(no subject)
Jun. 3rd, 2025 10:12 pmOpen to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 1
Ask me anything.
Crafting: The Hard Part
May. 26th, 2025 01:41 pmI've finished the lettering. I've finished the circle.
Now comes the part of my embroidery that Eyal calls "the fussy bits." The grapes and figs and pomegranates and dates and olives. The respective vines and leaves flowers. Oh, and wheat and barley.
I got one grape done today. It was an experiment, actually - to see if satin stitch was the right way to go on filling in the grapes. It was successful. I like satin stitch - it's pretty easy, just rows of straight stitches of varying lengths. The only bitch is making sure that they're sufficiently close together to get the eponymous effect. So I figure it'll be satin stitch on the grapes, wheat, and barley. Haven't decided about the other fruit and flowers.
This ends Anna's geeking out about embroidery.
Now comes the part of my embroidery that Eyal calls "the fussy bits." The grapes and figs and pomegranates and dates and olives. The respective vines and leaves flowers. Oh, and wheat and barley.
I got one grape done today. It was an experiment, actually - to see if satin stitch was the right way to go on filling in the grapes. It was successful. I like satin stitch - it's pretty easy, just rows of straight stitches of varying lengths. The only bitch is making sure that they're sufficiently close together to get the eponymous effect. So I figure it'll be satin stitch on the grapes, wheat, and barley. Haven't decided about the other fruit and flowers.
This ends Anna's geeking out about embroidery.
LUE: Sleepless Night
Apr. 26th, 2025 03:46 amMy night had already looked to be going badly. Couldn't sleep, tossing and turning, and even a visit from Cheddar didn't help.
Then at 2.45 am, we heard it. The siren.
Fuck.
And maybe it was a sign of just how tired we are, emotionally. We just...kind of stayed in bed.
Finally, an hour later, I got up. I know this is probably the worst thing I can do, but fuck it.
Then at 2.45 am, we heard it. The siren.
Fuck.
And maybe it was a sign of just how tired we are, emotionally. We just...kind of stayed in bed.
Finally, an hour later, I got up. I know this is probably the worst thing I can do, but fuck it.
Crafting: A Stitch In Time
Apr. 23rd, 2025 12:19 amToday, for the first time in a long time I picked up my embroidery paraphernalia: hoop and cloth, thread, needle, threader, scissors.
I'd been on a regime of wearing my compression gloves when typing, and it had eased the numbness. Now we'd see if I could get back into the hobby that, in all honesty, has really given me the most relaxation ever.
I did. I finished two words on the project that I put on hiatus last year. (This is my current project; at the moment I'm stitching the letters around the picture. On the good side: I'm really good at back stitch, because it's the second stitch you learn. On the bad side: it's a lot of back stitching.)
Eyal is ecstatic.
Crafting is pretty freaking awesome for the soul.
I'd been on a regime of wearing my compression gloves when typing, and it had eased the numbness. Now we'd see if I could get back into the hobby that, in all honesty, has really given me the most relaxation ever.
I did. I finished two words on the project that I put on hiatus last year. (This is my current project; at the moment I'm stitching the letters around the picture. On the good side: I'm really good at back stitch, because it's the second stitch you learn. On the bad side: it's a lot of back stitching.)
Eyal is ecstatic.
Crafting is pretty freaking awesome for the soul.
LUE: It Only Works Once
Apr. 20th, 2025 11:26 amEyal: Looks like the would-be Messi next door has given up the Beautiful Game.
not thirty seconds later, two soccer balls come sailing over our garden wall
Me: Uh, Eyal?
points to garden
Eyal: A million dollars would never rain out of the sky and fall into the garden.
not thirty seconds later, two soccer balls come sailing over our garden wall
Me: Uh, Eyal?
points to garden
Eyal: A million dollars would never rain out of the sky and fall into the garden.
Jewish: Different From All Other Nights
Apr. 13th, 2025 04:27 pmWe ended up doing Pesach with Orit and Aharon. It's not a bad thing - just very, very long. Why is it so long?
Well, it's my nephew Elad. See, he likes to make long drashot (loosely translated - sermons) on every tiny little point in the haggadah. He has them planned.
I love Elad to death, but...yeah. Seders with Michal (Eyal's cousin) and Nahum go shorter, not because they cut anything out, but because they cut way down on drashot. The ones that Nahum makes are short, to the point, and full of dad jokes. It's entertaining. Elad is deadly earnest.
That aside, I generally like doing Pesach with Orit and Aharon. My father-in-law is there, and he's a soothing presence. Orit is a warm, welcoming hostess. Aharon has a truly generous heart. Sima, Aharon's sister, is there, and she is my icon - smart, funny, warm-hearted, and kind. Ilana, Aharon's mother is there, and she's delightfully salty and gives zero fucks. Nati, Orit's youngest, is always entertaining. And the singing is gorgeous - Iraqi Jewish melodies sung by Aharon and Elad, who both have haunting tenor voices.
The food can't be beat, either. Pesach schnitzel, bakhsh (Bukhari style rice with herbs and meat), tahdig (another rice dish), matzoh ball soup, grilled salmon...yup, Orit knows how to put on a spread.
Still, we cut out at midnight - and no, the seder wasn't over, just the meal. But Eyal was exhausted, and we had an hour and a half to drive.
Eyal was proud of me. I was given a part to read, and read it well. Sima praised my singing. My nieces all showered my outfit and makeup with compliments ("Pink is your color!"). But I think I summed it up when I said this at the seder:
"ב"ה אנחנו יכולים כאן ביחד"
"Baruch HaShem we can be here together."
That's something everyone agreed on.
חג פסח שמח
Chag Sameach!
Well, it's my nephew Elad. See, he likes to make long drashot (loosely translated - sermons) on every tiny little point in the haggadah. He has them planned.
I love Elad to death, but...yeah. Seders with Michal (Eyal's cousin) and Nahum go shorter, not because they cut anything out, but because they cut way down on drashot. The ones that Nahum makes are short, to the point, and full of dad jokes. It's entertaining. Elad is deadly earnest.
That aside, I generally like doing Pesach with Orit and Aharon. My father-in-law is there, and he's a soothing presence. Orit is a warm, welcoming hostess. Aharon has a truly generous heart. Sima, Aharon's sister, is there, and she is my icon - smart, funny, warm-hearted, and kind. Ilana, Aharon's mother is there, and she's delightfully salty and gives zero fucks. Nati, Orit's youngest, is always entertaining. And the singing is gorgeous - Iraqi Jewish melodies sung by Aharon and Elad, who both have haunting tenor voices.
The food can't be beat, either. Pesach schnitzel, bakhsh (Bukhari style rice with herbs and meat), tahdig (another rice dish), matzoh ball soup, grilled salmon...yup, Orit knows how to put on a spread.
