"There's a blaze of light in every word."

Um. Mostly this is just to let y'all know I'm not dead! And because Babo won't get off my case about not updating. So, in short:

a) not dead
b) still love jlem
c) on amazingly long break until feb 21st, after which i will take only four classes!
d) still suck at hebrew
e) had bff come to visit, and will have another bff come to visit during Passover!
f) M is back from Europe; all other friends are gone. roommates are good. still can't understand them half the time, though.
g) IT SHOULD NOT BE THIS COLD IN THE DESERT. WHAT THE FRELL?
h) hopelessly and utterly obsessed with leonard cohen. thus, spam. (for Mombo, since my internet is too slow to actually upload stuff.)(i bet the public library has?)
i) um. pictures eventually? i suck at life.

LEONARD COHEN YOUTUBE SPAM
part one

Anthem

Ah the wars they will be fought again
The holy dove she will be caught again
Bought and sold and bought again
The dove is never free.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
- Anthem

Dance Me To The End of Love

Dance me to the children who are asking to be born
Dance me through the curtains that our kisses have outworn
Raise a tent of shelter now, though every thread is torn
Dance me to the end of love
- Dance Me To The End of Love

Hallelujah

recorded version | alternate live version | Jeff Buckley cover

Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
--
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
- Hallelujah

Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye

alternate live version

I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm,
your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm,
yes, many loved before us, I know that we are not new,
in city and in forest they smiled like me and you,
but now it's come to distances and both of us must try,
your eyes are soft with sorrow,
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye.
I'm not looking for another as I wander in my time,
walk me to the corner, our steps will always rhyme
you know my love goes with you as your love stays with me,
it's just the way it changes, like the shoreline and the sea,
but let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie
your eyes are soft with sorrow,
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye.
- Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye

If It Be Your Will

recorded version

If it be your will that I speak no more
And my voice be still as it was before
I will speak no more
I shall abide until I am spoken for
If it be your will
That a voice be true
From this broken hill I will sing to you
From this broken hill all your praises they shall ring
If it be your will to let me sing
- If It Be Your Will

Everybody Knows

alternate live | recorded

And everybody knows that the Plague is coming
Everybody knows that it's moving fast
Everybody knows that the naked man and woman
Are just a shining artifact of the past
Everybody knows the scene is dead
But there's gonna be a meter on your bed
That will disclose
What everybody knows
- Everybody Knows

Suzanne

live in london (2008) | live 1988

Now Suzanne takes your hand
And she leads you to the river
She is wearing rags and feathers
From Salvation Army counters
And the sun pours down like honey
On our lady of the harbour
And she shows you where to look
Among the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed
There are children in the morning
They are leaning out for love
And they will lean that way forever
While Suzanne holds the mirror
- Suzanne

Don't Go Home With Your Hard-On

Here come's your bride with her veil on
Approach her, you wretch, if you dare
Approach her, you ape with your tail on
Once you have her she'll always be there (x4)
Ah but don't go home with your hard-on
It will only drive you insane
You can't shake it (or break it) with your Motown
You can't melt it down in the rain (x3)
So I work in that same beauty salon
I'm chained to the old masquerade
The lipstick, the shadow, the silicone
I follow my father's trade (x3)
Ah but don't go home with your hard-on...
- Don't Go Home With Your Hard-On

Closing Time

official video | live version

Ah we're lonely, we're romantic
and the cider's laced with acid
and the Holy Spirit's crying, "Where's the beef?"
And the moon is swimming naked
and the summer night is fragrant
with a mighty expectation of relief
So we struggle and we stagger
down the snakes and up the ladder
to the tower where the blessed hours chime
and I swear it happened just like this:
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
the Gates of Love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
but closing time.
- Closing Time

Bird On A Wire

Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
Like a worm on a hook,
like a knight from some old fashioned book
I have saved all my ribbons for thee.
If I, if I have been unkind,
I hope that you can just let it go by.
If I, if I have been untrue
I hope you know it was never to you.
Like a baby, stillborn,
like a beast with his horn
I have torn everyone who reached out for me.
But I swear by this song
and by all that I have done wrong
I will make it all up to thee.
I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch,
he said to me, "You must not ask for so much."
And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door,
she cried to me, "Hey, why not ask for more?"
Oh like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
- Bird On A Wire

"Let's see, we've got quick death, slow death, painful death, cold, lonely death..."

