tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56369152012-01-12T06:59:02.914-05:00We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box.Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.comBlogger7241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-971730337214855542012-01-11T07:09:00.000-05:002012-01-11T07:09:24.566-05:00

Wow has Blogger changed.  I guess it's been a while.  While not necessarily wanting to revive this blog, I did have some thoughts recently that I wanted to get out in writing.  Not sure if anyone will even see this post (except the ridiculous spammers who I still get occasional emails from asking to exchange links) but figured it would help me clarify my thoughts (which was one of the stronger

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-65861009538892538792009-06-09T12:38:00.004-04:002009-06-09T13:10:53.652-04:00

I don't know if anyone will read this, since I said goodbye several months ago. I didn't expect to blog again, and I don't expect to continue now. But so many things have changed that I felt the need to post an update. I'm getting married in a week and a day. Everything has changed so dramatically in my life since my last post that it's hard to quantify it. But yes, I'm getting married to a

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-43273246881307545552009-02-01T10:37:00.003-05:002009-02-01T10:48:48.621-05:00

I don't know if anyone will even see this, I've neglected my blog for so long. I felt like my blog deserved one last post - after over five years of semi-regular writing, it didn't seem fair to abandon it without so much as a good-bye. So I guess this is good-bye. I started writing because I was bored at my job. I've moved on from there and I can honestly say that I am very rarely bored where

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-68062374611484927962008-10-12T08:49:00.002-04:002008-10-12T09:16:33.907-04:00

I know I haven't been posting much lately. I think my blogging career is slowly eeking its way towards its end. Regardless of that, I do have some slightly-delayed year-end observations and reflections that I thought I would share. This year really pretty much sucked (I apologize to any readers with sensitivities to somewhat foul language). For so many reasons, my stress level was at a high.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-67344061289445996372008-09-29T08:04:00.001-04:002008-09-29T08:05:36.373-04:00

I wish everyone a sweet and wonderful New year :)

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-3489429697281747422008-09-12T09:13:00.004-04:002008-09-12T09:49:13.510-04:00

So many things to write about, but honestly, so little actual motivation to do so... Here are a few things that have come up in the last few days (or weeks) and my incomplete thoughts about them: This article about a town in Alabama, Dothan, whose Jewish community is offering $50K to move there. Many people sent the article to me, including a commenter here. It's an interesting proposal. I'm

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-14148770217702702432008-08-17T11:40:00.002-04:002008-08-17T11:41:13.364-04:00

Check out this week's HH by The Rebbetzin's Husband (he was even so kind to include my post).

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-40923932501455896482008-08-14T18:36:00.002-04:002008-08-14T18:55:37.148-04:00

Some of my commentors below suggested I look for guidance positions in Bais Yacov (Girl's Orthodox Jewish) schools. While I would not reject any offer without reason, the following story illustrated precisely why I have not been chasing such jobs: A good friend of mine has been teaching at the local Orthodox girl's junior high school for the past two years. My friend had no training or

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-45715022596536392722008-08-09T23:49:00.003-04:002008-08-09T23:52:44.293-04:00

Check out this week's Haveil Havalim, courtesy of Snoopy the Goon at Simply Jews, who was kind enough to include me, along with a large number of other great posts.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-83902971084216064742008-08-05T14:00:00.001-04:002008-08-05T14:00:22.621-04:00

Hat-Tip - My dad.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-84425000417949252252008-08-01T10:44:00.002-04:002008-08-01T10:46:52.021-04:00

Whoa. I almost completely forgot, but today marks my five-year blogiversary (yes, the blogosphere has been around that long). I don't really have much to say that would be worthy of a retrospective blog post chronicling the years since I started writing here at Sweet Rose, so all I'll say is, Wow, the years do fly by.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-90072718020882913442008-07-29T15:14:00.004-04:002008-08-05T13:18:41.747-04:00

Since even before I graduated, I've been looking for a position as a guidance counselor. Easy, right? Um, I wish. Unfortunately, the field is extremely competitive and there are major hurdles to getting that first position in a public school. I'm basically playing a waiting game at the moment, because schools often don't hire until the very last second. And it sucks. I have been on a bunch

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-89511067982204683542008-07-06T23:38:00.001-04:002008-07-06T23:39:11.918-04:00

My great-aunt, who I wrote about below, passed away today. Baruch Dayan Emes.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-35496423633448392042008-06-23T19:42:00.003-04:002008-06-23T20:21:51.539-04:00

I spent the past weekend in Buffalo with my great-aunt, who is in hospice care. I spent the majority of my time at the hospital and felt fortunate to be able to spend time with my aunt. She is such a special person and despite how she was feeling, managed to talk to and entertain each guest that came to visit her, which was a pretty large number of people. My great-aunt never had any

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-55061639861460348552008-06-20T08:41:00.003-04:002008-06-20T08:51:27.257-04:00

