Back to School

Today is the first day of classes. I just had Hebrew and Intro to Macroeconomics. Not too bad. Originally, I was supposed to be in every class except for Hebrew with Erica, but guess what? Last night, I printed out my schedule and asked Erica where her Hebrew class is. She told me that hers is in room 919. I thought that was weird because mine was too, and she didn't think we were in the same class. Well, what do you know? We ARE in the same class. That's right...ERICA AND I ARE IN EVERY CLASS TOGETHER! Woohoo!

I don't think it will be as bad as I thought. That's what I was hoping for.

I am really excited about Shabbos. REALLY excited! I can't wait to hang out with my DJ! WOOHOO!

Tonight I am going to Long Island with a friend to the engagement party of 2 NY NCSY advisors. I don't really know them too well, but, hey. It's food! When you start thinking of going places for free food (minus the cost of transportation), that's when you know that you are back in school!

There will be no joke of the day today. Sorry. I'll make a list of them and start again soon.

Still Here

Here we go:

Amy helped me bring my suitcases on the train from Adina's. She got me to 34th Street and I dragged them both to Brookdale from there. I am on a low floor which is awesome. The room is really nice and my ID holder is bright green! Woohoo! I went to see DJ for about an hour. She looks AWESOME! I am so excited to spend Shabbos with her. At 6pm, I went back to Adina's and me, Adina, her roomies and Dovid watched Muppets Take Manhattan. Sigh...childhood. It was fun. I ended up sleeping over because I didn't want to take the shuttle back. I went back to the dorm this morning and saw PRINCESS PERICA! YAY! I went out to lunch with DAC, Erica, Ben, DAC's mom and her brother and friends (they were at a different table). DAC's mom treated us. It was really nice. I told her that we will do coffee one day so I could make up for it.

I am not going to the game tonight because I didn't sign up to go. I think that Erica and I are going to crash someone's wedding. We know her from seminary. No hard feelings about us not being invited.

Tomorrow is the first day of classes. Not too excited about that. I am still going to think that it is going to be really hard so I will be pleasantly surprised when it's not. I've seen girls that I know who are here for the first time, so that's cool.

I am trying to figure out a way to get to Detroit for my friend's wedding on Sunday. If anyone wants to lend me their plane and a map, that would be great.

Back in NY

I'm back. Please excuse me while I restrain myself.

The NCSY BBQ was awesome. A lot of kids showed up. After the barbeque, my brother took me and Adina to my house. Adina had some soup because she wasn't feeling well. I didn't want to have anything meat since I wanted to get a milkshake on the way to the bus. I succeeded! We got onto the 8pm bus and got into NY at around 12:30am. The cab drivers standing outside the bus station were obnoxious. We got into a cab whose driver didn't say anything annoying to us.

Amy is coming over here to help me get my stuff to the city. THANK YOU! Otherwise I would have taken the train with one suitcase and Adina would have brought the other one later in the day. Or I would have taken a car service.

After I drop off my stuff, I am going to see DEVORA! IT HAS BEEN WAY TOO LONG! I am really excited! I don't have any definite plans for the next few days. All I know is that tomorrow night there is a $5 Mets game (against the Phillies, I think) and on Wednesday (the day classes start...I don't want to think about that) night, there is an engagement party for 2 advisors from the NY region. I don't really know them, but I will probably know people there. Should be interesting.

Other than that, I am busy being really excited that I am actually getting a social life back! Woohoo!

More later...

:)

Shabbos was so nice! The meals were great. Bonded with the Miller and Schwartz families.

Looking at the title of this post, I am SURE you are wondering what I have to be happy about. I am really excited to be involved in NCSY. I think that it is the best thing for me. It will allow me to have something to look forward to while I am being stressed out at school. It is an outlet. I think that being around teenagers will allow me to feel "young" again and I will have a chance to help them. They can also help me.

I was going to go to New York early tomorrow, but I am going tomorrow night instead. There is an NCSY barbeque tomorrow afternoon and I am staying for it. I will go back to NY on a bus tomorrow night and probably stay in the Heights.

