Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Knowing Me, Knowing You (Leati's Interview)

1) Is Evolution a fact or theory?

It's a theory that could be a fact it you hold that a day of Creation was the billions of years that it took for the tiny bug to become a person...although I have issue with the fact that I may have come from apes. In fact, I just plain old don't believe it. Very distantly related, possibly. Direct descendants? Absolutely not. (We're also distantly related to ישמעאל, but we try to avoid that as well...)

2) If there was a movie about you, who would play the leading role?

Funny question, 'cause I'm the last one (well..maybe not the last one, but close...) to know all the actresses...the answer is that I'd just have to do it (aww shucks) 'cause nobody else can. For one thing, none of the actresses around today have my unique size and shape ('cept maybe Kristen Chenelworth...maybe her-she plays G[a]linda in Wicked). In reality, I wouldn't really feel comfortable with someone else playing me, 'cause I'd feel kinda usurped. The amount of personal emotion that goes into playing a part...I wouldn't feel uniquely me anymore-I'd feel like someone else was trying to be me...it'd be yucky. So I dunno. They'd have to pass my very strict inspection, and I don't think it'd be so easy for anyone.

3) What gets you most angry?

Now I wonder where that question came from...? ;)
When people lie and spread hatred and anger for no good reason. (So no, that person is not that bad ;) )

4) What's the worst that might happen?

I'd rather not think about it, much less put it into words. I was uncomfortable enough just reading CJ's blog last week...although it definately made a difference in my Tefilos recently.

5) What's a question you wish you were asked? and the answer?

Um...they had that question on the Hillel officers application. That's why I didn't apply. Cause I didn't wanna answer this question (well...maybe that's not WHY I didn't apply, but still...)

6) Were you surprised by any of the answers here?

I guess the first and second ones. I never really thought deeply about my feelings on evolution, and I never realized I thought I was so important that nobody could replace me. Hmmm...

Good food for thought. Yum!

Now the rules again: Read the last three posts and see if you can figure them out...

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Eli7's Interview

Thanks! I really enjoyed this one!! (Not that I didn't enjoy the others-but this one was fun for me ;) )

1) What do you view as a defining moment - an epiphany or revelation - in your life?

It's interesting. During the time when I had this epiphany, I actually was really annoyed and rebelled against it. I was in sem, and the Aim Bayit was giving a...I guess a shiur, but at the time I saw it as a "let's get all warm and fuzzy and get to know each other" kind of class. She said one thing that really stuck in my mind, and, I hope, I have since remembered in my interactions with other people. She said that for every person, there is someone who's frummer and someone who's less frum. Everyone has someone who's too extreme to the right and someone who's too extreme to the left. The example she gave was with head coverings (okay, she was talking to girls, so it applied). Most of the girls there were planning to (and many do already ;) ) wear regular shaitles once they got married, so she described the shaitle-with-hat that as the next step right and a baseball cap + ponytail as the next step left. I don't even remember why I was upset about the speech, but I was. When I thought about it later, however, I realized that there's an amazing lesson in perspective to be learned.

We always think that our way is the only way. We stand at the center, and everyone else is waaaay extreme. For me, it led me to be a little less judgemental (stop laughing, leati) and to think about my initial reactions to people before I decided whether to like them or not (and it is a decision, conscious or not). For me, it was to look at people that are frummer than me and to think about what they do, not to see it as threatening to me and therefore "fanatic." I find it's much easier (for me) to accept people who I consider "left" of me than "right," so it's something I've been working on ever since.

2) If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would that word be?

Simmering.

3) What is your greatest accomplishment?

In general, when I have a big project and I don't think I can do it and it somehow gets done. I don't like responsibility, and I don't think of original ideas easily (hence my play that's taking so long to write). The first time that happened was when I was co-head of the gymnastics routine for my school. I COULD NOT (or so I thought) do it, and I only accepted the position because the other girl was desperate. It ended up being the best performance of the entire show, and I'm still very proud of it.

Is that my greatest accomplishment, all things considered? No. But it was the first time I realized that I, little old TRW, could do big things and they could even come out fantastic! :)

4) In a perfect world, where/who will you be 20 years from now?

In the Old City of Yerushalayim, preparing a huge Shabbos meal for the tons of guests that my husband will bring home from the Kotel or from the school where he's teaching, who've never seen a Shabbos before, and these people's intro to Yiddishkeit will be based on the way I've raised my kids and made my home and IY"H it'll be done absolutely right.

(Yes, I'll also be near Hebrew University, where I could pop in to the Hebrew Manuscript division and do research while the kids are at school, and the Kol Neshama Eretz Yisroel division'll also be nearby, where I can pursue performance and help girls realize their amazingness....:) )

5) What is your single most valued possession?

My soul.

Now the rules again:
1) Leave me a comment saying "interview me please."
2)I will respond by asking you five questions (not the same as above)
3)You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions.
4) You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5) When others comment asking to be interviewed you will ask them five questions.

Edit: I think I've interviewed everyone that's asked me so far. If I haven't, let me know. I'm still waiting to be interviewed by Karl, Stx, and NJ. (I commented in the previous post that I'm happy to interview y'all, but then you gotta interview me too! I'm beginning to like this game! ;) ) If you want to be interviewed, ask me on this post, so I'll know which one to check.
Have a happy day!