I got bad news yesterday. My great-aunt was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She doesn't have a lot of time left. My mom called to give me the news, and to tell me that she was traveling to Buffalo the next morning, along with my grandmother, so they could spend time with my great-aunt. I asked her if I should drive up and she thought it would be a good idea if possible. I thought about it

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-12271459083046815802008-06-05T12:39:00.002-04:002008-06-05T12:44:01.092-04:00

Last night, I went with my cousin to the Museum of Jewish Heritage, which is free on Wednesday nights from 4-8 PM. The main exhibit is a Holocaust Memorial chronicling the events of the Holocaust from Hitler's appointment as Chancellor through the liberation of concentration camps and subsequent resettlement of refugees. It was well done, and I have to admit that it drew a few tears to my eyes

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-11179624256597673402008-05-26T10:21:00.002-04:002008-05-26T10:21:51.550-04:00

I've been having some conversations lately with people about dating. I have a few friends who, for the first time in their lives, are actively seeking to date. In the past, they have just happened to come across people who they fell into relationships with. And now, they are in situations where they have to really put effort and thought into meeting someone with the goal of a relationship.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-775608806532313692008-05-21T16:15:00.002-04:002008-05-21T16:32:54.937-04:00

This post by Gila at My Shrapnel once again hits the nail on the head. This past year, while working with my students, I often found it hard to believe what some of these teenagers had gone through in their short lives. It made me feel really lucky and a little bit spoiled about the fact that I feel like I've gone through some difficult times. When really, in comparison to a 14-year-old who has

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-64810772246718774732008-05-09T10:29:00.003-04:002008-05-09T10:53:40.459-04:00

I had my final session of one of my classes last night. All I have left is class on Monday and the final day at my internship on Tuesday and then I will have officially completely all my requirements for my Master's degree. Which is crazy. At the same time, it seems to have been forever and no time at all. We celebrated in class last night. This particular class has been a year-long course,

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-88402063669587389262008-05-08T08:47:00.002-04:002008-05-08T08:51:15.131-04:00

Israel is officially a 60 year old nation today, and I think that's something to celebrate.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-30848205362969206062008-04-24T08:10:00.003-04:002008-04-24T08:20:53.065-04:00

I went for a walk in the park the other day, since the weather was so beautiful. My neighborhood has a nice, sprawling park with a little pond in the middle that is often inhabited by ducks. Because it was such a beautiful day, there were tons of people out enjoying spring. I walked through the park, admiring the trees and flowers and animals that were all around. And I people watched. I saw

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-30242522819579073352008-04-08T20:59:00.003-04:002008-04-08T21:13:57.085-04:00

It amazes me how, in a few hours, I can see such a diversity of experiences from the student body that I am interacting with at my internship. Today has to be a record for highs and lows. I walked in the door today and was quickly whisked off to help conduct interviews with the scholarship committee of the school. I sat in on approximately 12 interviews of the top 20% of the graduating class,

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-68378025965539855302008-03-31T23:51:00.003-04:002008-04-01T07:26:18.211-04:00

There are a lot of things in life that I don't have control over. Who comes in and out of my life. A lot of the details and events that happen. What I do have control over is my response to the situations that I have no control over. I can break down and cry. I can scream and yell. I can take out my frustrations on others. Or I can be disappointed but still hold my head high. Keep my

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-74782387837147030532008-03-23T09:22:00.004-04:002008-03-24T14:28:44.752-04:00

About a month ago, a women who I work with at my internship told me that she really wanted to go to a Jewish synagogue. She was just fascinated by the idea of it and really wanted to experience it. So, I told her that she could come with me the next time I decided to attend. She was ecstatic. After making this offer, I started pondering. First of all, she was not going to understand a word

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-59099382769536895702008-03-16T14:41:00.004-04:002008-03-16T15:09:37.122-04:00

There is an option on Facebook to list your relationship status as "It's Complicated." I've never really understood why anyone would want to broadcast to everyone that they were involved in such a relationship but it does describe one of the relationships in my life. I have a complicated relationship with God. When I first started becoming religious, I was at a very low point in my life.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-79612850193445455582008-03-11T21:47:00.003-04:002008-03-11T22:10:38.057-04:00

I haven't posted here in a really long time. I wasn't really sure I was ever going to again. But I miss writing. I don't have anything incredibly profound to share. Life has been in high gear without a break. I've been sick a few times, I've been overwhelmed, I've been working and studying really hard. I've laughed and cried and smiled and been sad. It's life. I have 66 days left until I

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-28878810499549107592007-12-31T11:35:00.000-05:002008-01-02T21:31:36.555-05:00

I spent this past weekend in Buffalo at the funeral and shiva of my grandfather. I haven't attended very many funerals and my grandfather is probably the closest individual I've known who has passed away. It was a draining, stressful experience, for many people, and much more for others than myself, but I certainly feel the pain of having lost someone I love. The weekend itself was actually a

