Strike!

At 9:00 a.m. this morning, the Histadrut here in Israel went on strike and that means that everyone who works in one of the following organizations/companies/divisions is at home getting high or wasted right now.

Ben Gurion Airport
Israel Railways
Israel Ports
Israel Postal Service
Government offices (excluding the Defense Ministry)
Refinement Industry
Local municipalities
National Insurance
Kindergartens
Employment services
Israel Electric Company (IEC) (No customer service)
Bank of Israel (No cash distribution)
Religious councils
Courts (sanctions)
City unions
Life guards
Israel Lands Administration (ILA)
Vehicle Licensing Bureau (no customer service)
Laboratory workers
State Attorney's Office
Border control
Mekorot (National Water Company)
Librarians
Israel Fire and Rescue Services - will be operating in a limited capacity

Yeah, those kindergarten teachers could sure use a big ol' martini, and the lifeguards (who haven't been working since October) could certainly go for a day off! It's hard work doing absolutely nothing! I looked for the big rat this morning when I made my way towards the bus stop but was assualted by the unusual peace and quite on my block. I'm assuming that since border control peeps didn't make it to work today, no workers were allowed into Tel Aviv to finish the construction on my block. They couldn't have gone on strike tomorrow when I DON'T have to be up at 7:00 a.m. for a 10:00 a.m. class?

I got to school bright and early this morning and had plenty of time to catch up on my philosophy reading. Class with Professor Kramer was interesting but I misread a key element in the play by Clifford Odets and so I was pretty confused until about mid-way through the class. I think my new policy is going to have to be no more reading past Midnight. My brain just doesn't function well at that hour!

Professor Harvey's class was GREAT! We're in the middle of Maimonides proof for Creation and I had loads of questions and comments (especially since I did the reading about 2 hours before the class). When I went up to him after the class to tell him that I will be missing our first class after the Pesach break he told me that he doesn't think I'll be able to get to the States because of this strike.

I'm scheduled to fly outta here next Thursday and if that means I have to start swimming NOW, I'm gonna get there in time for Pesach!

Tobye drove me to the bus stop and I did my 30 minute walk back to my apartment. It's an absolutely gorgeous Spring day here in Tel Aviv and, quite frankly, I'm a bit hot in my jeans! I could have gone to school today in a skirt without any tights and would have been extremely comfortable. I'm hoping we'll have springlike weather when I'm in New York next week. That would be really, really nice.

So yesterday, there was a country wide emergency drill. It was kinda like those post-9/11 drills Bloomberg runs in Manhattan, where you see about 100 cop cars with lights flashing and sirens blaring roar down Broadway and then park in a row up on the sidewalk - except much, much scarier. At 2:00 p.m., on the dot, the sirens went off and this siren was heard throughout the entire Country. Most people jumped up to call home to let their babysitters and kids know that it was just a drill and we weren't under attack. It was really good for me to experience the drill because now I know the noise that will prompt me to soil myself before I race towards the nearest bomb shelter. Of course, just knowing that Anderson Cooper won't be far away if Israel is under attack, will help keep me calm if the bombs start to fall.

Please god, may this not happen.

And, since I'm selfish, please god may this not happen anywhere near the wedding this summer.

Speaking of the wedding, my Mom got a gown yesterday! And, it's in one of the four colors I picked out, so that really makes me even happier! I have to sit down now and put together the list for what needs to happen when I'm in New York, and I also really have to figure out what to do about my hair. I need a haircut before Pesach but I don't know if that's a good idea since I think I want my hair long for the wedding.

Ah well, kinda boring to really write about it and since I don't really have too much more to write about, I'm going to sign off and try to figure out how to get to the Seven Stars Mall in Hertzliya. I really, really want to go there at some point tomorrow.

Wish me luck!