the jew-do master speaks

Well, my birthday was awesome thanks to some awesome people. Special thanks to Danny, for organizing, and to Luke and Mary/Luke and Mary's parents, for hosting. It was super, and totally the nicest thing ever. And the cake was AMAZING.

Got my nose pierced, finally! Danny came with me. The guy, Chris, was really nice. He started cleaning my nose right, and then he sticks a q-tip up my nose and I was like WHOA that's weird-feeling. He asked me if I'd ever done this before, and I was like what, get a nose piercing...? and he goes yes, and I said, no, I haven't. And then he pierced it (it hurt a tad - my eyes watered) and then gave me the whole shpiel about care and cleaning. It's just an itty bitty stud, and I love it.

So, Bilun (from work) had her baby a few weeks ago, they named him Beren. Accent on the second syllable. He's very tiny and very cute and squirmy, especially in a onesie. Haha, the family is Birol, Bilun, and Beren. A little too cutesy for me, I wonder if they did that on purpose. But anyways, they came in to visit today and all the customers commented on the cuteness of the baby and I said, "He's very tiny," and Birol said, "You were that tiny once!" And it was funny.

The funny German couple came in today. I don't know if I mentioned them before. I was waitressing one day a few weeks ago and these two came in and I happened to have Hebrew on my shirt that day, and the man gave me a lecture about Israel and politics. They were very nice. So they came in today, and after they ate the man comes to the counter to pay and says:

"How's de love life?"
"Fine."
"It's good?"
"Yes,"
"De boyfriend is good?"
"Yes indeed!"
"You're Jewish right?"
"Yes sir."
"And you go to Israel still?"
"Yes sir,"
"Now who is your Prime Minister?"
"Ehud...Ehud Olmert."
"Olmert. Dat's right. Now let me ask you som-ting, and you answer from de bottom of your heart,"
"Fire away."
"Do you agree wit what is going on over dere?"
*absolutely no hesitation* "No."
*reaches out to shake my hand and smiles* "You're a good girl. You will go far."
"Thankyou!"
"Be good to people. Don't break de boyfriend heart."
"Of course,"
"Goodnight young lady,"
"Goodnight!"

And as he's walking out the door, he says to his wife, "Dat's my girlfriend!" I love that guy. I love my job. I mean obv I'd rather not be working, but I don't mind the sub-minimum wage thing so much. They're so nice. They're always giving me things. Today they bought me coffee. Apart from the occasional mean-spirited customer, everybody's nice and everybody loves the people who own the place. They all ask after Bilun and the baby, and they often invite Yocab to sit and eat or chat with them. Even though everything's under the table and illegal, they run a good restaurant. If it weren't a food place, it'd be the type that Walmart puts out of business.

Not much is going on this week. A week from today we're leaving for the Alaska cruise. I'm excited. I should probably tell my boss I'm not going to be here...hopefully Corinne will work for me, and her and Danielle can catch up on things, because as it happens, they are friends.

Anyways, I'm going to get my sewing machine fixed tomorrow, so I gotta get up early-ish. Goodnight!

edit: Stolen from Melissa

Number of times I have been in love: 0
Number of times I have had my heart broken: 0
Number of hearts I have broken: 0, I think
Number of boys I have kissed in my life: Maybe 7
Number of girls I have kissed: Maybe 4
Number of continents I have visited: Three, I think. Jeez I gotta get on the ball.
Number of drugs taken illegally: 0
Number of people I would classify as true, could trust with my life type friends: Don't know the number, I don't really have friends that I don't trust.
Number of people from high school that I stayed in contact with: Everybody, so far.
Number of cd's that I own: Between 70 and 80 I think
Number of piercings: 12: 6 lobe, 2 cartilage, industrial, belly button, nose
Number of tattoos: 0
Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: Idk, maybe once or twice in Portland
Number of scars on my body: About 4
Number of people that has made me scared of what they could do to me physically: Scared, never, cautious is more like it (aka karate teachers and bigger students)
Number of things in my past that I regret: Regret is idiotic

I see: Sage licking my bed again.
I need: to tell my boss I'm going away for a week.
I find: that people who ask me WHY I'm going to Israel in that snooty, superior voice should go die
I want: Nothing, I'm pretty happy
I have: A small metal screw in my left nostril
I wish: It was less awkward to clean
I love: Milford, in all of its bumblefuck-iness
I hate: Idiots, aka people with iqs considerably lower than average
I miss: USY, Makom, CCY, riding, Israel
I fear: Bugs, I hate them
I feel: Content, if a little hungry
I hear: Sage is now downstairs trying to break into the garbage, but ha! I foiled her, today I put a second child lock on the door.
I smell: Nothing really
I crave: Some of the egg stuff my mom made
I search: for the meaning of life...no jk
I wonder: who reads these besides me
I regret: Nothing at all. Ever.