Still, we cut out at midnight - and no, the seder wasn't over, just the meal. But Eyal was exhausted, and we had an hour and a half to drive.
Eyal was proud of me. I was given a part to read, and read it well. Sima praised my singing. My nieces all showered my outfit and makeup with compliments ("Pink is your color!"). But I think I summed it up when I said this at the seder:
"ב"ה אנחנו יכולים כאן ביחד"
"Baruch HaShem we can be here together."
That's something everyone agreed on.
חג פסח שמח
Chag Sameach!
LUE: Some Notes On Life In Israel
Apr. 5th, 2025 06:49 pm(NB: I will not be discussing politics or The Situation here and any comments related to such will be summarily deleted.)
Geography
Israel is a small country. It's about the size of New Jersey, and like the Garden State possesses a number of unique microclimates - accounting for the variety and success in Israeli agriculture. There's a misconception that it's all desert, which is complete bollocks. I live in the desert now, but before that I lived in the Central District, which is quite green and forested. Before that I lived in Jerusalem, which is hilly and whose outskirts serves as one of Israel's prime districts for viticulture.
Part of this compact nature? Everywhere is a short (by American standards) journey away. Hence why it's not so much of a big deal that we live in Beersheva and have family and friends in Jerusalem and the Central District.
Language
Hebrew is an interesting language. Speaking Hebrew makes me very happy. I am not perfect at it, but my ability to understand and be understood has grown by leaps and bounds. I only speak Hebrew with most of my in-laws.
I do speak with an accent, but thankfully it's not a very thick American accent. Because I can pronounce the two consonant sounds that trip up most English speakers (the hard "ch" and gargled "r") my accent is usually taken as generically foreign. Occasionally I get taken for Russian, but that's due more to my appearance (Russians in Israel are stereotyped as being light-skinned, light-eyed, and light-haired - and I hit the trifecta.) I don't have the grammatical difficulties and pronunciation peculiarities that Russians have, so people who hear me speak first don't take me for a Russian.
Mind you, I have my own grammar difficulties. Matching the correct object pronoun to the correct verb (it's not the endings, which are consistent, but the prefixes, which change depending on the verb) is a nightmare. I'm still learning verbs (I have most present tense verbs down, and a lot of past tense - but future and imperative are still tough). Vocabulary isn't too hard. I've got a lot of important stuff memorized, especially the ones that you want to be loanwords but aren't (computer, car, taxi, sandwich, e-mail, post office, doctor, clinic, pharmacy, medication, prescription).
Media
Israel has some excellent films and television and literature and journalism.
However.
Israel also has crummy reality television, stupid movies, trashy books, and escapist magazines.
Big Brother is primetime viewing here. That's depressing.
As for films...well, I know that my American friends are embarrassed about the teen movies of the late seventies going well into the eighties. Let me introduce you to a little film from 1978 called Eskimo Limon, a raunchy teen comedy set in the '50s about three horny teenage boys: the bad boy, the good boy, and the fat comic relief. It was a smash hit and inspired no fewer than seven sequels and a 2001 reboot. Shit, even Porky's only had two sequels before it was put out of its misery.
I'm not going to get into the newspapers, except that I stick with the centrist Yediot Acharonot and stay away from the far-left Ha'aretz and Bibi-worshiping Yisrael Hayom. For English coverage I'll read The Jerusalem Post, the oldest continuously printed English language paper in Israel.
I will mention a few Hebrew language magazines. None of the larger men's or women's magazines publishes a Hebrew edition, so local magazines have sprung up to fill the gap. For the ladies, there's At ("You," in the feminine grammatical form) and LaIsha ("To The Woman"). These contain fashion, beauty tips, agony aunts, sex, quizzes, and sex quizzes. For the guys there's Blazer: cars, gadgets, sport, travel, clothes, grooming, and not a few scantily clad models.
That being said, there are quite a few literary journals in Israel for writers, and our friend Robbie has been making his name as a writer of some note these days in said journals as part of Israel's "Generation 1.5," the children who came from the former Soviet Union and grew up with, as Robbie put it, a foot in both worlds (and now a viable literary movement).
Beauty Standards
It's complicated. Basically, if you're not required to dress up, you can dress down and no one will judge you. But if dressing up is required, you better be on your A-game.
You'd think this would fill me with rage. But I like a challenge, and I've found the effort to look my best actually makes me feel better. Besides, I enjoy the fact that I can go to the makolet (think a bodega) in sweats and a t-shirt and Crocs and no one blinks an eye just as much as I enjoy the compliments I get on knee-high boots or a red lip.
Geography
Israel is a small country. It's about the size of New Jersey, and like the Garden State possesses a number of unique microclimates - accounting for the variety and success in Israeli agriculture. There's a misconception that it's all desert, which is complete bollocks. I live in the desert now, but before that I lived in the Central District, which is quite green and forested. Before that I lived in Jerusalem, which is hilly and whose outskirts serves as one of Israel's prime districts for viticulture.
Part of this compact nature? Everywhere is a short (by American standards) journey away. Hence why it's not so much of a big deal that we live in Beersheva and have family and friends in Jerusalem and the Central District.
Language
Hebrew is an interesting language. Speaking Hebrew makes me very happy. I am not perfect at it, but my ability to understand and be understood has grown by leaps and bounds. I only speak Hebrew with most of my in-laws.
I do speak with an accent, but thankfully it's not a very thick American accent. Because I can pronounce the two consonant sounds that trip up most English speakers (the hard "ch" and gargled "r") my accent is usually taken as generically foreign. Occasionally I get taken for Russian, but that's due more to my appearance (Russians in Israel are stereotyped as being light-skinned, light-eyed, and light-haired - and I hit the trifecta.) I don't have the grammatical difficulties and pronunciation peculiarities that Russians have, so people who hear me speak first don't take me for a Russian.
Mind you, I have my own grammar difficulties. Matching the correct object pronoun to the correct verb (it's not the endings, which are consistent, but the prefixes, which change depending on the verb) is a nightmare. I'm still learning verbs (I have most present tense verbs down, and a lot of past tense - but future and imperative are still tough). Vocabulary isn't too hard. I've got a lot of important stuff memorized, especially the ones that you want to be loanwords but aren't (computer, car, taxi, sandwich, e-mail, post office, doctor, clinic, pharmacy, medication, prescription).
Media
Israel has some excellent films and television and literature and journalism.
However.
Israel also has crummy reality television, stupid movies, trashy books, and escapist magazines.
Big Brother is primetime viewing here. That's depressing.
As for films...well, I know that my American friends are embarrassed about the teen movies of the late seventies going well into the eighties. Let me introduce you to a little film from 1978 called Eskimo Limon, a raunchy teen comedy set in the '50s about three horny teenage boys: the bad boy, the good boy, and the fat comic relief. It was a smash hit and inspired no fewer than seven sequels and a 2001 reboot. Shit, even Porky's only had two sequels before it was put out of its misery.
