Simchat Torah

Mood:

It started last night and goes until sunset today. Our congregation had its thing for it at 5 today. I thought that was a bit early.Maybe last night would have been a better time to have it. There's no food, just candy, and schnapps for the adults. So, probably would have been good at like 7:30 or so. It is fun dancing around with the Torahs, singing, and seeing the scroll unfold across the room. The other congregation had one the day before the actual holiday. I think they had their Torah rededicated during it. 

I had a really horrible gory dream.I haven't been so 'spooked' by one in a long time. It was more disgusting than scary, honestly. It was enough to wake me up, and feel paranoid about falling back to sleep. Like someone was going to eat me once my eyes closed. It felt a bit surreal. Even when I got out of bed, the weather seemed to fit the same theme or mood. Dark, greyish, cold, and cloudy. It eventually turned out to look like a nice day, but stayed a bit chilly. I always have nightmares, but some stand out or get me more than others. At some point, in the future, I might make another novel that's filled with those nightmares' stories. It might be too much for some. I've scared quite a lot of my friends just talking about a couple of them. (Some were horror fans.) One thought I was 'possessed'. That was a bit crazy. Maybe my mind's just a tad warped.

I was going to start a new drama, but none of the new Fall season ones are up yet. Wrote like crazy today!Got up to just a few words shy of 70,000 for Alliance. They say the minimum for a sci-fi/fantasy novel is usually 80,000. So, I'm heading there. Wahoo!

Started watching another new anime called Shin Sekai Yori, or From the New World. It's very interesting and seems pretty unique so far. It takes place 1000 years into the future. Civilization has been retrograded and humans are living dispersed among small communities. People in this era have a psychic power called Juryoku, which materializes things they imagine. In the absence of scientific technology, people are using this power as a major source of energy. There's already quite a bit of mystery, and a touch of horror (more like gore in the first few minutes) intermixed with supernatural stuff. Not sure exactly where it's going, but it has loads of potential. That might be a good thing to not know where it's headed. Makes it exciting and interesting. Quite a different take on most anime/regular shows that take place in the future.

日本語

Kanji for today was: 鳴. Or: めい、な.く、な.る、な.らす (Mei, na.ku, na.ru, na.rasu). It means: to chirp, bark, cry, echo, honk, ring, sound, bird's singing, purr, animals making a sound in general, rumble, chime, beat, snort. Compounds were with 寺、夜、and 売 or tera/ji, yoru/ya/yo, and bai. 寺社 or じしゃ (jisha): temples and shrines. 夜食 or やしょく (yashoku): supper, night meal (literally), late-night snack, midnight snack. 十六夜 or いざよい (izayoi): sixteen-day-old moon, 16th night of every month. 売却 or ばいきゃく (baikyaku): selling off, disposal by sale, sale. 売国 or ばいこく (baikoku): selling out one's own country, treason. 売春 or ばいしゅん (baishun): prostitution. 売買 or ばいばい (baibai): trade, buying and selling. 売名 or ばいめい (baimei): self-advertisement. 商売 or しょうばい (shoubai): trade, business, commerce, transaction. 転売 or てんばい (tenbai): resale. Went over another Japanese lesson. Got everything correct again! Moving on to a new section next time. 

Also, typed up more of that writing meme that features 12 of my original characters. It's been fun so far! I think they'd just kill each if I were to just drop them in the middle of a rainforest, though. But, I'm sticking to the 'script' on the meme. So, I don't have as much freedom with it.

National Cheesecake Day

Mood:


Yay for cheesecake!When I was little, I hated it. But, I was introduced to it again years later, and fell in love with it. Kind of the opposite of what happened with me and mushrooms.(I hate them now.) I like cherry cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, marble cheesecake, chocolate, and a few others. I actually don't eat it too often, since it feels so decadent.


It's been unusually cool the last few days. Even our norm is slightly warmer than this. Well, at least we're not dying of the heat like some people are in the rest of the country.


