Meaning of Life is Pleasure

That's what the Rosh Yeshiva said. That we are here to experience the best that life has to offer and we have everything we could ever need. Beautiful mountains, and flowers, ice cream, wireless internet yadda yadda yadda. So yea, life is pretty amazing. That realization itself is worth the threat of rocket-propelled grenades (kidding mom, in case you read this).

This Shabbat was at the school and was fun. Friday night especially. Lots of wine and whiskey.
I shocked my father when I told him that orthodox jews drink. Haha. Wait, did I write that in a previous post? Hm, don't remember (in literary terms, we call that a stream of consciousness).
RIP Michael Jackson. As screwed up as you were, you made a lot of people happy and gave away lots of money and time for charities.

Oh yea, Republican leaders Nevada Sen. John Ensign's and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford get "caught" having extramarital affairs. Now for those who are unaware, the orthodox community can be generalized as "righties." It's hard to find anyone here, and all of Israel for that matter, that does not want Obama dead. But it's the same righties that vote for these GOP members that keep having affairs, yet Judaism teaches about, well, not doing that. All Republicans should be pissed off right now. You hated Clinton for that remember? If you don't have anything nice to say, let the Republicans say it for you. Sorry, I thought that was funny.

Tomorrow begins another week. I'll be going to Tel Aviv on Tuesday with my friend Daniel Cippriani to visit a friend of his. I haven't spent time there other than a visit to the Mediterranean, enhancing the experience with Jellyfish stings. So I'm pumped. I wish a good week to everyone!

Girls and automatic weapons

What a great day. Sun is out, the sky is blue, and teenage girls walk around with automatic weapons laughing like they haven't a care in the world. Only Israel!
The beginning of the week was a bit rough. I had a case of the Summertime Blues (to quote The Who), after realizing that everyone outside of this world is running around, going to beaches, having BBQ's and what not. One memory I especially miss is driving around Saratoga Springs with the windows down.
But that's all those are--thoughts. What I'm doing here is incredible. Everyday I grow more than I had in the years prior to coming here. I understand myself better as I dissect my personality and look at areas I want to improve (e.g. my arrogance). And I was getting frustrated (the arrogance) with my studies because I feel like I'm falling behind. What a humbling experience! It's like being born all over again in a sense, because I'm learning a new language and a new way of thinking. I'm seeing the world in a new light--and it's awesome. No drugs needed!
But I'm better now. Back on track.

Lovin' it's what I got

(My brother and his family and our tour guide Modi)
I don't know what to write, so I'll ramble...
The weather here...I didn't plan well. It's hot. Real hot.
I miss seeing people at home. Like if I was home in CT, a three hour trip could bring me to so many of my close friends. Jacob, Yolande, Chris, the Great Batzellini, and Amanda to name a couple. I miss my eccentric yet lovable family that probably think I've gone off the deep end (little do they know I did many years ago). I miss the California crew of Kennon and Capital T Smith.
Because of everybody, I've developed into someone I'm proud to be with good room for improvement.
Speaking of home, I will be in CT in 47 days (some time around then).
I will summarize this week in the word "trials." I was aware of the trials with people pushing my buttons or catching myself getting frustrated with my Hebrew or Aramaic lessons. In Israel exists JST--Jewish Standard Time, no one is on time for anything. But every step I have people to laugh with, rant with, mockingly throw off my keepa (that small peice of cloth on my head), have a drink with, and bash Republicans with. Being aware of one thing inevitably increases your sensitivity to its opposite. As I became more aware of what irked me, I became attune to what and who I really enjoyed. I wish everyone the same pleasure.

So it's been a little while

Since I last posted. Things are continuing on as normal.
My brother, his wife Catherine, and daughter Ella (2 years old) were here in Israel last week. I finally got a chance to tour around Israel!
I saw the ancient water port of Caesura on the Mediterranean with waters that I've only seen in photographs, it was that beautiful. Then we continued up the coast to Haifa and saw the B'Hai Temple. That place has money flowing out the waz-oo. Beautiful gardens. Try asking them what their faith believes and it sounds something like, "we believe in everything!" Don't exactly know what that means but they do believe in every prophet and every writing. The only thing is that every prophet outside of each religion says something different (Jewish, Islamic, Christian...) that they must pick and choose what they want to believe. Kudos. Kind of like baloney meat...made from many different parts of many different animals.
Then we spent two days in Tiberius on the Kinneret (known to the world as the Sea of Galilee). Talk about beautiful! Surrounded by mountains and desert, the air was crisp and cool. Tiberius has the spiritual element of water. Israel, which is in the worst drought it ever had, looks like it could use more of that element. I joked that considering how low the water level was, even I could walk across the water. (Tiberius is adjacent to the town where it is told Jesus walked across the water and performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes).
Went up into the wine country of Golan Heights...beautiful.
Went to a utopia with light green waters coming out of a natural spring that made a waterfall where people could swim. Beautiful.
Went to the Dead Sea. People, if you don't go to the Dead Sea and float on the waters, you're missing out on an experience. It is IMPOSSIBLE to sink. I kid you not. You can't sink. You don't float in the water but float ON the water. Supper trippy.
Then we went to the desert fortress of Messada overlooking the Dead Sea. It's hard to believe the magnitude of that place being so high up on top of a mountain where there was a city!
After all was said and done, I came back to school. Apparently my brother wants to buy a house in Israel now :)....who would've thought?
Now I must go do, that voodoo, that Jews do!