When was the last time you ...

Smiled?: Today, when me and Danny were watching Pink Panther, and the sidekick goes, "it could be a trap," but Steve Martin got invited into Beyonce's hotel room so he goes, "who cares?!"
Laughed?: That same moment
Cried?: Idk, a while ago I think
Bought something?: A few days ago
Danced?: Every day of my life!
Were sarcastic?: See above
Kissed someone?: Maybe a month ago
Watched your favorite movie?: A few days ago, A Little Princess
Had a nightmare?: A few months ago

A Last time for everything ...

Last book you read: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, c/o Luke Coryea
Last movie you saw: Pink Panther
Last song you heard: Beyonce, Check Up On It.
Last thing you had to drink: Caprisun
Last time you showered: This morning
Last thing you ate: Blackberries

Do You ...

Smoke?: No
Do drugs?: No
Have sex?: No
Sleep with stuffed animals?: Not plural, just one.
Live in the moment?: Every day.
Have a boyfriend/girlfriend?: Nope
Have a dream that keeps coming back?: Nope
Play an instrument?: Nope
Believe there is life on other planets?: Somewhere, yes
Remember your first love?: Of course!
Still love him/her?: Nah, I moved across the country and that died.
Read the newspaper?: Not often.
Have any gay or lesbian or bisexual friends?: Yep
Believe in miracles?: In the vaguest sense of the word, yes.
Believe it's possible to remain faithful forever?: There are different kinds of faithful
Consider yourself tolerant of others?: Haha, not in the least.
Consider love a mistake?: How should I know
Like the taste of alcohol?: No
Have a favorite candy?: Caramel. In any form. Is absolutely. Orgasmic.
Believe in astrology?: Nope
Believe in magic?: Nope
Believe in God?: Yes
Pray?: Yep
Go to church?: Nope
Have any secrets?: Yep
Have any pets?: Yep
Do well in school?: What school?
Have a major?: Design & Merchandising
Talk to strangers who instant message you?: Haven't had any in a while
Wear hats?: On occasion
Hate yourself?: Nope
Have an obsession?: Lately I've been into purses
Have a secret crush?: My crushes are hardly ever a secret
Do they know yet?: I don't know, I should make him aware though
Have a best friend?: Yes
Wish on stars?: No
Like your handwriting?: Yes, in all its left-handed glory
Have any bad habits?: Sure
Care about looks?: Yes
Boy/girlfriend's looks?: Unfortunately, I have to admit that I do
Friends and other people?: Friends? Absolutely not. Others? Yes, I just can't stand having ugly people near me. What kind of question is this?
Believe in witches?: No
Believe in Satan?: No
Believe in ghosts?: No

NOW goodnight.

I can now officially:

Drive non-family members around (that's new)
Buy porn
Vote
Serve alcohol (which I was already doing)
Waitress (ahem)
Be drafted (if that applied to me)
Buy cigarettes
Buy lottery tickets
Gamble
Register at Ebay
Buy stuff from the tv
Pay taxes
Get a tattoo/piercing without parental consent)

Adman5189: (Add "Fuck Yeah!" after all of these and you got a song)

It's funny that buying porn is on my list before voting.

Anyways, at like 11 or 12 I'm heading on over to Atlantis to get a nice li'l stud in my left nostril. I had a dream a few days ago (that I just remembered now) that I got it on the right side by accident. I didn't really care I just remembered that. Then Idk what else. We'll see how things go. Marty, of course, absolutely MUST have the car until 5, even though I reserved it two weeks ago. Ugh, whatev.

Well I've been 18 for about 20 minutes now, I think it's bedtime. Gotta wake up and get another hole in my body in a few hours!

Today was supa. My darling beloved Rachel Weiss slept over and we watched the llama movie, the greatest movie of all time. We also sat on the roof for a while and looked at le stars. Today we walked Sage up to the beach and got yummy sandwiches from Baracuda's. Then we watched Madagascar on tv. I love that movie.

I love my Rachel. She knows me better than anyone in the entire world and USY would be nothing without her. I mean seriously, we hardly talked to anyone else. Well kinda. But we didn't need anyone else was the point.

