New York, Newwwww York!

Finally, we're here. Two days and counting until I leave for Israel. Our flight was delayed (of course), but we received free TV, so you don't hear me complaining. Much. Definitely would have a lot to say about the despicably run airlines, but it's not exactly an original idea, so I'll let it slide. House marathon tonight! And, perhaps, two days from now? Alas, I leave, and then I will hopefully follow my New Years resolution: After the turn to the next page in that calendar, I will no longer be watching tv shows online, unless it is relevant news sources, until June--at the end of my program.

Ordered Mexican food; my brother had the inclination. I had a sopapiya, but there is nothing like the ones from Casa Bonita. Sopapiya=puffed up dough filled with honey and chunks of butter.

Insert a shout out to one bestfriendjulia here, because I just realized how to check to see when people have commented on my post, and she has been actively keeping up to date with my ramblings, yay....

I missed my guitar.

I really miss Colorado. I miss the mountains. I miss being more mesmerized by my own skyline than a man with a swinging clock. I miss cuddling on my sofa.

I don't miss coming home and knowing that my bedroom is right there, waiting for me; removing myself from my home is my first step to removing myself from that life. Unfortunately, it is the only house I currently live in. Note to self: Must work on buying a cheap apartment in the middle of nowhere.

Last night was amazing. It was hectic and overwhelming at home after months of living on my own with no one but myself to be responsible for, so I went over to Julia's and took the lightrail (yay environment) and she swooped in and saved me from the wind. Watched Sense and Sensibility with her mom (love!), drank rose tea (or was it peach??), and ate pumpkin pie. My knees tend to freak out when I get really into a movie, and Dylan was very patient with me when we watched. You could say the movie pulled me in. I love being at Julia's house when I'm too excitable and overstressed.

I know I reread Orson Scott Card and other sci-fi, non-"classic literary" type novels, but I enjoy them. However, in this reread I have noticed his particular pattern of emphasis on connecting to the human race through marriage, children, and grandchildren, and that everyone feels this need to be one with humanity blah-di-blah. It makes me feel very uncomfortable to recognize this pattern of socialization, partially because I had not noticed in a big way up until this read-through, and these books have been a major socialization of my private education, if that makes any sense. At any rate, I realize it, I acknowledge it, and I move past it.

Hannukah time!!

P.S. Iceland would be really cool
P.P.S. Australia is someplace I'd like to trip
P.P.S. Longer Letter Later (HAHAHAHA)

Day 3 of Keystone

Here it is. Day three. We have been here for two nights, this is the second day free for skiing, snowboarding, and general romping activities... and I am not out there. 

Interesting food for thought: WikiTravel-- Will it revolutionize our times touring the town? We'll see. Maybe in my travels I will be able to fill it in with more details...

Snowboarding yesterday froze my tush. 

That is all.

Server not working

So there is this odd conundrum in my family where technology needs to be brought to another state or left alone for a few months, and magically whatever item it is starts working again. Like my camera. That was out of batteries. And wouldn't turn on. Lo and behold, I bring it back to Colorado, and it works again!

However, can't post pictures here yet because despite my impending happiness, the internet here is too slow to let it happen. 

"Full Court Miracle" is an adorable movie about Jewish kids, basketball, and miracles. They only had enough energy in the generator for a minute and lasted for the rest of the game. How sweet.

Last night was ridiculously amazing. I missed swing dancing at the Merc. Lindy hop is fun!!

between the 20th and 21st

I know that once I start this entry it'll be the 20th, and by the time I finish, it'll be the 21st. I may be a fast typer, but I am not the chief of organizing my thoughts. Organizing, yes. I can do that. For other people. But for me, I am not one to know my own mind. Or, knowing my own mind, admit it to myself.

So, here I sit, on this way comfy chair with two way-comfy blankets, until 6:30 in the morning, or whenever it is that the next set comes in. I cannot believe people get paid for this! Relaxing in this chair, getting up whenever something needs to be responded to... which can be discovered via shouting... I am made for this job. If only I could do this for someone not in my family......

