Out of Sync
24 October 2006
I'm still without computer, although the good word is that it's on its way tomorrow. Whether the data has survived is another question. I somehow think that Israeli computer repair folks are less charitable about preserving data than their American counterparts. I will take a lesson from the venerable Reb Zalman and his parable on the computer crash as Jewish mystical development. Look out for the "Emmes DOS" pun.
In any case, thanks to my fellow fellow GW, I've got a bit of computer access and thus can try and get up to speed, a bit. What's been happening:
- A lovely holiday of Sukkot came my way, along with a visit from the best Mom ever. We navigated much of the length of the country in our rental car, visiting two kibbutzim, four sets of cousins, and learned to take our bathing suits off in the middle of the Mediterranean. Back in J'lem, we co-built a wonderful sukkah, hosted meals and parties, danced with the sefer Torah, prayed for rain, and ate more meat than I'd eaten in weeks. Mom got kudos for being the "coolest mom ever" for accompanying me to parties and classes without ever seeming like an old fogey. (These words of praise could be about you, O Readers--come visit me!)
- Classes have now started in earnest, and I've dived in headfirst to my superTalmud class. Assignments for the next seven classes total about 11 dapim; that's about six sides of a page to learn per week. Even in my high-school-10-hrs-of-Talmud-per-week days, I don't think I made it through that much material, and this is mostly to be prepared on my own. I've taken to sitting in coffee shops with my books spread around me, learning a bissel Gemara while ignoring the stares from the chiloni and dati customers alike.
- I'm also taking a Magen David Adom training class to be an EMT, which I must say is such a struggle for me. On the one hand, it's great to be learning someting that is so outside my comfort zone and area of expertise. On the other hand, I bristle at the possibility that someday I'll be using this knowledge, be it on an ambulance here or in the States, or in some unfortunate accident of daily life. I am fascinated by the world of medicine, but also so, so scared--we shall see what becomes of this in my life. Add to this my general worries about my Hebrew--could I serve on a Hebrew-speaking ambulance?--and the couple of very annoying people in my class, and I'm in for a stressy ride each Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
- On the upside, our fellows' days have been going great, and last week I discovered the mythic Jerusalem Boogie! As Myrrh describes it, "it's two hundred people dancing like they are dancing alone in their living rooms." Thanks to JT for pointing me its way.
...So I guess newsy is easy to write, insightful less so...more to come when I'm wired again (and maybe even some pics). In the meantime, keep praying for rain--we all need it.
I'm still without computer, although the good word is that it's on its way tomorrow. Whether the data has survived is another question. I somehow think that Israeli computer repair folks are less charitable about preserving data than their American counterparts. I will take a lesson from the venerable Reb Zalman and his parable on the computer crash as Jewish mystical development. Look out for the "Emmes DOS" pun.
In any case, thanks to my fellow fellow GW, I've got a bit of computer access and thus can try and get up to speed, a bit. What's been happening:
- A lovely holiday of Sukkot came my way, along with a visit from the best Mom ever. We navigated much of the length of the country in our rental car, visiting two kibbutzim, four sets of cousins, and learned to take our bathing suits off in the middle of the Mediterranean. Back in J'lem, we co-built a wonderful sukkah, hosted meals and parties, danced with the sefer Torah, prayed for rain, and ate more meat than I'd eaten in weeks. Mom got kudos for being the "coolest mom ever" for accompanying me to parties and classes without ever seeming like an old fogey. (These words of praise could be about you, O Readers--come visit me!)
- Classes have now started in earnest, and I've dived in headfirst to my superTalmud class. Assignments for the next seven classes total about 11 dapim; that's about six sides of a page to learn per week. Even in my high-school-10-hrs-of-Talmud-per-week days, I don't think I made it through that much material, and this is mostly to be prepared on my own. I've taken to sitting in coffee shops with my books spread around me, learning a bissel Gemara while ignoring the stares from the chiloni and dati customers alike.
- I'm also taking a Magen David Adom training class to be an EMT, which I must say is such a struggle for me. On the one hand, it's great to be learning someting that is so outside my comfort zone and area of expertise. On the other hand, I bristle at the possibility that someday I'll be using this knowledge, be it on an ambulance here or in the States, or in some unfortunate accident of daily life. I am fascinated by the world of medicine, but also so, so scared--we shall see what becomes of this in my life. Add to this my general worries about my Hebrew--could I serve on a Hebrew-speaking ambulance?--and the couple of very annoying people in my class, and I'm in for a stressy ride each Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
- On the upside, our fellows' days have been going great, and last week I discovered the mythic Jerusalem Boogie! As Myrrh describes it, "it's two hundred people dancing like they are dancing alone in their living rooms." Thanks to JT for pointing me its way.
...So I guess newsy is easy to write, insightful less so...more to come when I'm wired again (and maybe even some pics). In the meantime, keep praying for rain--we all need it.
posted by S. @ 4:46 PM
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