Newness
It's been so long since I've updated that I'm sort of thinking of this as a new journal. A lot of transitory things have happened recently (including today), so I think I'm going to make this the starting entry in a new wave of hopefully regular updates. First, a brief recap:
The school year ended quite nicely. This semester, I was involved with four plays: Waiting for Philip Glass, Artpark (Assistant Director), Till We Have Faces, and And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little. I also finished out my last semester as Chair of the new Jewish Leadership Council and oversaw transition of new officers in the Jewish community. My academics were extremely light this semester (unexpected but reasonably welcome), so this onrush of extracurricular activities was entirely doable and quite enjoyable.
Then I graduated. :) Graduation was awesome. I was excited to receive the "Kyle Award for Excellence in Religious Studies," an award which I in no way was expecting and which I have since discovered required two interviews with my rabbi (probably because she was a reference on my initial UVA application). The Jewish Studies graduation ceremony was similarly awesome, with just Rachel's family and my own (with Gabe and Daniel Weiss) in the Board Room of the Rotunda. All-in-all, the weekend was excellent. (And my brother, one of the nation's most devoted Dave Matthews Band fans, got a picture with Boyd Tinsley to boot.)
Since then, I've been at home. Last weekend, I had an excellent graduation party where almost all of the attendees were from the Temple (and therefore all knew each other). Today, I finished my second book of the summer (the first was a book I started last summer and this one is The White Boy Shuffle by Paul Beatty, recommended to me by Jessica) ... and bought a new car! My previous light blue 1992 Ford Taurus with 215,000 miles was rear-ended, and with the $1720 insurance check, I bought a red 1997 Ford Taurus with 115,000 miles for $1800. A fair trade if I say so myself!
Also today I decided that I'm going to drive to Northern/Upstate Virginia on Saturday to see Jessica in the brief hours that she'll have before taking a train to Amherst, Mass. I'm definitely looking forward to *that* road test. :)
Well, those are the highlights of Recent History. Here's what you have to look forward to:
`Next weekend, I might be going to Charlotte, NC for a regional Magic tournament.
`Next weekend, I'm definitely moving to Charlottesville.
`Where I will begin my new post as the supervisor of the 1st and 2nd grade participants of Camp CBI.
`During the course of the summer, I hope to take interesting weekend trips, including those to Washington, DC where I will be hunting for an apartment on behalf of myself and my two room mates for next year (Corey and Aaron).
So, once again, I hope to keep this regularly updated, and I hope that everyone is off to a great summer!
QotD:
Like the good Reverend King
I too "have a dream,"
but when I wake up
I forget it and
remember I'm running late for work.
~Paul Beatty
SPDWotD:
Today, a list of words taken directly from the Scrabble Players Dictionary--
schlep - to lug or drag
schlepp - to schlep
schliere - a small streak in an igneous rock
schlock - inferior merchandise
schlocky - of inferior quality
schlump - to go about lazily or sloppily
schmaltz - excessive sentimentality
schmalz - schmaltz
schmalzy - characterized by schmaltz
schmear - an aggregate of related things
schmeer - to bribe
schmelze - a type of decorative glass
schmo - a stupid person
schmoe - schmo
schmoos - to schmooze
schmoose - to schmooze
schmooze - to gossip
schmuck - a foolish or clumsy person
schnapps - a strong liquor
schnaps - schnapps
schnecke - a sweet roll
schnook - an easily deceived person
schnoz - the nose
schnozz - schnoz
The school year ended quite nicely. This semester, I was involved with four plays: Waiting for Philip Glass, Artpark (Assistant Director), Till We Have Faces, and And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little. I also finished out my last semester as Chair of the new Jewish Leadership Council and oversaw transition of new officers in the Jewish community. My academics were extremely light this semester (unexpected but reasonably welcome), so this onrush of extracurricular activities was entirely doable and quite enjoyable.
Then I graduated. :) Graduation was awesome. I was excited to receive the "Kyle Award for Excellence in Religious Studies," an award which I in no way was expecting and which I have since discovered required two interviews with my rabbi (probably because she was a reference on my initial UVA application). The Jewish Studies graduation ceremony was similarly awesome, with just Rachel's family and my own (with Gabe and Daniel Weiss) in the Board Room of the Rotunda. All-in-all, the weekend was excellent. (And my brother, one of the nation's most devoted Dave Matthews Band fans, got a picture with Boyd Tinsley to boot.)
Since then, I've been at home. Last weekend, I had an excellent graduation party where almost all of the attendees were from the Temple (and therefore all knew each other). Today, I finished my second book of the summer (the first was a book I started last summer and this one is The White Boy Shuffle by Paul Beatty, recommended to me by Jessica) ... and bought a new car! My previous light blue 1992 Ford Taurus with 215,000 miles was rear-ended, and with the $1720 insurance check, I bought a red 1997 Ford Taurus with 115,000 miles for $1800. A fair trade if I say so myself!
Also today I decided that I'm going to drive to Northern/Upstate Virginia on Saturday to see Jessica in the brief hours that she'll have before taking a train to Amherst, Mass. I'm definitely looking forward to *that* road test. :)
Well, those are the highlights of Recent History. Here's what you have to look forward to:
`Next weekend, I might be going to Charlotte, NC for a regional Magic tournament.
`Next weekend, I'm definitely moving to Charlottesville.
`Where I will begin my new post as the supervisor of the 1st and 2nd grade participants of Camp CBI.
`During the course of the summer, I hope to take interesting weekend trips, including those to Washington, DC where I will be hunting for an apartment on behalf of myself and my two room mates for next year (Corey and Aaron).
So, once again, I hope to keep this regularly updated, and I hope that everyone is off to a great summer!
QotD:
Like the good Reverend King
I too "have a dream,"
but when I wake up
I forget it and
remember I'm running late for work.
~Paul Beatty
SPDWotD:
Today, a list of words taken directly from the Scrabble Players Dictionary--
schlep - to lug or drag
schlepp - to schlep
schliere - a small streak in an igneous rock
schlock - inferior merchandise
schlocky - of inferior quality
schlump - to go about lazily or sloppily
schmaltz - excessive sentimentality
schmalz - schmaltz
schmalzy - characterized by schmaltz
schmear - an aggregate of related things
schmeer - to bribe
schmelze - a type of decorative glass
schmo - a stupid person
schmoe - schmo
schmoos - to schmooze
schmoose - to schmooze
schmooze - to gossip
schmuck - a foolish or clumsy person
schnapps - a strong liquor
schnaps - schnapps
schnecke - a sweet roll
schnook - an easily deceived person
schnoz - the nose
schnozz - schnoz