Then after work a bunch of peoples came over, consisting of Luke, Sean Rose, Sean Manson, Danny, and Callie. They played the Lion King boardgame and fiddled on Horatio with the garageband program, and played with the Petz and they swords. After Danny, Luke, and Sean R left, me and Sean M and Callie played Clue. Callie won, damn her.

My birthday's Friday. Gettin my nose pierced that morning, then who knows what. We'll play it by ear.

I'm sleepeh, goodnight.

Today was really good.

I got up at about 11, which is very strange because I usually wake up around 1. I hung out and did laundry and cleaned and such until about 2:30, when Brad came over and we played video games and Guess Who. It was supa, Brad me hace sonreir.

Then I went to work. See, Christine (the other waitress) had called and asked me to switch for today cuz she had something to do today, but I guess she didn't tell our boss, so I came in and he was like "...? There's a new waitress training today." I was like, "Oh...do you not need me then?" Cuz Danielle was there too. He said I could stay till 7. I was like awesome! Cuz I seriously didn't do anything the entire time. All I did was check to make sure Danielle and Mary, the new waitress, got the prices right and answer like three phone calls. And get paid. No tips, though, besides the one leftover from yesterday.

Anyways, so I got out early (yay!) and went on a whirlwind night with Callie. This consisted of the mall, OK Go, Cafe, OK Go, and renting High School Musical, which we watched by way of the lovely Horatio, sitting on my bed eating popcorn. I love Callie. She is my favorite Callie in the entire world, and yes, we are going to get married some day. After I dump Brad Pitt, that is.

Then, I finally talked to Mike, which I have been wanting to do for some time, and now I feel much better about things.

Tomorrow I'll probably get up for karate. And wonder of wonders, I do NOT have work tomorrow! At all! As in, a day off. It's a nice feeling, ya know. Adamo's film fest is tomorrow, that's gonna be fun. I'm not sure which movies I'll go for, I can't physically sit and watch eight hours worth of movies.

One week till my birthday. 43 days till Israel. I was looking over the possible jobs I could do on Kibbutz, and I decided I wanted to work in the milk factory. I think it's a milk factory. Hang on, let me check.
*consults guidebook*
Yeah, it's called Machlava, it means dairy. Here's the description: "Processing and packaging milks, yoghurt, and cheeses. Easy, relaxing work. Very clean small working space, Hebrew not required. 6:30-12." That sounds reasonable. Yeah it starts at 6:30, but it gets out at 12. Most of the others get out at 2 or 2:30. But I don't know. Do I want a job where I won't talk to people? Part of learning a language is using it. Hm...what else do we have...Nothing else would really sound good for me, actually. There's one called Refet, dairy cows. It's milking cows and stuff. It's described as smelly, but a lot of fun. And it says the coworkers will be mostly Israeli Kibbutzniks. Idk though, I don't particularly want to smell every day. Whatev, obviously no need to decide now.

ACH so excited can't breathe. The things we will do in Israel...I can't even say. I mean jeez....nine months in Israel, the country that holds my heart, with some of the most amazing people on the planet. I...might actually explode, all over the place, from trying to contain my excitement.

Anyways. It's 1:30 am and I gotta get up and go to karate in a few hours. Damn, but I am dedicated. Goodnight.

Summer so far has been pretty freaking awesome, I gotta say. It's the first summer in three years I've actually been home. I was afraid I'd be sitting around doing nothing, going insane with boredom, cuz that's what I remember my home summers to be like. But I've been out almost every night with awesome people. Tonight it was Callie and Mary.

I met them at the mall, where we saw a million people we knew. I ran into Jen, who I miss like insanity. I also met Momo's mom while going to visit Momo. That was fun. Then we went to Cafe and chilled for a bit at the swings, and eventually ended up at Callilo's playing Catz 5 like the awesome people we are.

Last night I hung at Paul's house with Luke, Paul, and Danny. I've been hanging with them a lot lately, they're cool people.

Plus of course I see Danny almost every day cuz he comes over when he gets out of work.

Oh, so work. First off, I absolutely love the people I work with. The other day, me and one of the delivery guys were talking (I think his name is something like Skyondar) about this book he'd read about Jerusalem. He'd read it in Turkish, and said he didn't know if it had been printed in English. The next day, when I get to work there is a big book entitled "O Jerusalem!" waiting for me. He actually bought it for me. I was so touched, it was the sweetest thing ever. I read it every day at work. It's an amazing book, mentions the Exodus and is beautifully written.
They're worried about me. Today, John (the one who doesn't speak any English - him and I communicate through playing cards and our own invented sign language) pulled out a newspaper and showed me an article and kept saying, "Yisrael, Yisrael," It was a recent article about another bombing. Skyondar (hereafter known as SD, since I don't know his real name) asked me, "Are you still going?" and I said, "The only way I won't go is if they cancel the program." He said, "You're a good girl." That was nice. Fazli said, "You're a good worker, we'll miss you." They're so insanely nice. Plus yesterday Yocab let me have a free large pizza. That was awesome.

