Which would you prefer: Black and white, or full color? Or, why everyone needs a Leroy Jethro Gibbs in their Life

Personally, while I thoroughly enjoy black and white movies and TV shows, I infinitely prefer the complexity of full color. The black and white movies and shows have an attractive simplicity about them ... you always know what will happen. There is an order ... a hierarchy. Things don't go wrong, and when they, there is a concrete reason why and a way to fix. It's hypnotic, especially when you are going through a rough patch in your own full color-and-chaotic life.

You can sit in front of these black and white movies and be drawn in by the simplicity. You can say how much you wish your life was so simple. You can try to recreate the seemingly wonderful haven that exists on the screen. Many people get totally pulled into to idealizing that simplistic image and completely lose track of the fact that life is actually full of color.

This brings me to my next point: when you notice someone starting to get pulled in by a seductively simplistic image on the screen please smack them on the back of the head. Don't be an ASS about it, but remind them of all the things that are wonderful about living in full color.

There are many wonderful things about the black and white image shows and movies: everything has a place, all the families are warm and loving, people are happy all the time. But when you look closer (IE after the back of your head has been smacked by your loving and wonderful Boss) you realize that everyone in those shows and movies are strikingly similar. Where is the wonderful diversity that makes the world so bright? Where is the difference of opinion? Where is the dissent?

This is not to say that the black and white shows and movies are great: they're CLASSICS! Everyone should observe them and learn from them ... but living your life like it's all black and white doesn't work for most people. Some, yes, but not most people.

It takes all kinds to make the world go round ... and there is a vast myriad of experience, none of which are less important or less valid than the others.

Thanks, Boss.

Spring Break

So I have a dilemma. I have like 15 days off for Passover during the Spring which also covers Easter. Plenty of time to come home and spend time with my family and Justin and friends ... but it is ALSO plenty of time to go to Greece and/or Italy. Or I could go to England and visit Ellie if she's studying in London ...

I mean, I REALLY want to go to Greece before I leave Israel. It's possible that I will stay here for three years and therefore will have three additional Passover breaks in which to go Greece and Italy ... but who knows what will come up!

Hmm ... I have a few days yet before I need to make a decision ... and this is one to think long and hard about.

!!!עברית

!!אני כוטבת עברית

זה קשה אּבל אני את אוהבת

המחשב שלי לא איהב לכתיב עברית

Hebrew!!! I write Hebrew!! This is hard but I love it. My computer doesn't like to write Hebrew.

The punctuation doesn't like to actually go at the end of the sentence (on the left!) And the key assignment doesn't make total sense, but that's fine. You need to know English in order for the keys to make any type of sense.

Class today went really well. I didn't do as well on the test as I had thought I did, but I still did pretty well. I'm waiting for Justin to get online, and them I'm off to Ben-Yehuda street to shop! I DEFINITELY need more books in English, but I want to get a copy of one or two of my favorite books in Hebrew and start going through it. It will be REALLY REALLY hard to read, but I learned English by pushing myself to read challenging books, perhaps it will work with Hebrew as well.

Israel Bucket List

Now that I'm feeling MUCH better (though I still have a major case of the blues), I am determined to make a plan to truly experience Jerusalem and Israel. This is the second weekend where I have basically sat in my apartment and it is rather depressing and boring. I've been working on the creation of an "Israel Bucket List" and I'm sure that it will grow and change while I'm here, but here it is for a start:

1. Eilat and Petra

2. Tel Aviv (beach and nightlife)

3. Rosh Hanikra

4. Ceasarea

5. Western Wall Tunnel

6. HaOphel

7. Via Dolorosa and the Holy Sepulchre at 4pm (that's when all the different denominations chant, it's supposed to be amazing)

8. Israel Museum and Shrine of the Book (this is currently closed for renovation, but will reopen next year)

9. Shopping for jewelry in the Jewish Quarter

10. Yad Vashem

11. Rosh Hashannah at the Western Wall

12. Observation Point on Mount Scopus

13. Masada

14. Haifa (more than just the mall :P)

15. Attend Shabbat services at a few different synagogues with different affiliations

There will be PLENTY more to add, I'm sure!

Jerusalem is a whirlwind ...

Jerusalem in intoxicating. It's an incredible blend of secular and religious and can leave you feeling completely turned upside down. I knew when I came here that I wanted to learn more about Judaism and you can't help but feel a yearning for a deeper level of observance when you are here.

But there are sooo many different levels! Unless you truly have no issue being stared at, you dress when walking around most of the city as if you are orthodox. You wear shirts that at LEAST cover your collar bones and shoulders (think a t-shirt), though I wear a 3/4 length shirt or a very LARGE t-shirt that has sleeves that come basically to my elbows. You wear a skirt that covers your knees ...

You are surrounded by people who have made Alliyah ... it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and think "maybe I should Immigrate" or "maybe I should be Orthodox" ... but then you realize that means basically leaving behind friends and family ... and it helps put things back in perspective.

