Am Y'sroel, Chai!
I'm doing it. I have decided, and there will be no stopping me. There is no reason for me not to any more. I am going to finally go on a Birthright trip to Israel. I was going to sign up for it today, but unfortunately sign up for the winter (which is when I want to take the trip) doesn't start until at least September 12th (according to the Taglit website). So I am marking my calendar (by the time you read this, it will already be marked), and by that day, I will hopefully be registered and telling you when I am going. I am totally doing it on my own, because I have decided I need to start doing things like this on my own. The whole idea of this trip is getting me very excited, and I haven't even registered yet. I feel like taking this trip, which I am told is quite the spiritual quest, will really open up my life a little from the monotonous, monitariless, and over-all plainness I feel like my life has become. I can't remember the last truely exciting thing I have done, especially for any prolonged period of time. Plus I need to take a real vacation that has nothing to do with visiting family. Nothing against my family, but the last time I actually traveled anywhere (with or without family) that was just a straight up vacation was when I went to England for the 1999-2000 New Years. Sure I have taken small trips to visit friends at their various colleges when I was in school, but those don't really count as vacations, but rather just a part of college that everyone does (or should do) at some point in their college "careers".
It would also be nice to inject some new people in my life, and force me into a situation where I can be social. One thing I have noticed (whether it is new, or old and I am just noticing it now), is that my life has taken on a tendancy to enjoy being anti-social and/or lazy when it comes to seeing/meeting people. Or maybe it is just NY that is doing that to me, in which case, I should move out of NY (not going to happen any time soon). So going on a trip with a bunch of people around my age, most of whom complete strangers to everyone else, will prove the perfect environment for meeting new people; much like a college orientation (even though I don't remember a single person I met at either Buffalo's OR Purchase's orientations). Just a bunch of Jews getting to know other Jews that they might have never met otherwise. Of course, there is also the odd (and slightly likely) chance that on the trip, I will see people I already know (whether I am friends with them or not), which could make socializing easier OR harder. Of course, worst case scenario, I end up on the same trip as an ex with her new beau, or with some person(s) whom I have horribly hurt/offended at some point in the course of our lives (not as likely). Best case scenario, I get hella biz-aye with a bunch of hot chicks (or I get drunk and get biz-aye with a bunch of ugly chicks), or really best case scenario, I meet a person NOT from the internet. Of course, those would just be side perks, not the purpose of my trip at all.
The whole point is that recently I have come to the realization that my life needs a swift kick in the motivation button, because that thing has jammed up from lack of use. Sure it was briefly pressed to get me to eat better and go to the gym, but even that seems to be fading (although I am starting to make an effort in the better direction). I can't gaurentee that this trip will reverse any negative trends, or make my life suddenly a million times better, but it's better then doing nothing, and you never know what might happen. Plus, you can never go wrong with a free trip. And no, the current situation out there does not make me second guess whether or not I want to go.
I am really going to do this. September 12th. Just watch me.
It would also be nice to inject some new people in my life, and force me into a situation where I can be social. One thing I have noticed (whether it is new, or old and I am just noticing it now), is that my life has taken on a tendancy to enjoy being anti-social and/or lazy when it comes to seeing/meeting people. Or maybe it is just NY that is doing that to me, in which case, I should move out of NY (not going to happen any time soon). So going on a trip with a bunch of people around my age, most of whom complete strangers to everyone else, will prove the perfect environment for meeting new people; much like a college orientation (even though I don't remember a single person I met at either Buffalo's OR Purchase's orientations). Just a bunch of Jews getting to know other Jews that they might have never met otherwise. Of course, there is also the odd (and slightly likely) chance that on the trip, I will see people I already know (whether I am friends with them or not), which could make socializing easier OR harder. Of course, worst case scenario, I end up on the same trip as an ex with her new beau, or with some person(s) whom I have horribly hurt/offended at some point in the course of our lives (not as likely). Best case scenario, I get hella biz-aye with a bunch of hot chicks (or I get drunk and get biz-aye with a bunch of ugly chicks), or really best case scenario, I meet a person NOT from the internet. Of course, those would just be side perks, not the purpose of my trip at all.
The whole point is that recently I have come to the realization that my life needs a swift kick in the motivation button, because that thing has jammed up from lack of use. Sure it was briefly pressed to get me to eat better and go to the gym, but even that seems to be fading (although I am starting to make an effort in the better direction). I can't gaurentee that this trip will reverse any negative trends, or make my life suddenly a million times better, but it's better then doing nothing, and you never know what might happen. Plus, you can never go wrong with a free trip. And no, the current situation out there does not make me second guess whether or not I want to go.
I am really going to do this. September 12th. Just watch me.