Category: General

From this list, choose whatever fit me, and answer in the comments. Then post
the list in your own LJ and see what people think of you.
1. Dominant or submissive
2. Logical or intuitive
3. Social or loner
4. Kinky or vanilla
5. Cute or sophisticated
6. Kitten or puppy
7. Warm flannel sheets or sleek satin
8. Leader or follower
9. Quiet or talkative
10. Spontaneous or planned
11. Teddy bear or porcelain doll
12. Hiking or window shopping
13. Tequila or vodka
14. Top or bottom
15. Bare foot or shoes
16. Jeans or slacks
17. Tender or rough
18. Aware or dreamy
19. Nerd or geek
is a meme going around that you probably have seen. Feel free to answer it.

So I’ve been sorely neglecting any updates here for a while…
Where to start?

1. I failed my second motorcycle driving test. This in and of itself is very annoying. I am determined to pass next time, as it is now becoming a matter of principle.

2. My lady didn’t get into the overseas school, but she says that she was expecting that to happen.

3. I don’t remember if I mentioned this, but I got a new job at a software company in Lod as their one and only SysAdmin/Content Manager. Ask me what that means in a few months.

5. I am currently on a train to TLV, for the customary bi-annual sci-fi/fantasy con. Joy.

Other than that, everything’s as usual, I guess.

Well, “As You like It” is over, and with it came tonight’s cast party.
The cast asked me to take part in writing something on a booklet artistically designed for Shannon, and as luck would have it, I have the very last page.
I wrote and I wrote, letting the words pour out of me, and at the very end, I wrote that I love her.
Take into consideration that I haven’t said this to her, and my heart was pounding so damn hard, and I knew it would be a bit until she got to read it.
We left the cast party at 3:30am, and she dropped me off, and we parted, and I knew she’d go home and read the “card”.
She did. 🙂
And then she called me, where I got to find my voice and say it myself. I am bolder in the written word when it comes to the matters of the heart, I guess.
But she responded in kind, and clarified that I am not insane, as I thought myself to be a bit back. (, remember? She DID tell me so! Claims it slipped out then. I don’t care. I wasn’t hallucinating)
So that’s that. For now, at least.

In other news:

1. I failed my motorcycle test last Thursday. I don’t know, I guess I got a bit too excited, and screwed up my figure eights. I was doing well, and he failed me. Ah well…. Wish me luck for this upcoming Thursday. Trying again. Will pass this time dammit. Gotta get a bike!
2. I’m probably going to need to write a formal resignation letter tomorrow at work. I got a job proposal from a nice software company that will improve my terms and also require m to travel to Lod daily. Hence the urgent need of a bike.

I guess the real reason I hadn’t said the special three words to Shannon yet is because we both aren’t really sure of what’s happening this upcoming year. I’m moving to another company, she might be moving to the USA.
It’s a problem.

In any case, I do have to get some sleep tonight, if I’m going to be worth anything tomorrow at all.
Wish me luck!

Ladies and gentlemen, please lend me your ears so I might regale you with the events and occurrences of Opening Night of W. Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”, directed by Shannon Kisch.

First off, let me say that I will try to be unbiased about this as I can, but that’s just a little difficult. You know how it is.

I arrived at the Merkaz nice and early so as to get a good seat. I ended up sitting with a friend who has interned at the Merkaz in the theater during some productions, so it was a nice break for both of us to be completely uninvolved and to sit back and enjoy the show. We took two seats in the front row center, right at the foot of the stage stairs which provided a beautiful view that filled my entire field of view.

The set:
Where to start? Wow. The entire set seems fairly spare to start out with, however considering the size of the cast and that in days of old the sets themselves were pretty empty, it was both appropriate and not cluttered with superfluous items.
Using the ceiling for a sky-blue puffy look, and a black background with innocuous hooks hanging down as hangers with various props on them, set the scene for everything else.
Stage right hosts a couple of low platforms, with some tree trunks extending from the base to the ceiling, with a beautiful hanging sign of “As You Like It”, cut out and in deep brown colors. Stage left has an impressive padded bench, and more trees behind it. And in the center, a small stool, as you would find in a garden surrounded by gnomes. The center stage exit is surrounded by golden leaves, lending a certain “archway” quality to it.
These pieces never really move, however as the show proceeds, parts of it change just a bit and suddenly make all the difference. Added to these are what look like four brown umbrellas in wooden stands, that look a lot like small bushes or trees, also brushed brown and golden.
I don’t want to give away anything that might spoil your own enjoyment of the show, but suffice it to say that all colors of autumn are utilized, and put to use at that. The creative use of uncommon items to add to the atmosphere, and the actors themselves “unfolding” the set is quite breathtaking.

The costumes:
Surprisingly refreshing! The men are all basically garbed in dark slacks and a tan-shade short. The women are in reverse, wearing black tops and tan skirts. As they enter, they all look like a solid performance group, and roam around the stage to their own music, as they find their apparel on the stage and robe themselves in the various accoutrements that are hanging around on stage. The look is full of color, flashy yet not too gaudy. Changing the placement of a cape will give an actor a new look, and they use that to emphasize a different character being portrayed. Some characters are simple and unadorned, some only need a hanky or a flaring skirt to hold your focus. Others have more elaborate costuming, but nothing beyond what is on stage to begin with. All in all, beautiful with a casual look.

