Ouch

I fell down the basement stairs. I tripped on a toy that I had tossed down this morning because it was left in the kitchen. Unfortunately, it only made it to the second step from the top. And that is where I fell from. To almost the bottom.

Needless to say, I was quite shaken by the whole thing. I was on the phone at the time with Arye, and he heard it happen, so at least I was "with" someone.

I have some bruises, a carpet burn, and some muscle aches. Gotta go take some Motrin and go to bed.

Twenty-Six

Happy Freedom Festival Detroit! Happy Birthday me. I have written and erased many blogs in the past few days. The topic being my birthday. I am going to admit that I am a little freaked out that I am about to be 26. That's really old in my head. It's pretty much 'near 30'. I know that I actually have some siblings who have made it to the 30 mark, and are thinking...get a grip Sar... I have never really focused any attention on my birthdays in the past. They were generally falling out when I was out of town, starting a new camp...where no one knew or cared that it was my birthday. A few years I forgot until mom called. I'm not sure why this year I am focusing on it. Maybe it's because I have nothing else to do. Maybe it's because I feel that 26 is really old. Maybe it's because I feel I haven't accomplished much in 26 years... Anyway, this isn't completely what I have in my head, but it's what I'm going to let come out anyway. As I said...I've written and erased so much because, I'm not sure I want to put into writting what I'm really feeling.

oK, I hope someone writes a new blog soon to push this one down.

last night in shiur we learned a fgascinating gemara about 'evolution' there were two guys having a bet to see if one can upset Hillel,( shabbos 31a)so the guy went to him and asked him 3 questions spaced out an hour in between each one. the first question was why to the babylonians have round heads, the second why do the tarvidim have weak (squinty)eyes, and the third, why do the afrikaans have wide feet. the answer to the first was they have bad midwives, the second they live in sandy areas and the third they walk a lot in the marshes rashi explains that "Hamakom" change them. so the discussion then is as follows, is Hamakom Hashem? or the place changed them? a few lines before this gemara is another one that discusses you shouldnt entertain people with stupid questions its a waste of time, so they discussed why hillel even answered thi guy.the maharsha says hillel understood this guy to be asking very deep questions why do the babylonians have big heads(why are they haughty) it says in pirkei avos that the bnai bilaam had three bad things they were haughty, had an evil eye, and one other. and he goes into a long 'arichus'. another meforash says that hillel answered because the questions ar edeep philosophical questions of the world? if all man is made from Odom then how can there be so many different types and colors of people. it must be that people adapt to their climate and he climate and environment can change a person. the rav brought a proof from mayer shuster who hangs out at the kotel and makes people frum, he said he's practically shvartz from being in the sun all day for 25 years. the afrikaans with wide feet i beleive rashi says its because they didnt wear shoes and shoes hold your feet together so if your barefoot your feet will flatten. so the question is is there a gene expression change in the foot of the afrikaans or only after going without shoes then their feet get wide...then we learned a gemara that says the entire galus of the world is becuase dovid hamelach accepted loshon horah about mefiboishes which then led to rechovaam and yerovaam splitting the kingshiop and yerovaam putting up idols and yada yada yada galus the power of words!

summer's here

how does one classify weather in terms of cold? they say things like man its so cold i wore my thermals and 2 sweaters. but in the heat what can one really say? so i would like to propose a system in which the heat factor is measured in terms of how many times one changes their underwear in a day. what do ya think? it would sound something like this; it was so hot yesterday i changed my underwear two times!
in other news we just bought tickets to come to detroit for a week at the end of august. three of the tickets were worldperks tickets! we'll be there IM'H august 19-28,29 i'm leavung on the 28 devorah and kids the 29th.
have a good day

How do you do it

every night it seems like it's a fight to put Jonah to bed. Yet everytime he has been babysat by a member of teh family, they say how he is no trouble and went to sleep without a problem. What tricks do you use to get him to go to sleep. Or does he like Nat and me so much, that he refuses to go to sleep when we are around

What Would You Do?

Heres the situation. You're invited to an engagement party, its seperate seating, and your only invited because your spouse is friends with her/him. You may know a few people randomly, but noone you really care to see, and noone you have anything to say to. There's also no alcohol. Do you go? What do you do once your there?

