A place for my unformed thoughts. Help me sort them out!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
New Citizenship Test
There was an article in Newsweek about the new citizenship test, which cost $6.5 million and took six years to create. I did well, answering 9 out of 10 of the questions correctly on the quiz that is linked to above (I guess I did learn something in high school). But I don't really understand why on earth it cost so much to formulate. I would think the government could have better spent their money by giving a few high school history teachers a few thousand dollars during a summer off to write the test. Ahh, bureaucracy...
Ok, just finished watching the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy. I can't spoil anything for those readers who are unfortunate enough to live in countries that do not have immediate access to the show, but I just have to say that it's a love-hate relationship right now. I HATE what they are doing, but I LOVE it and will not be able to curb my viewing at this point. Nuff said.
Since I moved into my new apartment, I have been unable to figure out how to get my antenna working so that I can watch television through my VCR, and therefore record shows. It hasn't bothered me too much, but I just had no idea how to fix it.
Then the anti-semitic TV executives (I'm joking of course) decided that Grey's Anatomy should premier during the second night of Sukkot, when I will be unable to watch. (It also appears every week on the same night that I attend school, but that's a whole other gripe about how they should have considered my personal schedule when deciding on a night.) Anyway, point being, I can't watch the premier, so I want to tape it so I can watch it as soon as Shabbos is over. Which was a problem since I couldn't get the VCR working with the TV.
Well, you know me and my Grey's Anatomy. Nothing is going to keep us apart. I fiddled and examined and realized that maybe the antenna to my television should be directly connected to the VCR, rather than the other thing that it was attached to. And voila! I have a working, recording from the TV, VCR! Yay - anyone want to join me for Grey's Anatomy on Saturday night? (Sarah???)
As if my office wasn't interesting enough, in the last two days there has been a movement to add a cat to our employee roster, a gorilla has been lurking around in our email system and now a three-month-old came to pay a visit (though she didn't seem to be so happy about it). I wonder what will happen next.
I've never had a sukkah of my own, so I've only gotten to participate in sukkah decorating once or twice. One of the families that I join for Shabbos meals here asked me if I would help them come up with ideas to decorate their sukkah. We decided on a wilderness theme, apropos of the holiday. So we spent tonight coloring pictures of wilderness animals and then they are going to string up lots of leaves and stars. It was great fun - I can't wait to see the finished product!
My co-worker brought in special yogi tea this morning, each bag of which includes a wise saying. He kindly gave me the tab that the saying was on because I liked it (and it is now secured to my computer monitor so I can read it whenever I want). So I thought I would share it with my readers as well:
"It's not life that matters, it's the courage that we bring to it."
I've decided to become an IT consultant in my spare time (ha ha). In the last couple days, I have fixed and completely reinstalled the software for a printer, figured out how to create a back.pst file from Outlook and then import a file of contacts in and am now working on reconfiguring our email server to allow us to send out larger attachments (if anyone has any idea how to do this, please let me know). Of course, I'm completely and totally untrained to do any of these tasks. I feel like I deserve to be earning the salary of an IT person, along with my own. Anyone want to hire me?
There is a feature on Facebook where you can poke your friends. It's a pointless waste of time, pretty much like the rest of Facebook, so of course, I enjoy it immensely. What I find interesting about it is that the vast majority of pokes I receive back are from my brothers. I wonder, does this indicate a genetic propensity for poking? I think there's a publishable article in there somewhere...
I had my first day of my internship today. It went well, though I can't say that I got a lot of hands-on counseling experience, but mainly because the school is still in the mode of getting everyone's schedules straightened out. The school is a very large urban high school - I did not see a single white student in the student body. It is extremely different from my own high school experience and I am impressed by the breadth of services they have to offer to accommodate the diversity of the student population. My supervisor is great and very happy to have me, so that makes for a good working environment. I think it will be a very interesting year. Now I'm off to write my first paper reflecting on my experiences for class tomorrow.
There are a few people in my life that I really, truly love. I feel really lucky for that. And I thought it's important to remind myself. I hope everyone appreciates those people in their lives too.
Yesterday morning, a client called my office. He was super pushy and a bit annoying. Jewish, of course (I knew this because he mentioned Rosh Hashanah while being annoying). Turns out he is the neighbor of the former owner of my company and we are doing some work for him. The former owner of my company came in today and she was all excited to tell me about this neighbor. Because he wears a yarmulke. Perfect, right! Oh, and wait - he owns a nice place on the Upper West Side also! Great! Sounds like an incredible match. While she and my other co-worker were discussing this, loudly, it comes out that he's approximately 50 years old! Um, hello? Don't they know I'm only 20? ;)
You took my hand You showed me how You promised me you'd be around Uh huh That's right I took your words And I believed In everything You said to me Yeah huh That's right
If someone said three years from now You'd be long gone I'd stand up and punch them up Cause they're all wrong I know better Cause you said forever And ever Who knew
Remember when we were such fools And so convinced and just too cool Oh no No no I wish I could touch you again I wish I could still call you friend I'd give anything
When someone said count your blessings now For they're long gone I guess I just didn't know how I was all wrong They knew better Still you said forever And ever Who knew
Yeah yeah I'll keep you locked in my head Until we meet again Until we Until we meet again And I won't forget you my friend What happened
If someone said three years from now You'd be long gone I'd stand up and punch them out Cause they're all wrong and That last kiss I'll cherish Until we meet again And time makes It harder I wish I could remember But I keep Your memory You visit me in my sleep My darling Who knew My darling My darling Who knew My darling I miss you My darling Who knew Who knew
Hat-tip to SaraK for this article. I wasn't aware that it's possible to just name yourself ambassador to different factions, nor did I know that Judaism had an open spot for Madonna to fill. If that's the way it works, I'm totally naming myself ambassador to Neptune. Or maybe Venus. I'm sure those positions are available as well.