I'm not going to get into the newspapers, except that I stick with the centrist Yediot Acharonot and stay away from the far-left Ha'aretz and Bibi-worshiping Yisrael Hayom. For English coverage I'll read The Jerusalem Post, the oldest continuously printed English language paper in Israel.
I will mention a few Hebrew language magazines. None of the larger men's or women's magazines publishes a Hebrew edition, so local magazines have sprung up to fill the gap. For the ladies, there's At ("You," in the feminine grammatical form) and LaIsha ("To The Woman"). These contain fashion, beauty tips, agony aunts, sex, quizzes, and sex quizzes. For the guys there's Blazer: cars, gadgets, sport, travel, clothes, grooming, and not a few scantily clad models.
That being said, there are quite a few literary journals in Israel for writers, and our friend Robbie has been making his name as a writer of some note these days in said journals as part of Israel's "Generation 1.5," the children who came from the former Soviet Union and grew up with, as Robbie put it, a foot in both worlds (and now a viable literary movement).
Beauty Standards
It's complicated. Basically, if you're not required to dress up, you can dress down and no one will judge you. But if dressing up is required, you better be on your A-game.
You'd think this would fill me with rage. But I like a challenge, and I've found the effort to look my best actually makes me feel better. Besides, I enjoy the fact that I can go to the makolet (think a bodega) in sweats and a t-shirt and Crocs and no one blinks an eye just as much as I enjoy the compliments I get on knee-high boots or a red lip.
LUE: Springing Into Action
Apr. 3rd, 2025 02:47 pm1. I am now the proud owner of a KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer and a new air fryer. Eyal also wants to get a new microwave, and I'm okay with that - our current microwave is 14 years old and was a hand-me-down at the time. Anyway, we have unboxed the air fryer, but decided to wait until after Pesach to unbox the stand mixer. No point unboxing something that's basically made to make leavened products when the flour in the house will literally be locked up and sold to a non-Jew for a week (I am not making this up).
2. I have made myself neat little schedules in Excel and forwarded them to my therapist for discussion. Some of the stuff can be easily swapped out for other things (e.g., if it's not a good day for me to work on my website, I can work on marketing or action plan reading). Others are more or less fixed (showering, bedtime).
3. I have started taking biotin to see if it will help with my hair growth. So far, my use of a different shampoo, conditioner, and detangler/heat protectant seems to be helping. And my new haircut is a lot more flattering. Yaniv knew what he was doing.
4. Going back to item 1 - we will be doing Pesach in Tel Aviv with Eyal's cousin Dorit.
5. Hoping that we get our new glasses soon.
6. Tuesday night we had a delightful evening playing Chez Geek with Regev and Esti at Esti's place. (Regev is Eyal's coworker, Esti is his girlfriend and works as a lab tech at Soroka Medical Center). Both of them are sweet and fun, and Esti's pup snuggled down in the chair next to mine to rest and accept pets. He's a love, a small guy who's 13 years old. (Still puppy.) Esti won both rounds of Chez Geek. Eyal is swearing revenge on me for preventing him from winning the second round and "throwing him under the bus." In good fun, I might add - he gets that the whole point of the game is to throw your friends under the bus.
7.Therapy later today, pharmacy after that, and tomorrow, we take my father-in-law to the Israel Philharmonic to hear Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart. And then for lunch.
2. I have made myself neat little schedules in Excel and forwarded them to my therapist for discussion. Some of the stuff can be easily swapped out for other things (e.g., if it's not a good day for me to work on my website, I can work on marketing or action plan reading). Others are more or less fixed (showering, bedtime).
3. I have started taking biotin to see if it will help with my hair growth. So far, my use of a different shampoo, conditioner, and detangler/heat protectant seems to be helping. And my new haircut is a lot more flattering. Yaniv knew what he was doing.
4. Going back to item 1 - we will be doing Pesach in Tel Aviv with Eyal's cousin Dorit.
5. Hoping that we get our new glasses soon.
6. Tuesday night we had a delightful evening playing Chez Geek with Regev and Esti at Esti's place. (Regev is Eyal's coworker, Esti is his girlfriend and works as a lab tech at Soroka Medical Center). Both of them are sweet and fun, and Esti's pup snuggled down in the chair next to mine to rest and accept pets. He's a love, a small guy who's 13 years old. (Still puppy.) Esti won both rounds of Chez Geek. Eyal is swearing revenge on me for preventing him from winning the second round and "throwing him under the bus." In good fun, I might add - he gets that the whole point of the game is to throw your friends under the bus.
7.Therapy later today, pharmacy after that, and tomorrow, we take my father-in-law to the Israel Philharmonic to hear Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart. And then for lunch.
Here we are on our wedding day - anime style. Ideas for a title of this anime?
LUE: What Now?
Mar. 28th, 2025 02:07 pmI saw my therapist yesterday. I told him that - despite having action plans and timetables - I was feeling a distinct letdown after finishing CELTA. And I also told him that I knew it was going to happen, dammit!
He reassured me that it was perfectly natural. And he encouraged me to give myself exactly one week of grace, to feel the letdown. During that time, keep up with household chores and work on writing up a weekly structured schedule, but nothing else. Give myself time to feel.
After that week, take action.
Strangely, I felt heartened. Something about allowing myself to feel something instead of just trying to plow through it.
****
I've been on a cooking kick to cheer myself up. Eyal is indulging it...not that it isn't to his advantage. He recently sanctioned the purchase of cake pans, a lemon zester, a double boiler, and a set of whisks. He's also agreed to a KitchenAid Stand Mixer and a new air fryer (the latter is a necessity, as our current air fryer is five years old and on its last legs), to be purchased on Sunday, along with (finally!) a new television.
See, Eyal loves my cooking. No matter what. Not that I've ever fucked up too horribly, but he loves all my creations. And I've never thought of myself as a good cook. Good baker, yes - I have an instinctive touch with baking and I've been turning out tasty baked goods since my teenage years. But cook? I've always thought of myself as merely adequate as a cook - good enough, but not outstanding.
But lately I'm realizing that I'm pretty good. I make my own spice blends. I can think on my feet and problem-solve. I don't mind the tedious repetitive jobs, as long as I have good music playing. And I get genuine pleasure from Eyal's enjoyment of my creations. Maybe that's what makes a good cook.
****
Next week: shopping trip to Big (that's literally the name of the shopping center) for kitchen gadgets and television, gaming night Wednesday, and Friday morning to Tel Aviv to take my father-in-law to the Israel Philharmonic. On the program: Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart. The latter two are his favorite composers, and the Mozart piece (Symphony No. 41, "Jupiter") is Eyal's favorite. It's also a nice call back for me, as I saw Emanuel Ax perform the same piece he's performing (Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3) in 1992 with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood. Mind you, at the time he was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt (summer in the Berkshires can be a wee bit chilly at times, and it was a rehearsal), but it was no less magical for all that.
