" That is generally the point where she threatens to kill me for getting us lost...AGAIN. Last year in Myrtle Beach, I got her a magnet that said "We've been through so much...and most of it was your fault." However, as she said, most of it was actually MY fault. So, never listen to me when I'm giving directions from the passenger seat, even if I insist I'm right. I WILL get us lost.

Biking!

So even though I only learned how to ride a bike last night, I went to the park with CJ and SSC and went bike riding for 2 1/2 miles. I KNOW I'm going to regret it a LOT tomorrow, but I totally think it was worth it. Fell off the bike once, because I can't really do turns so well. CJ tried to go down one of the nature trails with the bikes. But I told her a few feet in, that this was like putting a rookie through mountain bike terrain. So we left, but not before SSC got all bitten up by mesquitoes because she forgot to spray her legs with the OFF. I love riding the bike, but I was SO hot by the time we were done. 90 degrees with about 95% humidity = HOT.
Can't wait till the next time I ride though. Now I just need to get a bike, though that's not happening till I get back from Hilton Head.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LEARNED HOW TO RIDE A BIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!
For those of you who have been following my blog for a while, you probably remember that one of the things that I've mentioned is that I couldn't ride a bike. Well, last night I went to meet a friend who had come to Florida for a few days. SG was one of my roomates in seminary, and she's the only one i hadn't seen since seminary (about 4 yrs ago) So we went to dinner with her grandparents, who paid for the meal (we had steak - which made me very happy) and afterwards I drove with SG and her grandmother back to the house that her grandparents own - they're one of the winter snowbirds - only down this summer to ship some of their stuff to Isreal. But anyways, SG said why don't we ride the bikes around. I said I couldn't ride a bike, so she decided that she'd teach me. At first she tried holding onto the bike (like you would for a little kid) but then she gave up. After all, I'm a big girl, it was a big bike...I fell off a few times, but within half an hour I learned how to ride a bike!!!! I'm SO happy about that. On the other hand, today I am SO sore, but it was totally worth it.

Mitten-Kitten in the Sink

Pet's Nicknames

Mariner: Mah, Mah-ri-ner, Ner-Ner, Marinara Sauce, Mari

Boots: Boot-boot

Mittens: Mitten-Kitten, pussycat, Mrrrr kitty

Diamond: Little Bird

Suki: Sukster, calico tiger

My First Day of Class

Never finished this, but it was started the first day of class. Hope you enjoy anyways. Oh, and there are pictures!

I walked to the building and looked up. *sigh* Yes, this WAS the right building, unfortunately. Somewhat daunted, I pushed open the door and entered the building. OK, my classroom was 209 so that meant…I had to go to the second floor. Where were the stairs? Turning to my right, I saw the men’s room, and across from that, the well-worn grey stairs. I trudged up, taking my time. After all, class wouldn’t start for another fifteen minutes. I got to the top of the stairs and saw a glass door in front of me, over the door, there was an emblem that said “South Florida Juvenile Correction Center”. Huh? Am I in the right place? I mentally shrugged there was no other building with a big number 10 on it, so maybe this was left over from when this building was used for something else. I pushed open the door, and entered a small hallway. To the right was a door with 218 over it. Ok…looking for 209…hmmm. Oh, there it is! The door to the room stood wide open. I looked inside and bit back a groan. Something told me this class was not going to be what I had expected. The room looked like an aerobics room, complete with mirrors, stepping stones and a laminate floor. The desks and whiteboard currently taking up most of the space looked completely out of place. Walking to the front of the class, I chose one of the desks near the teacher’s desk. I always sit near the front. It used to be because I had a hardtime seeing the board, but I no longer had that problem. Now I sat in the front so the teacher would know who I am, and would be more likely to be lenient with me. I was also more likely to actually pay attention when sitting at the front of the class, if only because I knew it would be obvious to the teacher when I wasn’t. I sat down and took my iPod out of my purse, but didn’t even get a chance to turn it on before the teacher and the first of the students came into the classroom. The teacher was chatting away with the student, who clearly must have been in one of her classes before. I listened with half an ear to the conversation while I took stock. The teacher looked nice, a mother-ish black woman probably in her early to mid 40’s (though I am notoriously bad at guessing ages so I could be WAY off the mark). Despite that, she looked fit, which made sense for a teacher of a wellness class. I decided I could like this teacher, and she would probably be receptive to the fact that I’d be missing the last day of class. Slowly, more people trickled into the classroom and took seats.

