Shauna Mo

Mushy Stuff that has the Potential to Become Messy Stuff

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:15:05 GMT

Here's an interesting concept. I met an interesting dude earlier this year through a mutual friend and things have decidedly developed in an interesting direction over the past several months.

The mutual friend has stated in the past that she doesn't think he and I should date, saying "for many reasons" and that he still needs "lots of work," however she is a good wing-man and provides much needed -appropriate- insider information when necessary to keep everyone on an even keel.

Now, Boy and Mutual Friend have indeed been close friends for quite some number of years. In their much younger days they had star-crossed affections for each other, but nothing ever panned out, thus they are committed to a lifetime of platonic friendship. Also, Mutual Friend is married, "happily."

That being said, I would have thought my dear Mutual Friend would be supportive of what is potentially a budding romance between me and Boy, but ironically, I have been met with what appears to be jealousy. When Boy came back from a brief stint away for reserve military duties and was soon again to leave for lengthy military duties over seas, he had mentioned to her wanting to spend time with her and me, to which her reaction was essentially "why wouldn't you only want to see me?" ("me" being Mutual Friend).

On top of that, on Thursday, Boy called me from the airport in NY just before he boarded the plane, to say goodbye and what have you. I thought it was super sweet that I was the last person he talked to before departing our shores for the next several months and that he thought of me at all.

I called M.F. to tell her about it, because I was so excited and again her reaction was, verbatim, "he didn't call ME for the airport." WTF? I'm sorry, but that response was totally whack in my opinion. First of all, was he ever in a habit of calling her before shipping off, and secondly, why does it matter that he didn't call her? It's a different thing to part company with your buddies, but something entirely different when you part company with someone you have romantic interest in.

I have no clue where any of this interest is going, and Lord knows I'm not putting any eggs in his basket (no pun intended), so to speak, but by the same token, I'm totally willing to keep exploring this new person and see where it goes. G-d willing at the very least I'll come out of it with a great male friend.

Also interesting, with the last two people I made out with, which was oddly over the course of this last week when I went out of town, I felt nothing and noticed they are mediocre and bad kissers respectively. The latter of the two I have a notorious carnal past with and this time around had absolutely no desire to bump pelvises, as it were. In a related side note, all the boys (count it, three) I've kissed lately have been mediocre-to- bad kissers. This is very disappointing.

I have no idea if what's going on with Boy and the above mentioned lack of physical interest in other men are even remotely related, or if it was just coincidence and I am simply over these other individuals and they just "don't do it for me anymore." If it's more than coincidence, then it's definitely a first for me.

Weigh in with your thoughts as the issue with the mutual friend has me the most concerned. Some say I should back off of Boy in light of the friendship (chicks before dicks, or something), others say I should just talk to her about it, but not derail my investigation of this new person in my life.

Play Ball!!

I got poked!

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:30:49 GMT

Yo, lots happening in my world. Too much, in fact, to put here in a palatable format. Suffice it to say, I'm doing well and learning the finer ways of life. I hope you are all doing very well and enjoying everything life has to offer. Many blessings upon you!

Secret Societies Abound

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:00:40 GMT

I have created a "secret society" that isn't all that secret mostly because we don't have any secrets to share, aside from how we came up with our tail numbers and also only three members.

I've started P.D.A. (pilots' daughters of america), along with two other friends that are...wait for it...pilot's daughters! Anyhow, this all got into the works a few months ago when my roommate and I thought it would be cool to have call signs, since we're all into aviation and stuff. That was pretty cool, but then at the air races this year the three of us came up with a club idea and then it snowballed from there.

Last night my roommate and I came up with fabulous tail numbers to give us more of an identity within the society than just a call sign and I am very happy with our numerical cleverness (she's N907B and I'm N812J). However, the first rule of Fight Club is, don't talk about Fight Club, so I can't divulge how they came about, but I am super excited that it's coming together nicely.

Naturally this will end in sparkly t-shirts with rhinestones shining out our affiliation and it'll be AWESOME!

Now, for something completely different: I've become addicted to the blog gofugyourself.com. It's hilarity and fashion all wrapped into one!

She Lives!

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:58:06 GMT

I know I've totally neglected filling you in on the haps in my life, so I'm buckling down and getting in a few short tid-bits.

I love my job in real estate and things are going really well. YAY!

In bigger news, I recently catered a client party we co-hosted with some friends of ours who own a financial advisory company down the street and it was a HUGE success, much more than I expected. I was worried I wouldn't have enough food or that people wouldn't like what I made. However, quite the opposite transpired and I had PLENTY of food and everyone adored my spread.