And by next Thursday I'll have a weekly schedule ready to hash out with my therapist.
He reassured me that it was perfectly natural. And he encouraged me to give myself exactly one week of grace, to feel the letdown. During that time, keep up with household chores and work on writing up a weekly structured schedule, but nothing else. Give myself time to feel.
After that week, take action.
Strangely, I felt heartened. Something about allowing myself to feel something instead of just trying to plow through it.
****
I've been on a cooking kick to cheer myself up. Eyal is indulging it...not that it isn't to his advantage. He recently sanctioned the purchase of cake pans, a lemon zester, a double boiler, and a set of whisks. He's also agreed to a KitchenAid Stand Mixer and a new air fryer (the latter is a necessity, as our current air fryer is five years old and on its last legs), to be purchased on Sunday, along with (finally!) a new television.
See, Eyal loves my cooking. No matter what. Not that I've ever fucked up too horribly, but he loves all my creations. And I've never thought of myself as a good cook. Good baker, yes - I have an instinctive touch with baking and I've been turning out tasty baked goods since my teenage years. But cook? I've always thought of myself as merely adequate as a cook - good enough, but not outstanding.
But lately I'm realizing that I'm pretty good. I make my own spice blends. I can think on my feet and problem-solve. I don't mind the tedious repetitive jobs, as long as I have good music playing. And I get genuine pleasure from Eyal's enjoyment of my creations. Maybe that's what makes a good cook.
****
Next week: shopping trip to Big (that's literally the name of the shopping center) for kitchen gadgets and television, gaming night Wednesday, and Friday morning to Tel Aviv to take my father-in-law to the Israel Philharmonic. On the program: Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart. The latter two are his favorite composers, and the Mozart piece (Symphony No. 41, "Jupiter") is Eyal's favorite. It's also a nice call back for me, as I saw Emanuel Ax perform the same piece he's performing (Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3) in 1992 with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood. Mind you, at the time he was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt (summer in the Berkshires can be a wee bit chilly at times, and it was a rehearsal), but it was no less magical for all that.
And by next Thursday I'll have a weekly schedule ready to hash out with my therapist.
Married Life: The Do-Over Honeymoon
Mar. 26th, 2025 04:14 pmOn Sunday we returned from our long weekend at Ein Gedi, and it was a great time. In a lot of ways it was our do-over honeymoon, as the Boston trip - which did have its nice moments - was rather soured by the numerous travel hiccups on the way home, the delay in getting our luggage back, and my severe illness upon return. Whereas a trip consisting of only a 115 km (72 mi) drive will automatically have a lot fewer potential travel hiccups.
We set out on Thursday in the early afternoon. Alex the catsitter had the spare key already, so we simply ate lunch and packed our suitcase with a few changes of clothes and our swimsuits. I also packed my bathrobe (I knew damn well the spa and hotel didn't make any in my size), my coverups, sunscreen, and flip-flops. And we were off.
The drive was pleasant. Once you get past the town of Omer on Highway 31 to Arad, there's not a whole lot. There were, however, horses (Horsey!), camels (Camel!), and goats (Goats!). Yes, if I see an animal, I announce it to all and sundry. We reached Arad and then took a sharp turn into the Judean hills on the Arad-Sodom road, one of the more tricky highways in Israel. See, as you head from 600 m above sea level to 300 m below sea level, the road gets twisty with switchbacks as it would in any hilly area. Add to this the hazards of fallen and falling rock, ibex, and camels. However, we managed without any trouble, and at the junction with Highway 90 turned due north, hugging the Dead Sea shore, to Ein Gedi.
We checked into the hotel around 5 PM. After that we relaxed in our room, watching a movie. About halfway through we got hungry and headed up to the restaurant, which was a made-over kibbutz dining hall. The plain decor aside, the dinner buffet was generous, varied, and delicious. We then returned to our room and finished the movie. Unfortunately we had trouble sleeping that night. Two reasons: I forgot to bring our melatonin, and we missed our furry weighted blankets.
The next morning was rather leisurely. We slept in. Around noon we ventured off the kibbutz grounds (yes, the hotel, spa, etc are all part of a kibbutz - this is how they generate their income). We wanted to eat something different, so we ate a hearty brunch at the Ein Bokek Restaurant. Like many Israeli restaurants, be they Jewish or Arab owned, it was no frills in decor but top tier in food and service. The owner was friendly, the portions were generous and delicious, and everything was reasonably priced. After that we stopped at a nearby grocery store to get drinks and snacks for our room, then headed back to the hotel.
After a stop off at our room to attend to needs of nature and shower off, we changed into swimsuits and robes and headed to the spa. Our appointment for treatment was the next day, but since we had free access, we decided to take advantage. Why not? Free soft drinks, coffee, tea, and snacks - plus use of both pools, sauna, and hammam.
We alternated between cold and warm pools for a bit, then relaxed outside. At six, the spa closed and they kicked everyone out, so we arranged a ride back to our room. While we waited, I read the poem on the wall outside the doors to the spa. It was in Hebrew, but I translated out loud to Eyal, who was proud of me for getting it correct. Poetry isn't the easiest thing to translate in any language.
We showered once again when we got back to our room, changed into warmer clothes because of the nightly chill, and headed up to the cafe - part and parcel of the lobby. There we snacked on excellent pita with dips. We also enjoyed just talking and being together. By ten we were tired out, so we got a lift back to our room. We didn't have as much trouble sleeping that night.
Saturday we had our treatment at the spa, and came out feeling twenty years younger. After that we lounged by the pool outside, enjoying the gorgeous view. Eventually we headed back to the room, and Eyal had an idea. He had really enjoyed a particular restaurant on our last trip to the Dead Sea almost three and a half years ago, but it was in Arad. Would I be up for going? Of course! We showered, dressed, and headed out.
Muza is in Arad, and it's a great pub. It's decorated in football scarves from all over the world, but lots of Israeli scarves especially. The food is solid pub grub and doesn't pretend to be anything else, but the prices are good, the food is good, and the portions are generous. What's not to like?
We headed back and watched another movie before retiring.
In the morning we packed up, checked out, and headed home. On the way home we stopped at MegaPet to get some canned food in the hopes that it would entice Cheddar and Nacho to forgive us sooner.
It worked. They did.
The trip was a great one.
We set out on Thursday in the early afternoon. Alex the catsitter had the spare key already, so we simply ate lunch and packed our suitcase with a few changes of clothes and our swimsuits. I also packed my bathrobe (I knew damn well the spa and hotel didn't make any in my size), my coverups, sunscreen, and flip-flops. And we were off.