On Monday, I am going to see DJ! I AM SO EXCITED! I hope school won't make me miserable. I think if I go in thinking that it will be really bad and it's not, I will be better off. Yeah, sounds weird, but might work!

Morah Miriam is coming over now to help me pack and hear me vent about stuff. YAY!

Shavua Tov, everyone!

JOKE OF THE DAY

A professor was giving a big test one day to his students. He handed out all of the tests and went back to his desk to wait. Once the test was over, the students all handed the tests back in. The professor noticed that one of the students had attached a $100 bill to his test with a note saying "A dollar per point." The next class the professor handed the tests back out. This student got back his test and $56 change.

In Memory of a Beloved Teacher

This D'var Torah is in memory of my beloved mentor, teacher and friend, Mrs. Bina Hanoka.

May this D'var Torah help the neshama of

Bina bas Gitty

to ascend to the highest heights of Shamayim.

This week's parsha, Parshas Eikev, includes the mitzvah of Tefillin ("bind them as a sign on your hand, and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead"); Mezuzah ("inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates"); the advice to "listen to My commandments today" (an advisement to enthusiastically approach mitzvos with a fresh daily regeneration); the power of silence accompanied by the need for shmias ha'ozen, being a "careful listener" and the importance of Jewish education.

The second paragraph of the Shema makes an appearance herein, "You are to teach them to your children; when you sit at home, journey on the road, go to sleep and when you rise."

And yet the inconsistencies are immediately apparent. The verse begins in the plural ("teach them") and suddenly takes a turn for the singular tense, revealing a Torah priority of responsibilities: the wider Jewish community is obligated to provide the educational infrastructure so that the other irreplaceable partner in Jewish education, the individual parent, can teach not by knowledge but by example.

One the most incredible teachers that I have ever had passed away today. Mrs. Bina Hanoka was and still is one of my role models. She was my Judaic Studies teacher in 4th grade. Even though it was only one year, she and I developed a very special relationship. When I heard that she had become sick, I tried to take on different things in the hopes that she would get better. I went with my mother one Friday afternoon to visit her, and despite the pain she must have been in, she greeted us with a smile and still kept up her amazing attitude.

Obviously, Hashem missed one of His very special neshamos, and He wanted it back. She was such an inspiring woman and I have learned so much from her. I hope to carry what she has taught me, inside the classroom and out, with me throughout my entire life. I really miss her.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. May we only hear good news.

Love,

Hinda

Post LTS

LTS was amazing. I learned so much. It is hard for me to write it all, so I won't. I'll tell you one day. The speakers were unbelievable. The feeling in the rooms during sessions were so powerful. I honestly can not do justice to the experience.

I met people who know people who know people. If you have ever played Jewish Geography, let me tell you that I won BIG TIME over the past few days. It is unreal.

Spending Shabbos here. Eating at the Millers on Friday night and the "New Guy" on Shabbos day. I am really excited.

I am going to NY on Sunday night with Adina. I am staying for the Boston NCSY event on Sunday! SO excited! I still get the alcove...I hope.

So many thoughts going through my head. Not really sure what to write. REALLY can't do justice to what I am feeling. Sorry about the short and choppy post. Need sleep. Whoa.

G'NIGHT!

DUE TO HINDA'S EXTREME LACK OF ATTENTION SPAN, THERE WILL BE NO JOKE OF THE DAY TODAY. MAYBE YOUR LUCK WILL CHANGE TOMORROW.

My Last Post For a Few Days. Hope you'll be okay.

Babysitting was a lot of fun! The kid is TOO CUTE! We chilled in the park for a while, then we went back to the house and put on his bathing suit. Then we went back to the park and had a WATER FIGHT! It was a bit unfair since he had a bathing suit on and I was dressed, but, boy, was it FUN! We both got soaked. When we were semi-dried off, we set off for Harvard Street. For those of you who are not from around here, Harvard Street is the I-don't-know-what-to-do-today-so-I-am-going-to-walk-up-and-down-this-street-to-pass-time street. We wanted to go to the library, but it was closed, so we went to Barnes and Noble instead. While we were reading books there, we met up with a girl I know who was babysitting for twins who were in camp this summer. They are really cute.