They enjoyed it so much in fact, that people were asking me for my card and what my business name was! As a result I have decided to start my own catering company. It's called SAVOR and I'm really excited about it. I'm meeting with a marketing guy tomorrow to discuss my logo and I think he's doing my work on the super cheap or for free because we sold his mother's house and my lawyer referred me to him, we'll find out tomorrow. My lawyer is even preparing my contract for free as a favor to me because I just got started.

Anypoo, I'm super psyched and can't wait for my next job in September, which is for a charity event for Big Brothers Big Sisters. I'll hopefully have business cards made up by the end of the week. I'm thinking green will be a good company color. Any suggestions are welcome.

Work, shmerk!!

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:30:34 GMT

So, I have been in the trenches for a few months now and I feel that I am getting the full sense of this business, which is fine because I still love it. I'll tell you what though, working with humans can lead to complete insanity!

My boss/mentor/trainer went on vacation for two weeks, which threw me into the fire of "crash course real estate." Fortunately I survived, but not without the obligatory nervous breakdown, on day two! It's nice when things go well, but it's the human element that can totally throw a wrench into the works.

I think this is an industry I can be happy with for a long time because no two days are ever alike, which for my short attention span to life, is a very good thing because not only does it keep me constantly on my toes (I am developing lovely calves as a result ;)), it's never boring!

Anyhow, I'm progressing through my transformation into a grown-up and it's pretty awesome. Oooooo!!! I've also started a little side business of dogsitting and it's fabulous! It's fun to hang out with other people's dogs since I don't have my own. Plus it gives me play money and that's just super.

Wink, wink, nudge, nudge

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:56:59 GMT

OK, OK, enough already!! Apparently someone thinks it's been too long since I updated, so this is me saying, "I get it." I promise to put in a juicy post this weekend, because I have WAY too many insane things that have gone on in the last month.

A little nugget for your judgmental enjoyment: I'm going to a country bar tonight to line dance with cowboys in tight Wrangler's. Laugh it up.

Fun with Spanish

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:47:25 GMT

I just had a bizarre phone call at the paper. This guy, speaking really quietly called, and asked if I spoke Spanish and I said yes. Then he proceeds to ask me about a number he called (for adult services) and the woman had a voice like a man, which really confused him. He wanted to know why that was and if there were numbers for men and women and where he could find them.

I had to explain to him that some of the phone numbers in the adult services section were for women who used to be men, but some of the numbers were for real women. I think this shocked and enlightened him. He told me he just wanted to meet a woman and so I told him about our Love Lab service (which is kind of like a dating hook-up service) and the Personals section of our website. Then he asked if I had a husband, to which I promptly said yes.

He still seemed confused about why our main phone number showed up in the paper and I had to explain that it was just for questions and such and it wasn't a sex line. I think he wanted to ask me for sexual favors but the fact that I had a husband deterred him.

I didn't realize so many people were back from lunch so just about everyone in the room heard the conversation, although they didn't understand what was said, and it was a little embarassing. All the same, I'm glad I could point this poor, lonely fellow in the right direction and hopefully he'll find a lovely escort to fulfill all of his wildest fantasies.

The Day of Celebrated Gluttony

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:50:50 GMT

I am way excited about the impending holiday. I find that it's one of my favorite of the year because it's all about eating dinner at three in the afternoon, which at this time of year feels about right since it gets dark at 4:30. I even have a few friends I'm looking forward to seeing! Including, but not limited to, a kid from high school that I recently got in touch with (after not having seen or spoken to in six years) and have been chatting with online for about a month now. I think I have an internet crush on him, because he talks about science and how your brain works. It's so hot.

This Thanksgiving, in addition to making a kick-ass dinner, I would also like to do some performance art with my sister. I'm thinking reciting a comedic holiday poem would be lovely. OH! I have to videotape my sister and her friend who want to be on the Amazing Race. I am intrigued by this and will happily record whatever they want, but I have a feeling nothing will be done during our holiday since that's the nature of these things.

I feel a lot of motivation to get my business idea rolling. I really want to earn more money and have something to work towards/on/for that really matters to me. After Christmas, I'm picking up a couple shifts at a coffee shop and getting serious about my research and formulating a business plan!

I hope you all have an enjoyable holiday with your friends and family. I also hope that you like my dancing turkey icon. I think he's cute and tasty.

Chillaxin'

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:15:49 GMT

Just so's ya know, I'm a boat without a rudder, and have been for some time now. There, I admit it. Seeing as I have this impeccable ability to get passionate about anything and 110% motivated to do it, but then can get distracted to something else just as easily, I have decided to just go with the flow right now and not make any major life decisions or go seeking a new path.

I'm happy here, I have a job(s), I can pay my bills, I have lovely friends and I even have suitors; really I have no complaints. Thus I am cooling my heels for the time being and seeing this move through. I think it's the wisest thing for me to do right now and also, we all know what happened the last time I moved away from Oregon before originally planned, yeah, HUGE mistake.