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-53423773981122063102007-12-13T08:53:00.000-05:002007-12-13T09:29:06.277-05:00

Despite the title, this post is not about my recent 30th birthday. It's about being a role model to teenagers. I'm one week away from completing the first semester of my internship. Each week, I love it more and more. I have built some very nice relationships with both students and faculty members there. And I feel like, even if I'm not making a huge impact on the students' lives, I'm at

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-38266452435559461282007-11-19T13:54:00.000-05:002007-11-19T14:45:45.187-05:00

I guess my blog isn't completely closed yet, though I haven't had a lot to blog about lately. Or I have had a lot going on, but so much that I can't sort it out in my head to blog about it, or things that I haven't felt so much like blogging. Regardless, I've had one thing in my mind for a while now. I've been doing an internship in a local public high school this year. It's an interesting

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-23058479940322119962007-09-23T09:25:00.000-04:002007-09-23T09:44:00.528-04:00

Both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur have flown by, and Sukkot is shortly on its way. I had a very nice Rosh Hashanah spent with a very special, warm and accepting family that I feel fortunate to have met. But while my tummy was certainly happy (or over-happy) about Rosh Hashanah, my soul has been left quite lacking these days. This past year was a really tough one for me. I've been constantly

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-56874178728916129592007-09-10T08:10:00.000-04:002007-09-10T08:16:32.458-04:00

I haven't been posting much, mainly for lack of what to write these days, and due to a crazy life of moving and starting school for my final year (of my Master's degree; we'll see if the future holds more). But I want to take a minute to wish all my friends and readers (ok, a few members of my family read also) a wonderful New Year. I wish for everyone what they desire, ease of life and good

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-67960839054318742242007-08-17T10:33:00.000-04:002007-08-17T11:03:23.631-04:00

There has been a lot of talk recently on one of the Yahoo! Groups that I am a member of about the shidduch crisis. Comments have been made about the price shadchanim charge to set singles up, about the lack of venues for singles to meet, about the nasty things that are said to females who are not a size 2 or do not dress themselves to the nines for dates. Suggestions were also made for

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-13354427860968416712007-08-14T09:01:00.000-04:002007-08-14T09:19:21.003-04:00

I'm all moved in to my new place. It was a stressful ordeal, from beginning to end. And I still have a lot of work to do, but it's really the good kind of work - organizing and getting everything all pretty in my new place. Throughout this whole situation, I've learned some things about myself and about others. Since I don't have anything to write about at the moment, I figured I would share.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-69859220985547511682007-08-12T07:35:00.001-04:002007-08-12T07:38:26.455-04:00

I've been asked to let the Blogosphere know some very sad news. Unfortunately, Sarah's mother, Gittel Chava bas Pessia, who had been in critical condition, passed away over Shabbos. Baruch Dayan Emes. May Sarah and her family be comforted amongst the mourners of Zion. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sarah and her family. Hamakom Yenachem Eschem B'Soch She'ar Avalei Tzion V'Yerushalayim.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-12267551835840226082007-08-01T08:14:00.000-04:002007-08-01T08:29:44.214-04:00

"Ok, a Blog for my musings. I have been thinking about doing this for a while, but wasn't sure how I felt about exposing my thoughts to the public forum. Oh well, I figure that probably not that many people will read it anyway!" And with the above words, this blog was launched, exactly four years ago, in a small corner of a boring office in Baltimore. I'm still not sure how I feel about

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-30950459208120800492007-07-17T10:37:00.000-04:002007-07-17T11:03:57.212-04:00

I'm currently reading the book "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Piccoult (I think SaraK is a fan). I haven't gotten very far yet, but the basic premise is a high school student who opens fire on his classmates at school one day, killing ten. What I have found interesting so far is the discussion of hiding who we are in the book. Several of the students in the book discuss how they feel no one sees

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-13884422354325053892007-07-05T17:50:00.001-04:002007-07-05T18:16:32.396-04:00

I just managed to read this post by the Curious Jew, which has been touted as the "Post of the Year." Whoa. I'm so impressed with Chana, for so many reasons delineated in this post (and other reasons that have nothing to do with the post). In reading it, I was struck by the knowledge of why I did NOT grow up in an Orthodox environment. I've always done my own thing, been a bit different (

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-62435701009156334752007-06-26T12:03:00.000-04:002007-06-26T12:21:54.132-04:00

I was chatting with Sarah this morning, who has indicated on her Facebook status that she is a squiggle. I asked her what that meant exactly, and she told me that it's like her curly hair and her blog picture, but also like life - up and down - these days. I could relate to that. It made me think about the end of my group counseling class. The week before our last class of the semester, my

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-22549135769353526752007-06-17T18:25:00.001-04:002007-06-17T18:39:07.846-04:00

