Picture Perfect

The End.

Cat, frank as usual. I do so agree with you. Nevertheless, seeing as how I'm cool either way with this situation, I've decided to give this poor girl the shock of her life. Not because I'm mean and cruel, but because I like shocking people. Meh hehehehehe.

I'm going to ask her out. This is shocking, as she probably doesnt want to be asked out, especially by the likes of me. Mehhehehe.

Am I cruel?
No...really not.

Arty! Your present is on the way. It's a symoblic thing. It's for Hannukah ;-)
It also includes what I hope won't be the last of a hand-written letter.

Your birthday card hasn't arrived. I think it may be lost in the post :-(
For this reason, my gift unto you has gone by a registered post thing-maggigy.

So, shutting down, eh?
Maybe. Maybe I may get tempted to blog here once in a while, but it won't be as consistant as it's been so far. It may be once in a blue moon. Which is, by the way, the odd occassion when a full moon coincides with Jan. 1st. More on teh way to arty about that, believe it or not.

Anyway, back to girls, because I like this subject, even though I know nothing - nothing! - about them. Erm. Yeah. I have nothing to say on the matter. I'll keep you posted though. Anyway. Must rush!

Take care all. And if I never see you again: I love you all. Except those I don't.

Before I continue in this blog, I must announce something.

My blog mentor, and indeed the blog which gave me the inspiration to start this one, has closed down. This is a serious blow to me, obviously. Ok, not really. But it's all symbolic and sounds good.

Of course I'm talking about potnoodleboy's blog, the link can be found on the right of this blog.

I am, therefore, thinking of ending this blog once and for all. I've had a good run, it's been almost exactly a year to date. However, to ensure I can say "I've been blogging a year" I shall be continuing this blog, until December 20th. This is the exact day I started, and is therefore also symbolic, and such. Or whatever.

The point is, I'm closing down on 20th of December. Hopefully I'll get a post in on that day.

The Optimist, the Pessimist, the Realist and the Complete and Utter Fool

But what has been happening in my life now? Well, it appears I should have listened to the pessimist side of me in my last post. The realist in me always knew the pessimist in me was right. Dammit.

Drought

There really is going to be a drought this year. Preperations are being made, and public days of prayer and fasting shall be proclaimed and observed later in the year. For the skeptics of prayer and the invocation of divine mercy, at least this will save water.

College

There has been a talk about the amount of time wasted during the day. Basically, people are missing lessons, and it's annoying the college. Yes, it got quite bad. But as I say, it's what you make of it. The people harm only themselves. Remember, everyone is in this college because they chose to be there.

Girls

My friend, optimist that he is, still thinks I have a chance with this girl I met. What happened, you may ask? Well, the realist in the last post was probably right: she doesn't listen to her messages. This much, I've established. But the pessimist won out on everything else: I am of the opinion she is not interested in me, even as a friend. I was sorely mistaken, it pains me to say, in her apparant kindness. I was of the belief and thought she was a considerably kind girl, to offer to go through my university application with me. She offered, and I hadn't asked, afterall.

As it transpires, I am willing to bet my hat she thought I had completed my applications, and sent them off already, and was retroactively stating I could have obtained help from her last year, when the majority of people sent in their forms. Great help she would have been to me then, considering I hadn't met her yet.

But it appears to me she was just being polite, something she was just being when I obtained, miraculously, her mobile number from her.

I gave her a call yesterday, to see if she wanted to meet up later this week. After the initial awkward silence, she said "oh, is this about your university application thing?" to which my exact words were "um, yeah, sure." The rest of the conversation went as follows:

I'd love to, but I don't know when I'll fit it in. I really have no time this week.
Riiiiiight. Well. Erm.
*recovered at this point from the realisation she has no interest in me whatsoever*

 
For how else do we interpret awkward silences, but the fact that they're a result of shock, or fear? Of course, she must have been thinking "where did THAT come from?"

After I recovered, from my own realisations, I mentioned how nice it was of her to offer, which it was. Of course, it would have been nice of her to follow through. I, for my part, had no intention of obtaining any help from her in this matter whatsoever. I simply wanted to see if she'd help. She didn't.

My friend believes she really doesn't have the time. Or that she does have the time, but lied to get out of doing the applications with me (we agree here, at least). But he also claims she could have accepted if I'd said nothing about applications, and were meeting up as friends, and the silence was simply the thought of  "is this about me, or his applications?"

I've been trying, the entire time, not to be the guy who "pesters me for his own applications." But it appears I've fallen foul of my very own ploy. 

