Well, I am certainly going to be busy for a little while. School work has me rather tied up, as do my conversion readings. Over top of wanting to do a ton of personal reading, I have been asked to alter a prom dress for my youngest sister. Now, I can alter clothing. I have done this plenty of times in the past. My work is decent, however nowhere near the level of perfection required for prom wear. The other issue is time. I have no idea where I am going to find the time to actually alter a dress for her. However, knowing my sister's budget, this is the only way she is going to have anything special to wear to prom.
The option we are going with is an old blue semi formal dress of mine with my black corset overtop. Now I still have to alter the dress some, ie make an over skirt and perhaps sleeves. I am not sure what I am going to be able to do.
At the moment I have so many sewing projects lined up that my sewing machine has finally stopped screaming at me to do them figuring I decided to give up getting anything done. So, if I am not online or answering my phone, I might be busy reading my textbook, at school, at work, or with my hands busy on not getting stabbed by my sewing needle.
Donuts
From Trigun
Friday, January 25, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Textbook Treachery
Ok, I go to community college because I cannot afford to go elsewhere. When you are the one footing the bill, you go where you can afford to go. I am lucky that I do qualify for grant money and scholarships or I would not be making tuition each semester. There is one thing that bugs me, like really, really irks me.
The community college was designed for working class and low-income families to get an education and/or degree to get better paying jobs, so they can move up in the world. So, though tuition is cheaper at a community college with decent courses, which transfer to most four-year universities, the textbook prices remain astronomical. Now there is the option of buying books online used, however, the campus bookstore is not going to make that easy for you. In addition to that, there are always new editions coming out and the professors require these new additions. I just spent 188.00 for a book for one class brand new because there is not option to buy used. That is nearly the cost of a course. Many books now range brand new in the $100 to 125 range if hardback and $80 to 100 in soft cover. This is supposed to be a college encouraging the working class to return to school and help low-income families afford higher education. The cost of textbooks is making this increasingly difficult.
Textbook prices should be capped at an affordable level, especially when it comes to the community college. The government wants people to seek higher education, than they should make it easier for them to achieve and be adding hidden costs to the bill. Books for classes should not cost a third or more of the class for which is for.
I will pay good money for books, however textbook prices are ridiculous and uncalled for.
The community college was designed for working class and low-income families to get an education and/or degree to get better paying jobs, so they can move up in the world. So, though tuition is cheaper at a community college with decent courses, which transfer to most four-year universities, the textbook prices remain astronomical. Now there is the option of buying books online used, however, the campus bookstore is not going to make that easy for you. In addition to that, there are always new editions coming out and the professors require these new additions. I just spent 188.00 for a book for one class brand new because there is not option to buy used. That is nearly the cost of a course. Many books now range brand new in the $100 to 125 range if hardback and $80 to 100 in soft cover. This is supposed to be a college encouraging the working class to return to school and help low-income families afford higher education. The cost of textbooks is making this increasingly difficult.
Textbook prices should be capped at an affordable level, especially when it comes to the community college. The government wants people to seek higher education, than they should make it easier for them to achieve and be adding hidden costs to the bill. Books for classes should not cost a third or more of the class for which is for.
I will pay good money for books, however textbook prices are ridiculous and uncalled for.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Update, Update, read all about it!
Well, it has been brought to my attention that I am neglecting my blog again. This seems to happen a great deal. Life gets in the way and I cannot seem to find the time to write. ~sigh~ Oh, well, perhaps I will do better in the future.
Let’s see, the last time I wrote it was hours before going before the beit din. This was my first meeting with them. It was nerve racking enough, even though my rabbi told me there was nothing to worry about. My rabbi could not be there so, he gave me a letter, which I promptly gave to the Rabbinic consultant, who took the letter to the head of the beit din. Well, I was told a few short months. That was at the beginning of January. Hopefully by Purim or at least Pesach I will be Jewish. This is my sincere hope. At the moment I am studying.
At the moment, I should be unpacking stuff, settling in. However, here I am writing. This is more fun. Eh…maybe not. Decorating can be a great deal of fun.
Yesterday, I put together a cabinet for my dishes and was told that I was being unladylike. Well, I rather be handy any day than unladylike. It fits me. I can be ladylike when I want to and spectacularly, too. Yet, I am the kind of girl who thinks velvet and steel go together quite nicely.