In my last post, I discussed some of the changes that have happened in my life in the last 10 years. One of the major components of these changes is my religious observance. In response to my mentioning this change in my religious observance came several requests for my "story" about how I became more religiously observant. I found my response to these requests interesting. I was going to

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-71646873063719134402007-06-11T10:45:00.000-04:002007-06-11T11:20:58.545-04:00

There's a chick who lives in Passaic who I met almost exactly 10 years ago - she was one of the leaders of my first trip to Israel. I see her at shul sometimes. It makes me reflect back on my life 10 years ago and the myriad changes that have occurred in that time. 10 years ago today - - I had just finished my 2nd year of college. I had just switched my major from engineering to psychology.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-17057427222652009742007-06-02T23:08:00.001-04:002007-06-02T23:35:57.552-04:00

Over Shabbos, I kept myself occupied with several different reads, one of which was the "Journal of Creativity in Mental Health." The first article in the journal was a fascinating read entitled "When the Music Stops: Releasing the Dream." I found the article fascinating for two reasons. The first was the technique described, which seemed to be the reason for the article, but which I felt took a

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-26122430763610378342007-05-25T10:24:00.000-04:002007-05-25T11:15:51.139-04:00

Over Shavuos, I finished reading "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston. It's the story of a mixed race (part-black, part-white) woman and her life and loves. I was supposed to have read it in high school, but like many books I was supposed to read in high school, I skipped it. I was missing out. The main character, Janie, is a beautiful woman who learns about herself through her

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-13314839671591807632007-05-15T10:37:00.000-04:002007-05-15T11:02:46.578-04:00

I attended the wedding of a friend last night. It was a very fancy wedding out on Long Island. My friends and I got all dressed up, ate lots of really yummy food and then danced like crazy. We got home around 2:00 AM, so I'm a bit tired today. It was one of the most interesting weddings I've ever been to. Part of the reason it was so interesting is that the guy my friend married is a

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-28137497166454420542007-05-09T10:54:00.000-04:002007-05-09T11:11:22.888-04:00

As the last couple weeks have gone by, I've been asking myself what I learned this past semester. I took three courses, none of which I was terribly enthusiastic about, so I had to really think about what I have gained in the past four months. Interestingly, I think I learned a lot more outside of class than inside (but that probably is often the case). I had a horrible schedule this semester,

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-87182250215118099342007-05-06T18:47:00.000-04:002007-05-06T19:08:59.278-04:00

It's been such a nice day. I think Lag B'Omer is becoming my favorite Jewish holiday. Despite it being slightly chilly and being unable to wear my flip flops, I went to the parade. There were lots of people marching and mingling. Surprisingly, I only saw a couple people I knew. After the parade, I had two barbecues conveniently located at the same park to attend. Between the attendees of both

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-11660733224560859402007-04-24T12:15:00.001-04:002007-04-24T12:42:18.405-04:00

At my Shabbos meal last week, a question was asked about women's spiritual growth and whether, despite the fact that women do not have the mitzvah (commandment) to learn Torah the way men do, it is necessary to do such learning, such as going to shiurim (classes) and doing textual study. Then yesterday I came across the following question in the Avodah e-mail list (which I was informed about by

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-26292227138307161492007-04-22T14:23:00.000-04:002007-04-23T14:48:27.690-04:00

I just wanted to draw everyone's attention to the Jewish and Israel Blog Award nominations. The voting starts at 10 PM tonight (Eastern Time), so get ready. I just wanted to mention a couple awards that I think are worthy of voting for. Kindness Happens is nominated for both Best Group Blog and for Best Contribution/Blog that Made a Difference. It's a project that I'm very proud of, and am

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-41107921801691390022007-04-18T10:13:00.000-04:002007-04-18T10:14:21.199-04:00

In reading this article this morning, I'm struck by several things, in light of the Virginia Tech shootings and the class discussion from my class last night, wherein we spoke about the tragedy and how we would be called to handle such a situation as counselors. The man in the article managed to put on a sane, happy face for many, not revealing the side of him that was riddled with

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-47279069100934050712007-04-17T10:31:00.000-04:002007-04-18T08:35:20.216-04:00

I've had a few posts in mind to write, but in light of the horrible news from Virginia Tech, I can't bring myself to write about other topics. Reading what information has been gleaned this morning in the New York Times, I'm struck with the horror of this disaster. I have an old, close friend who used to live in Blacksburg with her now ex-husband and who still has many, many friends there. I

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-62816002156178175132007-04-11T20:32:00.000-04:002007-04-11T21:02:25.891-04:00

Over the last two days of Pesach, while spending my very first Yom Tov in Passaic, I spent a LOT of time reading. This was for two reasons. The first was that I had a lot of free time on my hands (and who wants to study during a holiday?) since most of my friends had left town and the second was that I was completely absorbed in my book, "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by Azar Nafisi. I absolutely