After Barnes and Noble, we went to the pizza store to get french fries. Then we went to JP Licks. Uriel wanted a milkshake, so I bought him one. I know...I rule. I got a small ice cream cone. I said to Uriel, "I bought you a milkshake because you were so well behaved on our playdate." He answered me by saying, "And you get an ice cream cone because you were so well behaved, too!" He said some really cute things. When we were walking towards Harvard Street, for example, I said to him, "Okay, now we are on Beacon Street." He said, "This isn't Beacon Street. It's Beacon sidewalk!" I thought that was really cute.

After our exhausting trip, we went back to the house. Uriel conked out in the carriage two minutes after I put him in it. During his nap, my friend from England called and we had a nice little chat. When Uriel woke up, I read him about 10 books and then his father came home. You should have seen the look on Uriel's face when his father walked in. He just stared at him blankly! He didn't want our playdate to be over. And, honestly, neither did I! I told Uriel that I will visit him in school. I usually spend my vacations substituting anyway!

My family and I went miniature golfing tonight. It was fun. After we finished our game, my little brother, my father and I, tried out the batting cages. I didn't do too badly for a girl. While we were there, I got a call from the new NCSY director of Greater Boston. He told me that he is having a mini-Shabbatony kind of thing and he invited me to his house for Friday night and to the Millers for Shabbos day. This should be fun! I am driving up to Waterbury with him and Rabbi Miller tomorrow morning for LTS. I am really excited.

I am supposed to have worked on my Shana Bet assignments. My seminary isn't too good about getting back to me. Don't they know that the world revolves around me? I e-mailed the secretary (my former roommate) and told her that I need the 3 credits (that I am short of) for Shalom Bayis (peace in the home) reasons. My parents are getting annoyed. ARGH. What can I do?

I am going back to New York this Sunday. Classes don't start until Wednesday, but I want to have a chance to like New York (i.e. hang out with friends) before I start to dislike it. We'll see how that goes. I also have to get there early to claim the alcove! Sorry, Perica!

I won't be blogging again until at least Friday. Be strong! Enjoy the next few days!

JOKE OF THE DAY

A brunette, a redhead, and a blonde were on their way to Heaven. God told them that the stairway to Heaven was 1000 steps, and that on every 5th step He would tell them a joke. He told them not to laugh at any of the jokes along the way or else they would not be able to enter Heaven. The brunette went first and started laughing on the 45th step, so she could not enter Heaven. The redhead went next and started laughing on the 200th step, so she could not enter Heaven either. Then, it was the blonde's turn. When she got to the 999th step, she started laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" God asked. "I didn't tell a joke."

"I know," the blonde replied. "I just got the first joke."

Rhode Island Is Neither a Road Nor An Island. DISCUSS!

Shabbos in RI was really nice. My cousin was there with her husband. She is expecting her first child around Thanksgiving time IY"H. I am so excited!

There are two more days until the National LTS. I am really excited, but I also have a lot to do. Eh, It'll be fine. A few more trips to Target and it will all be fine. By the way, Morah Shifra, I went to Target AGAIN on Friday morning. I can't believe I forgot to write it in my last post! My brother needed silly string for his last day of camp, so being the wonderful (and humble) sister that I am, I took him to Target a few minutes after 8am.

Today, my brother and I went to Staples. I needed to get posterboard for wedding shtick. After that, we went to Target. Yes, again. I had to get paint to make the shtick with. Then we went to the arcade and my brother played the game that he has mastered over and over again, got over 1,000 tickets, and got a really cool Super Grover doll. Then we went to the pizza shop for lunch. (SHIFRA! GUESS WHO WAS AT THE PIZZA SHOP?! Only for a few minutes, though.)

Today, my family and I (well, my parents and younger brother) went on the Boston Duck Tours. It was a lot of fun. The Duck Tours are tours (duh) of Boston. The vehicle goes on land and on water. It was really entertaining. I took some beautiful pictures. If you ever come to visit, I would do it again!