Classes start today. So, at 6:30 tonight I am back to the daily grind. I do have two of my classes online which will allow me do work more. Speaking of work, I have an initial interview to set up a nanny kind of gig this afternoon and I have another call that I am waiting on. Between the two childcare jobs, in addition to my job at the library, I should be able to make the ends meet, which I must add is always a plus in this world.
Recent History:
I have been watching episodes of Firefly again. Love the show. Hate Fox for canceling it. Hooray for the Serenity movie!!
I have been listening to Rochi Lerner’s Torah Sessions on OU Radio. Link: www.ouradio.org. She is an amazing person and has some great insight on torah. I urge all who are interested into checking it out.
Two more of my friends got married to each other. The wedding was amazing. The Shabbat proceeding was lovely too. I really wish I was still in Maryland. I had such a wonderful time there. Oh, well, a dragon’s got to come back to reality sometime. I look forward to my next opportunity to get away from Allentown.
I am currently reading a bunch of things. Textbooks just shoved their way to the top of the list. I am also reading A Great and Terrible Beauty. I finished the 2000 year old man by Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks. That was delightful and really funny. I finally finished reading Trickster’s Queen by Tamora Pierce. I enjoyed the book highly, like I have all her other stuff. I have Terrier to read. I have read a bunch of kids books and I am working on my Hebrew and Jewish studies.
If I am not up on Youtube listening to Final Fantasy music, I am listening to the Sweeney Todd soundtrack. In addition to that I put a smattering of Josh Groban and Phantom of the Opera in the mix. At this current moment, I am hung up on the song 1000 words from FF 10-2. I keep replaying it over an over from youtube. It does serve a non-evil purpose.
This should be a good enough update to satisfy those who have complained I disappeared.
Be Well!
Let’s see, the last time I wrote it was hours before going before the beit din. This was my first meeting with them. It was nerve racking enough, even though my rabbi told me there was nothing to worry about. My rabbi could not be there so, he gave me a letter, which I promptly gave to the Rabbinic consultant, who took the letter to the head of the beit din. Well, I was told a few short months. That was at the beginning of January. Hopefully by Purim or at least Pesach I will be Jewish. This is my sincere hope. At the moment I am studying.
At the moment, I should be unpacking stuff, settling in. However, here I am writing. This is more fun. Eh…maybe not. Decorating can be a great deal of fun.
Yesterday, I put together a cabinet for my dishes and was told that I was being unladylike. Well, I rather be handy any day than unladylike. It fits me. I can be ladylike when I want to and spectacularly, too. Yet, I am the kind of girl who thinks velvet and steel go together quite nicely.
Classes start today. So, at 6:30 tonight I am back to the daily grind. I do have two of my classes online which will allow me do work more. Speaking of work, I have an initial interview to set up a nanny kind of gig this afternoon and I have another call that I am waiting on. Between the two childcare jobs, in addition to my job at the library, I should be able to make the ends meet, which I must add is always a plus in this world.
Recent History:
I have been watching episodes of Firefly again. Love the show. Hate Fox for canceling it. Hooray for the Serenity movie!!
I have been listening to Rochi Lerner’s Torah Sessions on OU Radio. Link: www.ouradio.org. She is an amazing person and has some great insight on torah. I urge all who are interested into checking it out.
Two more of my friends got married to each other. The wedding was amazing. The Shabbat proceeding was lovely too. I really wish I was still in Maryland. I had such a wonderful time there. Oh, well, a dragon’s got to come back to reality sometime. I look forward to my next opportunity to get away from Allentown.
I am currently reading a bunch of things. Textbooks just shoved their way to the top of the list. I am also reading A Great and Terrible Beauty. I finished the 2000 year old man by Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks. That was delightful and really funny. I finally finished reading Trickster’s Queen by Tamora Pierce. I enjoyed the book highly, like I have all her other stuff. I have Terrier to read. I have read a bunch of kids books and I am working on my Hebrew and Jewish studies.
If I am not up on Youtube listening to Final Fantasy music, I am listening to the Sweeney Todd soundtrack. In addition to that I put a smattering of Josh Groban and Phantom of the Opera in the mix. At this current moment, I am hung up on the song 1000 words from FF 10-2. I keep replaying it over an over from youtube. It does serve a non-evil purpose.
This should be a good enough update to satisfy those who have complained I disappeared.
