Yeah, I havent' updated in a while. Perhaps I'll fill in the time later...

So, I went to Ma'ale Adumim this shabbos, to my roommates's house, with Michal. It was actually a lot of fun, if kinda quiet. (I don't mind quiet - sleep is a great thing on Shabbos. A great and wonderful thing)
The bus goes past Yaffo, so Michal and I headed to Ben Yehudah for lunch before catching the bus out. We had a bit of a panic on the bus, because normally when we're heading for Daniela's, we'll call her when we cross into Ma'ale Adumim, and she'll stand at the bus stop and call when she sees us coming so we'll know to hit the button. But this time she wasn't picking up her phone and we didn't know the name of the stop or her home number. So we panicked. She picked up on the fourth or fifth call, and it all worked out fine in the end.
We got there early and hung out for a bit, and Shabbos (like I said) was a mostly quiet affair, with lots of reading. I read three books. All of them by Eoin Colfer (of Artemis Fowl fame - I read the latest one on Friday night) but it's nice to take a mental break every once in a while. Considering I'm spending some 9+ hours a day on limudei kodesh and reading Anna Karrenina in my spare time, mindless YA novels are wonderful.
When Shabbos ended, we watched the rest of the Transformers movie (we started it last week, on Saturday night, during Daniela's second birthday party. Her first on was midnight Wednesday night (she turned 19 on Thursday) and then on Sat. night a few of us who could make it came to her house for unhealthy food and awesome movies. But we had to cut the movie short to make it back to curfew, and Michal was the only one who had never seen it, so we finished it tonight. I still love that movie, even if it's aimed at 15-year-old boys. For those...slightly older people reading this blog, I'm talking about the live-action Transformers movie that came out this summer. Not the original animated one where Optimus Prime died. I never saw that one, and based on my inability to watch old animated shows for very long without frequent breaks, I doubt I ever will.)
Anyway, a bunch of teachers from S/A/R were in the country this weeked (winter break!) so the school had a semi-reunion tonight. Michal and I headed back after the movie, and I was still fairly early for the party. It was nice. I chatted with a bunch of people whom I like but I don't keep in touch with because we're not that close. Also, it was in the OU building, which is in between Ben Yehudah (where the bus from Ma'ale Adumim let me off) and my school, so when the party ended, I just hopped on the 7 and was back in school in minutes. It was a nice night, all around.
This week, we're having a three-day tiyul in Eilat, just because. Oh, and to make everything all better, we're leaving at 2:30 in the morning. Some girls are planning on staying up because it's just not worth going to sleep. Not me! So you might not hear from me for a while (not that that's a new thing)
This update is for you Mom! Can't wait to see you!

Another Shabbos, More Sufganiyot (I'm eating waaay too many of those...)

So, I'm on Chanukah vacation. I have to say, I like this system of Jewish holiday-based vacations. Tomorrow I'm planning on visiting my cousings in Tel Aviv, wish me luck. I 'm not really sure which bus to take.
But that's not waht this post is about. This post is about Shabbos. I was in Chasmonayim, with Rachel adn Joel and co. Rinat wasn't there, but it was OK, because I brought Eliana with me. I'm still sick (almost day 8 now!) so we slept in another house because Rachel's mom has a weak immune sysytem, but it was fine. We davened in that hosue on Friday night because it was raining heavily (heaviest rain I've been here for) and we had a fun vegetarian meal, I love the dairly quiches during shabbos.
We made it to shul really early the next day, and it was nice. During the Rabbi's speech, when they pull the curtains on the Machitzah back, I saw Josh and Ashy, so I went over after shul to say hi.
The shul as having some sort of shul luncheon, and Eliana and I sat at the family table, and had a meat meal. Somehow I always manage to do that whenever I visit, despite the fact that they're vegetarian. After lunch Eliana and I just slept for the rest of Shabbos, which was fantastic. Shabbos naps are saving me from my crazy schedule this year.
After Shabos Rinat was throwing a Chanukah party for her friends, which naturally included my whole senior grade. They were all invitied, less then half showed up, but it was a lot of fun. We made our own sufganiyot (it must be my fourth this year, which is crazy for me) and ate fun vegetarian hot dogs and chicken. We played some Jewish Tabboo, sat around and talked, stood around and talked, ate some more, sang some songs, etc. It was really fun. For the last half-hour or so, we watched the begining of the Simpsons Movie, and I take back everything I said to Zvi, it's hysterical.
Rinat had hired a bus to take a group to and from Yerushalayim for the party. I don't know how much it was to go both ways (I took the Chareidi Superbus into Chashmonaim again) but it was 15 shekel to take it back to Yerushalayim, so Eliana and I decided to take it back with everyone. It was fun, I chatted with Yael the whole way (and Ein Hanatziv is really laid-back) while Noam acted like a flight attendent on the microphone in front of the bus. The bus stopped at the Tachanah Merkazit, where Eliana and I got off and caught the 7 back to sem.
I'm probably going to try to go grocery shopping Monday, or at least run over the Makolet and buy milk, as I have none, but I'm missing home and the total lack of responsibility when I'm sick. You don't want to take care of yourself when you're ill, really.

Sick

This is day four of the unidentifiable illness of doom. I've managed to miss nearly all my classes, but Shani T. says the according to Talmud, the best cure for illness is to study Torah. Somehow, I'm less then surprised.