Smirat Halashon Program in NY Times

I found this article about a smirat halashon (guarding speech) program in the NY Times this morning. The article discusses an anti-gossip campaign that has been instituted in a girl's high school on Long Island. Cool.

New York Moment

My friend and I went to the cell phone store today. My friend's phone has been giving her error messages and I wanted to see if they could boost the reception on my phone.

We walk up to the counter and start talking to the sales guy.

My friend - My phone is giving me error messages, can you help me fix it.
Sales guy - You can try rebooting it. That might help.
My friend - Is there some kind of software you can download onto it.
Sales Guy - You can buy a package to upgrade it.
My friend - No thanks.

Me - Can you do something to boost my reception?
Sales guy - No.
Me - Isn't there some code you can punch in to make it better?
Sales guy - No. But you can buy a memory card. Or a carrying case.
Me - No thanks.

My friend - Can you unlock my phone for international use?
Sales guy - We don't do that here.
My friend - Are you sure?
Sales guy - Yes, you have to go to a 3rd party place.
My friend - Oh.

Me - Is there a way to email myself pictures I take with my phone?
Sales guy - Yes, if you buy a package.
Me - No way to just do it like with a text message.
Sales guy - Only if you buy a package.

My friend - Is there a way to get Internet without email on my phone?
Sales guy - No, but you can buy a package with both.
My friend - You don't have just Internet?
Sales guy - No, you have to buy both.

Sales guy - Are you guys from New York? Everything here is about spending money.
Me - Can you throw away my cup of coffee for me?
Sales guy - $5.

Me and my friend - BYE!

Purim Sameach

(or Happy Easter)!

Wishing everyone a great holiday, whichever one you celebrate :)

Isn't It Ironic

Funny conversation with a student today:

Me - Is there a reason you have so many absences?
Student - I just really don't like school.
Me - Is there anything in particular about it you don't like?
Student - No. I just don't like it, I've always been this way.
Me - Well, have you thought about what you want to do when you get out of school?
Student - I want to be a teacher.

More Dysfunctional Family Stories

Because it really wouldn't be fair to only pick on my brother...

Conversation with my father last week:

Me - I'm actually going to miss my office when I get a job in the school. I've never worked in such a drama-free office before.

Dad - How can it be drama-free if you work there?


Mom's turn - I receive an email via Facebook from my cousin today, mentioning that my mom is going to California for a wedding next week. Guess who didn't know about that? Oh yeah, me.


Family - gotta love 'em.

Interesting

I have not read the entire article, but interesting story from the NY Times about a transgender (interesting aside note - my spellcheck makes transgender as being misspelled. However it also marks spellcheck that way) student who chose an all-female school but is now male. Hopefully, I'll get the chance to read the entire thing later, maybe more commentary then.

Nerd Alert

I went to see a comedian last night. He was funny, I laughed a lot. He tried out a new joke, that was centered around the word hyperbole. The audience didn't laugh very much, I think mainly because they didn't know what the word meant. I thought it was one of the funnier bits. Nerd!

This morning on the bus, there was a man who was looking through some kind of medical presentation. I'm not sure if he was preparing to give the presentation or just had to know the material, but what stood out to me was right in the middle of the slide he was looking at, the word "clinician" was spelled wrong (there was a T in the place of the second C). Nerd!

Close to Home

I've been obsessed with the show "The Wire" for a while, which was filmed and based in Baltimore. It's cool recognizing some of the places that are shown. But wow, did it hit close to home when I saw an scene that was filmed in the parking garage of the building I worked in. I was so close to my 15 minutes of fame :)

Deli

I was just informed by my co-workers that they think it is quite quaint that I call those thinly sliced pieces of meat "deli." Apparently, in these modern times, it is referred to as "cold cuts." Deli is a place, not a food. I'm not sure if I was not formerly informed of this because I grew up outside New York, or if it is a Jewish thing. Hmmm....

Innovation in Education

This article from the NY Times describes an innovative new charter school that is being started next year in New York. Unfortunately, most schools don't have the funding to pay teachers the salaries described in the article, nor can they necessarily afford to pick the most innovative teachers from the bunch, but I can't wait to see it's accomplishments and I truly hope more schools will follow their lead.

Governor Spitzer

The only thing I can say about the whole Governor Spitzer mess is that I have never in my life been so happy to be living in New Jersey. What an embarrassment.

Not Gone Yet

I posted on my Sweet Rose blog. Check it out.

Feeling the Love

Check out my latest post at Kindness Happens. And don't forget about the blog - if you have any stories you would like to post, or if you want to be a contributor, let me know!!!

Hot Cocoa

Via SaraK, I really liked the story below and thought I would share. (Disclaimer - no idea where this came from so besides SaraK, I can't give credit where it's due.)

A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired.

During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said:
'Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups.

The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And enjoy your hot
chocolate.

Dysfunctional Family Story of the Morning

My brother IMed me this morning to ask me for help with his resume. He claimed that he needed it to be more eloquent and assumed that I could help him. The following conversation ensued:

Me: are you implying that i am an eloquent writer?
Oblivious Brother: absolutely, i am
Oblivious Brother: you got an english degree for cryin' out loud
Me: i don't have an english degree, i have a psych degree

Despite the confusion of my oblivious brother, I still consented to help him. He obviously needs it (just kidding!)

Don't Forget to Glob

Princess D has raised over $50 already for a great charity - I'm matching whatever she raises. It takes just a minute to glob for charity - get the details here. Only two weeks to go - don't forget. (If you don't have a blog to glob on, Facebook status messages are being accepted.) Glob glob :)

Where?

This caught my eye on "Overheard in NY," mainly because of the runner-up caption reading, "And What Kind Of Alabama Are You From?" - Coyoty. Funny, people making fun of people from Alabama not knowing our geography. Because, I can't tell you how many NYers have readily admitted (or not so readily, but it became quickly apparent) to having absolutely no clue on a map where Alabama lies. Whereas my Alabama education led me to know all my states and capitals pretty darn well. Hmmm...

Tropical

My boss has been in Hawaii kinda working for the past week and a half. Today, I received a package direct from Hawaii. In it were three pineapples! We are having a tropical feast :) I don't think I've ever received a package from Hawaii before. Way cool.

My Desk

is a MESS. I have tried and tried to keep it organized. But it never seems to work. :(

Three Wishes

Someone asked me recently, if I had three wishes, what would I wish for? Surprising, I was stumped. I honestly couldn't think of anything I want. I mean, I could always use some extra money, but really, I don't want for a whole lot. And the things that I would ask for, just don't seem like the type of things to be granted by wishes. What would you wish for?

WOO HOO!

I passed my comprehensive exam!! Yay! Graduation, here I come!

Tour Guide

A friend of mine was in town for the weekend from Boston with a few other friends. I met them in the city yesterday and played tour guide. It was fun showing them around and seeing the city from a tourist's perspective. And it was odd to me that I knew the city well enough to be a tour guide. As much as I do not consider myself a New Yorker, I've learned my way around the city pretty well. The highlight of the tour was a group of disco roller skaters in Central Park - they put on quite a show.