Be Well!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
General News
As of this moment in time, less than eight hours from now, I will be standing before the Queens' Beit Din. They will decide tomorrow if I have learned enough to be allowed to live my life as a Jew, meaning Shomer Shabbat and Kosher or if I must go home and continue my studying. The probably answer I will receive tomorrow is that I need to go home and continue studying. Most people who convert go before the Beit Din twice. I do not see myself as being privy to special circumstances. All in All, it is up to HaShem. Whatever happens tomorrow, it is all in his hands and I will abide by his judgment.
In recent past news, I attended the wedding of two friends. It was a great deal of fun. Loved the dancing and food, which is always good. I wish them much Joy and Happiness throughout their years together. Mazel Tov!!
I have also managed to get to the MET (metropolitan museum of art). I saw the musical instruments, 19th century paints, the statuaries, Greek and Roman art and all the love galleries of furniture. I sort of felt like I was in the Mixed-up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler. I rather enjoyed that. Next time I go, I get to bring my camera and take pictures, all dressed up of course. ::smiling:: That will be fun.
Moving progress: Well, I now officially live inside the Eruv. My queen sized bed made it my new apartment. Home is where my bed is. I find it rather difficult to sleep in a bed that is not my own. I can survive with just my bed. I can eat, sleep, watch movies, blog, write, read, IM and whatever else I wish from there. I love my bed. It is so comfy.
The old place looks bare. I will be taking pictures of the shell that was once my home. I stood in my barren living thinking, "is this how my body will feel once when I die". It felt so cold and uninviting, so foreign, so estranged from all the memories made there. They were just empty walls. Perhaps empty walls that if given the ability could tell some rather interesting stories of a dragon and her friends watching movies and eating popcorn.
In the not so distant future, I will be attending another wedding this weekend. This one is in Maryland. It will be fun to get away on last time before going back to school on Monday. Wow, school starts up again rather quickly. Where did the month go?? Oh, yeah. I spent it moving.
Other things of note: I started knitting again. I am making myself a lavender scarf. I have one or two mistakes, but that's ok. I work on the Japanese principle when it comes to art. Perfection can only be held by God, thus each piece of Japanese Art has a flaw in it. So, the flaw is artist design.
Also, I started reading A Great and Terrible Beauty. I am enjoying the novel so far. I look forward to reaching the end so I can pick up the next book in the series.
Well, I need to attempt to get some sleep before going before three rabbis that get to decide my fate tomorrow. Actually, HaShem gets to decide that fate through these three Rabbis and the words that come out of my mouth.
Laylah Tov,
In recent past news, I attended the wedding of two friends. It was a great deal of fun. Loved the dancing and food, which is always good. I wish them much Joy and Happiness throughout their years together. Mazel Tov!!
I have also managed to get to the MET (metropolitan museum of art). I saw the musical instruments, 19th century paints, the statuaries, Greek and Roman art and all the love galleries of furniture. I sort of felt like I was in the Mixed-up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler. I rather enjoyed that. Next time I go, I get to bring my camera and take pictures, all dressed up of course. ::smiling:: That will be fun.
Moving progress: Well, I now officially live inside the Eruv. My queen sized bed made it my new apartment. Home is where my bed is. I find it rather difficult to sleep in a bed that is not my own. I can survive with just my bed. I can eat, sleep, watch movies, blog, write, read, IM and whatever else I wish from there. I love my bed. It is so comfy.
The old place looks bare. I will be taking pictures of the shell that was once my home. I stood in my barren living thinking, "is this how my body will feel once when I die". It felt so cold and uninviting, so foreign, so estranged from all the memories made there. They were just empty walls. Perhaps empty walls that if given the ability could tell some rather interesting stories of a dragon and her friends watching movies and eating popcorn.
In the not so distant future, I will be attending another wedding this weekend. This one is in Maryland. It will be fun to get away on last time before going back to school on Monday. Wow, school starts up again rather quickly. Where did the month go?? Oh, yeah. I spent it moving.
Other things of note: I started knitting again. I am making myself a lavender scarf. I have one or two mistakes, but that's ok. I work on the Japanese principle when it comes to art. Perfection can only be held by God, thus each piece of Japanese Art has a flaw in it. So, the flaw is artist design.
Also, I started reading A Great and Terrible Beauty. I am enjoying the novel so far. I look forward to reaching the end so I can pick up the next book in the series.
Well, I need to attempt to get some sleep before going before three rabbis that get to decide my fate tomorrow. Actually, HaShem gets to decide that fate through these three Rabbis and the words that come out of my mouth.
Laylah Tov,
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