Train

I know I keep writing about how tired I am, but you lug an 80 pound bag ALL over Tel Aviv and then tell me how alert you would be. I am blogging from my sister's friends house in Beit Shemesh, where I am going to be for the Chag, and I'm just so happy to be here! Tova and Noam and really hospitable, made me feel right at home the second I walked in, and their 5 children are a LOT of fun. I was really missing the kids so being surrounded by these children are a good surrogate for my own family.

Anyway, today I took the train for the first time! I got a ride from school to the station in the Azrieli Center and I've never seen so many Chayalim in my life! I can only imagine what it will look like tomorrow when everyone is traveling for Rosh Hashana. I ended up grabbing the 5:36 train and while it wasn't Amtrak's Acela service, it was really nice! The ride was about an hour and we lost power in the middle. Again, nothing that bothered me because I'm used to that happening quite frequently when I take the Acela down to visit my sisters. And then I waited a long time for a cab because Beit Shemesh was insane!! The mall's parking lot did not move. Cars were stacked up and the line to get in and out was outlandish. Do people NOT know about planning ahead? I guess everyone wanted to make sure that they got new clothing and food in time for the Chag.

I got here and had fun just playing with the kids and catching up with Tova. It was especially nice since I did not have a good meeting with my Professor this morning. He basically ripped my new piece to shreds and his feedback was a lot more critical than constructive. When I asked him to cut me some slat because of my living situation, he basically told me to just figure it out and "write faster". I'm a perfectionist though and refuse to hand him crap as a first draft. Not really sure where that leaves me but I'm hoping to spend the entire Monday editing this piece into better shape and writing my second one. I want to make some significant headway so I can go to Jerusalem on Tuesday night. I'd like to get to the Kotel before Yom Kippur, if possible.

Anyway, I am going to sign off now and probably won't be back online until after Rosh Hashana. In the meantime, here is my wish to all of you for the coming New Year:

May it be a year full of good health, financial stability and success, happiness and only simchot! May everything you pray for, individually, come true. And may the three Chayalim who were kidnapped be returned safe and sound to their families.

Shanah Tovah U'Mitukah! Ketivah V'Chatimah Tovah.

Song to head into the New Year with is The New Year by Death Cab for Cutie.