This Life

So first off, I just need to make a shout out to my buddy Lerone, who lives in Petach Tikva right now. And rides the mini buses on line 51. Hell, when I stayed with her we rode them togther. So here is the deal. Lerones parents told here how much they would rather she ride the mini buses called Moneit Sherut than the big bus. Technically the Sherut is safer, and better yet, quicker. But as you can see by a crazy feak stabbing on one today, you never know. I think when God or whatever you want to call that force that gives and takes, is ready for you, there is no stopping it. So she is safe, her family is safe, and I am safe.

The "butz" as some old Ulpanist liked to call the kibbutz, is treating me well. I like the food a lot more here. (Really, lets talk about the important things first!) On Fridays they make this huge breakfast with scrambled eggs and burekas and pasteries. It was really special. I think the food quality is better because they can cook on a smaller scale.

This butz is so quiet. It is far from any roads and highways. It is so peaceful and at times a bit too quiet. There is talk, through the ulpan that kibbutzim are just "funny farms". I hope it is just a joke, hee hee.

My friend Roie, from Ma-Agan Michael (yes Hugh, I have friends) came to visit on his way home for Shabbat dinner. We walked around and he pointed out all the places I should know about. Did you know that I am about as close as I could get to the mountain they talk about in the bible as Mount. Arrmagedon. So guess who goes first guys? In the distance I can see the place Jesus was born and Jennin. What history.

I am actually studying a lot so far. Slowly slowly things are starting to sink in. I am really paying attention to the songs on the radio at work to understand the lyrics. Work is fine too. Today I worked in the clothes store and folded and straightened everything. It took about 4 hours, but it sure looked nice.

My Shabbat was peaceful. There was a party at the pub here. It is a lot smaller than at Ma-Agan Michael. They had free alcohol too. I danced till about 2:30 and then was tired. On Saturday I slept till 10 and then read for about two hours. I am almost finish with "Narssicus and Goldmund" by Hearmann Hesse. I really love it. My mom gave it to me when she was here and I would really recommend it too. I found a copy of "Sihdartha" also by the same author and that is next. Then I ate lunch, studied for a while, took a nap and then went for a run. That is how a weekend should be, nice and easy.

My mom told me in an email that she saw two movies that I actually just saw last weekend. I was staying with Lerone till I came here. And one day she had to work so I spent the day in Tel Aviv and saw "Memoirs of a Geisha" and that night saw "Brokeback Mountain" with Lerone.

Memoirs was beautiful, but really not as beautiful as the book. I think the book is so much more rich and visual. In the book you learn so much about their culture and ritual. And also the romantic story in the book is better. It seemed to me that the characters in the movie didn't really love each other, that much. But the movie is good at demonstrating how being a geisha before was not a kind of prostitution. And it showed how it changed. The woman are so beautiful in the movie, especially in all their costumes. But I think I would call it a rental.

And Har Brokeback, as it is called in Herbrew. Wow. I think it was an amazing story. I don't think it was exicuted as well as it could have been, but it still was amazing. I think all the isssues it brought into the open about forbidden love and unhappiness, was stunning. There was something very raw about how no one had a happy ending. The scenary was amazingly beautiful. And I think the acting was good. One of my biggest problems was the characters were supposed to be aging, but they never did. And that was a bit distracting. The two main characters are such young guys in real life. And I could totally see Monty Clift in one of the roles!! But it still is a beautiful and powerful movie and I would recommend it.

Ok Ebert, the balcony is closed.