Cast of Characters:
Adi- Buddy who used to live in Chicago and made aliyah a couple of years ago.
Blog- Blog
Adi: I thought of the name "Rodney" today and then thought of you...but I have no clue why....do you know?
Adi: it was the weirdest damn thing
Blog: My cat is named Rodney
Adi: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Weekend Report
It's been a long time since there's been anything of interest to report here in Cara's World. The springtime thawing of the social life seemed to have been delayed by a late frost. Now, however, it truly seems to be summertime and the social life can come out and play. Since this past 3-day weekend was jammed full of people and places (within the city limits of Chicago) and things, it'll be easiest to do a general summary. During the period between Friday and Tuesday, I...
...ate steak with my paternal unit, shot tequila, went dancing, watched the Cubs win, tasted Moroccan soup, saw Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and decided the book is far superior, made chicken stir-fry, walked several miles, watched Spirited Away and loved it, didn't see Star Wars III, had ice cream, and got kisses from Li'l Dino.
There are two unanswered questions which continue to plague me:
1) Why would a man get frisky with a woman in a (male) gay bar/club? It is a truth universally acknowledged that gay clubs are safe zones for women.
2) Meatloaf would do anything for love except that. What is that one thing which Meatloaf will not do?
...ate steak with my paternal unit, shot tequila, went dancing, watched the Cubs win, tasted Moroccan soup, saw Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and decided the book is far superior, made chicken stir-fry, walked several miles, watched Spirited Away and loved it, didn't see Star Wars III, had ice cream, and got kisses from Li'l Dino.
There are two unanswered questions which continue to plague me:
1) Why would a man get frisky with a woman in a (male) gay bar/club? It is a truth universally acknowledged that gay clubs are safe zones for women.
2) Meatloaf would do anything for love except that. What is that one thing which Meatloaf will not do?
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Bright Shiny Ball of Maybe
I'm in a fantastic mood. The best part is that I'm in a fantastic mood for no particular reason. It's probably just the euphoria of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and the growing feeling of anticipation as my big move comes closer and closer.
It's all about the possibilities. They seem limitless right now.
So maybe I still have 7 weeks left of work. But after that, I'm on vacation (and I'm going to Disney World!). Maybe my social life has been a little tame lately. Well, it's summertime, and that means the winter hibernation is over. Okay, so there's no guy in my life right now (and there hasn't been for a looooong time). I'm going to a country full of nice Jewish boys, so there very well may be one. He may even be the one. Maybe there will be lots of them (I don't know if that's refreshing or terrifying).
The possibilities just seem endless, and I'm loving it.
It's all about the possibilities. They seem limitless right now.
So maybe I still have 7 weeks left of work. But after that, I'm on vacation (and I'm going to Disney World!). Maybe my social life has been a little tame lately. Well, it's summertime, and that means the winter hibernation is over. Okay, so there's no guy in my life right now (and there hasn't been for a looooong time). I'm going to a country full of nice Jewish boys, so there very well may be one. He may even be the one. Maybe there will be lots of them (I don't know if that's refreshing or terrifying).
The possibilities just seem endless, and I'm loving it.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Out of the Mouths of Babes
Yesterday evening, I stood with Li'l Dino (a.k.a. Cutest 2-year-old this world has ever seen) on a balcony, looking out onto the busy street below.
"Are you watching the people?" I ask.
Li'l Dino nods his cute blond head and tells me, "The people are driving the cars."
"Where are they going?" I ask.
Li'l Dino stops and thinks for a second.
"To Israel," he replies.
"Are you watching the people?" I ask.
Li'l Dino nods his cute blond head and tells me, "The people are driving the cars."
"Where are they going?" I ask.
Li'l Dino stops and thinks for a second.
"To Israel," he replies.
Monday, May 16, 2005
The Nakba of International Media
I normally leave the political commentary to others in the blogosphere. It's not that politics don't enter my world, but more that I don't feel the need to share my opinion on it very often. Today, I'm departing from this Cara's World policy, because I feel like it.
We just celebrated Israel's 57th birthday as an independent Jewish state. Jews across the world mark the happy day in various ways. (I went out to a Yom Ha'atzmaut party, though I think it would have been more appropriate to cock a snook at all those out there who still wish to shove me and my people into the Red Sea.) Why do we celebrate? Because for the past 57 years, we've had a country and an army of our own, and every Jew has a place to call home.