Monday, July 25, 2005

"En" Interview of TRW ;)

Good questions, En! They really made me think...which is 99.6% of the time a good thing ;)

Just a note...I almost done, and then the thunderstorm came and erased it...so take 2.


1) Describe in detail a play that you would produce on Broadway.

The easy answer: If I knew the details of that play, it'd be written and in production stage already!!

The harder answer: I'm in middle of one...but I don't want to talk about it (except to my wonderful editor/songwriter) until it's really real and finished.

The ideal: A story with beautiful, catchy music that leaves the audience (and the actors) knowing more while continuing to think, proud of who they are while continuing to grow, and with a huge desire to go out and make the world a better place.

Ah...what would any of us to with the ability to inspire the world? (And what do those with that power actually do...?)


2)If you were to find a manuscript from the Rambam that was never seen by anyone, what would you do with it?

First I'd lock myself in the library until I'd finished going through the whole thing. After verifying it for myself, I'd take it to the local בקאי in כל התורה כולה and get his opinion on it. After it's been confirmed and verified, I'd take it to my local publishing house and make sure everyone can get a copy that's obviously true and real, so I wouldn't have to worry about words of תורה being doubted.

I would also scour the margins to try and find notes or personal comments that would help with an insight into the life and era of the Rambam so that we can make history really part of our lives and see its importance in terms of הלכה and מסרה (i.e. Why was this particular פסק so significant, based on what was going on in Egypt at the time?).

Once all the excitement dies down, I'll go back in the library and see what else I can find ;)


3)If you could be one character in HP which one would you be and why?

And what makes you think I'd know characters from HP? ;)

My favorite character is Ron. Perhaps because we share a birthday, but also 'cause I relate to him. I'm a bit nervous around some people and I don't always know what to say and I have friends that are better and smarter than me that sometimes make me feel a little bad but mostly I'm sooo glad that I'm friends with them. (Whew! Long sentence, no commas....but I'm not the English major ;) ). And no, that isn't just about one person, or two, or three...it's a self-esteem thing.

Would I wanna be like him? Dunno. In terms of personality, I wish I could have Lupin's kindness, McGonnagal's brains (note that I didn't say Dumbledore's-sometimes too much wisdom can bring you down...:( ), Tonk's funnyness (when she gets over her issue at the end of HBP), Fred & George's ease among people, Malfoy's perserverence (just not for the same things..), Hagrid's huge heart, Ginny's strength of character, Hermione's practicality (but not her worries), and nothing of Snape.

But that still didn't answer the question ("one character"), did it? Ah well.


4)If you were to write a meforash on Torah what sefer would you write it on and why?

Megilas Esther. I spent a long time studying only one pasuk of it for a paper in seminary and it really speaks to me (and no, my name isn't Esther ;) ). It's really a מגלה for גלות, and so much of it clearly applies today. (אמונת חכמים, for one..)


5)Describe the best thing your future husband could do for you to make you happy.

Very hard question. Are you asking what I'm looking for in a guy? Hmm..

The best thing that a husband could do that'd make me happy is to show me that he loves כלל ישראל and wants to do everything in his power to bring them closer to their Source. ('Course, I'm part of כלל ישראל ;) ). There's the usual support and caring and open ear, etc., all of which are crucial, but priorities MUST be straight as well.


Thanks again, En, that was truly an eye-opening experience for me!


Now the rules again:

1) Leave me a comment saying "interview me please."

2)I will respond by asking you five questions (not the same as above)

3)You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions.

4) You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5) When others comment asking to be interviewed you will ask them five questions.

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Shoes, ships, sealing wax, cabbages, kings, etc.

A brief update on my trip: Absolutely lovely.

Oh. That's not enough? London is a beautiful town, and I had a wonderful time-the trip was far too short. We toured it high and low, touched most (if not all) the usual tourist spots and some very unusual ones. The frum community is quite warm and friendly (I can see why some use the word "ghetto" to classify it, but it's not any more ghetto than Flatbush or Boro Park ;) ) All in all it was a very good experience, one I would gladly do again (although hopefully when the pound is down or the dollar is up...). I didn't meet any bloggers, though I kinda hoped I would (though I dunno how I would have recognized them ;) ).

Culturally, a bit different...fascinating. And I'm not SUCH a backwards, uncivilized American, okay? And Americans are not as stupid as all you Londoners make them out to be...still smarting from 1774?

Skittles are absolutely delicious! (And kosher in England, for those who're wondering..)

The best sign I saw-on the other side of the tower bridge: "Caution -- Haschem" (I might be spelling the second word wrong, but I found it quite wonderful ;) )

For you fellow HP obsessors: we found a pub called the Hog's Head and couldn't resist-we went inside and ordered Cokes just to be able to say we did ;) Unfortunately, they didn't serve butterbeer :( And I would like to publicly thank the two people who cause the Deluxe edition to be sitting on my bed when I arrived home ;)

Hashgacha pratis:
1. We got a bit lost and met an Israeli couple that couldn't really speak very good English, but needed directions, and we were able to help them. In fluent Hebrew ;) It's always nice to see why you had to make that wrong turn...

2. We left this past Thursday. We had decided to take the Tube to the airport as it was cheapest, but at 12:30 AM Thursday morning our hosts convinced us that we'd be much happier taking a cab and paying the extra fare. Needless to say, they were right. B"H we got to the airport on time and didn't even hear about the bombings until we landed in the USA.