Made a delicious shabbos dinner last night. Well, it was supposed to be delicious. We made TUSCAN CHICKEN for the main course, except we had a few problems-- we doubled everything, but instead of using dry white wine used brandy. Moooommmm.. and used dried rosemary instead of fresh and overestimated the amount we would need. It was terribly strong. But, what we discovered was the potential for a scrumptious dish. Also, we made my sweet potato thing. Definitely need to be eaten by teenagers, and fresh out of the oven. Or by Nancy. Nancy made them really good. Cooking is not my forte, but I will keep trying till my dying day. Or at least up to that point. I hope with practice I'll get better. ...and I won't kill too many people in the process.

Went for a beautiful night-walk with Julia, but metal does not do well in cold, and I did not have earmuffs. 

Synagogue this morning; yay Bar Mitzvah boy! A little frightening that I have known you since you were a year or two old; at least, I remember you getting your three-year-old haircut. How adorable. For the lunch, each kid got to choose their favourite food, so we had a fantastic, absolutely delectable meal. Potatoes, GOOD salad, tuna, salmon, mangoes and kiwi on the fruit platter... it was the best. 

Which probably explains why I didn't each lunch with the person I had made arrangements to have lunch with. BUT, in my defense, I still sat with him while he ate and made fun of his meal choices. So there.

Oh! Almost forgot. Nearly my favourite part of today was Havdalah! We were at the Rabbi's house hanging out all afternoon and laughing our pants off, so we decided to stay comfortable and have havdalah there. Unfortunately, it appeared to be a fireless family; instead of feeling the Debbie Freedman moment, I had to be satisfied with a brief summary/synopsis of the whole thing in a few phrases, minus the fire. Disappointing, but I least I got to be with my favourite people.

Bass and I attempted to go to Landmark theatre with my mom. Didn't pull it off, to say the least. Ran into a friend who works there, apparently. Hmmm, free tickets anyone?

Maybe I'll work at Koebel over the summer. I'd be a good librarian!!

12 17 08

I apologize in advance for the random, scattered ideas all over this entry--it's 2 in the morning and I was tired at 8. Beddy-bye.

One quick comment about having free unlimited free time during a break-- you watch way too many movies. Or at least I do. When I woke up this morning, I finished watching the new House... surfthechannel hadn't let me finish it the night before, so i had to, you see? Not my fault... Then the following movies happened: 

The Last Samurai--my sensei spoke about this movie; we all agreed we don't like Tom Cruise, however he was quite the success in this feature film. Good acting, but most of all the director was so freaking detailed oriented it was great. The position you see the characters sitting in throughout the movie is called Seiza, the kneeling position. The art of seiza is very precise; there must be a certain width between the knees, the right toe must be over the left toe, etc etc. So that flick gets major bonus points in my book. Plus, I dig the character transformation.

Holiday Inn (need to finish!!!)--watched it with my mom when we were both out of it and wanted to take naps. Old black and white flick starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astair. Little known fact: this is where the song White Christmas comes from! I was dancing with the characters while they were spinning around the floor, too. And I'm not afraid to admit it. Online. Where no one can see me. Heh.

Cadillac Records (you must see!!!)-- Got very angry when traffic turned up so we missed our originally intended movie (Boy in the Striped Pajamas) [separate question: how do you pronounce pajamas?]... and ended up at the little-used/known theatre that basically sells high-end women's clothing and has a movie theatre. It doesn't do so well as far as business goes... Bummer. Anyway, off topic.. so, saw Cadillac Records. Started off with just my mom and me in the entire theatre for the first ten minutes and then three more people showed up. It was great. We were talking through the entire thing too, my mom pointing out this guy and that guy she saw in concert at MIT. Oh, back in the day.... Really do recommend this movie. You won't be able to listen to anything but BLUES for a week. 

