hello again
Sep. 30th, 2003 09:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
awhyzipI haven't felt like posting in a long time, but I suppose I should get back into the habit. Victoria tempts me with her daily breakfast posts.
Since September, I spent a full week for shiva with my family, both extended and nuclear. My grandmother's funeral was a surprisingly good experience, and I'll talk to people about it personally, but not here yet. After that I came back to Brandeis, having been traded back to the Sekuler Lab for one extra month of work.
This month has been quite a disappointment to me, in terms of work. I just have not wanted to work. Not at all. I would go to the lab and despair, or space out, or not be able to marshal myself out of the house in the morning for hours. One day I got physically ill from just not wanting to go in. It lasted 3 days. I kind of wish that my professors had never worked out a way to keep me around for these extra weeks, as great as it was that they did.
I put a lot of attention towards our housewarming party, that we had last weekend (the 20th). That made me happy and distracted me from work by giving me a goal. When the party actually happened, I considered it a success. Six housemates, assorted guests, fullness, camaraderie, cool air outdoors, unexpected attendees, and a mellow end. I wasn't the only one whose friends came, which I was glad of, and friends I wasn't letting myself set my hearts on came. (Claud, that includes you :-) happy )
Yellow has appeared on some trees, and although it is not yet chilly, summer is over. Since the fall is my favorite season, this is a good thing. This early autumn season -- mild weather, rainstorms with clear days after them, most trees still full and green, no migrating geese, but sometimes a handful of orange maple leaves around corners on the sidewalk -- is relaxing.
The teaching year began at my Hebrew School, and I found out that this year I have 1st graders. They keep getting younger and younger! I'm not afraid of them this year, but clearly I require more games n stuff. So far, I've got nothing really distinctive to say about the kids. There are 4 of them, and one high-school assistant.
I made plans for Rosh Hashana in Boston. I'm going to try to find a place that I feel like going, because I don't think I should keep Northampton as my "home community" indefinitely. The high holidays are a nutty time to try synagogue-shopping, but that's what I did. They're going to be a consideration anyway eventually wherever I would frequent. I did ask at home whether they would really want me home this year, but my dad said no it's fine and Ima, too.
Friday erev Rosh Hashana, and Saturday, I went to Eitz Chayim's services. That's the synagogue where I teach. I was afraid I wouldn't like it, but I did. And unlike, CBI, when I recognized most people in the kahall I also knew where I know them from! E. Ch's services were in a building I could walk to from the T and so I didn't drive. Both times, I chose to take a longer route home, because I was feeling so nice.
Sunday I tried another Temple, once that a friend of mine shared her tickets for with me. I never made it there, though, thru a combination of leaving late and getting two kinds of lost. First I navigated to the incorrect place, then I lost my way trying to get from the first place to the real place. By the time I arrived, services had let out. (She and I (and her son) had a lovely lunch and tashlich, though.)
There's a funny story in this misadventure: I didn't know much about this shul, I was just going because my friend who is a member there invited me -- remember that's how I went to the wrong place first. As soon as I actually arrived, I realized the Temple was not an unknown to me after all: This very synagogue was the one that my mother attended, growing up in Newton and, Oh, I knew of this Temple! At some point in her late high-school career, my mother had felt slighted and embarrassed at a graduation ceremony, and vowed never to set foot in the building again. With one exception for a good friend's father's funeral, she never has.
I like to think how, all unawares, I stuck to my mom's principle. (Of course, she wouldn't have told me not to go if we'd realized ahead of time, but I am sure she'll be more pleased that I missed it than went, hehehe.)
Lastly, in my Rosh Hashana explorations this year, my father played for me one set of shofar calls over the cell phone when I told him how I'd missed all the shofarot.
I'll be try the Brookline Havurah Minyan for Yom Kippur, but Sukkot I'll visit home. Other Sukkot plans, my housemate Jess and I are going to put up a sukkah in our backyard together somehow. If anyone knows a good source for 4 or 5 cinder blocks, or is planning on pruning their trees eventually, please let me know...
I hope yall read my post, and don't mind that I gave it up for a month. It's kinda good to be back.