A new girl came in today, Danielle, a friend of Corinne's. She's really sweet. They hired her to waitress, but it turns out she's only fifteen. Therefore I now have to waitress, and she will take over answering the phone on most days. Scarrrrry. I waited a table today, the only one we had the entire three hour shift. Ten dollar bill, a buck fifty tip. Perfect fifteen percent. Me and Danielle played some cards after I showed her the ropes. She's pretty good at it, picked it up way quicker than I did. Then again I didn't really have someone to watch over me when I learned, I had to learn most of it on my own. Near the end, she was like, "I would have been so lost if you weren't here." I was like awww...cute. Then when I left at eight she said, "Thankyou for everything." She's really nice too. Everybody's nice. Now my schedule is all settled, at least until Corinne comes back. I work every day but Friday. I waitress three days and answer the phone the other three. Mm moneys.

Everyone's concerned. About Israel, about Nativ. It makes me feel good to know peoples care. Sure, it could be a derisive, "You're still GOING?!" but hey, at least they ask. I'm not scared. I'm young and naive and downright stupid, but how can I be scared? And I'm not brave. Just idiotic. My mom asks me sometimes why it's so important for me to go. I don't really know how to answer her. Somehow, "it's my homeland" just sounds stupid. I really just don't know what to say. I remember when it was decided I was going...we were going to the post office to send out my portfolios to all the schools. My main reason for deciding not to go was that I didn't want to leave my mom so far when Will was in California. At this point he'd just moved to Boston. I said (to my mom) something like, "Mom, now that the college app process is over, I want to talk about Nativ again..." And I explained that I had only decided not to go because Will was so far away. My mom laughed and said I needn't worry about her so much...and she said she felt bad that I'd decided not to go because of her, and of course I should go if I wanted, I'd be moving away to Drexel anyways, etc etc. I, of course, stupidly, cried a few tears of joy (I also cried when I originally told my mom I'd decided NOT to go, a few months before, but obv didn't tell her why), and then we were at the post office.
Now my mom's just straight up worried, about the situation. Whenever I mention Israel she gets this distant worried face and sighs audibly, maddeningly. It makes me feel awful, that I'm putting her through all this worry. Damn Jewish mom thing. But it's not just Jewish guilt, it's real guilt, and the only way to avoid it is to stay home. Which will not happen.

I wouldn't be venting all of this in here if Mike Landes would check his messages once in a while and talk to me. Ah well, I haven't had a really long post in a very long time. Sorry if you had to read all this.

Goodnight I suppose.

Today's been cool. Slept over at Mo's last night, we watched Pocahontas. Then I came home this morning, did some cleaning. then met up with Danny at Cafe. There, we found Zack and Brad, which was awesome cuz I miss them. We chilled with them for a while, then came home and made macaroni and played badminton. If we had been keeping score, I would have won.

Tonight I have karate, then I'm probably hangin at Danny's with Danny, Luke, and Sean.

Summer's going by in a blur. I see Momo or Danny almost every day, which is amazing. I see everyone else once a week or so, either Cafe or just by happenstance. It's really a good summer so far. Work sucks but it's tolerable. For a last summer of childhood, it's damn good.

Looking forward to this weekend, it's gonna be awesome.

Of course, I feel like I'm wasting it and it's going by too fast, but I always feel like that in the summer. At least this summer I can drive, so I get most places faster. :-D Yayy wasting gas!

Fifteen days till my birthday, which means fifteen days till I get my nose pierced!

Allo, friends.

It still just plain hasn't hit me that it's summer. For me, summer is either sitting around 24/7 doing absolutely nothing, or travelling/camp things. It's weird cuz I have work or karate every day, it doesn't leave me time to be too bored.

Yesterday at work, this guy totally flipped out on me and started yelling like insanity. He's a regular customer. I think he is Portuguese, his wife comes in with him and she doesn't speak English. Anyways he yelled some crap at me and I just kind of stared at him until he left. Then I cried for a minute. Which was pathetic. I think Christine felt bad for me cuz she let me bus some tables and keep the tips.