The drive was pleasant. Once you get past the town of Omer on Highway 31 to Arad, there's not a whole lot. There were, however, horses (Horsey!), camels (Camel!), and goats (Goats!). Yes, if I see an animal, I announce it to all and sundry. We reached Arad and then took a sharp turn into the Judean hills on the Arad-Sodom road, one of the more tricky highways in Israel. See, as you head from 600 m above sea level to 300 m below sea level, the road gets twisty with switchbacks as it would in any hilly area. Add to this the hazards of fallen and falling rock, ibex, and camels. However, we managed without any trouble, and at the junction with Highway 90 turned due north, hugging the Dead Sea shore, to Ein Gedi.
We checked into the hotel around 5 PM. After that we relaxed in our room, watching a movie. About halfway through we got hungry and headed up to the restaurant, which was a made-over kibbutz dining hall. The plain decor aside, the dinner buffet was generous, varied, and delicious. We then returned to our room and finished the movie. Unfortunately we had trouble sleeping that night. Two reasons: I forgot to bring our melatonin, and we missed our furry weighted blankets.
The next morning was rather leisurely. We slept in. Around noon we ventured off the kibbutz grounds (yes, the hotel, spa, etc are all part of a kibbutz - this is how they generate their income). We wanted to eat something different, so we ate a hearty brunch at the Ein Bokek Restaurant. Like many Israeli restaurants, be they Jewish or Arab owned, it was no frills in decor but top tier in food and service. The owner was friendly, the portions were generous and delicious, and everything was reasonably priced. After that we stopped at a nearby grocery store to get drinks and snacks for our room, then headed back to the hotel.
After a stop off at our room to attend to needs of nature and shower off, we changed into swimsuits and robes and headed to the spa. Our appointment for treatment was the next day, but since we had free access, we decided to take advantage. Why not? Free soft drinks, coffee, tea, and snacks - plus use of both pools, sauna, and hammam.
We alternated between cold and warm pools for a bit, then relaxed outside. At six, the spa closed and they kicked everyone out, so we arranged a ride back to our room. While we waited, I read the poem on the wall outside the doors to the spa. It was in Hebrew, but I translated out loud to Eyal, who was proud of me for getting it correct. Poetry isn't the easiest thing to translate in any language.
We showered once again when we got back to our room, changed into warmer clothes because of the nightly chill, and headed up to the cafe - part and parcel of the lobby. There we snacked on excellent pita with dips. We also enjoyed just talking and being together. By ten we were tired out, so we got a lift back to our room. We didn't have as much trouble sleeping that night.
Saturday we had our treatment at the spa, and came out feeling twenty years younger. After that we lounged by the pool outside, enjoying the gorgeous view. Eventually we headed back to the room, and Eyal had an idea. He had really enjoyed a particular restaurant on our last trip to the Dead Sea almost three and a half years ago, but it was in Arad. Would I be up for going? Of course! We showered, dressed, and headed out.
Muza is in Arad, and it's a great pub. It's decorated in football scarves from all over the world, but lots of Israeli scarves especially. The food is solid pub grub and doesn't pretend to be anything else, but the prices are good, the food is good, and the portions are generous. What's not to like?
We headed back and watched another movie before retiring.
In the morning we packed up, checked out, and headed home. On the way home we stopped at MegaPet to get some canned food in the hopes that it would entice Cheddar and Nacho to forgive us sooner.
It worked. They did.
The trip was a great one.
LUE: Five Years On: Q&A
Mar. 20th, 2025 12:54 pmI've been an Israeli citizen for almost five years now. I've provided some questions and answers here; feel free to leave your own in the comments.
Have you changed your political views in the past five years?
Not really. Mind you, I've been tracking events in Israel since forever. I, like a lot of left-leaning Israelis, was sorely disillusioned by the events of the early 2000s. That, more than anything, is what led to the slow crumbling of the Israeli left. To sum up, when I arrived in Israel, I leaned left on social and economic issues and center-right on security and defense issues. That hasn't changed. Incidentally, my husband feels the same.
Do you think your move to Beersheva was a good idea?
Absolutely. As much as Jerusalem holds - will always hold - a special place in my heart, living there is just not in the cards. Beersheva has everything I need. And more than that, it just has an indescribable character that aligns with my soul. It's slightly scruffy, a pinch bohemian, somewhat intellectual, and very much neighborhood oriented. You know your neighbors. You help each other out. The climate suits me, too. Winters are mild, and the summer - well, it's a dry heat.
What's your biggest accomplishment since moving to Israel?
CELTA. It's two thirds of a bachelor degree. Now, I had roughly 4/5 of one before - but I didn't have a piece of paper, so that's open to interpretation. Right now I have a piece of paper saying that I've completed a foundation program, so if I choose to complete a bachelor degree, I have serious weight already.
Do you feel like you've created a "chosen family" in Israel?
Absolutely. Other than my close-knit and loving network of in-laws - there's Zahava and Shmuel in Jerusalem, my cousin Avi and his wife Shani in Netanya, Yehuda in Holon, and Robbie, Maya, Peter, Regev, and Esti here in Beersheva. I'm extremely lucky to have them in my life. The most important, of course, is my husband. Eyal and I chose each other.
Have your religious views changed?
Observance has definitely slipped, but I haven't lost my beliefs, nor my curiosity about Judaism. It's a lifelong study, and one that I still love.
Did anything surprise you about the Israeli social services as opposed to American?
I didn't have to fight. It took me about two months to get temporary disability once eligible, and when I became eligible for permanent disability, it only took a psychiatrist report and a neurologist report and that was it. It was easy to get a case manager and social worker. So that aspect was a very pleasant surprise.
Are you over your culture shock?
More or less. Now I help other olim by lending them my rude Israeli, who is very generous with his rudeness. And passing along what proteczia what I have. Paying it forward.
What do you miss about the States?
Mostly little things. The variety of food and drink in grocery stores. The ease of finding affordable clothes in my size. Grape jelly, Natural Ice sparkling water, Fresca, and English muffins.
What is an Israeli cultural trait that still amazes you?
The hospitality and warmth. People find out you're an olah and they wish you luck. One oleh I know had a neighbor bake him a cake to welcome him to the country. People invite you for coffee to commiserate, invite you to Shabbat, ask about your life. People care.
What is an Israeli cultural trait that still makes you cringe?
The driving. There's a lot of road rage, and Israeli drivers can be downright aggressive.
Favorite day in Israel?
So far, the Primate Sanctuary in Kfar Daniel. Monkeys FTW.
If I were traveling to Israel, what should I pack?
Sunscreen and good walking shoes.
Have you changed your political views in the past five years?
Not really. Mind you, I've been tracking events in Israel since forever. I, like a lot of left-leaning Israelis, was sorely disillusioned by the events of the early 2000s. That, more than anything, is what led to the slow crumbling of the Israeli left. To sum up, when I arrived in Israel, I leaned left on social and economic issues and center-right on security and defense issues. That hasn't changed. Incidentally, my husband feels the same.
Do you think your move to Beersheva was a good idea?