After it was over, we went out for Chinese. My mother got a cool fortune cookie message. It said, "To truly find yourself, you should play hide and seek alone." Okay, so maybe it's not deep enough to drown in, but it was cool.

Oh! On the way back from the Duck Tours, I got a call from someone in the National NCSY office asking me to tell him something unique about me for the icebreaker game at LTS. The best on-the-spot answer I could give him was that my favorite book is Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. He had never heard of it. Oh, well. Before we went to the restaurant, we stopped at Barnes and Noble and I bought the book. I still love it! I'm going to give it to him to read. I'll ask for it back, of course!

I just took a babysitting job for tomorrow. This boy was in my group in camp last summer and he is SUCH A CUTIE! I am going to be watching him from 9-4 tomorrow. I am so excited! We can go on trips! HA!

That's all the news for now!

JOKE OF THE DAY

"Do you believe in life after death?" The boss asked one of his employees.

"Yes, sir." The new recruit replied.

"Well, then, that makes everything just fine," the boss went on.

"After you left early yesterday to go to your grandmother's funeral, she stopped in to see you."

Another Target Trip

That's right. ANOTHER trip to Target. Over the summer, I have become known for having a wee bit of an obsession with the coolest store EVER. That's one thing I wish there was on 34th Street.

I went with Morah Shifra to get some stuff at GAP (I have to exchange the green sweater, because it doesn't match the skirt! HA! After all that.) Then we went to Target. Morah Miriam should have been there with us, but NOOOOO. She was going to sleep at 8. I'm sure your family vacation was really tiring. Mir, get your priorities straight. We're talking about TARGET here! Eh, it's okay.

We left Target at around 9:40 (I know, I actually left before closing time.) When I was about 5 minutes away, my mother called. She told me to try to go back to Target to pick up a Pack and Play for her friend who was in a tight situation. So, we rushed back and the automatic doors opened! It was 10 o'clock on the DOT (well, on my watch it's actually a line) when we walked in. We ran to the baby section and found the cheapest one. We maneuvered our way to the registers and were out of there in about 3 minutes. It was quite impressive, actually.

Oh, and Miriam, you missed another stalking experience. Your loss. Sorry. Don't worry, I love you anyway!

This morning, I went to the dentist. It was really painful. He really DUG into my gums. I really miss my pediatric dentist. The one I went to is a really nice older Russian man, but WHOA was it painful. I won't go into detail. I'm going to a different dentist next time.

My family and I are going to my cousin's house in Pawtucket this weekend. I am pretty excited. My grandmother, aunt and a few of my cousins will be there too.

I am going back to school on the 28th. Once I figure out how I am getting to Detroit on September 4 for my friend's wedding, I will feel much better. It's a 13 hour drive. Talk about self-sacrifice! What are friends for?

I am really excited for the NCSY conference next week. I hope to learn a lot from it. Wow, that was beautiful.

I hope everyone has a restful weekend and I will see you all soon!

(PREPARE YOURSELF, DJ! XOXO)

HINDA'S BLOG NEWS

Due to the boredom that Hinda experiences while searching for worthwhile Thoughts of the Day, she is instituting something new (and more fun) as of TODAY- August 19, 2005:

PRESENTING...

(insert drumroll here)

JOKE OF THE DAY

All of you who know me, know that I love humor. Anything that makes me laugh is on the top of my list. Jokes make me laugh, so you will have to enjoy them right along with me. If you don't enjoy them, I don't really care.

Here it is:

A blind guy on a bar stool shouts to the bartender,

"Wanna hear a blonde joke?"

In a hushed voice, the guy next to him says,

"Before you tell that joke, you should know something. Our bartender is blonde, the bouncer is blonde. I'm a 6' tall, 200 lb black belt. The guy sitting next to me is 6'2", weighs 225, and he's a rugby player. The fella to your right is 6'5" pushing 300 and he's a wrestler. Each one of US is blonde. Think about it, Mister. Do you still wanna tell that joke?"

The blind guy says, "Nah, not if I'm gonna have to explain it five times."

GOOD SHABBOS EVERYONE!

Please watch this...