Watched the opening ceremony for the Olympics. It was amazing and weird all at the same time.I really like their idea for the cauldron. Each nation had a 'petal' that lit up, and then all of them were lifted and put together, to make kind of a flower. Looked really cool from below, looking up. Interesting how they transitioned into the Industrial Age. The doves were interesting. Thought the big baby and flying Mary Poppins' were very bizarre.The love story/their music for the past 40 years thing was interesting. The Queen jumping out of the helicopter was obviously not real, but funny nonetheless. She seemed to be a good sport about it. I've only seen bits of the games so far. I usually like to watch the swimming, gymnastics, archery, badminton, track and field, weightlifting, and a few other things. 


Had one of the weirdest dreams last night.Mom had called us and said she'll be coming home in a few hours. I told her that she had passed away, so how could she be coming back? She seemed very hurt by this. (It was almost like she was returning from a long trip or something.) She also seemed to be stuck in the phone at one point. It doesn't sound scary when I say/type it, but it seemed like it was and very surreal at the time.I don't know what my thing with phones is. They seem to pop in occasionally in my nightmares. There was one that used to be recurring, that in short, had a train burst out of it eventually. 


I decided to deactivate my accounts with those Jewish dating sites. I might look for more at some point. The ones I was part of were really lame. Some had most of the matches on the east coast. Some were mostly in Europe. Some had guys that were WAY too old for me. And, so on.


So, I joined OkCupid last night. I'm already getting a couple of guys who say they're interested. Plus, a few in my 'quiver' and regular matches. It was interesting to see a flow chart of who I'm really looking for. Plus, the maps of states and countries that have the best matches for me. Kind of surprising. I'm a little addicted to their questions.But, they say the more you answer, the better your matches. I don't like how a lot of them center on sex. I'm not focused on that. I just want to get to know the person really well, before that even comes up.Maybe I'm too old fashioned, but I don't care. Anyways, those are the only ones that irk me. There's a lot more intelligent questions too. I might look at other regular dating sites as well at some point. I'm starting to get a bit nervous about it all, though. But, I think I need to push myself out there.


I've decided on a new routine for walking.I'm going to try and walk for twice as long as I used to, after everytime I eat. That could be just after a snack. Plus, I'm adding 15 sit-ups when I wake up, and 15 when I go to bed. I might feel even better this way.


Went to Silver City for dinner Saturday night. Tried their new gyros. Kind of disappointed about it.Had an off taste. It was good, but didn't really taste like a gyro. The fries were awesome! I also got their brownie. (I rarely ever order a dessert when I eat out.) It was amazing!A soft and steamy large brownie on the bottom, then a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some whipped cream, chocolate syrup and caramel syrup drizzled on top. So good! It was so huge, I couldn't eat it all. Managed to barely eat half of it. So, I took the rest home. I seem to have forgotten about it the last couple of days. But, remembered tonight. I just got to have something awesome later. 


I have an appointment, finally, for my orthopedist. Maybe he can do some tests, give me advice on exercises, or something. I'm still in pain.It comes in waves, but I always have some amount of it. The most painful time seems to occur when I go to bed. Almost unbearable. If I didn't have that icy hot stuff, I think I'd be in a lot of trouble. Anyways, the appointment is scheduled for the beginning of next month. I still need to make an appointment to see my therapist. I seriously need to.


For the first time, I managed to order things from Avon. Mom was the Avon lady. She would constantly order things. There was a really awesome deal on my shower gel. I'm really low, and needed to get some anyways. So, a nice plus. I ordered the vanilla, and banana coconut milk ones. (You had to get 2 for the deal.) I loved the vanilla, so I kept it. But, I haven't tried the banana one, so why not? My fave used to be pomegranate mango, but it's not as 'intense' smelling. Also, got some of the vanilla lotion. So, now occasionally I'll smell like a cookie or cake. Yay!