I have so many options available to me: go back to school and get a masters, or get a whole new degree, do Teach for America, run away to Europe, go back to Reno, go to Tucson, jobs galore, etc., etc., etc. It's too much for me to deal with because I don't know what I actually want to do. I'm also no good at growing roots, so I don't even have a place in mind to be. You know something, when I was younger I wanted to be a marine biologist, all the way through to when I left for college that's what I wanted. Now I have a degree in Spanish and no career. Why is it that I never stick to one thing for very long or do what I want, only what is suggested to me or expected of me? Poo on that I say.

I also say poo on having regrets in your life or not knowing what you want. It sucks to just tread water or feel lost. People should be out there exercising their human potential!

I am going to wait for the glittering snow in my snow-globe of life to settle and then shake things up again after I can see clearly.

Control Freak

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 17:38:58 GMT

I have this nasty habit of trying to plan and control my own life WAY too much. I know, shocking that I can be a controlling person. Anyhow, I feel like I'm kind of stressing myself out with this whole move thing. As much as I want to move and have a fabulous and professional job, I feel as though I'm putting too much pressure on one picture in my head and not being open enough to possibilities. I realize that everything will happen when it's supposed to in the way it's supposed to, I just wish I knew when that was and also if there was something I could be doing to make it happen faster.

I also get nervous because the more lucrative of my two jobs is seasonal and thus will be ending the last weekend in October, which puts me back in the position I was in when I moved here; trying to find a job and pay the bills. These are the times when I wish I really knew what I wanted to do with my life. That way I wouldn't just be looking around willy-nilly for a random job that just peaks my interest and actually be able to focus on one thing that I want to do for the rest of my life. I admire my sister in that way because she is in a specialized field and knows exactly what she wants to do, or at least the industry in which she wants to work.

I know I'm not alone is being lost in life, quite the opposite in fact. But, what am I supposed to do as a person who can get passionate about almost anything and is capable of doing anything, meanwhile I'm a restless person who moves almost every year! See, if I could find a job that involved me moving all over the place, or at least traveling a lot, I would be one happy camper. But do you know how hard it is to get into something like the travel writing industry? Fort Knox ain't got nothin' on that shit. Seriously. And without a journalism degree I'm that much farther behind the curve.

Maybe I should just be an efficiency expert or quality control person and travel around to a bunch of hotels around the world and tell them what they need to improve upon. That would be bitchin'. Or, I could just meet some fabulous man, who is uber wealthy and then not have to worry about working for the rest of my life. Then I can donate my time to taking jazz singing lessons, learning Italian and working out all the time. See, my life would totally not be boring if I was some rich guy's wife! Ah, in a perfect world.....

Until then I need to find something to fill my days and add value to my life. There are dozens of my resumes floating out there in the world. It's just a matter of focusing on the emotions of the ideal job, not the job itself. Man, positive thinking is a lot more involved than I thought.

My friends say funny things

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 04:41:54 GMT

"I would get a biodiesel, but I don't want to smell like popcorn when I get out."

Also, my dad was telling me about the cars he saw at Hot August Nights, and as a charming he afterthought he added, "Oh, and a lot of ugly women. Where do they come from?" That made me laugh out loud when I read that. He's so funny some times.

But I don't even like beer!

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:28:57 GMT

You Are Beer!

You don't need to get totally wasted when you hit the bars.
More of a social drinker, you just like to have fun with your friends.
And as long as the beer keeps flowing, you're a happy camper.
But don't mix things up: "Beer Before Liquor, Never Been Sicker!"

What Alcoholic Drink Are You?

Yay Me!

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:31:22 GMT

Twas the day of my birth yesterday. I'm now a whopping 25 years young, or old, or wait a minute.....

Anyhoo, I had a lovely feast with the parentals and my wee little roomie. Andina is an amazing restaurant! As a result of so much decadence I am feeling rather, hmmmm, corpulent if you will. Totes need to go running after work. But heck, you only turn a quarter of a century years old once so you might as well whoop it up, eh? Yes.

Mas Fotos

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 02:01:53 GMT

How many bars do you have?

Camel riding, not so comfy.

Western Wall (a.k.a. kotel)

Don't see that everyday. Usually it's, "Danger, Pothole."

Another armed guard that stayed with us for a couple days.

Is it hot in here?

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:51:57 GMT

Some times I'm so hot I just can't stand it.

In conclusion

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:17:11 GMT

Now that I'm back I have so many memories filling my brain and so many things to think about. I didn't cry when I left, even though it was sad to leave beautiful people like Aryeh and Chaya, but I know I will keep in touch with them and hopefully see them when I return to Israel.