For breakfast today, I had nothing, because I slept over at Brandeis with my laptop, in the "library".
Since September, I spent a full week for shiva with my family, both extended and nuclear. My grandmother's funeral was a surprisingly good experience, and I'll talk to people about it personally, but not here yet. After that I came back to Brandeis, having been traded back to the Sekuler Lab for one extra month of work.
This month has been quite a disappointment to me, in terms of work. I just have not wanted to work. Not at all. I would go to the lab and despair, or space out, or not be able to marshal myself out of the house in the morning for hours. One day I got physically ill from just not wanting to go in. It lasted 3 days. I kind of wish that my professors had never worked out a way to keep me around for these extra weeks, as great as it was that they did.
I put a lot of attention towards our housewarming party, that we had last weekend (the 20th). That made me happy and distracted me from work by giving me a goal. When the party actually happened, I considered it a success. Six housemates, assorted guests, fullness, camaraderie, cool air outdoors, unexpected attendees, and a mellow end. I wasn't the only one whose friends came, which I was glad of, and friends I wasn't letting myself set my hearts on came. (Claud, that includes you :-) happy )
Yellow has appeared on some trees, and although it is not yet chilly, summer is over. Since the fall is my favorite season, this is a good thing. This early autumn season -- mild weather, rainstorms with clear days after them, most trees still full and green, no migrating geese, but sometimes a handful of orange maple leaves around corners on the sidewalk -- is relaxing.
The teaching year began at my Hebrew School, and I found out that this year I have 1st graders. They keep getting younger and younger! I'm not afraid of them this year, but clearly I require more games n stuff. So far, I've got nothing really distinctive to say about the kids. There are 4 of them, and one high-school assistant.
I made plans for Rosh Hashana in Boston. I'm going to try to find a place that I feel like going, because I don't think I should keep Northampton as my "home community" indefinitely. The high holidays are a nutty time to try synagogue-shopping, but that's what I did. They're going to be a consideration anyway eventually wherever I would frequent. I did ask at home whether they would really want me home this year, but my dad said no it's fine and Ima, too.
Friday erev Rosh Hashana, and Saturday, I went to Eitz Chayim's services. That's the synagogue where I teach. I was afraid I wouldn't like it, but I did. And unlike, CBI, when I recognized most people in the kahall I also knew where I know them from! E. Ch's services were in a building I could walk to from the T and so I didn't drive. Both times, I chose to take a longer route home, because I was feeling so nice.
Sunday I tried another Temple, once that a friend of mine shared her tickets for with me. I never made it there, though, thru a combination of leaving late and getting two kinds of lost. First I navigated to the incorrect place, then I lost my way trying to get from the first place to the real place. By the time I arrived, services had let out. (She and I (and her son) had a lovely lunch and tashlich, though.)
There's a funny story in this misadventure: I didn't know much about this shul, I was just going because my friend who is a member there invited me -- remember that's how I went to the wrong place first. As soon as I actually arrived, I realized the Temple was not an unknown to me after all: This very synagogue was the one that my mother attended, growing up in Newton and, Oh, I knew of this Temple! At some point in her late high-school career, my mother had felt slighted and embarrassed at a graduation ceremony, and vowed never to set foot in the building again. With one exception for a good friend's father's funeral, she never has.
I like to think how, all unawares, I stuck to my mom's principle. (Of course, she wouldn't have told me not to go if we'd realized ahead of time, but I am sure she'll be more pleased that I missed it than went, hehehe.)
Lastly, in my Rosh Hashana explorations this year, my father played for me one set of shofar calls over the cell phone when I told him how I'd missed all the shofarot.
I'll be try the Brookline Havurah Minyan for Yom Kippur, but Sukkot I'll visit home. Other Sukkot plans, my housemate Jess and I are going to put up a sukkah in our backyard together somehow. If anyone knows a good source for 4 or 5 cinder blocks, or is planning on pruning their trees eventually, please let me know...
I hope yall read my post, and don't mind that I gave it up for a month. It's kinda good to be back.
For breakfast today, I had nothing, because I slept over at Brandeis with my laptop, in the "library".