Thanks

Nat and I had a nice anniversary, i got her heart shapped earrings, even though Devorah said never get heart shaped jewlery cause it's cheesy, and Nat loved them. and tonight at the game, Nat got me 'sheed jersey. Thank you Mom and Dad for taking us out t 173 tonight, we ha d anice time, and it was a nice cap to our anniversary:)

B-Day

For more info see:

http://airtimedaily.blogspot.com/2005/06/happy-birthday_23.html

They Don't Do Dishes?

Last year, on Erev Pesach, I brought my minivan to a carwash in Passaic where they clean inside an out for $6. Good deal, huh? Only I had just driven 10 fun-filled hours with three children and a peanut-cover-spitting husband. So my car was a mess. As I opened the side door to take out the carseat, the minimum-wage cleaner looked into the van and said, "Have you EVER cleaned out this car?" I almost apologized. But then I realized that their job is to clean it out. No matter what it looks like. It's dirty, hence my bringing it to the car wash.

Today I was Zocha to have a couple in here to clean my house that we have been neglacting for too long. They are charging me $100 because it hasn't been scrubbed in a while. I don't know if they are coming back for other times because they want to charge me $75 a week. When I left to drive my kids to camp, I told the lady that I left the dishpan in the sink with the correct sponge. She informed me that she didn't do dishes.

What??? For a hundred dollars, she should do anything I ask. She cleaning my house! I don't understand. I know I could wash them, and I will later, but I don't know why.

Game 6

Tonight Piston game is an important gme for many reason. The most important being if the Pistons lose they are out of they don't repeat as champs. It means alot to me and Nat on a oersonal level as well, No we didn't put any money on the games, but it will decide when we leave Detroit. Last year Nat and I spent the Finals in NY, it was nice, we watched it with other Detroiters, but not home. This year we decided we would watch the games at home, or if possible on Palacevision. If the Pistons win tonight, that means that Nat and I will (hopefully) watch game 7 on Palcevison, and then take of on Friday morning for baltimore. (We have a weddinbg on sunday morning) If they should lose tonight (chas vashalom) we would leave for Pittsburgh on thursday morning, and then go on to Baltimore friday. Even though the Pistons winning will double our driving time on Friday, I'm still hoping that they pull off teh miracle wins.

zoo animals?

is it too much to ask for a zoo that has animals in the cages? we went to the stone zoo in Stoneham, MA and the first 3 cages we passed hd no animals so a lady walked by and said do you see him, and i said no there arent any animals in this zoo, ansd she said oh...well there he is all the way in the back....we didnt see it but we found out later she worked there. so sure she was gonna say she could see it...thats her job. but then towards the end we did see animals, and lots of retarded people. do zoo's atract retarded people??? the kids had fun, we saw a cougar and a leopard and a bird and bald eagle and we didnt see fox, wolf, we did see llama and horse and they had a petting zoo with little goats and lamb. mmmmBBQ we also saw flamingos. we had some snacks and then almost everyone fell asleep on the way home. yes it was a whole 25 minute drive! only yael stayed awake the whole time. i fell asleep at a red light and was honked awake by inconsiderate people behind me. well chanalana has hit a stage where she can now throw tantrums, equivalent to yaels in little people terms. and people think they just look the same. well happy dad's day to everyone.

Second Shots

So, I agreed to a second date with someone for Sunday. He has a lot going for him, he's from Australia which almost guarantees he has a cool accent. He has moved here, cuz I wouldn't have it any other way. He's learning in a Hesder Yeshiva. He has two degrees, one in some science field and the other in education. He's a right wing fanatic, what could be better. Okay...he talks so low I can't hear his accent, or really what he's saying. He has not made aliyah, and never plans on it...doesn't think it matters what the government feels about his status of living here...not so impressed with that. He takes off his glasses when we walk in the street so he doesn't have to see the disgust all around him - a bit quarky and not really my speed...
...and so I agreed to meet him again

Presents... Part Deux

What is a good, thoughtful, creative baby present?