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-21585067792003878822007-03-28T09:51:00.000-04:002007-03-28T09:52:14.108-04:00

Pesach has been on my mind, for various reasons. All the cleaning that needs to be done (no, I'm not going crazy, just doing the minimum necessary, but my car DOES need to be cleaned), and making arrangements for meals and accommodations. I know I have it super-easy, because I won't be hosting anyone and I'm actually going to be taking advantage of the very kind hospitality of others. I'm also

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-84245054252501234072007-03-19T11:14:00.000-04:002007-03-19T11:15:55.784-04:00

Being newly committed to being a cultured and up-to-date person, I was perusing the NY Times yesterday (yes, on my day off!) and I came across this article about a woman who undergoes genetic testing and discovers that she has the gene for Huntington's disease, a neurological disorder that truncates one's life and debilitates a person's quality of life due to the death of brain cells. The woman

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-86712173363779263012007-03-07T10:58:00.000-05:002007-03-08T14:39:07.075-05:00

I just finishing reading this (rather long) article (hat-tip to ALG). It's a fascinating read, merging two prime interests of mine - religion and the brain. The article discusses a couple different evolutionary theories about why religion is so predominant amongst humans in every generation and civilization. The first theory discussed is that the neurological desire to create a religion is a

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-19622078637794769762007-03-04T08:55:00.000-05:002007-03-04T08:56:49.019-05:00

I want to wish everyone a fun, joyous Purim! Head on over to Serandez or the Muqata for the Purim Podcast - it's lots of fun - enjoy!

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-70532192087295015772007-02-27T11:57:00.000-05:002007-02-27T16:13:27.263-05:00

Throughout my life, when I have gotten worked up about something I read in a newspaper or magazine, I've had the habit of actually writing in a letter to the editor (I think this was drilled into me by my father - have to blame someone). Last week, in an act to read something light-hearted and not related to school, I bought a Glamour magazine for the first time in a few years. I was dismayed

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-347934987191034672007-02-18T22:18:00.000-05:002007-02-19T08:06:34.996-05:00

A day I expected to be fairly uneventful and possibly boring ended up being full. I have a friend who lives about an hour away that I hadn't seen in over a year. She has a two-month-old I hadn't yet met, so I thought it was about time. I called her in the morning to see if she would mind a visit. She didn't mind, so I headed on over. It was really nice seeing her. It had been quite a while.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-3112790693719286612007-02-12T21:07:00.000-05:002007-02-12T05:19:03.319-05:00

I had some interesting reactions to my last post (and my blog in general lately), interesting because they spanned the spectrum. I was called "The Man" by Daboys (try "The Chick" next time ;), I was linked to by Ezzie and Jack, and the post sparked a number of very thoughtful and interesting comments. On the other hand, I had a few people privately contact me and express their concern about my

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-72575918144245364452007-02-02T10:54:00.001-05:002007-02-02T10:56:39.006-05:00

This post by Jewish Atheist gave me a lot to think about, much of which I left in the comments. But it gave me pause because many times I think similar thoughts when reading posts such as the ones he highlights. I have also had conversations with friends about this topic - what would we do if out children went "off the derech"? or "should everyone be frum*?" My family isn't halachically

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1170081655447344922007-01-29T09:09:00.000-05:002007-01-29T09:40:55.493-05:00

This past weekend was quite a full one. I went to Alabama! A couple weeks ago, I realized my father's 60th birthday was fast approaching, and I decided to give him a special surprise treat - me! Unfortunately, I don't have any extra days off work, so I had to make it a quick trip - here's my recap: Since I can't take time off work, I decided to make my trip from Saturday night until Sunday

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1169494190111596772007-01-22T14:28:00.000-05:002007-01-22T14:32:23.130-05:00

Ezzie posted a link the other day to this survey, which is being done in order to discover attitudes and actual practices in regards to the sexual restrictions and proscriptions that Judaism places on intimate relations. There was also a lot of discussion on the Yahoo Group from my community about whether this survey is appropriate and whether the results will lead to negative views of Orthodox

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1168877844111398842007-01-15T10:58:00.000-05:002007-01-15T11:37:15.936-05:00

About a year and a half ago, I wrote a post about whether platonic relationships can exist. There were a lot of interesting comments to the post, but unfortunately, they are lost somewhere in cyberspace between my old commenting system and blogger. Basically though, I am of the opinion that, despite the famous Harry and Sally, men and women CAN be friends. I don't think that every man and every

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1168428610524062202007-01-10T06:29:00.000-05:002007-01-10T06:30:10.566-05:00

I have a new post up at Beyond BT - check it out: Inferiority Complex

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1167843707558922232007-01-03T11:29:00.000-05:002007-01-03T20:17:20.080-05:00

Ezzie linked to an article from Haaretz which discusses a ban recently placed on continuing education programs for Ultra-Orthodox women. I have to say, my most persistent thought on the matter is that I just don't get it. I don't understand why women should be barred from continuing education classes, especially ones specifically designed for these religious women. I don't comprehend why

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1167629262978444092007-01-01T00:25:00.000-05:002007-01-01T00:27:43.000-05:00

I know I'm a few minutes late, but I just spent the first moments of 2007 with friends watching the ball drop (on TV). Happy New Year!