An E-mail that my mom sent me

Enjoy.
Haven't verified if this is true.
And I don't care.
Pictures are cute anyway.
WATCH THAT DOGGY DOOR
Could you imagine coming home from work to find this tiny creature napping on your couch with your dog? Guess who came home for dinner?
It followed this beagle home, right through the doggy door. This happened in Maryland recently. The owner came home to find the visitor had made himself right at home. This hit the 6 o'clock news big time.

Isn't this adorable?

Treasure Hunter

She ducked and rolled, keeping her mouth shut and inhaling through her nose, trying not to inhale too much smoke. She slunk along behind the burning crates, staying close enough to the flames that her own body heat wouldn’t show up on radar, but far enough away that she wouldn’t be roasted. Her eyes were locked on the goal just 15 feet in front of her, only a short sprint away in normal circumstances. However between she and her goal was not only a blazing inferno, but a yawning pit, filled with spikes.
Who still uses pits filled with spikes? She thought, starting to panic. Then she mentally kicked herself. Get a GRIP, Rhea, you can DO this. Just focus on what’s right in front of you. Examine the situation calmly and without panicking. She glared at the deep pit, calculating it to be about 15 feet deep and 30 feet across, no way she could get across without some kind of tool. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a long piece of wood that was only mildly singed, but still serviceable and sturdy. She lifted up one end, grunting with effort, it was heavier than it had first appeared, which was all to the good as far as she was concerned, that meant it was more likely to hold her weight. Once Rhea got her board to the edge of the pit however, she realized she had a problem. The board fell short of the end by ten feet.
She groaned quietly. Why was nothing ever easy? Just once it would be nice if everything fell into place. She shrugged off her brief bout of self pity and got back to the situation at hand. Okay, so the board was too short, was there anything else around, and don’t just look at the ground but look…up. She craned her neck, and looked above her. There, in the rafters was a rope swinging, if she could only get to it. But once she got it, would it be able to support her weight? Were the rafters so weakened by the fire that she’d go tumbling to her death? It didn’t matter, she had to take the chance, there was no choice, and no other way out. Once she got past the pit and grabbed what she had come for, she’d be out that final door and on her way to freedom. Or if not freedom, at least on her way to getting paid, which was close enough.
She clambered onto a nearby crate and grabbed the rope as it swung past her. She tugged a little, making sure it was actually attached at the top, and not just hanging over a rafter. Having assured herself that she would not immediately plunge to her death, she took a firm hold of the rope, took a deep breath, and leapt from the crate. The hot air choked in her throat, and blurred her eyes, making it all that much harder. On the first swing, she saw that she wasn’t going to quite make it across, but if she made herself a human pendulum…maybe she could gain enough momentum and then jump for it. As she swung, the thought crossed her mind that she had watched Indiana Jones WAY too much as a child. One swing, two swings, three swings…at the top of the arc she jumped, launching herself away from the rope. For a brief second, she had the glorious feeling of flight, and then she landed, rolling in the ash on the other side of the pit. Coughing and retching, she stood up. Not even bothering to brush off all the ash that had accumulated on her hair and clothes, she took off running. The time was over for stealth, it was now time to grab the artifact and run like hell. Good thing she had lots of practice with that.
There, just in her reach, was the object she had come for. It was a peculiar looking thing, but she didn’t have the time to stop and look it over. She could do that once she was out of the burning warehouse, which even now was beginning to creak, the fire taking its toll on the already ancient building. She reached out and grabbed it from its alcove inside I small box. When her hand touched it, she felt a small jolt, like electricity. She tucked it in to her jacket, so there would be less likely to be damage to it. The less damaged it was, the more money she’d get.
Turning, she saw the open door and ran for it, once she got outside, she dropped and rolled, just in case any of the snipers had escaped the inferno. After looking around and seeing that no one was shooting at her, she ran for the pier, and jumped into one of the boats waiting tied to the dock. Feverishly, she untied it, and pulled the boat away from the dock. Then she headed out to the ocean, for the planned rendezvous with her employer. Right on time.

