Monday, November 30, 2009

Well, I finally see a singles event for me.. but....

It's the day before my 8am final exam and it's the first exam which means I have 3 more to study for after that.


GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

looking for new...

...blogs to read for one. Does anyone have any suggestions? Something reasonably well-written, Jewish...

...Israeli secular music to listen to? Something upbeat and bouncy....

People PLEASE....

Check out what happens at the end of this video....

Shabbos hospitality for men only... RETHINK!!!

I have noticed that men get Shabbos hospitality so easily. Furthermore, when people do have me over, it seems it's only to make me feel like crap for it. I've gotten comments about how I should learn to cook. I know how to cook, but previously, I didn't want to sit alone for 24 hours straight. After all the nastiness I've encountered under the false pretenses of "friend" and "help," I've decided I'm only going away for an occasional Shabbos and only to a small selection of people. I've also gotten comments about how I should just get take-out or "when you move to Brooklyn, you can get take out for Shabbos." I can get take out now. So wtf kind of comment is that, anyhow?

How could people think they are being "helpful" when they sit there and ask me question upon question about what I do to try to get married? Excuse me, who the hell says I want to get married and even if I do, where do you get off making this your problem all Shabbos?

So, ok, this was way back on the second to the last Shabbos in October. Why is Michal mad about it again? I'll tell you why. Because I just went into my YouTube to play some background music and I see there's a new Frum Satire video and then I clicked on a couple related links. Well, I get to the one where he was at someone's house and they tell him the food was frozen for six months. Anyhow, isn't that always how it is? The men get to go to this one and that one's house and they are made to feel WELCOMED. I know of two other single guys, ok one just got married, mazel tov, who go all over the place to this one and that one and when I mention that I have trouble, they don't understand.

All these people who state that the Orthodox Jewry is not sexist, I don't know how they can say this. According to the Torah, men are supposed to look for the woman that has their rib. That's right, the rib was taken from the man. The woman was formed with HIS rib and he has to go looking for whichever she out there that has his rib.

Cranky. I'm very cranky this morning.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Xtianity inside info for the Jew...

As I was commenting on the comments for another post, I began explaining some information about the various differences and lack thereof between protestant denominations. I will add a little something of what I know about Catholicism. After all, my Jewish friends and acquaintances are always asking me about these things. I think it's about time I blogged it.

As a former protestant, who even went to a protestant college, there really is no difference between most of the denominations and often two of the same denomination are nothing alike. For example, a black baptist church is NOTHING like the right wing fundamentalist baptist church I used to attend where everyone was white. I bet the women wear pants at the black baptist church. I wore pants to church one Sunday and I got more looks than I did when I wore a pantsuit to an Orthodox shul early in my conversion.

Now there was a guy in my college whose family was with their local Free Methodist church. So, I, the analytical girl that I am, had to ask what is the difference. Well, at one point churches or maybe just Methodist churches charged for seat or didn't let blacks in or something. Free Methodist was the first group to do this.

The Xtian college I went to was Weslyan which is a kind of Methodist. Now, as mentioned before, Methodist... Baptist... whatever... Actually, we didn't have a "dress code" like you will see that I encountered in the Baptist world. However, I don't remember problems with girls wearing short skirts or anything. Most of us wore baggy jeans and a t-shirt or sweatshirt.

As alluded to above, dress code changes as greatly across the spectrum of churches as it does across the spectrum of synagogues. The right wing fundamentalist baptist church where I found myself for the first three years of high school had a dress code similar to the Orthodox one.

One differences was that we didn't have to cover our elbows but, we did have to cover our shoulders because those were considered too sexy. I once saw a girl on a date in a kosher restaurant wearing a long sleeved shirt with the shoulders cut out. I can just imagine her defense, "well, my elbows are covered." I was so embarassed, as I was with an Xtian friend who said, "I thought Jewish girls were supposed to cover up?"

The rules regarding skirts and skirt lengths were the same. The skirt was supposed to be to the knee or lower and slits should be only below the knee. It's unfortunate that this seems to only be in theory in the Orthodox world, as I frequently see the super tight jeans skirt, you know the one I mean, above the knee with a slit in the back that goes waaaaaaaaaaaay up.

I promised you I would speak about Catholicism. My mother was raised Catholic and gram, who lived with us, still practiced while, my mother lapsed in her practice. So, I should know more about it, but, I don't really know much. The Catholics pray to saints and light candles. Their churches are large and echo a lot. They also smell funny. I think it's the candles and the old ladies' perfume. Catholics are the ones who make a big deal about Mary. Whereas, for the protestants, she is just a character in the story.