Contrary to what this blog might profess, I am still alive. And I actually did go to Egypt. And it actually was awesome.

However, I am now being buried under the weight of six classes (e in idiot, much?) and attempting to have a social life and failing quite miserably. SO. I will eventually get pictures and exciting things like an Egypt!re-enactment a la 'netspeak posted, but for now, just letting you know that I did not, in fact, run off with an Egyptian man, as M and R kept teasing.

I am also not dead.

Horray!

Going to bury self in Arabic now. al-humdu lillah!

*head --> desk*

Oh, and Shannon I got your email and will be replying asap! <3!!

"I'm bageling."

Quick updatersons!

- Things still going well. Life consists of Hebz, Hebz, more Hebz, and the occasional JLem adventure. Last night we went to a club (*gasp!* Catherine in a club! ALERT THE MEDIA.) which was actually a lot of fun. Awkward, complete with scantily clad chicks and one really, really creepy dude who kept trying to dance with us (um, no. I am not going anywhere near that with a ten-foot poll, thank). Ms. Goreman warned us all about STDs, and I didn't have my flashlight, so. SOL, buddy.)

- Going into JLem again to day, hopefully for sight-seeing and food.

- Do not have 'nets in the dorm as of now, so we're making do with the Playground (literal) Net Access outside. It kinda blows, but at least it's available. We're working on getting a router... hopefully we'll be plugged in by early next week? (Guy from internet service, complete with thick Israeli accent: "Someone will come to make the connection and den you can start surfing." Hee.)

- Only Elizabeth will care about this, but I made the mistake of watching First Strike yesterday, and then because I had no 'nets, had no one to yell at! So I yelled at my computer. "No! This is a bad plan! Johhnnn! You're SO going to regret this! "Haha yeah, I don't think that's your call." OH, BURN! I heart you Rodney. NO! Lizzeh! Get away from the window! *CRIES*" Still don't know if roomie overheard the flail-fail. ...so then I watched the last ten minutes of Tao and flailed over Rodney/Lizzeh BFFness.

- Too bad they don't put SGA in Hebz. I would learn it so fast!

- Must go now. To quote Russian Guy #3, "I'm bageling in the heat!"

"I gotta blow, homes."

Pictures from the Shuk/Souk

- Group of us went to the Souk (al-Arabiyya > Evrit) last night and bought lots of fresh foods! Babo would have drooled over the fish, Mombo over the pastries. Catherine drooled over the basil. Mmmmmbasil. Going to make Italian dinner one of these nights. Possibly tonight (bi'layla)! We shall see (what thereat is, and this mystery explore! Let my heart be still a moment, and this mystery explore! 'Tis the wind and nothing more!).

- *nerd*

- First epic Evrit test today. Think it went well. We shall see (c-caw c-caw!). Set expectations low and be pleasantly surprised, y/y? N'am.

- Going to the Golan Heights this weekend with a group of talmidim/tulaab. There's hiking involved! Outdoorsy things and possibly bugs! Shocked, aren't you? Hopefully I'll remember my sunblock this time. Whoops. We're staying in a hostel and having Shabbat dinner. ....I should bring my own food, shouldn't I? No challah for me. :(

- Should see Gili again Mon or Tues before she leaves! I do not enjoy this irony NOR do I want to pay for it. Ugh. Can we move SAIC to Israel?

- S. from J-Fund emailed me yesterday! She is so sweet. She gave me her email and told me to keep in touch, even though she's leaving JF for other work. I miss them all so much. Must be awesome and get job at Pal NP here in J-Lem. M. from Hebrew class (formerly known as Arabic!Girl) said she'd help edit a letter b'il Arabiyya to one of the NPs I'm looking at. Just my luck I'd end up writing, "Good day, kind sir, and what a large penis you have!"

My brain. It fails.