I went a little camera happy...

Dragon on the back of the car!!!!!

Boots wonders why I bother her the only time the dog is NOT bothering her.

Suki decided my suitcase was a good place to sleep.

Mariner just wants to be played with.

Little Bird didn't like me so close to his cage.

And Mittens of course, thinks I'm crazy.

My Trip to NY and Other things

I had a great time in NY, went to my friend's wedding, met Child Ish and Moshe, visited my aunt in the Upper West Side, and enjoyed myself overall. I stayed by my friend M.A., who was my roomie in sem, and stayed over at my house two years ago for a week. M.A. came with me over to Moshe's for Friday night dinner, and got a kick out of it, though I think she was a bit horrified over the fish. Good food, good company, good conversation, and didn't get home till about 1:30 in the morning. Actually, were it not for her insistence that her mother would be worried, we might have stayed even longer, but as it was, we were exhausted too, and walking back took WAY too long. Left NY early this morning, but for those bloggers upset that they missed me, don't worry, planning on coming back to NY in December, for a bit longer stay than just a long weekend.

And the other stuff? Pictures of Mariner of course! He graduated from puppy obedience training and they had a little graduation party. Including graduation caps...the owners were thrilled about this, the dogs less so.

Going to NY

Tomorrow I'm going to Brooklyn, NY for a friend from seminary's wedding. Staying there only till Sunday though, because I'm starting classes (again) on Monday. I just finished my semester today, and this is my "break", not very long, is it? On the other hand, only taking one class twice a week next semester, so it shouldn't be too bad.
Whenever I get into a discussion with a NYer about living in NY, I tell them I like visiting, but I wouldn't want to live there. For some reason, every NYer I have told this to, then decides to take it upon themselves to convince me how great NY is, and why I should live there instead of South Florida. I've heard it all, and I'm still not convinced. Then again, maybe I'm just biased. Both of my parents were born in NY and grew up there, and both of them hated it (which is why they moved down here obviously) so it's quite possible that I'm just brainwashed. But that doesn't mean I'm changing my mind, I love FL!

Good Joke

The sign reads:
WE WOULD RATHER DO BUSINESS
WITH 1000 ARAB TERRORISTS
THAN WITH A SINGLE JEW.

This sign was prominently displayed in the window of a businessin Philadelphia. Most would be outraged at the thought of such aninflammatory statement...
One would think that anti-hate groups from all across the countrywould be marching on this business and that the National Guardmight have to be called to keep the angry crowds back...
But, perhaps in these stressful times one might be tempted to letthe proprietors simply make their statement. We are a society whohold Freedom of Speech as perhaps our greatest liberty and afterall it is just a sign...
You may be asking what business would dare post such a sign?
.........Goldberg's Funeral Home!

This is interesting...

No Pain, No Gain

It's a common saying, for good reason. Anything worth getting, is worth working hard for. That which does not break us, makes us stronger. Pain builds character. While I may have my doubts about that last one (if only because I read it far too often in Calvin and Hobbes,) it's all true. However, we humans are creatures who enjoy our comfort, and pain is looked at with horror and fear. However, what in this life is not painful? And the pain DOES contribute to our growth, whether it be physical pain, emotional pain, or spiritual pain. We shudder, but we get through it, and hopefully come out better for what we have gone through.

Yet Another Odd Dream

Lately I hadn't been remembering my dreams as much, but this past shabbos, I had one that acutally stuck with me when I awoke. What exactly prompted this dream I have not the faintest idea, but it's a dream I kinda liked because it involved beating bad guys, and we all know how much I love to do that. Anyways, here's the dream.

I'm standing in the middle of an airforce base next to an airplane hangar, and a large guy stumbles out, holding onto something, he gives me this kind of bleary grin, like he's wondering what I'm doing there. I tell him that I'm an emotions wizard, and I get my power from people's emotions. (for some reason I feel the need to explain this to every person I stand near in my dream.) He shrugs, and asks me if I want some weed, I tell him no, he gets high and very happy and I get the power from his emotions. Apparently, I figure out after meeting a few people, it doesn't matter what KIND of emotions, I get power from any equally. Anyways, I transport myself to this little bazaar, with camels, and a guy who wants my power (of course). And apparently camels have emotions too, so I was able to get power from them. Suddenly there was a horde of zombies coming to attack, and I found out zombies have emotions too, which gave me the power I needed to destroy them.