This trip has made me reevaluate the way I live my life and what things are really important to me and how I can start creating my own traditions and maintain my own level of Judaism. The hottest topic of the trip was marriage, relationships and babies. Arie (the one with the dreamy teeth) was an interesting character in the sense that he became Hassidic only two years ago, and also made Aliyah (became an Israeli citizen) a little over a year ago. I think if I were a good little Hassidic girl he would marry me on the spot, but alas, I am a good little Jewish girl who wears t-shirts and shorts. I suppose I will have to find another Jewish dreamboat to make Jewish babies with. "Just what the world needs, another single Jewish girl." HA!!!

Seriously though, this trip was incredible and I am so thankful that I could go. The memories and experiences are completely irreplaceable. I have tons of pictures and tons of stories for anyone who wishes to see/hear them live. Otherwise I hope you've enjoyed these not-so-little updates about the things that I did, even though I had to post over half of them when I got back because internet access was so unreliable. Nevertheless, you are now completely filled in on the Israeli haps.

Be well. Shalom!

Day 10

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:07:15 GMT

Our final day in Israel, so sad but also inevitable. We went to the site where David slew Goliath and we planted trees at a huge nature reserve. I can't wait to go back and see my little oak tree be big and huge. Of course I'll have to wait since it'll take 20 years for my sapling to grow to any significant size. Did you know Israel is the only country where the tree count is increasing? Well, it is, and it's because of people like us coming through every year and adding to the forests. Yay us!!

Thankfully we were dropped off on Ben Yehuda street again so we could do some last minute shopping. I bought a mezuzah for my door and that's it. I tried to think of other things to buy for people but I just wasn't in capitalistic commerce mode I guess. I got a chance to see the huge open-air market finally too. It was so awesome and busy and enormous. If I lived in Jerusalem I would totally shop there, even if it was just once a week for Shabbat stuff.

Back at the hotel we packed our bags, took showers and got ready to go. About half our group was returning to the United States, while the other half extended their trips to stay in Israel or travel around Europe and return later. Looking back I think it would have been a great opporunity to visit my friend in Denmark, but that's a ton of money I shouldn't be spending, so I bit the bullet and came home. At our last round table discussion we all had the chance to say what the trip meant to us and what things we will be taking back, metaphorically speaking. Almost everyone said they wanted to come back and live in Israel, but I doubt that will happen. I do agree that everyone will make an effort to come back to visit though. That's an easier promise to keep. I personally want to go back to visit and to study as soon as humanly possible. While I'm here in America I want to be more observant of Shabbat and the holidays, but Shabbat mostly. Tonight is my first opporunity to stick to that, so I'm hoping to find some challah somewhere and maybe some kosher wine. It won't be a meal for kings, but it will be my first solo Shabbat, and that's good enough for me.

Day 9

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:54:11 GMT

Good morning Israel! It's the buttcrack of dawn and we're up to ride camels (gamaleem). Breakfast was a lovely spread, as per usual, but I had just enough time to grab some pita and cheese and head out to the camel corral. All our camels were tied together, so the walk was a no-brainer. Camels lay down when you get on them, and it's a crazy process for them to stand up. Front legs first, then back legs, and that whole time you're holding on for dear life, hoping you don't get thrown off. The ride was rough and I don't see how people could cross the desert on such a turbulent animal. Mostly I felt bad for the boys, and their "boys." After all that jarring, schmooshing, jerking action, that can't have felt good. Think about the Jewish babies people!!

Back on the bus our next stop was Massada. Sounds impressive right? Well, it is. The story of Massada is long, but my favorite part is about a group of fanatical Jews who took over the mountain and had to defend it against a ton of Romans. In a nut shell it's the Jewish version of "300;" a small group that held off the masses of an advanced army. Very cool. It's also impressive how Herod (the original builder of Massada) could get water up the mountain and have pools and a full service spa and all the luxury that he had. Props to Herod on that one. The gondola ride down was pretty sweet too because it gave us this fabulous view of the valley, the side of Massada and the treacherous snake trail you can take up the side (and the Roman soldiers did, clearly that didn't work out for them).

Next stop, Ein Gedi. We took a lovely little hike up a canyon that lead to an oasis and waterfalls. Dipping my feet in that cool water was blissful, but I opted to save myself for the Dead Sea and didn't go in all the way. It was really weird to see this lush crack in the land amongst all the dry desert. I would have been on my knees thanking God if I had come across that some 3,000 years ago in the desert. Fast forward to today and now it's just a nice little perk in the day and we can go back to the bus and buy icecream as our means of desert salvation. 10 shekel!