Someone just sent me a link to a video. You have to watch it. It is not a long video, but it says so much. It's unbelievable.

http://www.isfsp.org/gazavideo.html

I can't believe that this has happened to our home land. Hashem should watch over us and punish those who have caused so much pain to our brothers and sisters.

STOP ALREADY!

I am getting really sick of these business plug ins. I just got one that was really long! It's gone now.
Anyway, the rest of the babysitting went well. The kids are adorable.

I worked on my packing list.
I pushed off cleaning my room until Monday.
I figured out a ride to Waterbury for next week.
I wrote a letter to two people who care more for me than anyone else to explain why I have been acting miserable lately. I figured that that would be the best thing to do.

Not much else going on. I will hopefully have more interesting things to write later.

One more plug in, and all the internet businesses are going down. ARGH.

I ACTUALLY LIKE IT!

Today I woke up at 7 and walked to where I was babysitting at 8. The 2 kids (aged almost 4 and almost 2) chilled until about 9:30, then we went to Star Market and I bought them both a pinwheel. Then we went to the park and the mother met us there. I walked to Supercuts (I was up to my 10th haircut!=FREE!) got a haircut, and I actually like it! The haircutter lady made it kind of curly. Fun, fun! The mother of the babsitting clients has to leave again at 1, so I am headed back there in a few. After all these years, I still love babysitting. I wouldn't commit to it everyday, but hey, it pays some bills. Ha!

About these advertising comments: Am I getting paid commission? I don't understand how these people get a hold of my blog. Hmmmmm. I'm not really interested in looking for topics for my blog. I am not well-rounded enough, or as they say in Hebrew Ish Eshkolit, which means (loosely translated) grapefruit man.

To DM: I will try to cover up Dena's foot if we go to Israel any time soon. I wish I was a Gush Katif poster girl. Maybe if I was, then people would be too scared to go in and evacuate people. Hmmmm. Now, there is something to think about! I'll get back to you on that. Just arrange for my photo shoot. Ooh! I have a better idea! I'll send you pictures, and you can blow them up and hang them all over Israel! Sounds good, huh? Okay, I'll get over myself.

To SemGirl: I would love for you to introduce yourself. Where did you go to seminary? My brothers are aged 13 and 24. They're awesome, as I said before.

I have to go back to babysitting now. Please keep the residents and protestors of Gush Katif in mind when you daven. Today is the "Disengagement Deadline." (It's D-Day with a stutter...D-D-Day) Hashem should hear our prayers and give us a repeat of D-Day when everyone will be FREE! AMEN!

This post is brought to you by the color BLUE

Why blue, you ask? Allow me to explain.

This morning, my mother and I went to run some errands. We had to use up some of her gift cards at Filene's and Borders. My mommy is so much fun to shop with!

After that, Dena wanted to go out. So, we went downtown. She was supposed to use her crutches, but she didn't feel like it. We parked in a sketchy parking garage, then went to Milk Street Cafe for lunch. After that we went to Claire's. We were going into H&M when Dena looked at her foot and she noticed that her foot was turning...

BLUE!

It wasn't your typical bruise-blue. It was a royal blue. It made Dena sort of nervous, so we left. It was a fun day out, even if her foot did turn blue.

My brothers and I went out for pizza tonight. I really love hanging out with them. My little brother and I made a small collection of funny videos on my digital camera. They're awesome!

That's pretty much all the news I have for today. Good night, everyone!

Today's Thought:

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough to pay it?

Wow

I was just checking out Arutz Sheva and read some amazing stories about the IDF soldiers in Gush Katif. You should really check it out. Here are some excerpts:

The wave of "Last Minute Refusals" is growing by the hour, with soldiers throughout the IDF stating they will not obey orders relating to the forced expulsion of Jews from Gaza and northern Samaria.

Five lieutenant colonels wrote (in a letter to the Defense Minister, Mofaz, and Chief of Staff Halutz) that there is a possibility that up to half of all soldiers, including officers, assigned to Disengagement duties intend to disclose their objection to the expulsion of Jews from Gaza and Samaria on the day they are ordered to carry out the mission.