I seriously wish I could interpret my dreams sometimes.

Mango Tree

Very Funny Ad (warning: bad language)

Subconcsious Dreams

I believe my subconscious is trying to tell me something though I'm not entirely clear on what...
I've had the secind dream in 2 nights about saving the world. Which means I either have a hero?heroine complex or or that I think that the world is in serious need of some saving. Or possibly both.
What I KNOW my subconscious is telling me is that Diet Pepsi is evil....since apparently it had an evil prescence trapped in a bottle. Clearly I need some intervention either way.

Driving in the Rain

I took this video while driving (holding the video camera to the side while I payed attention to the road, don't think of it too much or it will just scare you.) I had the radio on while driving, and it was pouring, there are parts of the video that sound like interference but that was just the rain coming down on the car. Bit of a long video, but I think it will give a good idea for those who have never driven in Florida rain before. For those who have, it will just bring back wonderful memories I'm sure.

Hurricane Season

Today is the first day of Hurricane Season. So we're now on the watch for any storms shaping up on the Atlantic ocean, and ready to freak out when one starts heading our way. The only season that lasts half the year, and even when it's over isn't necessarily completely over. Three years ago, they ran out of names for the Hurricanes and started naming them for greek letters. I believe Hurricanes kept forming until sometime in December that year. (I wouldn't know for sure, because I was in Isreal that year.) But now we will get the typical list of things to do before a storm, numbers to call, the radar following a storm..etc. All I can say is I hope we're as lucky as we've been the past couple of years.

Admittedly, it's 3:30 in the morning as I'm typing this which will mean that it's probably not going to be entirely comprehesible, but I shall do my best. Shavuos was nice, I visited with a friend who came down from Baltimore to visit her brother, and I slept and read. Actually tonight I went out with her till 2 a.m. at a restaurant, and then we went back since she has a flight to catch tomorrow. This week is my brother's 18th birthday, I got him a card, and I'm not sure how much he'll like it, but hey, it's the thought that counts right? (I just keep telling myself that...) Tomorrow (or I guess technically today) I'm going with my dad to see Night at the Musuem and am looking forward to that. And then I get to study for my comp test on Monday and my cognitive psychology test I have on Thursday. Anyways, I think I shall stop babbling and actually get some sleep. Hopefully I will have something more postworthy this week.

Memorial Day

"It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray-haired. But most of them were boys when they died, they gave up two lives -- the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for their county, for us. All we can do is remember."-- Ronald Wilson ReaganRemarks at Veteran's Day ceremony, Arlington National CemeteryArlington, Virginia, November 11, 1985

The Glorious 25th of May and Towel Day

For the fans of Terry Pratchett's "Night Watch" and Douglas Adam's "The Hithchiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

Joke

A Jewish father, Moisha, was paid a visit by his eldestson Yitzak...
"Father, I am going to marry!"
His father begins to dance with joy and sing Hava Nagila...
"Tell me, is she a good Jewish girl?" says the father. "What is her name?"
"O'Brien," replies the son... "She's Catholic..."
"Oy!" says the father.... "But are you happy?"
"I'm very, very happy," says the son.
"OK...as long as you're happy ... my blessings to you both,"replies Moisha.
But the father is still counting on his remaining sons, Schlemiel and Chutzpah.
Schlemiel calls on his father the next evening."Father... I too will be married soon!"
Again, Moisha breaks out in a dance and sings God's praises...
"What is her name?," implores the father.
"Kazalopodopolous," says the son. "She's Greek Orthodox."
"Oy," says Moisha. "But are you happy?"
"I'm happy, Father."
"OK ... then you, too, have my blessing," intones Moisha.
Dejected, Moisha goes to the Temple to pray."Please God... let my remaining son, Chutzpah, marry a nice Jewish girl to raise nice Jewish childrenin your eyes ... PLEASE," he cries out.
The very next week, Chutzpah comes to his father excitedly andexclaims, "Father, I am to wed in the spring!"
"HER NAME? WHAT IS HER NAME?", his father immediately demands."Goldberg!" says Chutzpah! Moisha is beside himself with joy!
"Praise God! Praise theProphets!" Turning to Chutzpah, he asks, "Is she DoctorGoldberg's daughter Shelley, from Los Angeles?"
"No," says Chutzpah.
"Hmmm," says ! Moisha... "Must be Attorney Goldberg's daughterRachel from Beverly Hills?"
"Ah... no, Father," says Chutzpah..."What is her first name, my youngest, truest, most handsome son?"
"Whoopi."