Finally we arrive at the Dead Sea (not that it took us long to get there from Ein Gedi, since you could see it from the trail) and got to float in it's famous water. This is also the deepest point on Earth, on land to be more specific, not in the ocean. The water looks and feels oily and the rocks on the beach are covered in a thick, white coating of salt. I brought back some chunks of this salt for my sodium chloride addicted roommate. There's a specific way you can be in the water and the lifeguard will yell at you over a loud speaker if you try to swim on your stomach or go out too far. It's best to just float on your back and feel super buoyant. This girl Ayana (a mifgash) described it was swimming in chicken soup. Yummy. The mud at the Dead Sea is supposed to be special too, so low and behold my two traveling companions cover themselves in it, probably because it's funny and not because it's therapeutic. People were getting Dead Sea water it their eyes and it burns like a mo fo. Also it tastes like ass. Not that I know from first-hand experience; I had the good sense to jus float and keep my mouth shut. On the up side, our skin felt super soft after we rinsed off, however a shower was still very much in order. Like I said, that water, not to tasty.

Back to Jerusalem and we arrived at our digs minutes before they closed the dining room. Dinner wasn't remarkable, which was sad since it was our penultimate, but we were starved and thus didn't complain. A shower felt fabulous and bed was calling my name. But before any of that could occur, we had a little presentation to attend. Our speaker was this fabulous British-turned-Israeli man who gives presentations about Israel's political history and current situaiton. His powerpoint was awesome and he gave an amazing recap of everything that is currently going on in only an hour. I was very impressed and learned a ton. It's definitely a subject I wish to increase my knowledge of and keep up to date about. Mostly he was just hysterical and kept our attention brilliantly even though we were dog tired. Cheers mate!

Day 8

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:23:32 GMT

This was a really heavy day, not because of heat stroke-enducing hikes, but because of the overwhelming theme of death. We started out at Mount Herzl, which is the national cemetery for dignitaries and military. We saw the monument/grave for Theodore Herzl and learned more about his story and the custom of putting rocks on a person's grave in place of flowers, because stones are permanent and don't die like plants (and people). We all put a small rock on his grave out of respect. Then we toured through a part of the cemetary and heard some amazing stories of bravery and sacrifice. There's even a section for civilians who acted like soldiers in a battle back in the 60's. One of the decedents was only 14 years old. Once we arrived at the newest section of the cemetery some of the mifgashim (the soldiers who were visiting with us for a couple days) got very emotional because we were passing the graves of people who had died within the last seven years. One man in particular was an American who had moved to Israel to join the army and fight for his people and a cause he clearly cared very strongly for. That was a moving story in itself, and also to learn how close to home the deaths of soldiers hit people even today. Chaya has a cousin who's first fiancee was killed in action a few years ago and is now married to another soldier but carries around that fear that another man she loves could be killed. Such is the danger when military service is compulsory and you live in a country that is constantly having to defend it's right to exist.

Next stop was Yad Vashem, the national Holocaust museum and memorial site. The complex for this museum and memorial was enormous. Not just one building, but a network of several large buildings all housing and symbolizing something different. We even had a guest speaker who was a survivor of the Holocaust and her story not only encompassed survival, but also the separation of a family, immigration to Israel, reunion after many, many years and the lengths the Nazis would go to to keep a child from reaching safety and freedom. The museum itself was impressive because of it's architectural creativity. The building was a long conrete structure (like a long triangle shape) that gave the impression of walking into a prison, or at least something very depressing and you couldn't walk straight through, you had to weaving around each hallway before you could reach the end (symbolizing the length of the struggle for freedom). Once you were at the end the building's walls opened up to an expansive view of the valley. It was beautiful and such a welcome relief after being surrounded by so much death and sadness.

Fortunately we spent the night at a bedouin camp in the desert, which was fun and a much needed change of pace. We sat on big cushions on the floor to eat dinner, with our hands, and listened to drums and wathced people hanging out around big fires and such. Our group took a walk out into the desert-no flash lights-to see the stars and have some alone time with nature. Of course it was Aryeh leading the herd on such a hippie adventure. We saw all kinds of constellations and the milky way. Once we all seperated it was nice to just sit quietly on the dirt and take in the surroundings. Some people that were sitting back a little ways were being so obnoxious and chatting and giggling the whole time. Clearly they have issues with being alone, or maybe they were scared of the dark or afraid of getting bitten by a camel spider or a scorpion! I personally laid down and fell asleep. It was super nice, and I probably could have stayed out there all night if someone plopped a blanket down on me (it was really cold that night). Sleeping in a big ol' tent with a bunch of other people was very nomadic and camp-like. The bathroom situation was less pleasant, only because it was crowded and five miles away from where we slept, but other than that it was fancier than camping at Stampede resevoir where there's no electricity, flushing toilets or camels.

Catch up Day 7

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:19:25 GMT

One week down, three days to go, boohoo. Today our group was joined by eight members of the Israeli military, which is compulsory here, who were supposed to be our resource for getting to know Israelis and their way of life. We met some awesome people and things got very interesting between some of the soldiers and couple members of our group. Ah, kids.