I still maintain she is a nice girl, and exceedingly pretty. It's just that I also maintain that she isn't the one for me. Thank G-d I didn't get attached to her in any way, and though I was initially dissapointed, as any man in his right mind would be, I am able to not dwell on the matter.
 

However, my plan of action, and that of my friends (developed independently) is to call her again some time next week, and invite her out to lunch, specifically as friends. If she doesn't have any interest in me at all, I'll find out with ease. If she does, I'll also find out.

I could just ask her straight out and save the hassle.

But when have I ever done something the easy way?

I have taken the liberty of posting a tri-post here. Read on, and see which description you should read...Of course, if you read the whole thing, it's more fun.

For the Optimist: 

We're having lovely weather here in Israel. The climate is perfect, and the sun is out every day. The college is taking us on a trip to the north of the country for the weekend, and it promises to be a good one. The situation within the unified city of Jerusalem is peaceful at the moment, and there is nothing to indicate that it will not continue to be so. As for the girl from the past I met here, things are looking up and I have certainly scored points in a future relationship with her. I've decided to take things slow, however, as I'm yet young, and would first like to befriend her, before taking the relationship further.

The learning in the institution is relaxed, and fits my temprament perfectly, even though the learning day is a long one - 10 hours.

Everything's looking up, and will no doubt continue to do so.

For the Pessimist:

The weather here is totally unseasonal at the moment, the sun is beating down upon our backs with a vengance. This is supposed to be the rainy season, and there is no rain. This year is certainly going to be a drought year, and will bring all the horrors which drought years bring. Besides the obvious fact that there could be no drinking water, If there is no water for the crops, how will the crops grow for the coming year? We can kiss goodbye to the harvest season here. Drought will soon turn into famine.

Just my luck that my one year here in the middle east is to be a drought year.

As if this isn't enough, the college is forcing us to go on and pay for a trip to the north, which no one really wants to go on. Do I want to go? No. Do I want to stay here and be lazy? Yeah!

The situation in Jerusalem is quiet at the moment. Things in the west bank and in the surrounding majority-population-arab-towns (such as Bethlehem, and Hebron) are sure to heat up: the worst thing in a situation like this is silence. Silence is never good. It means things are being cooked-up. I envision a harsh attack sometime soon. The fact that I've experienced many a bomb-scare in the bus station here is not promising either.

As for the girl I met last week, she's returned none of my calls, which implies she isn't at all interested in me even as a friend. I really can't be bothered to persue the matter: I'm still young, there are plenty of people out there, so why should I hurry anything, or persue someone who shows little to no interest in me? Exactly. Therefore I have no remaining interest in her.

The level of learning here is pithy, with people turning up to lessons only if they so wish. Though the learning day is 10 hours, it can just as easily be cut into 5.

What a waste of a year.

For the Realist:

The weather here is beautiful, albeit rather unseasonal. There is a high possibility that it will be a drought year this year, but we have just started the rainy-season, and there is yet time for things to turn around.

A trip to the north of the country has been arranged for tomrrow by the college. I don't particularly wish to go, but it will be good to get out of my local area, and it does promise to be quite fun. I do think my sleep-situation (or lack thereof) will be hindered somewhat, however.

Jerusalem is peaceful, with no reason to turn around. History tells me the "peace" won't last long, but it is silent at the moment, and we must be greatful for such respites from terrorism, and persue normal life whilst we can.

I've called the girl I met two-Saturdays ago three times since meeting her: twice I left a message, but she didn't return them. I did get through to her once, and she seemed to think it was sweet of me to call her. I think, therefore, that she doesn't listen to her messages. Is three times too much? Who knows. I don't want to be clingy, but neither do I want the relationship to fall by the way-side. It is a difficult balance.

I do not know if she has any interest in me beyond a friend. At the moment, I've decided it's best not to be anything more than friends: this means I won't have to grow unnecessarily emotionally attached to someone, as well as the added benefit of getting to know who she is before starting anything serious. In all, she's a lovely girl who I will enjoy befriending. If it can't be more than that, c'est la vie. I would be no worse off than before I met her, and I was very happy before I met her.

The college itself is relaxing it's rules. It's what you make of it here. Those who wish to be more serious will keep to the schedule, those who do not, won't. It's that simple. As I'm staying here but a year, I need to be in the "serious" catagory to warrant my stay here.

All in all, life's good.
-----------------------------

Ah, it's all in the way it's written, isn't it?
Many of you may know I consider myself a realist...And so the last way is probably how I would have written this post in the first place. As many have said to me, however, the "realist" may simply be the much-used disguise of the pessimist.