For the parsha on Saturday, it was the first one for Deuteronomy. Kind of uneventful. Like a recap of what happened before. Tisha B'Av was on Sunday, which is a day of mourning. If you're really observant you're supposed to fast. I'm not that observant, and I can't really fast. My meds prevent me from doing so. But, it's still a very solemn day. You're supposed to remember to mourn the loss of the temples in Jerusalem, the Crusades, Jews of England being expelled in 1290, Jews of Spain being expelled in 1492, and many more tragic events in Jewish history. 

Started Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu, or The Idiot, The Test, and the Summoned Beasts. Also known as just Baka to Test. It's been interesting so far. Pretty funny, seems unique, and interesting characters. Not what I'd call THE funniest, but it's not bad. By the way, I saw a poll asking people in Japan what series they thought was the most hilarious. Gintama was number one. No surprise there! It's awesome! Number 2 was Daily Lives of High School Boys. Which I agree with as well. That was a hilarious show, that came as close to Gintama's awesome hilarity as possible. 


Anyways, Baka to Test centers on Akihisa Yoshii (who's considered the idiot), who attends Fumizuki Academy. A school where the staff rigidly divides the students based on the results of their academic scores. At the start of school, the students take an entrance exam. The higher the grades, the higher the class, and the better the benefits. Class A is filled with the highest scoring students, their classroom's filled with many prestigious items. (Air conditioners, fancy seats, laptops, a free snack bar, etc.) In Class F, it's the complete opposite. Having scratched up mats, wooden tables that constantly fall apart, dust, etc. But, they can fight for the best classroom facilities by calling forth 'summoned beasts' (or avatars of themselves) and battling the higher classes. Their avatar points are based on the subject they decide to fight with. So, if you're good at math, you'll have a lot of points to battle with if they decide on that subject. Really very interesting premise. Kind of smart, actually. 


I've started chapter 17 of Alliance. I don't know why it took me so long just to start it. But, now that I have, I can't stop.The only reason I stopped today was because Dad came in to say hello. Then, I noticed my hands were hurting from typing so much. If she hadn't come in then, I would have been in a world of pain.So far, this chapter seems to be rather sad. But, I know there will be a fun part soon, so at least I have that to look forward to. 


I've worked more on kanji compounds these last few days, too. It's really starting to click more, now that I see them being used in words/phrases. Plus, I can see how they pronounce them for different compounds. Good to know, because kanji can have many different pronunciations. Also, still working on that You Maga article, and went over some more Japanese lessons. Read an article in Japanese and watched a few vids about festivals that are currently happening there. Really cool. 


deviantART fave: WILDCARD: Inner Shadow I did not make this! A really awesome painting done by an artist I watch. The smokiness, and overall feel of it, is really cool. 

Purim

Mood:


Can't believe it's Purim already!Means Passover's coming up sooner than it feels like. Too bad I won't be going to the megillah reading tonight.I think, it's the first time we won't be going. (Could be wrong...But, it's been a while anyways.) Usually, we go through the story of Esther, and make lots of noise throughout. It's really fun! People dress up in costumes too. There's usually lots of candy, and a special pastry called hamantaschen. That can be filled with chocolate, strawberry jam, poppy seeds, really anything you can think of. Really tasty.There's also a short skit the kids do that's based on the story. Some years are good, some are lame. We're (at least people who can) supposed to drink until we  can no longer tell the difference between the cursed Haman, and the blessed Mordechai. (Between the bad guy and the good guy of the story.) There's also a carnival. So, it's a crazy, festive, fun, and joyous holiday.


Had the weirdest dream last night.I know I felt hungry just before, but it's still weird. I was in a concert hall, in one of those high box seats. There was rows of floating pizza pies. I think it was some sort of game. An announcer said, "We will not be held liable if you fall to your death."Then, people started jumping on the pizzas. I somehow ended up with a full ice cream carton. But, I had let it melt without realizing. So, I went back out there trying to get more ice cream, but managed to just get a lot of pizzas. Someone next to me said, "Look at all those pizzas she's got already!" Ok, maybe I had a hankering for pizza and ice cream?Made me feel a bit weird.