Today I actually waited my first table. Of course I have no idea what I'm doing, because nobody told me how to do anything. I didn't even know where we kept the menus, I had to dig around until I found them. This weird guy who I think was German was at my table, and he started talking about Iraqi-Israeli conflict or something when he found out I was Jewish. (I'm wearing my Aviva shirt). He wouldn't let me leave! They left a nice tip, though. Like 40%. Pretty cool.

Anyways I'm tired. Today was eventful, and now it's time for sleep. I'm working every single day except Thursdays. Whee.

(Stolen from Mellie)

Name 3 things in your purse/wallet:
1. License
2. Ari's business card
3. One of those little cards with T'filat Haderech on it

Name 3 things you do when you're really stressed:
1. When I'm angry I listen to Tool
2. Run until I'm tired enough to forget about the stressfulness
3. Spend some quality time with my one and only Sage

Name 3 places you go on a daily basis:
1. Lately, Cafe. Pathetic. Do all graduates go there everyday? Cuz that's how I always saw last year's.
2. The Olympic Donuts plaza. Either for work or karate, I'm there every day.
3. The kitchen, for food.

Name 3 favorite fruits:
1. Peaches
2. Nectarines
3. Sun-warmed strawberries

Three things you are wearing right now:
1. This brown Boho-type shirt
2. My tummy jeans
3. A white tank under the brown

| T | h | e | W | h | o | s |

Who is in the room with you?
Sage

Who was the last person to IM you?
Momo

Who are you thinking about right now?
Will and Irina, they're home for a bit

Who did you last talk to on the phone?
Ari I think

Whose house did you last go to?
Mo's

Who do you sit next to in your 4th period class?
What's a fourth period class?

Whose birthday is next?
Mine! (the 28th...be there. Where, I don't know yet.)

Who was the last person who told you they loved you?
My mom

Who annoys you the most at school?
School? What's this "school" you speak of?

T | H | E | W | H | E | R | E | S

Where is your phone?
On my bed

Where is/are your parent(s)?
Mom is asleep

Where do you sleep?
On my bed...

Where is the last place you took a ride to?
Cafe, then the beach

| T | h | e | W | h | a | t | s |

What was the last thing you ate?
Mozz sticks from work.

What is the closest item near you that is blue?
What an odd question. Um...there's an Israeli flag on the wall in front of me.

What do you like best about school?
What is this?

What is your favorite color?
Don't have one, too limiting. I do love brown though

What is your favorite website?
Either my blog, ("one should always have something sensational to read on the train") or possibly Homestar.

What kind of surgery have you had?
None.

What do you wear more; jeans or shorts?
Probably jeans.

What is the last movie you watched?
Lion King 2 at Mo's.

What song do you currently hear?
Something by HaYehudim.

| T | h | e | W | h | y | s |

Why does basically half the world have a myspace?
Because they like to make "friends" that they have never met and will never meet and they like to feel popular.

Why is wood brown?
It's only really brown when you chop it down and make furniture out of it, cuz all the moisture leaves it. When it's in a tree it's greener.


| T | h | e | W | h | e | n | s |

When did you start school?
Idk, the appropos age.

When did you meet your best friend?
Rachael: 4th grade. Susan: 6th grade. Rachel: 7th grade. Momo: 9th grade.

When is your birthday?
July 28.

When did you last go to the mall?
Idk.

When did you last burn a candle?
Sparklers are sort of candles, fourth of July.

When were you last at school?
At graduation, June 22nd.

Callie's here and we're playing G-d on Petz 5. I bred together a lion named Chubbz and I spinosaurus named Big Idiot, and now Cal's trying to breed Chubbz and a dragon named Urgar. It's fucking hilarious.

Tonight we just wandered around downtown until it was empty and we got scared and came here. And now we're fiddling with nature.

I miss Dewey. :( I'm lonely without mah babies.

Hmmm pointless post. Except to say that Callie's one hot mama. She's naming her first daughter after Avivaaa.

So, Dewey was so totally amazing like I can't even tell you. We got back yesterday and I'm still really tired. I'm not gonna bother to talk too much about it cuz eventually I will find the energy to put up my three hundred and then some pictures. It was just so amazing.

Callie's partay was today, I was happy cuz most of the Dewey kids were there and I missed them. We ate and did karaoke and lit sparklers and it was all good.

Tomorrow me and Susan and Xiao are off to NYC, Xiao's taking us to Chinatown for some sho-pang. I seriously need to stop spending money. Like it's really sad.

Short post. Goodnight.