For example, there is no way that I could live here alone. I miss my family and Justin too much. Being here for a year is difficult enough. I find myself taking it "one day at a time" so that I don't get overwhelmed by the daunting amount of time that I spending away from those I love. To complete the MA in Archaeology, it would require being here for 3 years. I'm not entirely certain that I can do that. First of all, it's a LOT of money. Secondly, it's three YEARS. 1095 days. I can't possibly fly back every 3 months. The autumn semester is going to be difficult enough as it goes from Oct 18-Jan 29 with zero break. Ok, I get 1 day off for Chanukkah, but other than that, 0 breaks. That's a LONG time to go without seeing my family at home!

I've started shopping for people at home! I have some really creative ideas for people ... and shopping for others is more fun than shopping for myself! There are LOTS of really interesting things here that are outside the normal thought process. There are lamps, hookahs, goblets ... and then there are the normal things: religious jewelry, hamsa's, t-shirts, magnets ... so many different things. I'm trying to decide if I want to go to the Arab and Christian quarters today to do a bit of shopping (and getting out of the apartment would be nice ...). The unfortunate thing is that I'm by myself ... which can be rather uncomfortable when you are walking around.

Defying Gravity

Sometimes life's emotions are best described by a song:

GLINDA: Elphaba, why couldn't you have stayed calm for once, instead of flying off the handle!

I hope you're happy!

I hope you're happy now!

I hope you're happy now you've hurt your cause forever,

I hope you think you're clever!

ELPHABA:

I hope you're happy!

I hope you're happy, too.

I hope you're proud how you would grovel in submission

To feed your own ambition!

BOTH:

So though I can't imagine how,

I hope you're happy, right now!

GLINDA:

Elphie, listen to me. Just say you're sorry!

You can still be with the wizzard,

What you've worked and waited for.

You can't have all you ever wanted!

EPHABA:

I know. But I don't want it.

No. I can't want it anymore.

Something has changed within me.

Something is not the same.

I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game.

Too late for second guessing

Too late to go back to sleep!

It's time to trust my instincts,

Close my eyes, and leap!

It's time to try defying gravity.

I think I'll try defying gravity,

And you can't pull me down.

GLINDA:

Can't I make you understand?

You're having delusions of grandeur!

ELPHABA:

I'm through accepting limits,

'Cuz someone says they're so!

Somethings I cannot change

But 'till I try, I'll never know!

Too long I've been afraid of

Losing love I guess I've lost!

Well, if that's love, it comes at much to hight a cost!

I'd sooner buy defying gravity.

Kiss me goodbye!

I'm defying gravity, and you can't pull me down!

Glinda, come with me. Think of what we could do. Together.

Unlimited. Together we're unlimited.

Together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been.

Glinda, things the way we planned 'em.

GLINDA:

If we work in tandem:

BOTH:

There's no fight we cannot win!

Just you and I, defying gravity!

With you and I, defying gravity!

ELPHABA:

They'll never bring us down.

Well, are you coming?

GLINDA:

I hope you're happy, now that you're choosing this.

ELPHABA:

You too.

I hope it brings you bliss

BOTH:

I really hope you get it,

And you don't live to regret it!

I hope you're happy in the end!

I hope you're happy, my friend!

ELPHABA:

So if you'd care to find me

Look to the Western sky!

As someone told me lately:

"Ev'ryone deserves the chance to fly!"

And if I'm flying solo,

At least I'm flying free.

To those who'd try to ground me,

Take a message back from me:

Tell them how I am defying gravity!

I'm flying high, defying gravity!

And soon I'll match them in renown.

And nobody in all of Oz,

No Wizard that there is or was

Is ever gonna bring me down!

It currently rings a little hollow, but I'm working on making it my mantra. Really trying not to let stuff I can't control or change bother me. I've chosen my course, and now it's time to defy gravity. It's just not that easy.

I can say that in Hebrew!

I had an epiphany with several girls in class today. We all realized that we know WAY more Hebrew than we thought we did ... and there is a BUNCH that we can say. I'm getting pretty good at reading comprehension but I still have trouble with listening. I do OK when it gets slowed down a bit ... so many words in Hebrew sound alike and when someone talks a mile a minute they all kinda run together.

I think that a few of the girls from class and I are going to go to dinner tomorrow night at my favorite restaurant: Spagettim! Super stoked. And perhaps the Old City? There is some souvenir shopping that I want to do for people ... and I've been on campus for a week now and haven't actually ventured off of Mount Scopus. What's the point of living in the most amazing place if you don't actually go see it? I also want to explore outside of Jerusalem. There is NO WAY that I would drive around the city, but the rental car place is outside if I want to go up to the Galilee ... and I really want to go to Tel Aviv. I'm thinking chillin' at the beach. Sun, Mediterranean waves ... not really that interested in the CRAZY nightlife I keep hearing about (in Israel, it's the City that Never Sleeps. When asked "what do the young people do in Jerusalem for fun" the answer was "go to Tel Aviv." ha bloody ha). The thought of partying until 8am is not particularly appealing ... but the beach DEFINITELY is.

I don't REALLY want to go off on my own, however, so I'm on a quest to find people to go exploring with. *ponder*

Well, it's back to studying for me ... major test tomorrow.