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1167336564728145192006-12-28T15:08:00.000-05:002006-12-28T15:09:24.773-05:00

SaraK has started her own blog to chronicle her recent adventures in Israel, and hopefully beyond. Check it out.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1167151099375803492006-12-26T11:20:00.000-05:002006-12-26T22:28:38.333-05:00

Sarah tagged me with the weird meme, where instead of just being weird, I have to delineate the actual reasons for my weirdness, which is surprisingly challenging. 1) My first idiosyncracy is that I am completely unable to follow directions (which is why there are none at the top of this meme). Once in a while I even attempt to follow them, but I usually faily miserably, so most of the time I

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1166805839464712322006-12-22T11:36:00.000-05:002007-01-04T22:45:12.836-05:00

I had dinner with a friend from school the other night. She's from a small town in upstate New York and had never eaten in a kosher restaurant before, so we decided it was high time! It was funny because she was telling me that a) her boyfriend didn't believe that we didn't mix meat and dairy, and b) her mother was very concerned about what kind of food would be offered in such a restaurant.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1166637491165569192006-12-20T12:56:00.000-05:002006-12-20T14:29:14.726-05:00

Fires, wars, murders, drugs. Too often, we read in newspapers and see all over the TV and Internet the bad things going on in the world. But what really makes the world go round is kindness, those little acts that often go unnoticed by all but those involved. Because these small acts don't get published and publicized, people often don't believe they actually happen. So it's time to share! So I

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1166564873558561492006-12-19T16:44:00.000-05:002006-12-19T16:47:53.580-05:00

There is truly nothing like a chag in Jerusalem, but I feel that Chanukah, especially, is just so beautiful here. It is such a visual holiday, the chanukiyot are everywhere and most people are on 'chofesh' (vacation) in honor of the chag. I don't really have time to write a proper post but I am having a wonderful time. Menorah lighting at the kotel (with videos to come!) was amazing and so

SaraKnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1166476981757205992006-12-18T15:55:00.000-05:002006-12-18T16:23:01.800-05:00

I wanted to write about some of my thoughts after completing my group counseling class, not because it's going to be so interesting to everyone out there, but because it really was probably in the top two or three of the most interesting classes I have ever taken (the only others in that rank would be the couple classes I took on neuroscience, which I just find completely and totally fascinating)

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1166197043722964922006-12-15T10:33:00.000-05:002006-12-15T10:37:23.746-05:00

I have been so busy finishing up my semester that I forgot that it was Chaunkah until this morning. So, I haven't exactly had time to put together any kind of inspiring or thoughtful message about the meaning of the holiday. But I thought I would offer a picture from last year - taken in the Old City (by me). Unfortunately, I couldn't be there again this year, but hopefully SaraK will be

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1166114687534518442006-12-14T11:44:00.000-05:002006-12-14T11:44:47.556-05:00

I had a really interesting conversation over Shabbos with one of my hosts. We started out talking about some of the issues with education in Orthodox Jewish schools and the conversation just kind of spread from there. The initial point that was made was that the Orthodox Jewish schools, in order to remedy a lot of the problems they are currently facing, must first and foremost admit that there

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1165867341086213232006-12-11T14:59:00.000-05:002006-12-11T15:02:21.110-05:00

These photos got me really excited for my trip!

SaraKnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1165846187507059592006-12-11T09:08:00.000-05:002006-12-11T09:30:28.620-05:00

Caveat - I acknowledge that this post is probably more interesting to me than anyone else reading this, just because of the focus of my studies right now. Oh well. On my bus ride this morning, the man next to me was reading this article in the NY Times (apparently from Friday) about students entering college while at the same time managing mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1165576293270119462006-12-08T06:05:00.000-05:002006-12-08T06:11:54.500-05:00

Yep, it's my birthday, I'm officially 29(!) years young - wow! (I just keep taking solace in the fact that everyone says I look 22, and they probably think I act 12!) Funny anecdote I feel the need to tell - A friend e-mailed me an e-card to wish me a happy birthday. In the card, it said something about wearing funny hats, and I thought, "Wow, how perfect is that? She found a card that talks

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1165499607823988412006-12-07T08:33:00.000-05:002006-12-07T08:53:27.866-05:00

AKA - Not my birthday. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Some 36 years later, my parents were celebrating the birth of their first child (that would be me). Oh wait, no they weren't. I wasn't born on Pearl Harbor Day, I was born 36 years and one day after that historic day. I always wondered why my parents insisted that they recall Pearl Harbor Day as the day I was born.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1165325118713100832006-12-05T08:21:00.000-05:002006-12-05T18:44:31.603-05:00

It's time for a new post at Beyond BT - along with their one-year anniversary, I think it's been almost an entire year since I have been writing for them as well (I know my first post there was about Chanukah). Check it out - Telling My Story. Enjoy!