I'm not a pessimist.

I'm not!

Anyway. Responses:

Arty> Nothing is wrong with your keyboards. There is something wrong, however, with the mentality of "we will not inculde any superior currencies on our keyboards." I blame not the keyboards. I blame the Americans :p

Helen> You don't need to feel guilty. After your birthday passes without a happy birthday from me, however - for I do not know the date which you first entered this world, kicking and screaming [as you so oft do, mehehehe] - consider us quits. When is your birthday, btw? :p (see, I'm good at heart).

Bec> It is odd that located on my right is not one, not two but three Australian Jews. Odd, no? No more odd than me being here, I suppose.

Anyway,  you asked a question:

I pass a church entitled "Jewish Believers in Christ"... now Im not saying which ones right, but to me that seems like a paradox.

I would totally agree with your opinion that this is a paradox. Once a Jew believes in Christ, s/he is by definition no longer a Jew. By professing belief in Jesus as their saviour, they by default reject the basic tennets of Judaism, for those tennets do not allow a belief in Jesus to exist whilst being a Jew.

It's as great a paradox as saying "Christian Jews" or "Muslim Christians." It simply doesn't exist. You're either a Mulsim, a Jew, or a Christian. There simply is no space within these three religions to be a believer in all of them.

There are many Christians who would come to the aid of these so-called Jews, saying it is possible to be a Jew by culture, and believe in Christ. 
Yes, I suppose that's possible. But culture doesn't make someone Jewish: there are many people from different cultures across the globe who are Jewish, either converting from or being brought up in, that culture.

In short, a Jew who believes in Christ, is, quite simply, a Jew only by name. If that's the intent of the title "Jews for Jesus," they have attained their wont.

I would like to add that generally, the majority of people within those churches are not Jewish, but tend to be Christians who wish, for some reason, to persue the Jewish roots of Christianity. Good luck to them.

So, as to those people who are Jewish and believe in Christ, they would be regarded by Jews the globe over as Jewish converts to Christianity. Jewish groups would, therefore, reject their theological stance. As to the individuals who make up the group, however, there are many different reactions I would envisage.

Some would regard them with indifference, perhaps the most harmful stance to take, and one which I would not back.
Others would regard them as traitors, another dangerous stance to take, as it may lead to hatred, which again, I would not advocate.
Others still would regard them as their brethren who have lost their direction, and as individuals, extend to them hospitality and friendship as they would any other Jew. As groups, they would dissasociate themsleves from these people entirely.

As for my part:

There is an old rabbinic dictum: "Know what to answer to the one who has gone astray" -  that is, know what to answer, but don't initiate discussion. For they have obviously gone through their beliefs in Judaism and do not view them as valid, for whatever reason, and initiating discussion with them would do little to bring them back to their former religion, would only cause arguments and friction, and is therefore not wanted.

I view these people, as a group, alien. Quite frankly, I pity them. Individually, I would treat them as my brethren.
As to the self hating Jews, it is they who I regard as traitors: to themselves, and their religion. It is these people who most certainly are not my brethren, and who have no wish to be.

Wow. Quite lengthy. Of course, there are many others who would be reading this.

In short: No, they're not Jewish.

This past week has gone through in a whirlwind. This, of course, is always good. It means I'm having fun (in theory) for fun things always pass quickly. Am I having fun? I guess so. My finger hasn't healed fully from last week, so it hurts some to type this.

Thanks to those who sent me a birthday card...I'm sure it's on it's way :p

Today was strange. I went to Bethlehem. It does, of course, contain a majority Arab population, though it is governed by the state of Israel. Therefore entering this area was a dangerous thing for me to do, and is actually fobidden by my parents (they signed a little slip thinggy saying I'm not allowed to go to that area, amongst others). However, they need never know.

The bus was not really bullet-proof. The roof wasn't. The glass at the top wasn't. I'll bet my hat the sides weren't. Anyway, to cut a long story short, it was necessary for a soldier to accompany us on part of our trip.

I visited the tomb of the Matriarch, Rachel, who was burried on the side of the road. For years, Jews have gathered there to pour out their hearts to the Creator, in the hope that Rachel shall weep once more ["Thus says the Lord; A voice was heard ....lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refuses to be comforted for her children..." (Jeremiah 31:14 onwards)]. For shall not the merit of the righteous help those who are not?

And so I prayed, for a number of things.

I have been very poor this past week. I have done almost nothing exciting. My allowance this week was about 30 Shekels (local currency) which translates into 4 pounds stirling (where is the key for that here? Gah.) which is about $7 (darn American-ish keyboards). I have been surviving fine, though. And not just fine.

