Thursday Thirteen #5 - Hibernation

Well, here I am - doing it all over again at another Thursday Thirteen. I haven't posted much in the last week - the reason? Hibernation. The ideas have been percolating. Well, that's a lame excuse. So, I'll spare you the other if's and why's, although you'll find I'm greatly amused by some.

So let's get it on...since I'm rather late posting this up.

1. I've been observing a lot. Walking around. A lot. All over Squirrel Hill. And taking buses. It's a great place to walk and it's not misty or freezing cold so I don't feel chilled all over again. When you feel you've come to a rusty spot at night or during the day or in your mind, walk. It helps wonders.

2. Trying to reconnect with family and friends, finding it's easier said than done. The culture of voice mail. Woa is me! I think my name is all over the place. Where is everybody??

3. Getting into the fall swing of things. My-my. Halloween is just everywhere I go - from crisp fall collages on doors' to strange icy looking faces to make that superstitious eye again.

4. I've been hittin' the library. Seriously, I'm mad about the Squirrel Hill library. When I can't escape the mind of my ideas, I swamp and vegetate over a book or better yet, there's a book fair this weekend, anybody?

5. We've been digging up dinosaur bones at the Pittsburgh Museum. Walking through Schenley Park. Watching birds in the sky. I know I'm on a sabbatical but it's also fun to be a mom. Especially in the evening when Ivry comes from the JCC. He's hold his little black spider and says, "Mommy, food!" So I know I'm there for him. It pares or rather balances the hours in front of a screen.

6. Exploring Pittsburgh. Beside the Steelers, we need to know and explore the other areas. So we did that today giving me a much needed respite from the computer to put things in perspective. We went to Shadyside to pick up Haim's check (yay!) and then via Penn Avenue down to the Strip district to pick up some wholesome small bag of wheat, hummus, (we miss Osem from back home, but this one was pretty flavorful), a homemade bottle of olive oil, some dried peaches and mangoes, bread, did I mention hummus? (Israelis says 'hoomoos'... I'm telling you the flavor is in the pronunciation!) We also purchased a new cell at the AT and T place in the most desolate and abandoned looking street. Making our way downtown doing some banking stuff before heading back to Squirrel Hill. Pittsburgh's districts are so regional and so close in proximity. So different than NYC .. but I digress.

7. Finding time to be with Hubbie. Need I say more?

8. Doing some reflecting. And researching about second careers. The career counselor gave me some homework to do.. Again, more voice calls. My name's everywhere.

9. Finding time to exercise.. I'm taking yoga twice a week at the JCC. It's about time. Nothing like yoga to help start a mindful, peaceful day.

10. Attending a writing group twice a week and an Israeli's women's group once a month.

11. Talking to strangers. The nice lady downstairs misses her granddaughter and surprised Ivry with a stuffed toy pumpkin with a happy face. I yelped secretly in glee. Ivry responded to her by saying he was going to call his uncle Elan. (He lives out in San Diego) She didn't understand him as he said half of the sentence in Hebrew, but we both ended up introducing ourselves which struck a very short but nice chat.

12. Finding my American side. This is both confusing and interesting. It's weird too. I haven't been able to find the right hide so I'm hibernating until I find the right insides. But no thanks, no junk food, especially Wendy's or McDonald's for me. Ick. Don't know how people live on that stuff.

13. Finding my spiritual side. Every Friday night, I debate whether to go shul shopping. So far, I've attended only one shul. But I have my eye on another... and another... just keep hopping.

Happy TT Everybody!

Thursday Thirteen #4

Thirteen Explanations behind my son's name: "Ivry David"

I think it's high time I got to some serious explanations - especially about my son and his name. I have yet to hear a name like his in Israel let alone in the Diaspora. So, here's a few for starters...

1. David is after my husband's late father who died of a stroke in 1991. He was a charismatic man, very intelligent and worked for the Israel intelligence - the Mossad; it's sad he is in heaven and can't see this adorable little gingy. Haim misses him so.