Presence and Presents

I meant to just post real quick and ask a question but when I signed in and saw that it was June 16th, I realized that today would have been my Dad's birthday. And it would have been the BIG 6-0. Woah. Isn't it weird that to me, my dad will never be 60 or 70 or 80. He will always stay in his early 50's. He actually passed away when he was 51 but one of the people speaking at the funeral said he was 52 by mistake (he was born in 1945 and died in 1997 so I guess they got confused) but when I try to remember how old he was, I always think 52 until I catch myself. I figured the Zacks clan would like that funeral story. :)
So Happy Birthday to my Dad.
Speaking of whom, that brings up Yizkor. Because of my catchy title, I wish I could say something like I felt my Dad's "presence" during Yizkor but I didn't. Probably because there were too many people there!!! Apparently, the "latest thing" at Young Israel shuls is for everyone to come in at the end of Yizkor and hear it for the 6 million Jews and/or the Fallen Israeli soldiers. Maybe it's supposed to be a beautiful thing so we can all remember their souls together....or something??? But I do NOT like this concept. I imagine that it's a little creepy for you non-yizkor saying people to come in and hear the whole "Kal Maleh Rachamim" in that chazan voice. And for me, a Yizkor-saying person, I prefer to have my bit of space and quiet for a moment so I can reflect and remember my people. That's the way I feel Yizkor should be. Not a crowded room with everyone looking around and trying to figure out what page we are on and why exactly they are inside if Yizkor is still going on. I feel that it's an intrusion. Selfish? Maybe. So those are my Yizkor thoughts.
I'll post my question in the next blog because it just doesn't fit here....

27cents

forgive me loop for it has been three weeks since my last blog...
remember me? i've been really busy at clinic and then my internet started acting up and life happens too. i just consolidated my loans for the last three years, because the interest rate is supposed to jump 3% next month and that turns into lots of bling bling. so i locked mine in at 2.77% with the possibility of lowering it another 1% after 36 ontime payments. looking forward. i was gonna call david to ask his opinion but he only knows economics in hebrew....or does he. well we had a great shavous. dad and i learned for an hour and then we listened to a few shiurim. i think davening was longer than staying up all night. the shiurim wer from 1-4am with a 4:20 shacharis. dont ya just love the east coast! well i think mom and dad had a god time. dad would have liked more shiurim during the day instead he had to play and listen to my kids kvetch and kry. but we really loved having them here. everyone else is invited too.
we went to george's island, which is in the boston harbor, on sunday and we saw an old fort. that was fun, then we went to faneuil hall (its named after faneuil who was hung there in 1875) and watched a bunch of little girl dance and sing broadway show music. well clinic is tough. lots of patients, and they all have something wrong with them. today was a pediatric day. I HATE KID PATIENTS. they dont lisdten and they dont look where you want them to. but i saw 3 kids today 2 spanish speaking people and and HIV patient. and i had 3 no shows,. well you know how people always leave things behind when they stay over somewhere. well we got 27 cents and an old picture of shauli (check your wallet dad) thanks for the gas money!
have a good night y'all.

Thank You Aliza

After not hearing from the parent people before Shabbat, and then again before Shavuot...I started to wonder...what was going on... Our American line was not working, so I called on the Israeli phone to the States. Ring Ring Ring...no answer! What was going on? Where were they? I decided before investigating further I would fix the 646 phone. I disconnected and reconnected the whole internet/router/phone system and push the button to be rewarded with a US dial tone! Yay! I called Arye & Aviva's to find out what had happened to my parents... Aliza, visiting them, answered to phone...and looped me in to the fact that my parents had left Detroit, and headed East to Boston....

Well, I'm just glad I had Aliza to loop me in.....

Working from mom's

We came to Detroit for Shavous, and we're staying till next tuesday, cause we have a wedding next monday. This isnt vacation for me, in fact I may be busier than I have been in Pittsburgh. I am now contacting Michigan Schoosl and explaining our program and getting them interested. I assumed that working at moms meant I can get in teh pool when Im bored, but all the sudden it got cold. All yom tov was really hot and humid, and today not hot or humid, which all the sudden means I can't swim.
Yom tov was really nice teh second night/day we ate at home, night was just Nat and I which was nice, we had deli sandwhiches. Day we BBQ and had 8 of our friends, and it was a lot of fun...props to arye, who without I would n ever have thought about BBQing on yom tov.
Also of note, Nat and I counted every day of the Omer..I think this was teh first time i made it all the way, I think the same goes for Nat. thats all for now...