Absolutely. As much as Jerusalem holds - will always hold - a special place in my heart, living there is just not in the cards. Beersheva has everything I need. And more than that, it just has an indescribable character that aligns with my soul. It's slightly scruffy, a pinch bohemian, somewhat intellectual, and very much neighborhood oriented. You know your neighbors. You help each other out. The climate suits me, too. Winters are mild, and the summer - well, it's a dry heat.
What's your biggest accomplishment since moving to Israel?
CELTA. It's two thirds of a bachelor degree. Now, I had roughly 4/5 of one before - but I didn't have a piece of paper, so that's open to interpretation. Right now I have a piece of paper saying that I've completed a foundation program, so if I choose to complete a bachelor degree, I have serious weight already.
Do you feel like you've created a "chosen family" in Israel?
Absolutely. Other than my close-knit and loving network of in-laws - there's Zahava and Shmuel in Jerusalem, my cousin Avi and his wife Shani in Netanya, Yehuda in Holon, and Robbie, Maya, Peter, Regev, and Esti here in Beersheva. I'm extremely lucky to have them in my life. The most important, of course, is my husband. Eyal and I chose each other.
Have your religious views changed?
Observance has definitely slipped, but I haven't lost my beliefs, nor my curiosity about Judaism. It's a lifelong study, and one that I still love.
Did anything surprise you about the Israeli social services as opposed to American?
I didn't have to fight. It took me about two months to get temporary disability once eligible, and when I became eligible for permanent disability, it only took a psychiatrist report and a neurologist report and that was it. It was easy to get a case manager and social worker. So that aspect was a very pleasant surprise.
Are you over your culture shock?
More or less. Now I help other olim by lending them my rude Israeli, who is very generous with his rudeness. And passing along what proteczia what I have. Paying it forward.
What do you miss about the States?
Mostly little things. The variety of food and drink in grocery stores. The ease of finding affordable clothes in my size. Grape jelly, Natural Ice sparkling water, Fresca, and English muffins.
What is an Israeli cultural trait that still amazes you?
The hospitality and warmth. People find out you're an olah and they wish you luck. One oleh I know had a neighbor bake him a cake to welcome him to the country. People invite you for coffee to commiserate, invite you to Shabbat, ask about your life. People care.
What is an Israeli cultural trait that still makes you cringe?
The driving. There's a lot of road rage, and Israeli drivers can be downright aggressive.
Favorite day in Israel?
So far, the Primate Sanctuary in Kfar Daniel. Monkeys FTW.
If I were traveling to Israel, what should I pack?
Sunscreen and good walking shoes.
Fashion & Beauty: The Great Clear Out
Mar. 18th, 2025 04:40 pmEvery two years I like to do a big clear out of my wardrobe. It's not that my style changes all that drastically, but it's better to have a pared down wardrobe that I wear and use as opposed to too much clutter taking up space.
I did notice, though, with this clear out, some ways my style has changed.
1. I wound up putting a lot of patterned, brightly colored clothes in the donate pile. I wound up keeping a lot of mix and match, work ready neutrals.
2. The patterns I did keep are fairly simple. Stripes, small florals, and one elegant paisley.
3. The colors I kept are more on the pastel, muted side. With a few exceptions.
4. Everything goes with at least two other things.
I'm far from a minimalist or capsule wardrobe girlie, but this clear out has me looking forward to my no-buy year.
I did notice, though, with this clear out, some ways my style has changed.
1. I wound up putting a lot of patterned, brightly colored clothes in the donate pile. I wound up keeping a lot of mix and match, work ready neutrals.
2. The patterns I did keep are fairly simple. Stripes, small florals, and one elegant paisley.
3. The colors I kept are more on the pastel, muted side. With a few exceptions.
4. Everything goes with at least two other things.
I'm far from a minimalist or capsule wardrobe girlie, but this clear out has me looking forward to my no-buy year.
LUE: Domestic Necessities
Mar. 18th, 2025 03:34 pmRight now the cleaner is downstairs. We always schedule a deep clean right before going on vacation, because nothing can kill the good vibes of coming home from a vacay - even just a long weekend away - more than coming home to a house that desperately needs a good cleaning. Also, it's just polite to have a nice house for Alex, our catsitter. Alex takes good care of the boys - not only feeding and watering, but taking care of litter box duty and playing with them. She also makes sure to take pictures and text them to us. Cheddar in particular loves her to bits, and she has a special love for orange cats. Last year she lost her beloved orange boy Garfield at the age of 16, and she adores our two orange himbos.
Today I finally did a clear-out of my wardrobe, filling two large trash bags. Eyal's wardrobe is scheduled for a similar clear-out. I'm glad I did it, because I found my other bathing suit and my two beach coverups, both of which I'll need for our vacation on Thursday.
Yesterday I did two loads of laundry, after my stomach quit its revolt. I'm still staying non-adventurous with my food choices (I ventured a bowl of cornflakes this morning), but so far so quiet.
Eyal got his new pair of Crocs, and happily passed his current pair onto me - and even more joyously dumped my old pair of Crocs in the trash. They had to go - the strap was broken, and frankly, they were just ugly. I know, I know, Crocs are already ugly. These were bright yellow. My current pair? Black. Far less offensive. Eyal's new Crocs are light grey. If you're gonna wear ugly shoes, at least wear them in inoffensive neutral colors, I guess.
Tomorrow I'll start packing for vacation.
Today I finally did a clear-out of my wardrobe, filling two large trash bags. Eyal's wardrobe is scheduled for a similar clear-out. I'm glad I did it, because I found my other bathing suit and my two beach coverups, both of which I'll need for our vacation on Thursday.
Yesterday I did two loads of laundry, after my stomach quit its revolt. I'm still staying non-adventurous with my food choices (I ventured a bowl of cornflakes this morning), but so far so quiet.
Eyal got his new pair of Crocs, and happily passed his current pair onto me - and even more joyously dumped my old pair of Crocs in the trash. They had to go - the strap was broken, and frankly, they were just ugly. I know, I know, Crocs are already ugly. These were bright yellow. My current pair? Black. Far less offensive. Eyal's new Crocs are light grey. If you're gonna wear ugly shoes, at least wear them in inoffensive neutral colors, I guess.
Tomorrow I'll start packing for vacation.
LUE: Maybe The Day Will Improve?
Mar. 17th, 2025 01:59 pmToday didn't start well. I didn't sleep well the night before. Bad dreams. And I kept waking up. Combine that with some sort of vague feeling of badness in my gut and I just felt icky.
I dealt with the gut issues fairly well, I think. For breakfast and lunch I had the same thing: a single slice of toast with a dab of jam, washed down with peppermint tea. I sipped on ginger ale, meanwhile, as I collated the results of my research among Israelis who have learned English as a foreign language. Let's just say there weren't any surprises.
