Shavuot Stories

This Shavuot I sat next to my two good friends, Debbie and Chava in shul. I choose these two because they put up with my quirkiness and my straight-on view of the world.

Sometimes I can be a little rough around the edges - a quality not readily accepted by all. I can also be good natured, but I've noticed as I get older, I am definitely getting crankier.

Like with the stupid young newlywed we had lunched with. Debbie, Chava and I, along with my husband and three sons, went to another dear friend's for lunch. That's where we first encountered the newlyweds.

A very handsome couple indeed, young, she Ashkenazi, he Sephardic French. We didn't find out she was stupid until much later, so lunch passed very well, and the food, as usual, was delicious.

Debbie and I went to a shuir after lunch, and when we were walking home, we ran into the girl just walking around, on her way to the shuir that had just ended. Clue #1. Then she talked about her mother-in-law, an Israeli who felt the girl was slighting her by not speaking Hebrew to her, although the girl assured us she wasn't fluent in the language. But since her sisters-in-law spoke English, there was much merriment and laughter, excluding the mother-in-law, which didn't go over well.

As we were walking home, the girl in tow, Debbie began to reminisce about being in Israel years ago, hooking up with a gorgeous Israeli man she had met in Greece and how it didn't work out. The girl looked at Debbie, now 60 years old, and said, "oh, you must have been really pretty back then."

Okay, honesty is always a good policy, but stupid is as stupid does and as Debbie later recalled, my eyes bugged out when I said that Debbie is still beautiful. All I can say is I wish this girl's husband a lot of luck and friends he can actually hold a conversation with.

The shuir was another story. My community is truly blessed with amazing Torah scholars, and one in particular, a former Litvak-turned-Lubavitch is Rabbi Reuven Wolf. He spoke about how with the world in the state it's in, Moshiach cannot be far off. Chaddius will pave the way, and it's up to us to do the right thing. I was overwhelmed with emotion when he spoke about our teenagers, and how they suffer in this final showdown between good and evil. That really hit close to home.

Otherwise, I can't complain. I mean, not anymore about my mother-in-law's sugar-free cheese cake. Oh my gosh, talk about miserable. G-d's blessings still shower down on us, and all Klal Yisroel. Amen.

More Messages

I spent a good part of the day revising a midterm I got a B on in order to raise my grade, so when it came time for my mammogram appointment, I was running late.

I really don't like parking in the structure because it is quite expensive, so I drove around looking for a parking spot on the street. I could not find a thing, and in frustration, I took a meter and hoped the appointment wouldn't drag out.

When I ran to the building I thought the appointment was, it turned out it was the wrong building. Where I parked was right in the middle of the two building - where the appointment wasn't and where it was.

I take the inability to find a parking stop near the wrong building as a sign - one more message from the Holy One, Blessed Be He. Thank you G-d.

BTW, I was in and out in less than an hour. I take that as a message too.

Sharing Happiness

I am nearsighted, which means I don't need reading glasses, but I do use my bifocals, as a separate pair, to read the computer. I have several pairs of these small bifocal only glasses, but a few days ago I found a pair of them on the floor of my bedroom, the ear pieces snapped off.

I figured I would put them away for now and take them to the optometrist to be refashioned when I had a chance. Well, when I found what's left of them broken completely in in half (somebody's angry!), I decided I had better go when the going was still goable.

When I got to my friendly optometrist, he had a customer he was helping, a bubbly young black woman who was obviously very excited. And for good reason. Because when the good glass doctor emerged from the back room, he was carrying the object of this young woman's desire: cat-eye glasses.

As she swooned over her glasses, she told me every detail - a total stranger. And I soaked it all up, joyfully. They were beautiful glasses, with multi-color gems on the tips, purchased in New York city after years of an exhaustive search. I was so happy for her.

Thank you G-d, for the joy. There's truly something special about watching someone else who is very happy. Lifts the soul big time.

Overcoming Anger

My son, who I'll call Batti, has tried my patience of late. He borrowed my phone charger on Friday, promised to return it on Sunday, and not only he not return my charger, but he hasn't returned my frantic phone calls for it as well.

So instead of completely losing all power to the phone, I went out this morning and bought a new phone charger.

Now there are people who would say, "oh come on, you've got your health, you're kids are happy, school is almost over." I say true to all that. But would it be too much trouble to have a 17-year old son who was thoughtful, considerate and responsible?

I can answer that - yes! There, now I feel better.

Working To Get Unstuck

I have written five papers and finished a major power point presentation on the topic of frozen foods in the last week. I am burnt out.

So I'm frantically struggling to write my last paper on Vitamin D and HIV, a paper I've been working on for 3 days now (not to mention the weeks of preparation to get to this point). So why am I having a hard time writing the literature review?

I tried taking a nap, going for a bike ride, eating lunch, and watching a little TV. Nothing has really helped. I get this sinking feeling that I will once again be up until midnight slugging my way through this paper.

Oh well. One thing I know for sure - I will finish this thing today.

Joining The Gym

I am absolutely determined to lose weight. And get in shape. Soon.

So this week I once again joined the local senior center to use the treadmill. Great to see old friends (okay, I've only been going there, on and off, for 2 years, but still, they seem like old friends), and make new ones. The new one would be Doug.

Doug is the cheerleader, the guy who keeps us going, encouraging everyone and working out himself. He can't be more than 55 years old, and he's the kind of person you feel you've known your whole life. Chances are, you have. Because Doug is the kind of person who was everyone's friend in school - the feel good person who just wanted everyone to be happy.

And happy we all are. I read Tehillim on the treadmill, and join side conversations when possible. The guys lift weights. The trainer helps out where he can, and the room is so small, everyone knows everyone else's business.

Just the way I like it. A womb with a view.

My Last Day

I can't get over how things work out. I just finished writing a short paper on genetic disorders among Ashkenazi Jews for a class, and was concentrating on the next short paper when I took a break and went to teach my high school class some physiology.

Okay, more like I went to a room where the high school girls were sitting, talking non-stop, and I tried to get their attention. Thank the Holy One is was my last day - literally. Since I wasn't offering a final, teaching ended on Tuesday for me.

On Tuesdays, I pitch in and act as the teacher of record for a 1/2 hour detention. As I sat there eating my lunch and planning out my next paper, a student of mine came up to me all nervous. She had to give blood in a little over an hour and didn't know what to expect.

Why are you giving blood, I asked. For Dor Yeshorim. Oh my gosh. I couldn't believe it. For those of you who don't know, Dor Yeshorim is an organization that tests orthodox Jews for genetic diseases. Instead of giving the actual results, the test taker is given a number instead. When it's time to date, both parties contact Dor Yeshorim with their numbers to see if they are genetically compatible, or incompatible. Kinda like the cup is half full or half empty.

But how weird is that? I had just finished a paper on that very subject, and here it was, happening right in front of me. I was so excited that when I got into class, I told all the girls, since 11th and 12th graders had the option of taking the tests, all about what they were about to do.

Not that they listened. Oy vey. I just thank G-d it's over for me.