2. When I returned to work after maternity leave, my students asked me the name of our son and I replied: "Ivry" - their response: "Oh, like Ivry Lider." Many youngsters (my former students) in Israel know of Ivry Lider as the gay musician who is the leading musical voice of this pop's generation, but, many people of our generation in Israel know of a special man named David Ivry. In my opinion, he is the one who should be running the Israeli government. Aside from acting as the Israeli ambassador, he also was the ninth commander of the Israeli air force during the Persian Gulf War. You can read all about him here.

3. Ivry - in Biblical Hebrew, Ivry means 'the first'. - HaIvri.

4. I just love the sound of Ivry. Especially when he was in my tummy. It was just one of those names that had to be. When my husband suggested it, I knew it was a special match.

5. Ivry has the special blend of 'ivory' and 'eve' - two of my favorite words from the English language.

6. We wanted to have an original name; at the time there were two many 'Tomers,' 'Eyals,' and 'Alons' for us to even consider.

7. From a numerological point of view, Ivry has two syllables 'Iv - ry'. This is of special importance when a numerologist at his birth, pronounced his number of 7. She said that great things are in store for him.

8. Back to our David Ivry - he holds special relevance to our name choice as he is Israel's hero, but he is modest. No blog or web site promotion for him. This is how in essence we want our son to grow up. Do the important things for the good of humanity but, from the side drop without any fanfare.

9. Initially, I had wanted to call our munchkin 'David' - so we got the best of both worlds.

10. Since he is the first son - it is appropriate to have something of 'first' nature - thus the Biblical explanation of 'HaIvri.'

11. David the king - was a gingy like our Ivry. Well, not exactly the main reason behind his name choice, but a side bit of information.

12. From the minute I looked at the sonogram, I knew ... Ivry it is!

13. It's simply an enchanting name!

Happy TT!

I Had Forgotten

Now that the boxes are mainly unpacked, and Haim just started his new nifty job and the Jewish holidays behind us, there is room to grow and learn something new every day.. especially with my writing.

Beyond the glare of the computer screen, I had forgotten the candy corn kid in me... many many years back.

Well, today it happened. Of course the stores are decorated with that Halloween theme and fall's crisp in everywhere I look. I see the skeleton's and I remember the boo child who loved the Halloween invitations or the fake cobwebs and rubbery bones at the Greenwich Village House Party Store. (yes, it's there there!) But for some adult torn reason, I had overlooked that that child was also hiding in.. FOOD. Food Glorious Food!

Two nights ago, I almost got so mad at Haim for bringing a sugar one layer cake (which tasted like three layers to me) but ended up eating a few hearty slices myself. I think it was the coconut slices mixed in caramel, full of obvious cane sugar that brought me to it. For a very quick dash of a second, I stepped back into time eating candy corn, feeling the fake wool on my costume and dashed out into the hallways of Westbeth to find my friend Laura, so we could go trick or treating.

I'm very very close to home (only five hours away) but with every bite, of that cake the kid pops out - loud and strong...

Now, if I could only find a taker to finish and nibble off the cake. Too bad I don't have a teacher's room to bring it to, but oh, I'm not worried. Between the three of us, something's bound to happen...

So, what food edibles bring back the child in you?

A Special Moment

Anybody who knows my Ivry, knows how verbal and loving he can be. Ivry isn't really such a newcomer as us and he has adapted after all, to the JCC, Davis Park across from us, the synagogue and Chabad, the bagels we buy - everything. He has a phenomenal memory and doesn't miss a thing.

Today, after participating in a short storyhour at the Squirrel Hill family hour, Ivry met up with Adi. The hug he gave that little boy quickly made me feel at ease; it's different here in Amerca. Truthfully, I don't care if another little boy we don't know hugs Ivry. My feeling is that we don't need to establish invisible physical boundaries so early in a child's life.