College

I'm taking 2 courses this summer, one is a basic computer class, the other is cognitive psychology. Now, technology, especially computers, is a wonderful thing. When it works. When it doesn't, I'm very tempted to go "Office Space" on them, with a good dose of some heavy artillary. I have a test in cog psych tomorrow, and I just hope that I don't completely mess it up. It's an interesting field, but a little bit much when packed into only 5 weeks of class.
I also went to a Bake Sale for Shavuos tonight, and we bought a very choclatey choclate cake ( I know, techically cheese cake is the food of the yom tov, but my brother and I get sick of it VERY easily). We listened to a fantastic speaker, Rabbi Jonathan Rietti, and watched a couple of BY girls put on a very amusing skit. All in all, a very enjoyable evening.
Now if only I could get out of this test, tomorrow evening would be nice too....

Computer class

Those two smiley's just about sum up my feelings about this computer class.

Summer in South Florida Through the Senses

Starting with Smell:

Air before a afternoon thundersorm, the air after a thunderstorm, the overpowering sweetness of mangoes ripening and rotting, the strong chemical odor of chlorine, greasy barbecue, and salty ocean.

Sight:

People wearing a bit less than usual, seeing the rain coming pour down, a sheet of water on one side of the street, while being bright and sunny on the other, seeing the wind blow the trees before a thundersotrm, and the waves crash on the shore, the sand between toes, the grass turning greener as it finally gets watered after a long dry winter.

Sound:

The roll and crash of thunder, the rain pouring down, the splash of water in the pool, the sizzle of a barbecue, people laughing and playing, AC blasting, and the bugs coming out in the twilight, the muted roar of the waves, quietly hissing as it laps on the sandy beach, birds chirping throughout the day and night.

Touch:

The humidity of the air on skin, coolness of AC, wind preceding a storm, refreshing rain, hot metal on the car, hot seats in the car, and hot seatbelt (ouch)

Taste:

Barbecued hamburgers, hotdogs etc., sweet delicious mangoes, salty seawater (or chlorinated poolwater), juice and soda, cold water (and before you debate that, yes it does have a taste) and corn on the cob.

These are the things I associate with summer, different people most likely would pick different things.

"Quotes"

"Life is a stage, and all the men and women merely actors upon it. They have thier entrances and they have thier exits. And one man in his lifetime plays many parts." - King Henry VIII, William Shakespeare

The only reason I know this quote by heart (though it may be slightly off) is because I had it quoted at me throughout high school by CJ, since she made it her goal to memorize at least one part of almost every Shakespeare play. This was the only one that really stuck in my head however. Perhaps because unlike the others, there was a message behind it. And so it has stuck in my head ever since, for the past 6 years. Funny what things manage to stick with you in your memory forever.

Key West

Key West was fun, we checked out the college, which was really nice, and the director of the program gave us a tour, which was cool. After that we went to what was probably the only Kosher restaurant in Key West. It wasn't even a restaurant exactly, it was a little shack with a kitchen inside, and two tables and a counter in front of it. But the food there was VERY good. After we had lunch, we walked down Duval Street, which is just a lot of shops, we went in to a few and aI got a new skirt, nice and light, perfect for the summer. And a shirt that says "Margaritaville". After that we went to Earnest Hemingway's house and took the tour there. Though it's very cool to see a famous author's house (and a VERY nice house it was, even though there was no central AC and everyone was very hot, but they had fans in all the rooms) I really just went for the cats. There are 45 cats living there, just wandering all over the place. After that we left Key West and went to one of the State parks in the Keys. My mother and brother waded out into the water, while I sat in the car and finished a book. I was too tired to get out of the car and go wading. We got home by 8:30 at night, and Mariner was thrilled to see us. Then this morning I was supposed to have my first class, but the teacher didn't show, so apparently my first class will actually be tomorrow. I'm already counting down the days until the semester is over.