With the mifgashim we toured the City of David and an awesome underground water tunnel that is 3000 years old. The tunnel as times as so narrow I could feel stone on both my elbows (ouch), and even I had to ducked, double over, in the low parts. Thankfully enough it was pitch black in the tunnel and we didn’t allow any flashlights, so it really was like being blind. To make things more interesting we were walking in water the whole time that got up to my naughty bits in the deepest parts and was always at least mid-shin deep the whole way. I held Jordan’s hand the whole way and played “seeing eye dog,” which he was thankful for since he wasn’t feeling well that day and being in a claustrophobically small, underground space wasn’t helping the situation. Being in the tunnel reminded me of the glow-worm caves in New Zealand, which I also thought were awesome, but these tunnels didn’t have the super-awesome celestial experience at the end.

Today we went back to the kotel (Western Wall) and this time we could take pictures since it wasn’t Shabbat, but it was also really nice to be there without huge throngs of people, which dispelled the myth in my head that the Wall was always packed with people. I wore my fabulous new pashmina to be modest and fashionable in respect to the holiness of the locale. I see no reason why women still can’t be stylish and modest at the same time, and trust me, there are some gorgeous women around that city who still keep to their Hassidic dress code and look lovely.

Catch up Day 6

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:18:56 GMT

God bless Shabbat, we got to sleep in and have a “lazy” day. Everyone is already exhausted on the trip since we get very little sleep and work really hard during the day, so to have a whole day of doing nothing but eating and sleeping was fine by me. I even missed morning prayers and breakfast I was so tired. Whatevs, I made up for it later in the day.

We visted the burial site of a famous rabbi and had a little snack in town (eating is a mitzvah on Shabbat), where we met this fabulous woman who wanted us all to stay in Israel and move there, she was so animated and hysterical! I love the people in Israel. They’re all so lovely and welcoming and they all want us to move there and make lots of babies. When we got back to the hotel (walking of course) we have a session called “rap with the rabbi,” in which the rabbi answered a bunch of questions we had written down anonymously and put in a bag the day before. This is where I made up for my sleeping in and then taking another four hour nap later. Because, the two questions that brought up the most discussion were my questions. Would you expect any less?

Now, after much rest and relaxation, it was time for Havdala, which is the ceremony to say goodbye to Shabbat. You welcome Shabbat by doing Kiddush and lighting candles, and conversely you say farewell by extinguishing a really big Havdala candles that has 12 wicks, or so, and saying a prayer over wine and smelling a spice. It was really special to have my first Shabbat in Jerusalem and done to the T. I think it’s one of the things I am taking back with me. Possibly I won’t be as strict as not ripping toilet paper, but I definitely want to be more observant of a special meal on Fridays and not work on Saturdays (oops, someone’s not going to be happy about that one). Anyhow, it was a beautiful ceremony and a much needed rest.

But that’s not all! Since Shabbat ends Saturday night, we were free to have another night out in Jerusalem, which by the way, is my favorite city in Israel. We went to Ben Yehuda Street and had a seriously awesome time. We did a little dancing, a little shopping (that’s where the picture of me in belly dancer jingles came from), and a lot of huka. I don’t know what it is, but hukas are just magical and provide such a lovely time for everyone. Rabbi Shlomi even joined us, not for hits of huka, but just to hangout and chat. It was an awesome night and probably the most fun night I had. Talk about a great way to end Shabbat. Woot!

Catch up Day 5

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:18:25 GMT

Tel Aviv was short-lived and the next morning we were already off to Jerusalem. On the way we didn’t interesting things like visit Rabin Square where Prime Minister Itzchak Rabin was assisinated, Independence Hall where Ben Gurion (yes also the name of the airport) declared Israel’s independence and we sent a messenger pigeon to our friend at the donkey ranch. We learned a ton that day about Israel’s political history and it really helped give me a greater appreciation for the country and it’s people as a whole, when I learned about the struggle and the deeper meaning behind becoming a Jewish state.

Sundown on Friday night, my first Shabbat ever, and how awesome is it that I was able to spend such an occasion at the Western Wall in the city of Jerusalem. We did Shabbat hardcore. We’re talkin’ Kiddush, lighting candles, dancing around and singing at the kotel (that Western Wall), touching the wall, which was a very emotional experience, something I didn’t expect, and then not using any electricity, elevators, tearing toilet paper even. It was awesome!! We even had special keys, the manual kind, so that way we didn’t have to use the electronic variety. They even had a special Shabbat elevator, that ran constantly and stopped at every floor, so that way you didn’t have to touch any buttons. Wild huh? I thought it was fun. It was tough not using the free Wi-Fi all day though. Hey, we all have our vices.