Monday morning, fifteen soldiers in the Maintenance Corps refused to board a bus that was to take them from their base southward. The soldiers refused to take part in the uprooting of the Jewish communities of Gaza. Seven of the soldiers were sentenced in speedy field trials to 21 days in jail, while the remaining eight are still being questioned by military police.

The site is VERY worth checking out. The pictures are so touching.

I hope this all ends very soon. And NOT in the way that Sharon wants it.

BOWLING!

Tonight, we had a family outing. We all went bowling. It was a lot of fun. My mother won. Some think that the purpose of a mother's presence at a family event would be to let her kids win. But, not my mother. She was AWESOME! Okay, the final scores weren't so high, but WOW! My mom can BOWL! I am so proud!

My neighbor, Dena, and I were supposed to go to Sharon tonight to pick up her friend's season pass to Six Flags for our trip tomorrow. When I called her from the bowling alley parking lot, she told me that she was in the emergency room. She fell on her basement stairs and her foot blew up. We ended up going to Sharon to get the pass, anyway. I drove. We sat around with her friend's family for about 2 hours. It was fun. We hope to go to Six Flags on Thursday. I can't wait!

Today's Thought:

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

No one knows

No one knows what is going to happen to the oh-so-beautiful piece of our homeland.

Will the determination of the residents help them?

Will the protestors make their point?

Will Sharon realize that he is making a terrible mistake, if he hasn't realized it already?

Will the soldiers end up following their hearts instead of following heartless orders?

The disengagement has caused a lot of anxiety all around the world. My mother's friend's son, age 14, from Shomron was arrested a couple of months ago at a protest. This 14 year old and his friend were put in jail for three days. JAIL! Now his face is on billboards with a picture of a soldier with his face blurred out, and it reads "My brother, you can't!"

My father told me that all the residents of one area of Gush Katif handed in all their weapons to the government there so the police can not make up any stories about violence.

Do people truly believe that giving away this land will help stop terrorism? Do people truly think that if the Arabs own land that allows them to attack Jews more easily, they would just sit back and enjoy the view? Well, I don't. I know that my opinion doesn't make a difference in this whole situation, but I am keeping it anyway.

All residents have to uproot themselves by Wednesday.
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?

The former chief rabbi of Israel came out with a statement telling the soldiers that they can not follow the orders. They can't. They have to knock on the doors, and when the residents let them in, they should sit and cry with them. Part of me wants to be there.

I sit here scared about what is happening there at this moment. The worst part of it is all I can do is sit here and be scared. All I can do it wear my orange bracelet and pray that everything works out. I don't see how that will happen, but maybe G-d has some kind of hidden plan. I guess it is hidden very well.

I hope that the prayers from around the world on this Tisha B'Av, will help our brothers and sisters in Gush Katif and save them from this disengagement nightmare.

Sniff, Sniff

I can't believe that camp is over. I'm really going to miss it! Today, a juggler came at the end of the day. He is a father of one of the campers. I think I enjoyed him more than the kids did, and they REALLY enjoyed it! Miriam and I gave the kids special presents for the end of the summer. We (we meaning me...haha, Miriam!) wrote the kid's names on a green plastic bowl (woohoo, Target) and decorated them. Then we put 2 mini play-dohs (Target!), a box of raisins and a small square of stickers. The kids are so cute and I can't wait to visit them when I come to sub in the school! (That's how I usually spend my vacations)

In other news, I think I am taking a road trip to Detroit on Erev Labor Day. My friend is getting married on that Sunday at 5pm, and it's a 10-12 hour drive. I hope there won't be anyone annoying in the car! HA!

I am getting more excited to get back to NY. I can't wait to have things to do. I decided that this year, I am going to do everything that I wanted to do last year. I want to go to a Broadway show, a kosher comedy club, touring, and other stuff that I will come up with. I have to make the most of this year because I am going to be bogged down with a lot of work. Right, Perica? Oh boy.

I hope everyone is enjoying themselves. Have a great Shabbos!

PS Thank you again, Morah Miriam. You are AWESOME! Can't wait for our Morah outing!

Today's Thought

How do they get a deer to cross at that yellow road sign?