A Trip to Key West

Tomorrow is my birthday and we're going down to Key West for the day. Tomorrow is also Lag B'Omer, and this is the first time I can recall it being on the same day as my english birthday. So on the way down to Key West, I'll be able to listen to my ipod! As to what we're actually going to do down there I have no idea. We're going to be looking at a scuba diving college for my brother (Yes, unusual, but then again so is he, and currently he's not even sure he wants to go to college, though I'm trying to convince him that he should, especially since he wants to open up his own business.)

My Philosophies on Life

If you've read my posts for a while, you probably can guess at at least one of my basic philosophies on life. Whether or not you agree with it, is another matter. In any case, up until now I had two basic philosophies:

1. "People are people." - no matter what race, religion, culture, etc. people will always be people. This ties directly in to
2. "People are idiots." - this is self-explanatory.

My third philosophy has nothing to do with people.

3. "Life = Irony" - This should be self explanatory as well, but if anyone feels it needs clarification I would be happy to provide example after example after example.

Ears

Mariner seems to have a thing for other animal's ears, he likes to chew on them. The other dogs at teh dog park don't usually mind this, not even the smaller ones. The only problem with this is he especially loves to eat Boots' ears, and when he tries to do this since she has tiny ears, it looks like he's eating her entire head. Mariner seems to be under the impression that the cats are just like small dogs and like to be played with in the same way. Needless to say, the cats are not very happy about that. He bowls Boots over and begins to bat her around with his paws that are ar almost half her size, she goes bolting for the door, he chases her thinking what a great game this is, once they are at the door, he bowls her over again and then either me or my mom take pity on the kitty and let her outside. Mittens in the meantime is usually smugly sitting curled up in her cat tree, high above all the abuse taking place or watching with detached interest from a chair. She knows that all she has to do is stay high up off the ground. But since Boots is under the impression that she lost her ability to jump after she got sick, she just runs and mews pitifully. It's funny and yet at the same time kind of painful to watch. There's a reason there;s a saying " they get along like cats and dogs"

Happy Mother's Day!

K is for Klutz

I have finally realized after almost 22 years, I am a complete klutz. I constantly discover new bruises that I have no memory of getting. I once got a black eye, from what I have not the faintest idea. I walk into walls and doors, and have shut doors on myself more times than I can count. I've tripped over my own feet, and banged into anything in my way.
And yet, I have yet to do anything quite serious to myslef, B'H"

Mangos, Shopping, and Books

YAY!!! I got to eat a mango from our tree, yesterday I got one that was ripe off the tree. I LOVE mangoes, best fruit on the planet in my opinion.
I stayed overnight at my grandmother's, even though I'll be seeing on her on Sunday for Mother's Day. I got another one of Robert Asprin's books, and I went shirt shopping since I didn't have any light shirts to wear this summer. And now I am sick of shopping, I don't have that much patience with it to begin with. The most time I can spend in a store/mall is an hour, then I get very antsy and want to leave. I know, that's not what most people think of as typical for a woman, however, put me ina bookstore and I can stay there all day long....that's where my impulse buys usually are. So while I'm not likely to spend $30 on a rock, excuse me, a meteorite like Child Ish, I will spend $30 on a book by an author I like because I can't wait to read it. So unless I actually have money on me, I try to stay away from the bookstore, it's much too tempting.
Addendum: Today is the 13 Iyar, which means it's my hebrew birthday! And my English one is in 5 days. YAY!!!