Megillah Search

After staying up all night listening to the weirdest shiurim ever, I walked with a friend to the kotel...but she was very concerned about not being able to hear migilat Ruth, b/c you can't hear anything on the ladies side...So up we went into the Rova to find a minyan... First we went to the Ramban's shul (but he wasn't there...) which we missed the first five pasukim in the megillah. By the time it was laining time we couldn't hear a word. The girl that I was with heard that the Churvah Shul was almost up to laining, why don't we go up there. Up we climbed into the Churvah just in time for a d'var torah giving chizuk to everyone who has stayed up....for about 15 minutes....not funny...then they were up to...Megillah...so once again we heard Migillat Ruth. About the same time we were starting laining, the shul next door Something Menachem, was finishing. This brought close to 150 boys out of the shul in the courtyard to hear kiddush. While Cohen was fairly audible...the following aliyas were not... Somehow I managed to convince my friend that we did not have to find a third minyan and we could just go home... Interestingly enough, she was keeping two days and never made it a second day minyan...stating that she had already heard the megillah....

Masa Kumtah II

Hope everyone had (is having) a wonderful Shavout (Shavous). MyShan and I had quite an experience this year. We were invited to the inlaws for Shavout. For those who dont remember, inlaws live in the furthest corner of Jerusalem from anything. We decided we wanted to do the whole stay up learn/walk to the Kotel thing. So first we ate dinner (meat), then we left and went to real Jerusalem. We passed by a shul in Rechavia and saw everyone going in so we followed. We heard a shiur for a long time on Yonah. It was very interesting, even intellectual. The Professor who gave it went thru the whole sefer analyzing it bit by bit. I dont know why he picked Yonah, but hey, its all Torah. Then we went to the Old City to a shiur that was being given in memory of someone Shany knew. It was more boring, but we still stayed up. Then we went to the Kotel and davend Vatikin. It was very cool. The mechitza was put up extending all the way to the back of the plaza, the whole place was so full. There was one minyan of men and women staying side by side davening, I though that was interesting, but we didnt join them. I was a bit disappointed about two things. Firstly, right at Vatikin, we started Shemone Esrei, along with the majority of people. But a few of the minyanim were a few minutes behind, so right when its supposed to get totlly quiet, you hear abunch of people screaming "Mi Chamocha", or "Tzur Yisrael". It kinda killed the moment. Secondly, all the Kohanim dont duchen at the same time. I still havent seen all the kohanim duchening together, and now I still havent. It was hard to tell what minyan we were in, but we did have time to look around. I pointed out to Mendy a a secret code written in the wall. It says "LIOC" or "LIDC" about halfway up to the left. We couldnt figure out what it meant. After we davened, I went and found Shany. I was amazed at how many of our friends were there. Nothing like a good scene at 7AM at the Wall. Then we left and started the walk, the long long walk, back to the inlaws. We had many invitations to stay in closer places, but then we would have missed my mother in laws milchig meal. So we walked. Up and down, and up and down. We brought a little water bottle, plus I had my tallit. I started walking with the tallit ( not a tallis, it has blue strings, and blue stringers are for sure tallit and not tallis) on, but it got too hot for that. MyShan did a wonderful job walking the length of Rechavia, until almost tzomet pat. Thats when the pain kicked in. But she trooped on. The inlaws dont just live at the end of Jerusalem, they live on the top of another mountain. We finally made it to their mountain. I knew slowly climbing it could take hours. So I took Shans hand and we started running. and stopping. and running. and in many short sprints, we conquered the mountain. We made it into the inlaws house as they were about to go to shul for the regular minyan. The Shans feet were hurting, so she took off her shoes-and they were blood soaked. Talk about mesirat nefesh. What an Eshet Chayelet. Then we slept and woke up for the milchig meal. The cheesecake, while it wasnt moms, was very good, as was the rest of the food. Then we slept til Chag ended.
Next year, either were not going to the Kotel, or not going to my in laws.

Freaking out!

My parents and Aliza are coming tomorrow for 5 days. I'm cooking and cleaning till I can't stand up anymore. And then I'm gonna do it again tomorrow. And then I'm going to work for 4 hours!