The spam in my office email is getting smarter (and much more disgusting). Today, the subject line was "Grey's Anatomy Pool Party." I almost fell for it! Unfortunately, all the email contained was a link to come other pharmacy offering me Viagra. Darn.
I'm sitting in the house of a very nice family who I have never met before but who invited the family I was staying with and all their other guests for a meal. We're getting acquainted with the daughter of the host of the meal, who is approximately 20 years old. I'm sitting next to the other guests of the family I was staying with, who are brother and sister, twins.
Host's daughter to twins - "How old are you?" Twins - "20, we attend Stern and YU." Host's daughter, to me - "So, are you their younger sister?" Me - "No." Host's daughter - "Oh, are you 20 also?" Me - (Trying to hold back laughter)
This episode is good evidence for the Princess's theory that people think everyone is the same age as they are.
I have a client who has a little crush on me. We've never met in person, but any time anything happens, he calls me. I'm not his sales rep or his technician. I'm the chick who answers the phones (and I do a little more). It's really funny, because this client's boss can call mad as anything, screaming and yelling, but then my client will call later and tell me that everything was wonderful and great. I've called him and heard the annoyance in his voice when he answers the phone, and have it change the minute I say who I am. He calls me just to thank me for doing whatever it is he requests. And now, I got an email from him, about five seconds after I sent him the information he needed, telling me that I'm the best. It's nice to be appreciated.
After a couple years, this remains one of my favorite songs, so I thought I would showcase it again.
Lifehouse You and Me
What day is it? And in what month? This clock never seemed so alive I can't keep up and I can't back down I've been losing so much time
'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do Nothing to lose And it's you and me and all other people And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
One of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right I'm tripping on words You've got my head spinning I don't know where to go from here
'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do Nothing to prove And it's you and me and all other people And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
There's something about you now I can't quite figure out Everything she does is beautiful Everything she does is right
'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do Nothing to lose And it's you and me and all other people And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you and me and all other people with nothing to do Nothing to prove And it's you and me and all other people And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
What day is it? And in what month? This clock never seemed so alive
My friend ate at an Israeli restaurant last night that I have been to in the past. Apparently, I didn't spend enough time reading the menu when I was there (probably due to the fact that my date that night was doing an incredible job at making himself sound ignorant - Brooklyn guy, he couldn't help it ;).
Anyway, my friend pointed out to me some choice descriptions of the dishes on the menu a few moments ago. They were so great I had to share.
"It will make you savour every bit like a kid with a candy."
"They will bring out the animal in you while ravaging their bones like a lion after its kill."
"Hypnotizing with their scent and alluring qualities, leaving you helpless."
"This beautiful earthy steak wills claim its rightful place In the wild kingdom from the first bite this steak will put aside all your notions Of how a tender flavors’ steak should taste."
"When we see it laying peacefully on the plate, we almost want not to disturb it but of course we do."
Last night I was back to school, for my final year (of my Master's program). It was a VERY long day and I was completely wiped out by the time I got home, but it was nice to see old friends and I think it's going to be a good year. Now I just have to get my internship all lined up - I'm sure there will be lots of blogging from that one - stay tuned!
I finished unpacking my apartment last week. I hung pictures on the wall of my bedroom this past weekend (though I still have to put some stuff up in our common areas). My apartment needs just one more thing - and I order it today. Tada! The final touch :)
There is a company on my floor whose door sign says only "...BAM." Every time I see it, I have no choice other than to (somewhat quietly) say, in Emeril impression, "BAM!" I just can't help it. I thought I was alone in this, but this morning, my co-worker admitted that she does the same thing. Phew.
Hat Tip to Sarah, who sends me report that Kelly Preston doesn't like Crocs. I think it's because she doesn't have cute ones with flowers like me. She's jealous, for sure.
I was in line at a store a little while ago and behind me in line was a mother and her teenage son. The son was pushing buttons like nobody's business and I had to control myself not to laugh out loud. His mother asked him if he had seen a certain movie. He laughed at her and said that he had downloaded it off the Internet. Illegally. Emphasis on illegal. That did the trick. His mom, not letting that one just roll off her back, starting giving him a whole lecture about how wrong it was and how does he feel about that, considering he plays music? He responded that it makes it easier for him to see a movie, obviously just to get his mom's goat. He was rewarded with more a lecture. Ah, teenagers. Can't wait to start my internship.
I am an Orthodox Jewish baalas teshuvah who is constantly striving to grow and learn about the world and myself. Feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts on my blog, life, love or anything else!