After lunch, I kept to nursing my ginger ale. Unfortunately, my guts staged a revolt. And while my front end was spared, the back half was certainly not. Okay, so Imodium (not under that brand name, loperamide in Israel comes under the charming brand name StopIt). Eyal kindly turned on the water heater for me, as while loperamide would work on the gut woes, a nice hot shower would most definitely cure the persistent icky feeling.
I was correct about that, by the by. I also noticed that my haircut had the added benefit of cutting my after-shower haircare routine by two minutes - going from 5-6 minutes to 3-4 minutes. Nice.
My gut is no longer staging a revolt, thankfully, but I'm not taking any chances. It's peppermint tea and toast for the rest of the day.
I dealt with the gut issues fairly well, I think. For breakfast and lunch I had the same thing: a single slice of toast with a dab of jam, washed down with peppermint tea. I sipped on ginger ale, meanwhile, as I collated the results of my research among Israelis who have learned English as a foreign language. Let's just say there weren't any surprises.
After lunch, I kept to nursing my ginger ale. Unfortunately, my guts staged a revolt. And while my front end was spared, the back half was certainly not. Okay, so Imodium (not under that brand name, loperamide in Israel comes under the charming brand name StopIt). Eyal kindly turned on the water heater for me, as while loperamide would work on the gut woes, a nice hot shower would most definitely cure the persistent icky feeling.
I was correct about that, by the by. I also noticed that my haircut had the added benefit of cutting my after-shower haircare routine by two minutes - going from 5-6 minutes to 3-4 minutes. Nice.
My gut is no longer staging a revolt, thankfully, but I'm not taking any chances. It's peppermint tea and toast for the rest of the day.
Mental Health: Planning A Treat
Mar. 11th, 2025 11:44 pmI don't think there's anything wrong with planning a treat.
Tomorrow, it will be (once my learning platform work is done - and once that's done it's FINALLY over) a very long and luxurious shower experience. Complete with pre-shower face mask, body exfoliation, shower steamer, and the very best of my lotions and potions. I will come out smelling like...well, mostly cherry, given that my body wash, exfoliating scrub, and body lotion all have that scent. But it's a nice scent. Making myself smell like a cherry smoothie will be quite pleasant.
I also feel like it's a nice reward for today's hard work: teaching, input session, learning platform units, and finishing my questionnaire for English language learners in Israel. I've earned a DIY spa hour.
Thursday, of course, will be back to hitting the books on teaching techniques and L1 interference as well as starting on my questionnaire for teachers. All play and no work and all that. Also errands. Also therapy.
Still, a treat is in order.
Tomorrow, it will be (once my learning platform work is done - and once that's done it's FINALLY over) a very long and luxurious shower experience. Complete with pre-shower face mask, body exfoliation, shower steamer, and the very best of my lotions and potions. I will come out smelling like...well, mostly cherry, given that my body wash, exfoliating scrub, and body lotion all have that scent. But it's a nice scent. Making myself smell like a cherry smoothie will be quite pleasant.
I also feel like it's a nice reward for today's hard work: teaching, input session, learning platform units, and finishing my questionnaire for English language learners in Israel. I've earned a DIY spa hour.
Thursday, of course, will be back to hitting the books on teaching techniques and L1 interference as well as starting on my questionnaire for teachers. All play and no work and all that. Also errands. Also therapy.
Still, a treat is in order.
Married Life: Celebrations
Mar. 10th, 2025 10:09 pmIn celebration of my finishing CELTA - and because we both need a break, and haven't taken a holiday since the Boston trip - we are taking a long weekend soon.
Because we aren't traveling abroad this year, and because the only other holiday we're taking this year will be a long weekend of stargazing (we're planning to go during Tu B'Av, the Israeli Valentine's Day, and coincidentally peak time for the Perseid meteor showers), sightseeing, and llama petting in Mitzpe Ramon (45 minutes from Beersheva), we decided to splurge. Instead of staying in an AirBnB in Arad, 45 minutes away from the spa facility at Ein Gedi, we'll be staying at the onsite hotel. Hotel guests get complimentary breakfast, complimentary guided tours of the onsite botanical garden, and complimentary admission to the spa (even without purchasing a treatment). There's a cafe and a restaurant, crafting workshops, a view to die for...and the spa. About that.
We decided to go for the deluxe couples' treatment, top of the line. 20 minutes in the Jacuzzi, 40 minute mud wrap, and 50 minute Swedish massage. And of course, we'll have free run of the spa, as hotel guests. There are two pools, a hammam, a sauna, complimentary refreshments, and a great view of the Dead Sea.
Boston wasn't a bad trip - we had some great moments. Eyal and![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bikergeek hit it off. We had some excellent Italian-American food. Brookline and Salem were neat. The aftermath of the trip rather soured it, though - the flight back was a nightmare, El Al took a week to return our luggage, and I came down with a nasty case of pneumonia. I'm hoping our long weekend will be the romantic getaway we need.
No need for long haul flights. Just a little over an hour drive, and our oasis awaits.
Because we aren't traveling abroad this year, and because the only other holiday we're taking this year will be a long weekend of stargazing (we're planning to go during Tu B'Av, the Israeli Valentine's Day, and coincidentally peak time for the Perseid meteor showers), sightseeing, and llama petting in Mitzpe Ramon (45 minutes from Beersheva), we decided to splurge. Instead of staying in an AirBnB in Arad, 45 minutes away from the spa facility at Ein Gedi, we'll be staying at the onsite hotel. Hotel guests get complimentary breakfast, complimentary guided tours of the onsite botanical garden, and complimentary admission to the spa (even without purchasing a treatment). There's a cafe and a restaurant, crafting workshops, a view to die for...and the spa. About that.
We decided to go for the deluxe couples' treatment, top of the line. 20 minutes in the Jacuzzi, 40 minute mud wrap, and 50 minute Swedish massage. And of course, we'll have free run of the spa, as hotel guests. There are two pools, a hammam, a sauna, complimentary refreshments, and a great view of the Dead Sea.
Boston wasn't a bad trip - we had some great moments. Eyal and
bikergeek hit it off. We had some excellent Italian-American food. Brookline and Salem were neat. The aftermath of the trip rather soured it, though - the flight back was a nightmare, El Al took a week to return our luggage, and I came down with a nasty case of pneumonia. I'm hoping our long weekend will be the romantic getaway we need. No need for long haul flights. Just a little over an hour drive, and our oasis awaits.
LUE: The Cake Is Real
Mar. 8th, 2025 09:52 pmOh, yes, the cake is real. I baked it from scratch. I made the icing from scratch. And today we presented it to my father-in-law, whose birthday is tomorrow. He's turning 82.
We also told him about his present - in April, we're taking him to see the Israel Philharmonic, followed by lunch at the restaurant of his choice. He was delighted. We had an excellent afternoon, eating the cake (it turned out amazingly well) and drinking coffee.
