Thursday, September 20, 2012

Down But Not Out

I had a job interview today and I was out of my league.  Ouch.  It was a clinical nutrition position, and I just was not prepared.  I flunked the quiz.  The interviewer was as sweet as could be.  She assured me that it doesn't mean she won't hire me.  But truthfully, I wouldn't even hire myself.

It all comes down to understanding enteral and parenteral nutrition.  That's right - tube feeding.  Taking it down the nose, or in the vena cava.  Whatever.

I promised my interviewer, and myself, that I would nail these concepts.  And I will.  Just took a little wind out of my sails.  For an instant, it seemed like 5 years of schooling and the thousands of dollars it took to pay for it went down the drain.  And for a person who sees G-dliness in everything, that's saying a lot.

Got my work cut out for me.  But I'm gonna do it.  What are my options?

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Happy New Year!!!

To all humankind, wherever you are, whatever you think, whoever you hate, I say this: Happy New Year!  Another year is coming and we can expect more blessings, better health, abundant joy and ultimate redemption.

5773: We're going all the way!

Friday, September 14, 2012

Anne Frank Revisited

Like most people I know, I read "The Diary of Anne Frank" when I was about her age when she wrote it.  It was moving, and scary, and in the end, extremely sad.  I really wanted Anne to live, but felt she was right.  By all of us reading about her trials in the attic, she was still alive.

Now I've come to learn that before the book was translated into English, there was some controversy about it involving Meyer Levin, the author.  Seems he found the first edition in a Paris bookstore and wanted to bring it to America.  He had Otto Frank's permission, but what happened next is mired in controversy.

Levin's play, based on the book, was considered "too Jewish," and hence never went far.  But the script survives, and will be re-enacted between the September 15 and 18 (okay, if you're an observant Jew, you can listen to it Saturday night and Sunday!).  Here's the link.


Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Another Day Of Infamy

When I think about the bad things that bad people do to good people, I cry.  It just happens.  It's a natural reaction my body has to evil.  Evil makes me cry.

It's the same with 9/11.  For months after the attack, I just couldn't look at the videos, the actual footage of what happened.  It was too much for me.  Reading about the horror was enough to get the tears going.

That all changed soon after watching a Larry King special on 9/11.  He was interviewing survivors, and unlike most journalists, Larry King never really gets to the heart of the story.  He just glosses over it.  Like when he asked a blind man, who walked down I don't know how many flights of stairs to get out of one of the towers, passed by fire men, on their last call to duty, going up, were you scared?  

Hey Larry, I wasn't even in New York at the time and I was scared, so chances are this young man was out of his mind with terror.  But somehow, these silly questions, and all the others Larry asked, broke the spell that kept me from actually watching the event unfold.  I was able, through tears, to watch the attack.  All these years later, it doesn't get any easier.

I firmly believe that America wasn't attacked for something we did, but for something we are.  America is the one place anyone can come to, a nation with ideals that have never been upheld among a diverse population at any time in human history.  Freedom and justice for all.  It's a really great theory, and sometimes it even works.  But it's not the belief of the people who brought down those towers.  They don't believe in freedom and they don't believe in justice. And they certainly don't believe in the fundamental right to live.

We know who these evil people are.  In this instance, they are Muslims.  But when it comes to destruction of lives and cultures, they certainly don't hold the monopoly on evil.  Plenty of religious and political ideologies have stepped up to that plate.

To those evil people who attacked America on 9/11, it doesn't show how strong you are.  It shows how weak you are.  Because only the weak destroy, while the strong build.  G-d bless America, and all people everywhere who believe in freedom, and building a better world.

To all the innocent people who died that day, may their memories be a blessing for the rest of us.  May their blood be avenged, and may we be reunited with them speedily in our days.


Sunday, September 9, 2012

Grabbing Some Nachas

Nachas: joy from your kids.  The truth is, nachas is joy from just about anything, but usually it means joy from the amazing things our children do.  We pray for nachas from our children, and sometimes we get it.

Like tonight.  My son Shlomo is one of the dancing Rabbis on the Chabad Telethon.  I can't stop screaming. My baby is jumping up and down to the music.  Not sure I'd let him do all that jumping in the house, but I'm just loving it right now.

Ya-hoo!!!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

More Miracles

I love miracle stories, especially when they happen to me.  Like this story.

I was given a summons for jury duty about a month ago.  I mean, there's only 10 million people in this city, but Los Angeles adheres to the "one day, one trial" rule which spreads the joy of jury duty at a rapid pace.

Whatever.  But I wasn't upset just about the jury duty itself, but the fact that they are asking me to report in Santa Monica.  I live in Los Angeles proper, just a tad to the south of Hollywood, and if I had to take a bus to the court house, well, let's just say it would take well over an hour.

So I asked for a change of venue.  Explained myself real good.  Told the nameless, faceless bureaucracy that I live not too far from the Red Line, which has as one stop the Superior Court of Los Angeles.  I asked to be sent there.

Two weeks later, the original summons came in the mail.  I was going to Santa Monica.  No amount of protest could change it, especially since it fell on deaf ears.  No one associated with the courts of Los Angeles would pick up the phone and hear me out.

Well, since I got the car yesterday, I wouldn't have to take the bus.  Not that it saved me any time.  To those familiar with the freeways here at 7:15 am, it's more like a parking lot.  I was getting more upset by the minute.

When I got to Santa Monica, I calmed down immediately.  The courthouse is right on the beach.  Palm trees, surf, people walking around.  Paradise.  I check in, got my badge, watched the really weird "it's great to be a juror" video and we all took a 15 minute break.  All 40 of us.

Last time I was called to jury duty it was to the Superior Court of Los Angeles.  There were hundreds of us, barely any room to sit down.  You didn't want to go to the bathroom for fear you'd lose your seat.  This time around, we got tables to ourselves.

At 9:45 am, the announcement came.  The one trial set for today was going to arbitration - no jury was needed.  We were all excused for the rest of the year.  That's because the "one trial, one day" rule means if you are not called to serve on a jury the first day, you're off for the rest of the year.  I was so shocked I yelled "what!" and gathered my things.  I was home by 10:30 am.

Despite all my efforts, I was destined for Santa Monica Court.  And I served for about an hour and 45 minutes.  I could feel the G-dliness it was so obvious.  It was truly an amazing morning.  Keep it coming!

Finally Got It

I've been riding the bus for about 3 years now.  Not that I'm complaining.  Some of my greatest stories are from encounters or observations I've had on the bus.  But now that I'm an RD with a Master's degree, it's time to get serious.  Time to get a car.

So after talking about getting a car for months, I finally did it.  On Labor Day, salespeople from Honda, Hydunai and Ford worked real hard, but Ford won.  I leased a 2012 Ford Fiesta.  Tuxedo black on the outside, warm cloth black on the inside.

As festive as its name, the Ford Fiesta is the apple of my eye.  Only my husband can drive it (well, I got a stick so hopefully he can drive it).  I told my three eldest that my baby is hands off.  Don't even ask.  You will not get.

I know some people think I'm crazy, but it's one less obstacle to getting a job.  I will need reliable transportation, and now I have it.  Oh, I'm so happy!!