It all happened one Saturday night. I was in the Central bus station, doing my thing (university stuff. It never seems to end, and my work has just been increased). There was an announcement that there was a bomb, the building was cordoned off, no one was allowed to move from the floor they were on. The roads outside were blocked. 10 minutes later, there was another announcement in Hebrew saying they were going to detonate the bomb. There was a bang, a scream, and that was the end of it. Exciting, no? And to think I could have been blown up into a million pieces, along with about 300 other innocents. Ah, terrorism.

What was going through my mind at the time?
Nothing. Fear? No. I was actually on the phone to my mother, reassuring her everything was going to be fine, I recall. 

After the bomb scare, even more exciting things happened. I met a girl I once knew from England. Someone who has featured on this blog a few times before, in fact. Not by name, of course.
This was a very exciting development, at least for me. After catching up for a bit, she offered to help me with my personal statement (heh heh heh), and shortly after, I got her number and promised to stay in touch. Which was not, in fact, met with scorn and disdain, for a change.

She must be the most beautiful and elegant girl I have ever known. I used to have a crush on her, and I believe she on me, at one point, but that was all years ago. I don't want to jinx anything, so I shall say no more.

This is, without a doubt, the most exciting development of all (though arty's birthday card follows closely) and has made a positive impact on my general feeling of well being. I'm not sure why, but it has. It has, therefore, also seen a direct increase on my level of study.

Discussion with her instigated a one-on-one learning session which I arranged the day after meeting her, about one's outlook on life. I intend to go through several Jewish sects, to assertain which one I identify most with.

My Jewish-ness is a bit mixed. This is not a bad thing, as it enables me to feel at home with anyone from the modern-orthodox right through to the ultra-orthodox places.
I consider myself modern-orthodox (which is frequently attacked by the more-orthodox people) though have an open mind to anything else.

These are the options (I state this for my own personal benefit, and not necessarily for my audience, though if you're interested in comparitive religion, you may enjoy it):

Chareidim
The Ultra-Orthodox. The traditional Jews. This is essentially the group I theoretically subscribe to.

Torah Im Derech Eretz
This is Hebrew for "The Law with the Way of the World." "Law" refers to bible law, and "way of the world" refers to, well...the world.

This essentially means, those who follow this outlook live a (Jewish) life dedicated to the Law but at the same time follow certain norms of society in which we live, such as persuing an education and  career. This is in the wing of Ultra-Orthodoxy if understood and implemented correctly, and in the level of middle-of-the-road Orthodoxy if misunderstood and not applied with the dedication it was intended to bring.
This is the group I feel to be the most correct in today's society. It is a branch of Orthodoxy, and therefore is accepted amongst all Jewish groups.

Orthodoxy.
This is a generic term, for those who keep the Law. Ortho Dox, meaning "correct doctrine." Middle of the road people. They are very strict, don't get me wrong.

Next down, is the Modern-Orthodox. This is the group I feel to be more on my level, though I do not believe them to be correct in many of their practises. The bible was either given 3,317 years ago, or it wasn't.
How then can the modern orthodox justify practises which go against the bible?
These people are also strict, but are more accepting of:
1) modern technology
2) customs and mannerisms of the society in which they grew
3) "fraternisation"

and such.
They do, however, keep all the laws, though they border on not doing so on some issues, such as the above (modern technology is the like of TV, which is seen by many to spew out rubbish [which, frankly, it does] and things which are classed as immoral by the bible [like porn, or immodesty]).

Anything else, Orthodoxy does not consider Jewish. This applies to the Conservative and Reform movements, as well as the Jews for Jesus (set up by evangelical christianity) organisation.

Therefore, an organisation will not accept what is below it, but will accept what is above it. The list is as follows:

Orthodoxy,
[Modern-Orthodoxy - some class this as a group on it's own, and don't accept it]
Conservative,
Reform.

Messianic Judaism is in a catagory of it's own. It is not accepted even by the reform movement, and it's doubtful if they (MJ) accept the reform themeselves, let alone black-hatted, and bearded Jews of orthodoxy and ultra-orthodoxy.
------

And so, I feel the group I will subscribe to is the "Law with the way of the world."
But that will probably occur after I get married. Before then, it's modern-orthodoxy with large tendancies towards the former outlook.
-------------------------

Responses

Helen> Ha. thanks :p

Arty+vindy> hehe. Well, here's me hoping. Who knows? Maybe this girl I met is an option for me...one day :p