Some Updates and Thoughts

Haim returned today from his first day of work. I never thought I would cry so after hearing his first day consisting of cutting vegetables, fish (which he abhors with a passion) aside from giving advice to older diabetics not to eat Halva. I'm crying *NOT* because of his intolerance to fish or standing on his feet all day, but for all that we have done from applying for a greencard to the preplanning before, to walking along the broken sidewalks to find our way around Pittsburgh and saving myself for sake and thought of a broken ankle. (thank god it's just a sprain, just painful at times and annoying to wobble on from time to time especially uphill.)

We are your typical immigrants living out the American dream, just what Hollywood ordered and what Amy Tan writes about. Welcome to America.And I know that he will still to continue to cut fish for the next thirty days for the passion, the dream, the hope and the vision of trying to make it in a country that isn't his.

The family therapist says I have cultural disorder and for the most part, I feel it has subsided a bit with time. But I am so happy when an old friend reminds me of high school moments and I remember I have a past here. Mommyhood and New immigrant syndrome can't take those precious memories away.

Thursday Thirteen #3 - Reminders

Oh my god! I forgot it was Thursday already! Boy, the week passes by so quickly. For those of you who are just learning, this Thursday Thursday is the second of my journey in America. After nineteen years of living in Israel, I've decided to take a year off to try something new. As a bilingual and dual citizen, I take great pride living in both countries. Anyhow...

There are those things that remind me I am in America.

1. The sweet smell of grass, the intentional business of God. It reminds me of laziness, summer camps, hikes in the woods pretending to be Indians, lazy Sundays, picking Queen Ann's Lace in Virginia and a dozen of more other things.

2. Watching Squirrels running across the street.

3. Having 24 access to supermarkets, drugstores, etc and being able to buy whatever I need without having to worry of course the astronomical prices that Israel market is infamous for.

4. Libraries, libraries, libraries! I cannot stress this enough - When a state, country, county what have you does not take stock and pride in its library, that is the ultimate confirmation that something's utterly wrong. How can literacy levels be expected to go up if people irrespective of incomes do not have access to books. The Squirrel Hill Library in Pittsburgh is such a user friendly place. I'm so happy to work here.

5. Wonderful access to the city's Parks - Frick and Schenely Parks to name a few.

6. The fact that there is a 2 day weekend, that for 19 years I had forgotten about and it makes a world of difference in terms of the work week.

7. The 'have a nice day' and 'thank you very much' that Israeli smirk over, is actually a very nice (and important ) ritual. Maybe it is a filler or a distraction, but when you don't have immediate family in the place you live like me, this makes a world of difference in your feeling of well-being. Plus people in Pittsburgh are so nice! It's true what people say about Pittsburghians.

8. It's the little things that help you get by. The fact that your groceries are bagged here in America. I appreciate and like that very much.

9. The American holidays. I miss Thanksgiving and Halloween so much. i love watching the pumpkins glow in the dark and kids yelling: "trick or treat!" It reminds me of the days in Westbeth when we would spread shaving cream on the banisters and my mom (god bless her soul) would tape a pencilled 'take one' sign pointing to a box of Branches' candy corn boxes which we would find strewn all over the hallway before taking off to the famous Ralph Lee's Greenwich Village parade, which was so incredibly popular in the seventies. I am so happy that you can read now all about it in Wikipedia.It gives me such pride as I was a part of it.

10. The Foliage Season that is the beauty of New England. A year ago I pronounced to my husband Haim that I want to see myself walking through a farm or a hill with the true foliage season. I still have time to experience that after 19 years of being on the other side of the Atlantic ocean.

11.The mass amounts of language and cultures all in one nation.

12. The ability to take a plane, train, car anywhere and experience oceans, trails, mountains and fresh water ponds and lakes - the best this country has to offer. The same goes for hoping on back to visit NYC!

And one bonus: the mass amounts of free workshops, services and programs that libraries, community centers and other resources provide. I think this is extremely important. Don't you?

So, what do you take pride in? What journeys do you see yourself planning? What 'does it' for you?

Happy TT!