STUFF

Today I went shooting with my father and brother (though I was the one who did most of the shooting.) I didn't do too bad, at least I never missed the target, and I even got one shot near the bulls eye! My brother brought one of his school books that he hated, and used up a clip on that. Some guys in the shooting lane next to us saw that, laughed and said that was a great idea.
I bought a book at Border's and one of the managers rung me up. WHen he saw the title of the book, he exclaimed "I love this series!" I replied that I did too, and so for the next 10 minutes we discussed the series (Robert Asprin's Myth Adventures). After I left the store, I passed by another store, and saw graffitti written on the wall that sobered me right up. "The Party is Over, America" was written on the wall. Definite downer.
And currently I'm staring longingly at the mangos on our tree which I want very much...only problem is they're about 40 feet up in the air...so until they come down...or we can get someone to take them down, no mangos for me. *sigh*

The Semester is OVER...Among other things

I took my last final last night, and got it over with in 20 minutes. I'm SO glad the semester is finally over, freedom at last...for about a week. And then starts summer class, oh joy. Oh well at least it's only 1 class as opposed to 4, and it will only last 6 weeks as opposed to 16. So there is a bright side. I still have work and will be looking for another job, for when the school year is over.
I took some new pics, and decided to show how big Mariner's gotten by comparison pics. In the first pic, he is 8 weeks old and about 10 lbs. In the most recent (taken today) he is 7 months old and weighs 50 lbs. He's huge. He steals food off the counter ( he LOVES peanut butter) and he goes for "drags" not "walks". He is also going to puppy training class starting tonight. The last picture is the back of a pick-up truck I saw in the Walmart parking lot. It looked so cool, couldn't resist sharing.

The Omer

I'm not entirely sure which is worse, not listening to music at all or listening to acapella over and over and over again until Lag B'Omer. Either way, I may feel like going crazy before then (I think I say this every year, but especially in recent years when I spend so much time in my car.) Now I know that there are other things to listen to, such as torah tapes, comedy tapes, etc. However considering my tendency to zone out what the person is actually saying on those tapes when I'm driving it's not such a fantastic idea. I know, because I bought myself an audiobook last year. I thought "Hey, this is a great idea, I know this book and I'm sure it'll keep me from wishing for music!" Yeah, right. I barely made it past the first chapter before I got bored and started wishing for more music. How am I going to make it another 3 weeks?!

Pesach is Coming!

Yes I know that everyone who reads my blog must already be aware of this fact, but since everywhere I look I see blog talking about it, I figured I may as well add in my two cents, before the chag is actually here. Other than the insane things people do to get ready for pesach ( a topic which has already been beaten to death with a sledgehammer several times over) and the complaints of family members suddently inconvenitly (or conveniently) reappearing at you, neither of which is the case at my home, there is not all that much to blog about...well there's been family issues, but that's not exaclty a pesach theme. Actually this post is really just to wish everyone a happy, kosher, chametz free pesach, and enjoy your seder and your family. Chag Kasher V'Sameach!

Anyone know some sure-fire cures for stress?

On top of everything that needs to be done for pesach, I have two tests this week, a paper due next week (on the last day of pesach no less) and the week after that I begin finals. Talk about stress... by the end of this month I may be on the roof howling at the moon (hey, that was how people reacted to stress in the middle ages...)

The Argument for Crazy

When I listen to the radio, there is this advertisement that comes on that always makes me laugh. It starts; "Men and women are so different in so many ways. For example; men are crazy, women are not..." Excuse me, but I beg to differ. As a woman myself and from all I have observed...women are a LOT crazier then men. Men usually have rational explanations for what they did, though that does not include things that "seemed like a good idea at the time." But honestly? Women, quite frankly, are nuts, no ifs, ands or buts about it.

The Dog Park

The dog park is an interesting place, and you meet some very interesting people there. Even if you have nothing else in common with them, you can talk about dogs, after all that’s why they’re there. They love their dog enough to bring him/her to the park to get some exercise and socialize with other dogs. Some people spend the time on their phone, or read a book. Some play with their dogs, throwing whatever they find lying around or bring toys for their dog to the park. I remember the first time I brought Mariner to the park, I had to practically drag him inside the gate and he stuck to me like a burr the entire time, being somewhat afraid of the other dogs. Now however, HE drags ME into the park, and the moment I let him off the leash, he’s off playing with the other dogs. Or if there are no other dogs there, I throw a stick, he fetches it, and then he makes me chase him for the stick. He’ll fetch sticks, and even rocks, but he will not fetch a ball more than once. Though, that makes my life a bit easier, since you can just pick up a stick or rock from the ground, whereas you usually have to buy a ball, which then inevitably gets lost.