Just before that, at about 4am, I had a distinct urge to go take a long walk. I actually felt like getting up, getting my clothes on, and doing that. I had to will myself to try and go back to sleep.I still had such a hard time falling asleep throughout the entire night. Maybe had like 2 hours of solid sleep. And, I went to bed early. Kind of disturbing.


In Fairy Tail, they finally defeated Grimoire Heart. Natsu should become an S-class mage, because he saved everyone. And, he's grown the most. Happy, Carla, and Lilly found Hades' heart and destroyed it. Which helped a great deal in taking him down. I like how even the weak looking members (ones that look like they may just be mascots) kick butt too. This series actually makes you feel something for every character and arc. It feels like there's never really a 'break' or 'filler' with it. 


Didn't feel up to playing today. I'll try to find a new manga to read for today's slot during the weekend. Looked at a few already. Seemed like recycled stories/ideas with many of those. Also, forgot about making an appointment to see my primary care doctor. Hopefully I'll remember tomorrow...


Youtube:
A fan-made trailer for Fairy Tail. Pretty cool:

National Whipped Cream Day!

Mood:


Wow! A day for whipped cream? Nice.It was marked as today, because of Aaron 'Bunny' Lapin's birthday in 1914. He came up with Reddi-Wip, the first aerosol spray cream. It's also National Bird Day and the 10th of Tevet. Some really traditional Jews fast today. But, it's a minor one, so not everyone follows it.


On Tuesday, I did the carpet cleaner/deodorizer stuff on the floor upstairs. Really strong stuff!Burned my nose and the back of my throat, while I sprinkled it all over the place.Smelled much better and looked cleaner after I vacuumed it. Mom put some cayenne powder on the areas the cats seem more attracted to. Supposedly, it deters them from those spots. 


Managed to scan and do a little editing of the Hetalia Heritage meme. Had to use my printer. Mine doesn't do as good a job as my mom's. But, at least I finally scanned it.

日本語

Went over the first lesson of my Japanese sentence patterns book. It was on は or wa, and が or ga. 2 of the most complicated and confusing particles for most people to learn. She explains things so much better than most sites online.I had kind of an idea about these 2, but this just enforced it more.

Got some more writing done. Blanked for a couple of minutes, but luckily got back on track. Still have a lot of ideas for the story. Also, did some character and building descriptions. Worked on Rakesh's description, and on the restaurant Akanoesco. 

For dinner Tuesday, I made latkes and some canned lentil soup (added green pepper, carrots, and diced tomatoes). Really tasty stuff!I might make my Korean chicken thing tonight, I'm not sure though. The only hard part would be separating the chicken. Plus, it has to marinate for about 1-3 hours. Hmmm...Or, maybe I should do something simple and quick?

I've had really weird mornings lately. Strange surreal dreams for a few nights now. Every time I've woken up, I felt a little disoriented.Yesterday, my alarm didn't go off. I must have been up at 8:30am, but thought it was before 8. So, I just laid in bed longer. Didn't end up falling asleep, though. I thought that it was awfully bright out, and I eventually looked at my watch. It was 11:07!!Freaked me out enough to literally jump out of bed. So, I didn't get much done before going to the cafe.

While there, I read more of the December issue of You Maga, read both Timeline and Earth, found a few more interesting words, and did a crossword puzzle. After the cafe, we went to the grocery store. Didn't get home until around 7. Nasty weather out, too.Luckily, we got something quick from the grocery store. We just needed to heat it up. Wednesdays can be difficult for making dinner. Since we don't leave the cafe until around 5, and we might do something like go get groceries after. It just kills the time to make something.