Also, I have a paper due on Monday, so I have to have it in before that... The teacher, if you could call her that, seems to want the writing to be as uncreative as possible. You have to follow exact guidelines, or you get points off. I'm not just saying that all the parts have to be there, I'm saying they have to be there in order. I HATE COLORING IN THE LINES!!

Veev

Congrats Arye!

You know how you get a cool e-mail and the first thing that pops in your head is..."who has time to create this?"! Arye, my friends are all quite happy to know someone who knows someone who is that person. It's always been an anonymous somebody before....

Now that you're famous, b/c of the Knish accredidation...

steps

Nat was upstairs, I was on the computer, and Jonah was playing with is toys, just like a regular day. (We have one gate, and we put it in the kitchen door, because we don't want him in there. (he knows this, and therefore goes in teh kitchen at every chance.)) after a few minutes Nat is on her way downstairs, and who does she see at about the 4th or 5th step...you guessed it Jonah. I don't know when he learned to climb steps, but eh seemed to have mastered going up.I dont think he has the down part yet, but we didnt wait to see. Nat picked him up and brought him downstairs. This makes watching him even more difficult, until know we could just do what we want, and he'll do what he wants, but know we have to monitor him more...ahh they grow up so fast dont they?

PUT YOUR HANDS UP!

During my usual routine scheduling appts/consoling the bereaved, I had a great call. I called Robert, aged 76, for his follow up appt. I told them I'm calling to make an appt, etc. They told me not to come cuz hes been incarcerated. I of course started to say the routine, I'm sorry, we wont bother you, til I realized she said incarcerated. Why are they incarcerating this poor 76 year old man? What did he do, rob a liquor store? Also, I like how ppl use big words for certain things, like deceased, or incarcerated. I think incarcerated makes it sound more prestigious. Oh hes busy now, with the incarceration. Sounds like a fancy thing.
In other unrelated news, Jerusalem Day was fun. We went to the kotel a lot, went to a concert, parade, fireworks, etc.
Tooday was voting day at school. I voted for blue and white, not for red.
My first final is on June 21. I dont know the material. Its on macro economics. I read a whole text book on it, then I looked at tests from previous years. Theres no connection between what I read and whats on those tests. It is multipke choice, so statistically my chance of passing is....wait, I dont know statistics either. This is not going to a be a fun month.
happy Rosh Chodesh to all

Almost missed it

For all of you who were waiting until Rosh Chodesh Sivan to say the Shlah's T'fillah for the well being of your children, you should go ahead and say it, but if you actually read the small print, you are supposed to say it on Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan.

Fortunately for me and my children, I got an email telling me to say it on Erev Rosh Chodesh.

I wonder if this will be on time for you East Coasters

It's tough being from Dtroit

Congrats to us all on the Piston's latest victory! May they goooo allll thaaaa waaay. Truth be told I've been pretty out of sports with the wings being down all season. I was at a Birthright mega event registering participants in the Gift Of Life Bone Marrow Registry, and someone asked me where I was from. "Detroit", I answer. "We're going to kill you guys", he replies. "uhhh, who would 'we' be?", I ask. "oh, I'm from Miami..." he says, and then he walks away with his friends. It was about five minutes later when I was helping someone else who was discussing the game with their friend that I understood.

just regular, or is it?

Today started out as a regular day. Got the kids off to school, made cheescake and vaccumed the living room. But as I was vacumming under the couches I thought I saw something interesting in a hard to reach spot, but as the vacuum could not reach it I ignored it and continued on. Later Naftali and I collapsed on the couch after a game of chace and I once again thought about what was under the couch. I opened up the couch, pulled it out as far as it could go and sqeezed my hand around trying to reach .Low and behold out comes.....Daniels's glasses. So does this mean I didn't clean well enough for pesach as Aviva suggested? darn! Well guys, I can send it back with Mom and Dad or keep it for when you come, let me know.
Also Veev, the detroit family who moved to Rechovot were the Linden's.
Now it can go back to being a regular day.

Happy Yom Yerushalayim!!

Simcha. Ahava. Energy. Those are the three words I would use to describe the feeling of Yom Yerushalayim. Probably 40% of the reason I want to live here forever and raise my family here has to do with feelings like those you pick up by watching kids on Yom Yerushalayim. It's a pride and joy and love that you just don't find anywhere else.