Came home and made beef fried rice for my brother... 'twas delicious. My older brother makes it better, but then again, he's a natural chef.

Flashlight tag didn't happen, sadly. Although we did wander my property in the cold weather. They're such babies. It wasn't that cold out. There was no wind. 

Charles freaks out about how awesome 3-way conversations are, because he likes to dominate...

So, one thing I would say comes up a lot when people go abroad to other countries is the dating scene. How legit is it to date someone, feel affectionate towards someone, grow easy with someone, and then up and leave them? Is that fair? I think it comes down to a basic question of, If you're not in it for love or future, what are you in it for? And that's not only about going abroad, or going away to college, but in general..

My life is an adventure. It will be an adventure. I will make sure of it. And along those lines, I'm sure there will be many people who move in-and out-of my life. But I can say this honestly and truly, that the best part of my adventures will be the people within it. And that is already proved. Done and done. 

Usually I rarely take the time to.. welll.. be friends with someone before jumping in canon-ball style. Oh, I get to know them. But getting to know someone is completely different from befriending them. Traveling around like I plan to do til the end of days makes it real difficult to maintain solid relations of any sort. So, for those who do stick it out, I'm much appreciative of it.

Tv shows! Stella's. Accepted!

If you missed out on Chuck, Heroes, or Prison Break this week, don't sweat it. They were realistic and serious, overdoing the same old plot lines, or just plain cheesy and unoriginal. Of course there were highlights, but I like to think that the best episodes for a show set that shows standards.. and they did not live up to my expectations in the least.

Stella's is a GREAT coffee shop on Pearl Street in the Denver area. The barista pulled off the stereotypical no-nonsense, indie-licious, pessimistic, optimistic, lively, introverted personality that we've come to expect from our average coffee shop hosts these days. Plus, there was a guy playing a guitar and a guy playing his harmonica jamming out right next to me. He had a giant box of every harmonica you've ever seen. Fantastic. Also, made a new friend. Hope he writes to me in Israel--had a lot of funny things to say about life. Rarely do I find a good conversationalist, contrary to my pick-up rates, and I have to say--I may be at the point in my life where I pick the good conversation over... uh... other attributes.

I really dig Accepted. I know, I know, it is a terribly cheesy, unrealistic, unattainable, laughable, immature, childish plot line, but it is you who this movie should speak to more than me. I feel that way about our educational academic institutions, and I am proud to say I have taken a step in my life where I am finally getting a chance to study what I want, rather than what the world tells me I want. Although, at the same time, I want to study everything, and do everything... but I'm grateful to be getting out of the system, even if it's only for 6 months. 

Now, talk to me in six months, and we'll see where I'm at.....

The internet works again!

The internet works again!!! Yay. Last night Charles, Matt and Dylan came over. We watched Waterworld. It was pretty sick. They could have made it a million times better by cutting it out before it got cheesy at the very end... But oh, well, we watched it anyway. And it was delightful. Also, hot chocolate at 3 in the morning might not sound completely appetizing, but it's delicious!

One last thing-- Sheryl and I went to lunch at Dos Caminos yesterday. I tried a sip of her margarita, and there was nothing sweet about it. However! The chip dip was something no human should go with out. I've had a lucky two days of food =D

The day of forlorn--I mean, no internet

(Written 12 15)

So, flight of the season numero uno is done and done—New York City (LGA) to Denver.. Woo. Before we lifted off, the pilot went on the loudspeaker and announced that it had warmed up since yesterday. It was only negative 1 degree in Colorado. Although by the time we land, it’ll probably cool down.

Let me tell you, he was dead on.

Here I sit, little old me, typing away on my little white laptop, awaiting the arrival of my uncle to come pick me up. He head to get his phone fixed; a good thing, considering how much our airport relies on the personal organizing capabilities of all its customers. Not being allowed to stick around for more than a few moments to load up into the car? How could this possibly be coordinated only a few years ago, before the reliance upon cell phones became a major matter? What did we do—park in the garage, walk up and wait at the top of the escalators, or at baggage claim… I remember the days when I traveled alone before I had a cell phone, and if there was a flight delay, or some small incident like a change in claim-place, everyone was screwed. Although I’m loud, apparently, so I didn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Anyway, point is that I’m glad he got his phone fixed.