Catch up Day 4

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:17:58 GMT

On the way to Tel Aviv, we stopped in a little hamlet called Tsfat which is the magical birthplace of Kabbalah, yeah that mystical thing Madonna is into. We strolled through the streets and heard lots of stories and of course, learned about Kabbalah. We also went into a lovely synagogue which suffered some damage when a bomb was dropped on Tsfat a few decades ago. The interesting part of that story is that people were inside the synagogue was the bomb dropped, and right when a man was finishing his prayers he bent forward just in time to miss a piece of flying debris that made a decent sized whole in the wall next to him. Had he moved a second sooner or later he would have been killed. Seeing as how fortunate that little circumstance was for him, people put little notes into the hole in the wall because they feel it’s holy or “magical.” After the synagogue the boys went off to a mikvah, a ritual bath, and the rest of us went off shopping. I didn’t buy anything in Tsfat, but I did see some really cool art that was made completely out of recycled materials and also I got lost in the windy, little streets, trying to find a bathroom. I ended up using the bathroom at an art gallery that had no light or sink. It was kind of creepy actually and I was happy to be out of there with an empty bladder and all my fingers.

But wait, it’s not over! Next stop before we hit Tel Aviv was Kfer Kedem, a donkey ranch in the middle of the desert. We had a lesson in how life was lived circa sickles and donkies as farming tools. We also made our own pita bread and had a fabulous lunch of shwerma, hummus and olives, all of which we ate with our hands. I’m a fan of eating with my hands, so this trip was fabulous for such things. After lunch we mounted up for a little donkey ride in full desert garb, including but not limited to, a head sash/turban. My donkey partner (that sounds dirty) was Jordan and we had a magical donkey that we named Pita, and she had stunted ears that had been purposely cut to prevent a disease from spreading to the rest of her head and killing her. I think if you were to take off the thick saddle she was wearing and go bareback, my feet would probably have touched the ground. She was a wee little thing.

Hello civilization!!! We arrived in Tel Aviv, a bustling little city, at a lovely hotel, with reliable running water and electricity right on the beach. Kaching. We had just enough time to shower, change and run back to the bus and head to dinner. Out of all the dining experiences so far, I learned that I appreciate local food efforts more than people trying to cater to Americans, thinking they want pizza and pasta. Give me shwerma and falafel any day. Anyhow, this dinner wasn’t bad, but also not the highlight of the night. I think the riddles people gave out were better than the food that night.

Post dinner begets stroll around the pier in Tel Aviv. We get off the bus, which keep in mind is a huge Grey Hound sized contraption, and Alex (our trusty Russian driver) is trying to turn down another street and get out of traffic, but he comes across a turn that’s too small and also a car that’s parked in such a way that he can’t make the turn. Areyeh, who we’ve learned by now is a crazy monkey man, teaches the boys how to move a car without having to pick it up. A bunch of guys get around the back of the poor, unassuming vehicle, and start to rock it back and forth, which makes the car bounce up and down. So, when the car is in the air for a brief moment, the push it over and end up getting to all the way onto the sidewalk. It was wild!! Eventually Alex is able to get around the corner, but it wasn’t pretty or quick by any stretch of the imagination. The pier was lovely and busy but certainly not the best night out we had, or will have.

Playing Catch up- Day 3

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:17:16 GMT

What better way to start the day than with a little manual labor, free of charge of course. Our group was sent out into the forest to help clear away tree trimmings to prevent a possible future forest fire that would devastate the land. We had a whole system going of people who would schlep the branches, some large enough to be mistaken for a small tree itself, down to the pile-up area and the other people who would toss them into a heap. We had the usual whiners complaining about getting dirty, scratched or sweaty, but the rest of us outdoorsy folk were having a rocking good time. It was truly amazing to see the amount of debris we were able to clear from the forest floor in an hour. It was a little disappointing to be there for such a short amount of time, but our dance cards were full enough everyday as it was, so we weren’t able to spend too much time in any given place. At the end of the day we were all very proud of our efforts and I think Smokey Bear would have been proud of us too.

Next stop, military base on the Syrian border. Much like being able to peer into the Lebanese border, it was equally surreal to be looking to Syria, a land Israel has fought tooth and nail within recent history to maintain it’s borders and status as a unified Jewish state. The base was an amalgam of concrete slab buildings built into the ground with just enough space between the top of the walls and the thick ceilings to get your face and a gun through. A maze of trenches connected each lookout post as well as the larger buildings set toward the back of the base, away from the line of fire. Areyeh told us an amazing story of a battle fought there in which the Israelis were running out of ammunition and getting stomped by the Syrians, who had access to night vision equipment which gave them the advantage during this night fight, and how a little stroke of luck and an act of bravery turned things around completely. Since the Israeli army couldn’t see in the dark they had no idea were to shoot, or who was around them (this battle took place in tanks by the way). At one point the commander of one of the tanks realized the lines between Syrian and Israeli tanks had blended and he was actually positioned between two Syrian tanks, not his own, so he made a bold call and had his gunner shoot at the two neighboring tanks, which is where things started to turn around for Israel. Even though they had taken advantage of the situation and things were looking better, everyone knew they were running out of ammo and couldn’t keep things up much longer. Calls and complaints were coming in from all the other tanks saying they were running out of ammo, or making excuses for why they weren’t continuing forward. Instead of retreating, one brave commander made an announcement to all the tanks saying he was going to charge the Syrians head on, the enemy doesn’t know we’re running out of ammo, this was their opportunity to secure Israel, and who ever was with him was him. Heroically everyone else sucked it up and charged along side him and the Syrians were the ones who ended up retreating, leaving Israel’s borders unmoved.