The characters and the actors who play them:
The cast is comprised of 14 actors, and about 21 characters. It’s quite fun to see the actors you just saw appear as new characters. Those that make the change, do so with such alarming accuracy, that it is sometimes easy to forget another character is being played by the same actor. There is one character change done completely visible to the audience in dimmed lights, as if to show us, “Yes, we know that this is the same actor. He’s someone else now. Deal with it.” The amazing versatility of each and every one of them at showing us something they may or may not have in their inherent personality, but making us believe that they are who they say they are.

Finally, the show:
Needless to say, I liked it. This show started on a high note, literally. Singing! Music! Dancing elephants! Well, no dancing elephants, but the opening was powerful, and it only proceeded on a wild fantastical journey from that moment on. Instead of a single person “stealing the show”, it felt like about six of the characters were stealing the show when they had the chance, and then somebody else would come along and steal it right back.
The court jester, the banished duke’s daughter, the young lovers, and everyone else – they all have their spot and moment, and they do make the most of it.
The show has its twists and turns, quips and quibbles, and takes you on a journey somewhere where the trees are covered in red and yellow, somewhere that love is ever-abounding, although not always returned or recognized as such, somewhere utterly wonderful to visit, and to want to return to again someday soon.

In conclusion:
Shakespeare’s humor, which has not always been translated to modern age theater that well, combined with the guidance and production skills of a brilliant director makes this far beyond a dusty, old manuscript written in a time that is no longer. If he were alive today, I really do wonder what W.S’s response would be, and if it would be along the lines of this writer’s.

Actually, I am sure it would be. How could it be otherwise?

For those that missed it first time around:

This part was blown up for ease on the eyes.

If being madly attracted to women makes someone a lesbian, then I’m definitely one of the biggest ones out there.
Random line from an email I wrote.

My last post was intended to be the first part of a multi-part-post, but due to Purim madness, it never got around to being completed.
I was pretty bombed.

Here’s a link to the Baron Munchausen game (Purim.Con at the Booj’s): Outside link to Baron Game pix (comments in Hebrew)

Last Friday:
My lady had her actors working late (as usual) on Thursday night, and set them loose at around 11:30pm.
Next morning schedule, 8:00am sharp, everyone!
So little ol’ me, who’s been up working on setting a good friend up with the graphic software she needs, as opposed to the graphic software she had, on her laptop, ill about 2:00am, AND then the clock switched one hour ahead…..
So these poor actors only get a few hors of sleep at best.
So I figure I’d get up nice and early, collect some previously laid-out provisions, and head to a bakery near the theater. Purchase a ton of goodies, and go to the theater, set up a coffee, tea and pastry corner right outside the theater, and then the actors come a’running.
I am told that they were immeasurably pleased, and come on, most of them are friends of mine, and I figured it’d be easier on Shannon if her actors were awake and in good spirits.
So I left the theater, went downtown for some shopping and crap, got a nice haircut on the way, headed back when rehearsals were almost over, and made a stop along the way to get her a nice little bouquet of purple Kalaniyot.
So I arrive at the theater, listen to a few lines and clean up the coffee station (the pastries had mysteriously been all munched away) and await her exit.
The look on her face is so precious, that makes me feel. I’m a seriously feeling-repressed kind of person and she makes me feel. Or maybe it’s not her making me feel, just myself feeling good doing something for someone else.

I sell myself far too short, and by far my own biggest critic. I have trouble accepting gratitude for something I’ve done, but my oversized screwed-up ego will gladly take credit for something that I had nothing to do with, i.e. the rising of the sun.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!
See below for the most awesome of awesome shows!
Come in droves, bring your friends!
Seriously. If you don’t…..

This part was blown up for ease on the eyes.
For any details, please feel free to contact me, or call the Theater directly at 02-561-9165 x202