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1165111226581395042006-12-02T20:56:00.000-05:002006-12-03T11:04:06.883-05:00

A friend just sent me this beautiful short film that really got me in the mood for my trip. For all of you who are not able to join me, I'm sure you will enjoy. http://films.izfone.com/ Hat Tip (even though she will probably never see this blog): PG

SaraKnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1164827412835755232006-11-29T13:57:00.000-05:002006-11-29T14:11:17.610-05:00

I've updated my sidebar links to include some new blogs that I have been enjoying recently. Check out: Day Boys of 905 David on the Lake Fancy Schmancy Anxiety Maven I Hate the Earth NY's Funniest Rabbi Check them out and leave them comments! Second piece of business is that SaraK is following the example I set last year and is traveling to Israel for Chanukah. I really wish I could join her

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1164722635984308152006-11-28T08:57:00.000-05:002006-11-28T16:06:02.363-05:00

I've been having an ongoing conversation with a friend about the difference between being "frum" and being "religious." It's still a working theory, so bear with me while I try to work it out. According to my friend, being frum is about keeping up appearances. It's about the clothing, the hats, what other people see. It can also be about a mindset - that non-Jewish practices are not what we

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1164231985446844552006-11-22T16:35:00.000-05:002006-11-22T16:46:28.293-05:00

I was mercifully released from work early, so I managed to get home before the insanity of getting out of Manhattan completely ensued. Depending on weather, I may or may not be attending the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade tomorrow, so watch out for me on TV! I'm not able to be with my family this year, but am fortunate to have good friends to celebrate with and appreciated the invitation of a

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1164038765219755752006-11-20T10:43:00.000-05:002006-11-20T11:06:05.443-05:00

Was tipped off to this article by Treppenwitz. I am SO annoyed by the article. Okay, so the Jerusalem Post is probably, maybe, and hopefully a bit biased in their reporting, but, honestly, I don't get it, for so many reasons. First of all, if the issue is with how women are dressed, then why on earth was the gathering to discuss this dress held for men? Why are the men responsible for how

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1163603576054159432006-11-15T10:11:00.000-05:002006-11-15T10:39:50.156-05:00

I recently had a guy contact me via Frumster. After reading his profile, I was concerned that we weren't quite on the same page religiously, so I questioned him a bit about his outlook about how the religious and secular aspects of the world fit together. He responded that he likes to dedicate his life to only Jewish studies, though he is open to television and movies, though well-monitored and

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1163165392207072472006-11-10T08:28:00.000-05:002006-11-10T12:18:06.836-05:00

I've been holding off on writing this post for a long time, out of respect for the guys who probably don't want to read it. So, guys, skip this one - you have been duly warned. This morning, when I was getting dressed, my earring was almost ripped out of my ear when it got caught on my shirt (can you say "ouch!") (oh, but don't worry, I have three more, earrings that is, not ears), and I was

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1163098135383211862006-11-09T13:21:00.000-05:002006-11-09T13:50:03.550-05:00

When people find out that I spent a large portion of my formative years in Alabama, I usually get pretty typical responses. "There are Jews in Alabama?" "Wow, did you experience anti-semitism growing up in the South?" And, "What was it like being Jewish in Alabama?" Well, first of all, contrary to popular opinion, Alabama is NOT the middle of nowhere. It happens to be a fairly large state in

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1162863133644267072006-11-06T20:13:00.000-05:002006-11-06T20:32:58.690-05:00

There has been so much said about the gay pride parade in Jerusalem that I'm not sure there is really anything for me to add. Even the speech on Shabbos at my shul was about it. I'll be honest - I have very mixed feelings (what's new?) about the thought of a gay pride parade in Jerusalem, a city where the most holy site I know resides. Not because I think that gay people don't belong in a holy

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1162303701666784662006-10-31T09:00:00.000-05:002006-10-31T09:35:10.883-05:00

There has been a lot of talk in the Blogosphere lately about whether morality is necessarily based on the existence of a God and whether atheists can have a moral code without it. I'm going to jump on the bandwagon here (as much as I make attempts not to) and write a post of my own on the topic. Because I haven't managed to actually read all the posts out there about the topic, I'm not going to

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1162155193204032032006-10-29T15:44:00.000-05:002006-10-29T15:53:13.243-05:00

Even with the extra hour the end of Daylight Savings Time has afforded me, I still didn't manage to round up all the posts I would have liked. There are just SO many interesting and thought-provoking posts in the J-Blogosphere, that it would be impossible to list them all. I've tried to cover a good number, and I whole-heartedly apologize to any that were not included. (I also apolgize if you

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1161942991126154712006-10-27T05:54:00.000-04:002006-10-27T05:56:31.146-04:00

Don't forget to submit your posts for Haveil Havalim #91 to me! You can click here or you can send me an e-mail with the link. Have a great Shabbos!