- Lazy evening. Just may break out those SGA discs (still did not watch The Last Man). Oh, how I miss my sci-fi! And Torri! And the Flan! This requires impromptu Flan vid!

(10 minutes later) Ugh. Israel won't let me upload it. Ho. Anyway, it's here! Also, the classic - (15 minutes later) Ooh, and this one worked! Huzzah!

He is so totally my TV boyfriend.

- Just might take a nap. Brain = fried.

- BUT BUT BUT!! Recessional a la Babo! Shukran, Abee!!! I love it so much (even though you jazz'd it up ^^).

- Lehiterot! / Ma asalaama!

"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time." - Steven Wright

Shalom/Salaam from Kfar Saba! Made it safely (no Petah Tikvah!), and got to talk to an Israeli art student on the bus who was getting off at the same place. She was very awesome, and very helpful, and slightly hungover. WIN.

Gili is currently taking a nap, for she is an insomniac and did not sleep. I, on the other hand, fell asleep at 9pm and didn't wake up until 8am. (Still jetlaged, mumkin?)

So I am catching up on my nets time, and will eventually shower/go study mah Hebrewz.

Sent an email to my old work to see if N. knows of any places in J-Lem that need volunteers/anyone who can help me with my atrocious al-Arabiyya.

Might get to see C. (girl from GW) who was studying in Jordan last year. She might come visit in J-Lem! PAR-TAY. Her al-Arabiyya is going to be so goooood. JEALOUS.

Went to the beach in Tel Aviv (b'il-arabiyya, it's Tel Abib (تل ابيب). Because there's no "v" in the Arabic alphabet. SO CUTE.) Met up with Gili's friend O.; she is so sweet! We are now Facebook BFFS. May or may not have gotten massively sunburned. We shall see.

Gili made me a gorgeous package with all kinds of awesome stuff, including a Zionist bear! I think I shall name him Jabotinsky. For the LOLs. And the most beautiful Hamza (Hand of Fatima) - it's clay and hand painted and just stunning. Pictures of all this to follow. Using Gili's sister's computer, so I'll have to wait until I get back to J-Lem to upload everything. Also took lots of pictures of Choompas - 'ch' pronounced with the gutteral 'ckh' sound, like in 'challah' or 'L'chaim

For Shannon:

Arabic: سلام اليكم
Salaam Alaikum, means hello. Arabic is the "cursive/scripty" looking one, and it looks the same whether it's typed or handwritten.

Hebrew: שלם
Shalom, means hello. Hebrew is "block letters" that don't connect; it has two scripts, one for
handwritten Hebrew and one for print (computers, books, etc
.)

Keyboard is going wonky on me because it's in Hebrew and English. Going to go before I confuse myself. Love to all

"Je suis le President de Burundi."

Ah, the ultimate question when in Israel:

Fireworks or gunfire?

Par-TAY.

(Don't worry, they weren't aiming at the Americans. (OH, ZING.))

- Hebrew lessons: are awesome.

- Housing situation: is resolved! Now living with non-sketch chick who desires to clean apartment from head to toe. WIN. Still have a few of dumpsters, but at least it's from the 8th floor, not right out my window.

- Shabbat: bodes well. Provided I can find the bus to the Central Bus Station, and from there to Kfar Saba. And not wind up in Petah Tikva. (Unless Ronit Elkabetz is there. Then I might not care.)

- Went with a few peeps to Ben Yehuda street. Witnessed crazy white African dummer, Rabbis dancing on top of a mini-van, a girl balancing on top of the street signs, and the most awesome falafel of life. (That last one I ate, not just witnessed. For the record. It comes with french fries! I think this country was made for me.)

- Still trying to figure out how to talk to Arabic!girl without making an ass of myself. Ahlan, ismee Catherine. La attakelm al-lukhet al-arabiyya jayyid. Ana "fail at life". Blargh. Must read up on Arabiyya mufradet.

- "Two languages in one head?! No one can live at that speed! Good lord, man!"

"But the Dutch speak four languages and smoke marijuana."

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hJQsvoY6VU)

- Totes exhausted. Going to look over Hebrewz one more time, watch The Last Man (SHUTUP I'm having Flan withdrawals!), and then die.