Happy Purim!!!

Freileche Purim one and all! I made hamantashen, for the first time in years...it's turned out very good, if I do say so myself. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get to the costume shop in time this year....so I cheated. I'm a pirate again...really all I need is a sword....but considering last year my sword brokw within an hour of my getting it, I think swords are overrated. Anyways, I hope everyone has a wonderful Purim!

Random Fun Things

At work, my mother's office is next to the sixth grade boys classroom, and it is very easy to hear them. This week was color war for the boys abd they were being a bit loud about it. I asked my mother, "Does it ever occur to you that being in your office is rather like being in an office next to the monkey enclosure at the zoo?" She said, "Yes" The reason I had brought it up in the first place was that the boys were making sounds rather similiar to chimps....

I went to the dog park and was priveliged to play with threee adorable 8 week old jack russel terrier puppies. I was SOOOO happy, as you can imagine. I got some pics of them on my phone which I am going to try to load onto the computer so everyone can bask in thier cuteness.

Oh, and Moshe asked for a video of Mariner, well, I have one, though since i took it from a kneeling/ sitting position (after being knocked over by Mariner) it's a lil bit dizzying, so here's a warning, don't watch it if you get motion sickness easily.

Spring Break

Ah, first of all I'd like to apologize for the Hiatus, I just did not feel like I was getting any news to write about. Now, however, there seems to be plenty. For one, I started a job as a secretary at an all boys middle school. My mom happens to be one of the principals, which is how I got the job to begin with. It involves a lot of typing, which, fortunately for me, I'm good at. So working there should provide me with lots of blogworthy material. Another thing is the dog park. Three weeks ago, I started taking Mariner to the dog park...there is SO much you can talk about there, the people, the dogs, the park itself, the weather....you get my drift. What else is new...oh, I got a new phone, the Samsung Instinct, which I love. It's pink. I would have preferred blue, but sadly they don't make it in blue...considering it took them this long that if they sold phones in pink and red, women would buy it, I'm not really surprised. I'm on Spring Break now, was planning on going to NY, but not happening, this time at least. oh, and I just took new photos of Mariner to put up. As a side note, he's now 5 months and 40 lbs.

At what price is friendship?

You can't pay someone to be your friend, as I think everyone knows. a friendship, like any relationship is one of give and take. Sometimes you gotta know when to give and when to accept help. I'll admit, one of my greatest weaknesses is my reluctance to ask for help. Why? I think it has something to do with my pride, I view asking for help as a sign of weakness, though when I see no other option, I will ask. Sometimes however, I do that when it's already far too late. It was an issue in school, and it's been an issue for throughout my life. It's something I try to work on, but when it comes to asking for any sort of help, my first reaction is to balk, and say, no, I can do this on my own. Fortunately for me, I have some good friends who see that I need help, even if I can't ask for it. This is just a shout out to those good friends, to say thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you.

Tests and Winter

Well, I got my test back....and let's just say it's a very good thing he give us a nice big curve. But at least now I know what his tests are like and I'll know how to study for the next one. Thanks to everyone who wished me luck, I really appreciated that.
On a side note, this has been such a ridiulously cold winter! I'm wearing pants under my skirt for the 6th time this winter, and considering in years past I could go the entire winter months wihout doing that....it's just driving me crazy, though I have to say the cold is better than heat...at least there's always the possibility of putting on more clothes.
And in other news....there isn't that much. When there actually is, I'll post it...in the meantime, why don't I put up pics of Mariner, showing how much he's grown?

Studying for a Test

I've always found that the easiest way for me to study for a test is to read the material right before the test. Though this time I'm a bit nervous because I don't know how this teacher will test and from what I've heard, his tests are hard...also the fact that he wasn't able to finish the material that will be on the test in class hardly inspires my confidence. On the other hand, MOST of the stuff on this test I've learned about 3 times before, perhaps more. So it can't be TOO hard, right?
I hate studying....wish me luck everyone!