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1161779931607067922006-10-25T08:38:00.000-04:002006-10-25T08:55:54.850-04:00

Via Lamed: Interesting article from the NY Times about the federal government backing the establishment of more single-sex classes and schools. Possibly surprisingly, I'm totally for it. I think non co-ed education is extremely beneficial for students, especially past elementary school age, and especially for girls. I didn't have this luxury (though I'm not complaining at all about my

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1161612391352551922006-10-23T09:42:00.000-04:002006-10-23T10:07:17.716-04:00

I'm home sick today :( It's a sentence that can only end in a frown. I am off to see a doctor later, which is something I rarely do, but I decided that there is a reason that I pay money for health insurance and I should make some use of it. I have to thank my very sweet friend for making me soup yesterday while we watched a video (she even sent me home with leftovers). While home today, I've

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1160662900441950592006-10-12T10:19:00.000-04:002006-10-12T10:21:40.466-04:00

Last night I attended an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting. It was a fascinating experience, and I have to say that I learned a tremendous amount from it. One of the big things going on in my life right now that I haven’t written much about is the fact that I am taking a group counseling class. I LOVE it. It is one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken and I have learned a

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1160562706553710672006-10-11T06:30:00.000-04:002006-10-13T11:31:28.846-04:00

It's been a while, but I'm back at Beyond BT. Here's my latest. Enjoy.

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1160447684949305002006-10-09T22:12:00.000-04:002006-10-10T08:10:37.630-04:00

In leiu of studying for my test tomorrow, I've been relaxing and daydreaming a bit. And playing the "what-if game." You know the one - it starts out as "What if such and such never happened." And then you ponder the road that would have led up to today's date, but with a very divergent path. You can pick any event in your life - in the near or far past, signficant or not so much, it can be a

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1160131650665059202006-10-06T06:32:00.000-04:002006-10-06T06:47:31.546-04:00

In a few hours, I'll be headed to Baltimore, along with two of my friends from Passaic. Additionally, rumor has it that Ezzie (of course accompanied by the very lovely Serach and Elianna), the now-famous SaraK (from the erev-Shabbos adventure, let's hope we don't have a repeat of that one), and Josh Yuter from Yutopia will also be descending upon the city for Sukkot (plus quite a few other

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1159970357844840962006-10-04T09:39:00.000-04:002006-10-04T11:03:59.166-04:00

All the forgiveness and apologizing leading up to Yom Kippur got me to thinking a lot about the fact that, often, we have no idea how our words and actions affect other people. This is mainly due to past events that people aren't privy to. But it means that a lot of the time, we don't apologize to the people we should. Or that we just conjure up emotions in others and have absolutely no clue

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1159716697768728592006-10-01T11:15:00.000-04:002006-10-01T15:05:03.493-04:00

I'm in a contemplative mood today, facing Yom Kippur this evening. I woke up to pouring rain, which just kind of set the stage. It's funny, because I remember that it also rained last year on Erev Yom Kippur. Guess it's a New Jersey tradition. I'm thankful for the opportunity to start anew each year, but a bit troubled by the fact that the opportunity seems to go to waste. Each year, shiny

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1159452690391755552006-09-28T09:58:00.000-04:002006-09-29T06:31:05.970-04:00

"For in much wisdom is much vexation; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow." ---Koheles (Ecclesiastes) 1:18 I went to a shiur last night. The topic was Koheles (Ecclesiastes), specifically about the balance between desiring and pursuing knowledge and knowing the limitations of the knowledge that you can expect to obtain. The speaker was very good; my friend who encouraged

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1159274971712343612006-09-26T08:30:00.000-04:002006-09-26T10:15:18.916-04:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful, meaningful Rosh Hashanah. I spent my holiday in Providence with wonderful friends. The community there is wonderful - it's a little, tight-knit community where everyone knows each other. And they also know who's a visitor, because it's a new face. I was warmly welcomed by many members of the community there, and all in all, it was a great way to start the new

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636915.post-1158844296117895142006-09-21T09:09:00.000-04:002006-09-21T09:11:36.146-04:00

It's that time of year again. When I think back to last Rosh Hashanah, I can not even believe how much has happened in one year - I've met so many new people and gone through an enormous amount of experiences. And I like to think that I have grown as a person a bit also. I want to wish everyone a wonderful, happy, joy-filled New Year! Shana Tova!

Shoshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07365142117481675663noreply@blogger.com15