Onto the next subject… (Don’t read if your name is Robyn)…

The inability to go to the bathroom on the airplane in a reasonable amount of time. I mean, come on people! Can’t you finish your business in the four hours we’ve got on the flight so we can take our turns before the seat belt sign goes on yet again? Or better yet, Mr. Pilot, with all those years of training can you keep the plane steady enough that the passengers can relax their bladders a wee bit?

Shoe-icide! A brilliant play on words reflecting cultural integrity and frustration with Western intrusion in Iraq. Maybe not brilliant, but I surely enjoyed spotting it at this headline on a newspaper a guy was reading while waiting for the plane to arrive. There are three dimensions to this shoe-ism:

1.     A shoe being thrown at a person is a symbolic attack against someone well-protected and vulnerable only in a media dimension; that shoe wouldn’t have hurt him, but it hurt his integrity, which was the real subject at attack.

2.     Iraqis climbed like monkeys onto the statue of Saddam Hussein and beat at it with their shoes. Not an effective maneuver for taking down a statue perhaps, but left an effective message nonetheless.

3.     In Arabic culture, it is EXTREMELY rude to show the bottoms of your shoes; it is as if you are saying someone is dirt, lower than your shoe. I should probably be more careful of how I sit….

Finally my uncle came to pick me up. I’m at home now, sitting at my computer because the internet doesn’t work and unfortunately, this computer doesn’t have enough memory to hold all the movies I would download if I could.

P.S. since when is internet a word that needs to be capitalized? Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Mr. Spellcheckman.

1 more thing

Things I love:

1. Going to the gym on my own time; meaning, exercise for the sake for the sake of exercise, not for frustration or anger or stress relief or avoiding other things like homework or feeling like I've overeaten... 

2. Lee, and his inability to realize the big picture while realizing things many people 4 or 5 times his age have yet to figure out.

3. Skinny shampoo and skinny conditioner in fatter containers than any of the shampoos I use.

4. Whoever threw the shoe at our lovely president

New York Day 1

Yesterday was the last day of Allentown, Pennsylvania for the year. Got up.. went back to sleep. Got up again.. went back to sleep. Eventually got up, said good-bye to my dear Robyn (pronounced: Wobyn) and with Kaitlin's (roomie) help got everything to the storage unit on time. ALMOST didn't make the bus, but the guy was very sweet and waited for me to get my ticket too. I don't think anyone else on the bus was particularly pleased with me, but at least I got on and made it to NYC in time for dinner.

Family friends came over, watched the guy's black belt test (he broke four boards on his first try-- he was the only one to make it), ate Thai food from this delicious place called Land around 82nd and 2nd, and played TRIVIA PURSUIT!

Today, woke up, made Lee crepes. He loves his crepes, and Sheryl has a really nice pan perfect for making the thinnest crepes you can get. Watched him play basketball at Ramaz, then while they were going shopping and another basketball session at the Y, I went to Barnes and Nobles and got distracted.... as always.... but come on!! If there's one distraction in my life, is it that bad if it's a bookstore? At least I'm learning something...

Basketball and ultimate frisbee have got a lot in come in terms of offensive strategy.

Volunteered with Dorot (means Generation in Hebrew), a program that delivers food to the elderly who can't necessarily go out and about, or who might not have that much money available, or even who would sincerely appreciate the company. Ours was the third sort, and she was very sweet. Watches TV the majority of the time, gets around outside on her electric scooter when she needs to.

Now we're back at the apartment. This is day one of my departure from Muhlenberg.

I think everyone from Colorado decided to up-and-move to Israel next semester. Gotta love it.