Sorry

Sorry that I haven't updated you for THREE WHOLE DAYS! Whoa! (this apology goes out to Lorelai! Sorry, babe!)

So, I have been pretty busy wrapping things up for the end of camp. I had to go to Target (kicking and screaming, right Morah Shifra?) to get gifts for the kids for the end of the week. I have also been working on a yearbook for them. It's really cute. Since I have 8 kids (for the most part), I put their pictures around a square and am calling it "The Cutie Bunch." Get it, like the Brady Bunch? Oh, never mind. ANYWAY, I am really sad that camp is over, but I am also sort of excited to go back to NY. I think everything will be okay.

Oh, Princess Perica. I know what I am looking forward to.
1. Our midnight trips to Walgreen's.
2. Being in every class except for Hebrew with you.
3. HAVING THE ALCOVE! Saved that for last!

ANYWAY, that is pretty much the update for now. Nothing major going on. When something comes up, I'm sure I will let you know.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

So, my friend from Belgium isn't coming to New York in the end. For good reason, mind you. Maybe I'll see her in Israel if I go for vacation. MAN. I was so excited.

Other than that, everything else is going well. This week is my last week of camp. I will be so bored afterwards, but a lot of parents asked if I am available for babysitting. I told them all that I can't make a commitment, but I'd do it day by day. Whatever brings in the $pending money, ya know?

Tonight, since there was nothing to do around here, my neighbor and I went to Sharon. We saw our friend who got married in Israel in June then we stopped at another friend's house for a few minutes. Yup, that was my Saturday night. Woohoo.

Oh, in other news...I AM NOT HAVING MY OWN ROOM THIS SEMESTER! I got a call from the office and the girl told me that me and my "cluster" (meaning 6 girls who were going to have single rooms next to each other) is going to live in the dorm that I was in last semester. GREAT. The best part is, I only know 2 of the cluster girls, so I am rooming with them. One of them is Erica and the other one is a girl that was in seminary with me. Should be interesting. Who knows? A lot of girls I know will be freshmen in Stern this semester, so I'll survive. I hope.

GOOD NIGHT!

The thought of the day will come later...

Birthday Hangover

No, not that kind of hangover (ED!) Yesterday was my Hebrew birthday, as I said before, so my friend, Rochel, wanted to make me a little get together. I walked over to my shul (it's a camp in the summer and my friend is the secretary/do-er of everything) at around 4:15. She and Malka, another one of my friends, were there and we all went to Brooks to get some food for my party. They even bought party hats! Then we decided that we should have the party somewhere other than the shul because there were other people around, so we went to...MY HOUSE!

We set up a little table in my living room, and had a little partay. It was nice. Then I was going to take Rochel home and then Malka and I were going to go to Border's. My mother had a gift card there. (DJ, I bought "Little Earthquakes" and a new book that I don't know much about. I'll let you know how it is.) On the way out, my father came home. I went down the front steps and my aunt and grandmother came! I was so surprised! I told them I would be back and went to do my thing. When I got back, I hung around for a bit and then we had MORE CAKE. After that, I felt so heavy and tired. Whoa. There was way too much birthday this year. I'm not complaining of course, but whoa.

Camp is going well. Morah Shifra let me get out at 2 today because I wasn't feeling well. Of course, this means that I won't get out at 2 at all next week, since I had 2 days in a row. Oh, well. I think I'll survive. Now I am having an online conversation with her. She wants the nappers tomorrow and I told her to forget it, because they only sleep when I'm there. It's true! I am THAT boring! She'll be okay.

Devora, I am not insulted about you not picking up your phone. It's okay. I understand that you are busy. I appreciated our semi-conversation yesterday and I am sorry that I didn't call you back later. I love you very much and I can't wait until I get to NY because then you have no choice but to talk to me! I bought you something today, and I am going to personalize it for you! XOXO

After last night's post-party exhaustion, I decided that I can not wait until camp is over to start South Beach. I needed to start it now! So far, I haven't cheated! So what if it's only been a day? I beat my own record! We'll see how long it lasts. Wish me luck!

Today's Thought:

When people lose weight, where does it go?