Of course, we can't expect our enemies to celebrate with us. What we call "Independence Day", they refer to as "Nakba" or "catastrophe". They've spent the past 57 years trying to strip us of our independence. The international media loves to forget this. With their usual selective hearing, they often publish whatever makes the Jews look bad and the Arabs look good. They've done it again.
Today's newspapers have articles about settlers protesting disengagement and all the havoc they are causing. The papers do not have articles about Abbas (also known as The-Guy-that-Israel-is-Expected-to-Negotiate-With) referring to the establishment of the State of Israel as "the Nakba". Other gems include the statement that "On that day, a crime was committed against a people, who were uprooted from their land and whose existence was destroyed and who were forced to flee to all areas of the world." Qurei (a.k.a. Another-Guy-that-Israel-is-Expected-to-Negotiate-With) was quoted as saying, "our wound is still bleeding 57 years later." Clearly these are men who respect Israel, and are therefore reliable partners for negotiation. Yes, I can see why Israel is expected to trust them. (Note for the stupid people: that was sarcasm) Oh, and by the way, I'm pretty sure that the State of Israel was created precisely because the Jews had just suffered horrible atrocities which attemtped to destroy their entire people and scattered them to all areas of the world. I'm also pretty sure that the Arab countries tried to finish the job the day after Israel was created. So forgive me if I cannot see the establishment of a Jewish state as a "crime".
What does the American media say about these statements? And I quote:
"______________________________________"
That was the sound of silence. They pick out the happy-sounding quotes, where Abbas obligingly tosses out words like "peace," "security" and "stability". The NYTimes uses the headline "Abbas Says Redress for Refugees Is Key to Peace". Now, that particular article does mention Qurei's statement, and then attributes it to the security fence. Call me skeptical, but I don't think that's exactly what Qurei was referring to.
The real catastrophe is not the existence of a Jewish state. The catastrophe is that so much of the modern world is deliberately wiping its memory clean of any recollection of the necessity of having a Jewish state.
We just celebrated Israel's 57th birthday as an independent Jewish state. Jews across the world mark the happy day in various ways. (I went out to a Yom Ha'atzmaut party, though I think it would have been more appropriate to cock a snook at all those out there who still wish to shove me and my people into the Red Sea.) Why do we celebrate? Because for the past 57 years, we've had a country and an army of our own, and every Jew has a place to call home.
Of course, we can't expect our enemies to celebrate with us. What we call "Independence Day", they refer to as "Nakba" or "catastrophe". They've spent the past 57 years trying to strip us of our independence. The international media loves to forget this. With their usual selective hearing, they often publish whatever makes the Jews look bad and the Arabs look good. They've done it again.
Today's newspapers have articles about settlers protesting disengagement and all the havoc they are causing. The papers do not have articles about Abbas (also known as The-Guy-that-Israel-is-Expected-to-Negotiate-With) referring to the establishment of the State of Israel as "the Nakba". Other gems include the statement that "On that day, a crime was committed against a people, who were uprooted from their land and whose existence was destroyed and who were forced to flee to all areas of the world." Qurei (a.k.a. Another-Guy-that-Israel-is-Expected-to-Negotiate-With) was quoted as saying, "our wound is still bleeding 57 years later." Clearly these are men who respect Israel, and are therefore reliable partners for negotiation. Yes, I can see why Israel is expected to trust them. (Note for the stupid people: that was sarcasm) Oh, and by the way, I'm pretty sure that the State of Israel was created precisely because the Jews had just suffered horrible atrocities which attemtped to destroy their entire people and scattered them to all areas of the world. I'm also pretty sure that the Arab countries tried to finish the job the day after Israel was created. So forgive me if I cannot see the establishment of a Jewish state as a "crime".
What does the American media say about these statements? And I quote:
"______________________________________"
That was the sound of silence. They pick out the happy-sounding quotes, where Abbas obligingly tosses out words like "peace," "security" and "stability". The NYTimes uses the headline "Abbas Says Redress for Refugees Is Key to Peace". Now, that particular article does mention Qurei's statement, and then attributes it to the security fence. Call me skeptical, but I don't think that's exactly what Qurei was referring to.
The real catastrophe is not the existence of a Jewish state. The catastrophe is that so much of the modern world is deliberately wiping its memory clean of any recollection of the necessity of having a Jewish state.
Happy Happy! Joy Joy! #18
Mazel tov to Big Brother and BBG on their graduation from law school. You both looked great in the goofy black robes, silly black hats, and long purple hoods. I'm glad we captured the moment on film.