It wasn't easy to make. I don't have a mixer (and I told Eyal that if he wants me to bake again, there will be a KitchenAid stand mixer - I said I'd go halfsies, and he finally agreed when I promised challah every week). So the butter and sugar for both cake and icing were creamed by hand, which is not impossible but is a tremendous workout.
That being said, both cake and icing are fairly simple as recipes go - a yellow cake with chocolate buttercream icing. Including recipe here.
( Yellow Cake With Chocolate Buttercream Frosting )
We also told him about his present - in April, we're taking him to see the Israel Philharmonic, followed by lunch at the restaurant of his choice. He was delighted. We had an excellent afternoon, eating the cake (it turned out amazingly well) and drinking coffee.
It wasn't easy to make. I don't have a mixer (and I told Eyal that if he wants me to bake again, there will be a KitchenAid stand mixer - I said I'd go halfsies, and he finally agreed when I promised challah every week). So the butter and sugar for both cake and icing were creamed by hand, which is not impossible but is a tremendous workout.
That being said, both cake and icing are fairly simple as recipes go - a yellow cake with chocolate buttercream icing. Including recipe here.
( Yellow Cake With Chocolate Buttercream Frosting )
LUE: A Multi-Pronged Challenge
Mar. 4th, 2025 09:59 pmAs CELTA comes to a close (and for the record, I'll be blogging about all that over at Limmud Anglit, not-so-shameless plug), I'm setting myself some small challenges as goals for the year. After all, I have my teaching action plan written out (that was an actual assignment), so why not write out my other goals?
Thus, in no particular order:
Skin Care
I'm pretty happy with my routine, now. Face, body, hands, nails - it's all pretty good. I am restricting my buying, though. I will only replace products as needed. No trends or any of that crap. No need to reinvent the wheel. I exfoliate face and body; I use retinol and vitamin C on my face; I religiously wear SPF 30 at minimum. Everything's working nicely, so why mess with it?
Hair Care
I've bought new shampoo, conditioner, and heat protectant and am committed to it. Also to a more flattering hair style. At most I might get some gentle hair spray to keep things in place.
Makeup
Again, I'm happy with what I have, so I'm committing to only replacing products as needed (i.e., when they expire).
Clothing
I'm not buying any more clothing this year. And I'm clearing out my wardrobe. Seems counterintuitive, but to me it makes sense. I have plenty of clothing I like. I'm going to make the most of it.
Exercise
After CELTA is done, it's back to the gym twice a week. To start. One day of ten minutes on the treadmill, one day of twenty minutes swimming. That's the most I'll commit to doing right now. If I can do more, great. But it's a start. Also stretching ten minutes every night.
Journaling
I've been journaling five minutes a day in my guided mental health journal. It really does help, so that continues.
Spiritual
Lighting Shabbat candles and doing Shabbat with Eyal. And saying "Modah Ani" (I Thank You) every morning and the Bedtime Shema at night. I'd like to do more, but I want to work up to it.
I think these are manageable and bite sized. All of them are things that make me feel better when I do them.
Thus, in no particular order:
Skin Care
I'm pretty happy with my routine, now. Face, body, hands, nails - it's all pretty good. I am restricting my buying, though. I will only replace products as needed. No trends or any of that crap. No need to reinvent the wheel. I exfoliate face and body; I use retinol and vitamin C on my face; I religiously wear SPF 30 at minimum. Everything's working nicely, so why mess with it?
Hair Care
I've bought new shampoo, conditioner, and heat protectant and am committed to it. Also to a more flattering hair style. At most I might get some gentle hair spray to keep things in place.
Makeup
Again, I'm happy with what I have, so I'm committing to only replacing products as needed (i.e., when they expire).
Clothing
I'm not buying any more clothing this year. And I'm clearing out my wardrobe. Seems counterintuitive, but to me it makes sense. I have plenty of clothing I like. I'm going to make the most of it.
Exercise
After CELTA is done, it's back to the gym twice a week. To start. One day of ten minutes on the treadmill, one day of twenty minutes swimming. That's the most I'll commit to doing right now. If I can do more, great. But it's a start. Also stretching ten minutes every night.
Journaling
I've been journaling five minutes a day in my guided mental health journal. It really does help, so that continues.
Spiritual
Lighting Shabbat candles and doing Shabbat with Eyal. And saying "Modah Ani" (I Thank You) every morning and the Bedtime Shema at night. I'd like to do more, but I want to work up to it.
I think these are manageable and bite sized. All of them are things that make me feel better when I do them.
Recently I was poring over the records from my admission to Soroka Medical Center in November for a mild heart attack (and I am slowly but surely making lifestyle changes to address that unfortunate event). However, one item caught my attention. Amongst the various things the doctors noticed was "diffuse hair loss."
Fuck.
Yeah, I'd kind of been hoping this had resolved itself. I use a very gentle shampoo and conditioner, apply heat protectant/detangler before drying my hair, sleep on a satin pillowcase, and don't color my hair. What gives? Unfortunately, in my case, the genetic short stick combined with unavoidable medication side effects. Them's the breaks. I got new shampoo and conditioner. I'm going to get an actual hair style to add volume and disguise the fact that my forehead is huge (I already have one picked out - thank you Pinterest - feathered layers, fringe, and all). And I'll probably be making use of scarves to cover my hair, just for protection.
On other news of changes since my heart asplode, I have added stretching to my routine. Nothing radical, just 10 minutes at night. Eyal and I agreed that once CELTA ends we'll be hitting the gym again, so stretching is a good thing.
I've also found that compression gloves help a lot with the numbness I'd been experiencing in my fingers. So I can go back to embroidery, as well as not worry about doing a fuckton of typing (because, well, I'll be doing a fuckton of typing).
In lighter news, I had to explain the term "exfoliation" to Eyal. He did get it, and he does like the results on my skin. So there.
Fuck.
Yeah, I'd kind of been hoping this had resolved itself. I use a very gentle shampoo and conditioner, apply heat protectant/detangler before drying my hair, sleep on a satin pillowcase, and don't color my hair. What gives? Unfortunately, in my case, the genetic short stick combined with unavoidable medication side effects. Them's the breaks. I got new shampoo and conditioner. I'm going to get an actual hair style to add volume and disguise the fact that my forehead is huge (I already have one picked out - thank you Pinterest - feathered layers, fringe, and all). And I'll probably be making use of scarves to cover my hair, just for protection.
On other news of changes since my heart asplode, I have added stretching to my routine. Nothing radical, just 10 minutes at night. Eyal and I agreed that once CELTA ends we'll be hitting the gym again, so stretching is a good thing.
I've also found that compression gloves help a lot with the numbness I'd been experiencing in my fingers. So I can go back to embroidery, as well as not worry about doing a fuckton of typing (because, well, I'll be doing a fuckton of typing).
In lighter news, I had to explain the term "exfoliation" to Eyal. He did get it, and he does like the results on my skin. So there.