Ladies and gentlemen! It’s that time again, of course where everybody dresses up and puts on costumes and makeup, and proceed to make life miserable for me.
Thursday morning, I headed out to Betar, where my parents currently live. It is now become a tradition for my family and for other families to join together for the festival of Purim. The responsibility of arranging multiple alcoholic drinks for the lot of them falls to me.
Having a religion that allows for a son to get his parents completely drunk, no, not allows, encourages this kind of behavior seems a slightly disturbing to me. Am I the only one?
So lot of them managed to drink a lot of my tequila, and I walked out of there with a lighter backpack. I guess I should be happy that I allowed many people to rejoice in the services of the day, but it’s hard because I feel like when I visit them I’m returning to the ghetto.
The complete utter disregard of the law out there surprises even me. As we arrived, we saw a young child of about 11 years old light some sort of explosive firecracker, and hurled it towards a couple of police cars that had parked there.
So I went upstairs to visit and say hello to my mother, who was as always, overjoyed to see me. So we talked for a little bit, which always makes her happy, and then proceeded to load up the car and head over the feast’s host’s house. Arriving there we were the first ones to get there as usual. My father of the himself obviously, was all crazy about having to wash his hands before the feast, as according to him, one must wash their hands before 11:45 a.m. on Friday. This obviously just goes to enforce my belief that they are absolutely insane. So we wash, and sit down and have a few bites the while everyone else slowly rolls in. So after I’ve had my bagel and cream cheese that are oh so filling, and many other people have managed to arrive, I set about my task to get these people as drunk as they want to be.
This is actually easier said than done, as some of these people seem to have a hollow leg. There is much rejoicing and merriment as they are all absolutely stinking drunk by the end of the feast, and I begin to pack up my stuff in order to make it out and catch my bus back to Jerusalem.
Due to the fact that the bus schedules out of there are sketchy at best, I had to run to actually catch the bus to Jerusalem. As I boarded the bus. There were four identically dressed guys in the front row, who asked me for a handout. Now call me crazy, but I don’t believe that any custom of anybody requires me to give money arbitrarily to anyone who asked for it. Apparently, according to some weird custom, anyone who opens their hands is to be handed cash. Does this work on anyone can I asked my bank manager to just give me some money. Or how about Bill Gates? Sometimes the audacity of the customs in the religion drives me nuts.
By the time I got home I was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol as well. And the heat was not that forgiving, especially with me and my leather jacket. So after muscling my way up stairs and into my apartment, I managed to pass out on my bed.
A few hours later, after I had rested and felt ready to reacquaint myself with the universe, I stumbled into the shower and proceeded to take a lukewarm shower that probably damaged some nerve endings. Once moderately presentable and headed out to my friend Kilroy’s place where I had a pleasant dinner or comprising of sushi pasta and salads. Joe and Janet were there as well. We had a nice time together and eventually went home.
At home I got some sleep and woke up this morning refreshed and ready to go.
So this morning I completed bottling my final product of Bottled Sunshine, in anticipation of today’s Munchausen event. After that I sat down here to write this post, but not exactly write more like dictate the post, while battling the dictation software for creative control. Some things are immediately evident and work quite well however others are less easily recognize especially out of context. I can only hope that over extended time the software will improve its recognition of my voice and that I will learn how to speak in more flowing sentences.
I hope to have an update at the end of today, or at best early tomorrow and let you know how things are going.
Until next time, this is Mike.

Well, this is the first post I’m going to send to my live Journal, that has completely been dictated by voice.
I have just finished doing the basic set up of Dragon NaturallySpeaking, which is a voice recognition “speech to text” software package.
I hope that with extensive use and further training with this software package, I will be able to fully control and dictate to my computer.
It takes a little getting used to and out the outset requires a lot of monitoring and fixing, but I am confident that over the course of time, everything will work out okay.
At the moment it’s very late, and I need to get some sleep before tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning, I have another motorcycle lesson and need to be more or less awake for the lesson.
That pretty much wraps it up for tonight, I hope to post again sometime soon.

Countrymen, lend me your ears!

Now that’s aside, I need everyone’s cooperation for this.
This Thursday night, March 17th, Merkaz HaMagshimim Hadassah in Jerusalem is holding a “Comedy & Improv Beit Cafe” event.
Essentially, this is an excuse to get a bunch of people together, charge rather low admission, have an open bar. Oh, and be entertained.
What I want from everyone who reads this is:

1. Come to the event. It’s cheap, it’s fun, and I’m running it, so beware my wrath! Contact me if you are coming and need help getting to the event.
2. I need y’all to come up with content, as follows:
Everyone provide at least 2 different emotions.
Open a book, turn to the 42nd page, and give me the first line of dialog that appears. Please do this with at least 4 books. Please have this sent ASAP.
Finally, provide a couple of ideas – scenes – that you’d like seen played out. No idea is too wacky, but try to keep it clean.

Thank you all, and I look forward to seeing you at the event!

(x posted on )

So Wednesday night we went dancing for hours on end, and she’s really happy that I’m picking up the dances.
It’s loads of fun, and I completely wore out my legs and lungs doing some really fast stuff, which she loved.
After that, we headed over downtown to a little karaoke bar where we came to celebrate our dear friend Jane’s birthday. After lots of drink and merriment, we headed back, and I got dropped off.
I feel really bad for her, as she won’t be hearing back from her scools yet, and she’s agonizing about it. Truth told, I am kind of agonizing a bit too.
The uncertainty factor in what will happen over the next 3 years is pretty big, especially when it might mean that someone very important in your life would be leaving for that long. I don’t really know how I feel about that. Something to contemplate.
Anyhow, last night and dropped in, and we spent some time chatting and laughing.
She came over, and we retired to my room to watch Pirates of the Carribean, which I promptly fell asleep during, but she enjoyed it (again) and it was nice and mindless.
Here at work, I write these lines, and leaving in a moment to head home. I hope you all can relax this weekend, for next week I hope to finally finish this motorcycle license nonsense. Be afraid. Be VERY afraid!