Monday, May 09, 2005
I Heart My Friends
One of the few positive aspects of the past few weeks has been the vivid reminder of why I loved college so much: I have awesome friends. The lack of responsibility and free-flowing alcohol were really just fringe benefits. My friends were what made those 3.5 years in St Louis so phenomenal. I've spoken to and email with so many of those wonderful people in the past few weeks. Some of the people I've been talking to are individuals who I had been close to, but lost touch with. Some are people I had never gotten to know very well. It doesn't seem to matter how close we were in college. Circumstances have brought out the best in everybody. I keep realizing over and over again how lucky I am to have gone to WashU and become friends with these people. Even Allan and Mikey.
In contrast, I just had a bizarre little Friendster experience which reminded me why I disliked high school, and the people in it, as violently as I did. I got a friend request from a guy I haven't spoken to since I was 19 or so. We had been friends, in that "he liked me but didn't want to be seen with me" kind of way. My high school was full of people like that. Still, when I got the friend request, I thought, "Cool. Maybe he's grown up enough to put all that high school bullshit behind him," and accepted the request. When he wasn't added to my list of friends, I figured that Friendster malfunctioned, which it frequently does, and so I sent a friend request to him. Imagine my surprise when my friend request was declined. After all, he tracked me down.
So, I have only the following to say...
To that particular high school classmate: Grow up, man.
To my college friends: You rock.
In contrast, I just had a bizarre little Friendster experience which reminded me why I disliked high school, and the people in it, as violently as I did. I got a friend request from a guy I haven't spoken to since I was 19 or so. We had been friends, in that "he liked me but didn't want to be seen with me" kind of way. My high school was full of people like that. Still, when I got the friend request, I thought, "Cool. Maybe he's grown up enough to put all that high school bullshit behind him," and accepted the request. When he wasn't added to my list of friends, I figured that Friendster malfunctioned, which it frequently does, and so I sent a friend request to him. Imagine my surprise when my friend request was declined. After all, he tracked me down.
So, I have only the following to say...
To that particular high school classmate: Grow up, man.
To my college friends: You rock.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Glimmer of Sunshine
I got home last night to find a nice large envelope from the Kibbutz Ulpan Program. Inside that nice large envelope was a nice letter informing me that I've been accepted.
I start ulpan at Kvutzat Yavne on September 15. All I'm missing is the airline ticket.
I am now officially going to Israel this fall, for a minimum of five months.
I start ulpan at Kvutzat Yavne on September 15. All I'm missing is the airline ticket.
I am now officially going to Israel this fall, for a minimum of five months.
Monday, May 02, 2005
The Unsent Letter
May 2, 2005
My darling Liz,
When your father called me last Tuesday, I was just sitting down to write you another letter. I was going to tell you all about my weekend, and the first days of Pesach. I was going to describe the new outfit I had bought, and tell you about the friends who had come over for seder. Now I can’t seem to remember any of those details. I can only think of you, and of the days that have passed since I learned that you were gone. Three days ago, I stood in a cemetery in Pittsburgh, surrounded by people who love you dearly. Now I am back in Chicago, and something in me just needs to write one last letter.
In my other letters, I told you as much as I could about where I’d gone, what I’d done, who I’d seen, and what I’d thought. It seems silly to do that now. Am I supposed to tell you about your own funeral? I can’t do that. I don’t even like reading or writing the word ‘funeral’ because it looks so cold and final. I don’t know how to adjust to the idea that you’re gone. How can there be a world without you in it? I keep remembering the most random little details: the short-lived crush you had on one of our mutual friends, the little stuffed moose that you kept in your car, the pair of red leather boots I’d wanted to borrow but had nothing to wear them with. I see you so clearly in my mind- in the bakery, on your sofa, in your studio, at the old house, at the new house, in my room. I hear your voice and your laugh. So many tiny memories and moments keep coming back to me, reminding me what a precious gift I’d had, and overwhelming me with the feeling of loss that such a gift is gone.
There are so many things that we just don’t say to our friends. Did you know that I thought you were the best of all of us? I don’t know anyone else who was so close to perfection. I can’t imagine ever meeting someone like you again, and I am so grateful that our paths crossed six years ago, and that we became friends. I know you will never hear this- after all, where can I send it? Yet somehow I hope that by sending it off into the Internet void, you will hear me anyway. I love you so much, my dearest friend, and this will never change. Now you will always be young and beautiful and perfect, and I will always treasure the years that we had and the memories that we made.
All my love,
Cara
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