The longest yard

For the first time since Joinah was born, Nat and I went to the Movies. We were goinna go mini golfing, but due to the weather we chose the movies. We decided to see teh Longest yard, it looked funy, and I miss football. When we got to the theater our initial reaction was this place smells bad. But then we didnt givce it another thought, and enjoyed the movie. both nat and I recommend thsi movie it was very funny and all that good stuff. We enjoyed it so much that next week, we may rent the original.
As we walked out, the usher stopped everyone and apologized for teh bad smell, and gave out free tickets to any movie. That was was really cool of them, especially since teh odor didnt even bother us.

Smile Mom!

I just want to state, on record, that if Gd forbid I need medical attention in the near future I believe it is because I a new member of an insurance group. I believe that Gd watches stupid ppl and by getting insured I may be lowering my level of stupidity.


The up side, Mom, is that I am insured.

Question for the Day

What is the nicest thing you have done for someone?

going out

I don't want everybody to think that we go out everytime we have chicken nuggets or that that is the only reason that we go out. I actually went to the meat store yesterday to try to find something to grill and they didn't have anything that I was in the mood of so we went out for Kurdish ribs. They were very fatty and I think next time I will just order the kabob.

We have gone out for other reasons as well, and there were times when I ate the chicken nuggets. These were actually special nuggets that were in the shape of dinosaurs. But I wasn't in the mood.

After we came back home we decided to give the babysitter some more alone time and we went for a nice 20 minute walk. It was very enjoyable.

Bad Day

Hi people. Today i am having a rly bad day. You know the kind, where you have to play machanayim for gym, ur the last one picked 4 a team, and then ur the first to get out? And then...your friend is crying and your being friendly and helping, and you get 4 detentions for being late? and then you realize that the halacha test wasnt tomorrow, it was today. and then.... you find out that there's no chocolate in your house, and you go insane. PLUS its a boiling hot day, but no- chava had 2 be evil and eat from the etz hadas, so i can't even go swimming. aaaand- i have a guitar lesson, and i still cant get it right. today just isnt my day. :(...
The seniors tried on their caps and gowns today for graduation. I still have 1156 days until i graduate. Thats a looong time...but ill keep on counting!
Now for the good news....umm...thinking of good news....for all those who dont know, i got a laptop in my room...oh- and i got accepted to that camp in israel!!!! that's about all i can think of for the good news section...
ok, now i have to study for the two tests i have to make up...hmm, i wonder if i can make them up during my detentions! i should ask...ok all-
PEACE OUT!
A&F

Shev
(the one you all left at home)

Date Night

Shauli and I have decided to have a date night. Once a week. Leave the baby with a babysitter (we sort of found one in White Oak) and go out. Just the two of us. Ahhh, refreshing. I remember when we first got married people said to have a date night. We didn't have a specific night but we just did stuff together here and there. Well, life has gotten crazier so it's time to step in and take a little time out. This week, Thursday night will be date night (we are eating out for both meals on Shabbas so I don't have to worry about cooking). But now comes the question.....what to do? Where to go? I suggested a movie cuz I miss going to movies but Shauli said that I won't want to talk to him anyway so it kinda defeats the purpose. He wants to find somewhere more fun to go to. So, any suggestions?
Also, our other problem is there is a Pistons game on that night and we're both pretty into the games these days so we don't really want to miss it. Hmmm.......
Look forward to your suggestions. Love, Nat

down...

Hey...I'm just trying to figure out life here a little bit... The two groups I was working with have finally left. I say finally because I counted down the days until they were gone. I am in education becuase I love working with and challenging and learning from teens/young adults... The last two months were spent focused on running two consecutive programs. I did not have a chance to really meet the participants as I needed to spend most of my time on the phone, computer or running between the two programs. After a month of planning and a month of running the programs I do not feel any sense of accomplishment. I think I have found something that I actually suck at. I am wondering if this is a foreshadow of next years program, and I am in the wrong field...I should just turn on the computer and work in graphics or the like, or if I just should chalk this up to more experience and i'll walk into the next program better prepared... I am actually at a loss of what direction to go in. Frusterated, Annoyed, and Discouraged all come to mind when I try to describe my feelings about the programs.