It was such a moving story to hear right in the place the battle went down. This is recent history too. Israel isn’t a particularly old country and gained it’s independence in 1948. Thus the struggle to keep their recognition as a Jewish state has been tough and sometimes bloody, but they keep up the fight. Right after seeing the base (which was a special experience too because no other groups are allowed to go there, Areyeh just schmoozed with the gate guard who agreed to let us in), we went to a “movie theatre” of sorts where we watched a short documentary about the fight Areyeh had told us about. The documentary was filled with actual footage of the battle and recordings from the tanks, as well as interviews with survivors and their spouses. Even after hearing about the bold move the one commander made that changed the course of the battle, it was even more impacting to hear the actual recording of his words. It was amazing.

Now that we’d all been pumped up by such an inspirational story we headed off to the Jordan river to go kayaking and rafting. Tova and I, ever the thrill seekers, snagged a kayak and blazed down the river. It was awesome to be with someone who knew what they were doing and wasn’t messing around. Don’t worry, we had fun too, we even did little circle tricks to show off for the staff who were hanging out on the bank. We passed tons of other rafters on the way down and they all felt the need to splash us endlessly and we learned real fast to fight back. The trip down the lazy Jordan was an perpetual water fight with Israeli strangers. We even had a wiry river pirate try to jump into our kayak from his raft. It wasn’t pretty, but he survived. Since we were such wicked kayaking bad asses we got to the end super fast and had lots of time to wait around for the rest of the group. Much to our pleasant surprise there’s a whole little amusement park of sorts, at the docking point. Out of all the activities offered, Tova and I zoned in on the zip line. Without even a question we hopped into a harness and climbed the, less than OSHA approved, rusty ladder to the top of the tower and waited patiently in line. When the guy asked for our ticket, I just gave him a puppy face and told him we had one for the kayaks, and he shrugged his Rasta shoulders and told me to sit on the edge of the tower while he hooked me up to the line (I love being a cute girl). Going down the zip line was so much fun!! I tried to point my toes like sneaky thieves do in the movies, but they didn’t really help since I started spinning around about half way down anyway. The landing was fabulous and it felt like I was skiing around the water for a second and then just plunged i--ahhh, refreshing Biblical Jordan river water. After that invigorating experience we hiked back to the park and waited for our brethren to arrive. Areyeh was proud of us for doing the zip line without paying, and I was too.

When we got back to the gulag we were able to take showers and get all beautified before our “night out on the town,” which I appreciated since I seemed to look like a sweat-drenched lumberjack everyday. We all headed down to the pier on the Sea of Galilee and boarded a party boat. Yes, I said party boat and it was super fun. The whole idea is that you take a little cruise around the sea (which is really a lake, but everything is small in Israel so we call it a sea) and have a DJ playing wild Israeli dance tunes and everyone dances around and apparently makes out with people they shouldn’t and it’s a good time had by all. Before we left this silver fox was putting the moves on me something fierce. He said he loves women, but never makes love to them, and that I should hangout with him at his house after the cruise. Um, no thanks. He even made comments about how he can see people’s character in their eyes and in their palms. He was slick, not in a greasy, used car salesmen sort of way, but in a Casanova, I love the ladies, sort of way. Needless to say I didn’t take him up on his generous offer and instead went home with the rest of the herd.

Have I mentioned our lovely abode in Tiberius yet? It’s a lovely little place where the electricity goes off every time someone uses their air conditioner and the water was even shut off the last night we were there. So un-fun. It was a constant chore to go down the hall and flip the circuit breaker so we could finish getting ready or have to wash our faces or brush our teeth with bottled water the last night and morning. Ew. So ends the story of Tiberius, now we move south.

Picture time

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 22:23:11 GMT

Check out the rear-view mirror. The soldier we picked up is packing heat.

I'm an Israeli desert princess. Who knew?

Even a princess can ride a donkey. Her name is Pita, like the bread, she's magical.

We cleared a ton of trimmed tree branches to help prevent forrest fires for the JNF. They are the generous people who donate heaps and heaps of money so this trip can be free.