A lot of people send their kids to Catholic school, not because they are religious, but because they don't want their kids in the public school. This is where the misconception comes about that non-Jews are not religious and don't have required dress codes. Jews have told me, "but, the Catholic girls wear such short skirts..." Yes, but, these are not religious people letting thier daughters go about like this. I am, though, kind of surprised the schools don't hold a higher standard. I guess the schools just want the money.

Perhaps, we have just as many identifications in Judaism. However, we have these umbrellas: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist. Think about it though, how many kinds of Orthodox are there? Well, there's MO liberal, MO machmir, Shomer Mitzvos, Carlebachian, Yeshivish, Chabad-those who believe the rebbe was moshiach, Chabad-those who don't believe the rebbe was moshiach, whatever variation in the sephardic world and then we get into allllllllllllllll the types of Chasidic, as well as people who proclaim, "I don't fit into any group but, I'm Orthodox." I, of course, have no clue about whatever breakdowns might exist for the other umbrellas I mentioned.

Dog & Cat

I thought I would put a video up that on one of my playlists that I run in the background. I like this one. I feel they did such a good job at bringing the 70's to life. The group is an Israeli Jazz band, Funk 'N' Stein or פאנקנשטיין in Hebrew. The rather hot sax player is in that other group I like, Hadag Nachash. Where does he find the time?

Why did I put up that edgy post?

Ok, so, it's Thanksgiving weekend or people heeded my warning and they didn't read the post but, my post has yet to accrue the comments I expected. I see no people wondering how I could post such a thing. Yet, eventually, perhaps those questions will come, so I thought I would answer that question ahead of time.

It's simple. I'm tired of men telling me what kind of sex drive I, as a woman, have or don't have. The women who agree with the men, well, I feel that they are posers who tend to repeat whatever is told to them by dear sweet men.

Kinda like women and prayer/shul attendance. I don't believe the crap that they tell us about mitzvos and men have more mitzvos because women are better. Quite frankly, as one who has gone to shul during the week, it's a boys club and some of the shuls out there they have a drink and some cookies after davening. They don't want women there.

Here's the way I look at it: I don't have to do anything but keep kosher and Shabbos. When I was in the process and I was told about how I'm taking on ALLLLLLLLLLL these mitzvos, I realized this was a crock. Women are exempt from almost everything. I like to call it "women don't!" because whatever it is, we don't do it.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Why do people think chasidim are more religious?

I was just thinking about this over breakfast...

Anyhow, I think that it's a spill over from the secular culture and for that matter, Xtianity. To the Xtians, they look at the Amish as this separated religious group. Now, I know the chasidim don't like being compared to the amish but, I think their mode of dress facilitates such thought.

Since the greater society thinks of the amish as the more religious Xtians, so it is when people think of chasidim, this is how they think of them. People think of them as the Jewish version of the amish. As much as they complain about this comparison, look at how they indulge in the resulting reputation of piety. I think, though, those of us already Orthodox Jews know better. However, it works on incoming prospective converts and prospective BTs.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Why Should Men Pay For Women On A Date?

Over on Frum Satire, in the comments of http://www.frumsatire.net/2009/11/16/awkward-shidduch-moments/ they are discussing why a man should pay for a woman.

How about you're paying for all that time we have to take to get ready for the date. We all know that men expect women to doll up and put that crap on our face just for them otherwise they say that we didn't put in enough effort and we must not be interested. I have been told explicitly that I HAVE to wear that crap on my face on a date.

Well the same is true of men paying for a woman. If a man doesn't pay for me, I figure he's not that interested in me. In fact, if a man wants to just take me to a bar and get me drunk on the first date-as they did before I was Jewish, I conclude he only wants sex and not a relationship or marriage.

Now this is why there's a whole problem with the shidduch system. If you are going out with someone you haven't already met, a woman like myself who doesn't wear make up and doll up except for rare occasions, maybe special occasions but, sometimes just because I haven't in a while and I feel like it. Generally, though, I don't want to put that crap on my face for some guy I don't know and I probably won't end up liking. Hell, I really don't even want to exert the effort to get out of my pajamas and leave the house.

The same holds true for men. Men don't want to want pay for someone they don't know and they might not like. One guy told me he would rather pay $100 to a prostitute for sex than pay $10 towards a date. Why? Well, it's a sure thing. Now, not all men are like this.

Now that right there is the problem with the shidduch system. I think asking men to pay for a date that they didn't really choose to ask out is asking a lot of them. Yet the system that's in place doesn't want men going out and finding their spouse. The problem with that, though, is that outside the shidduch system, is that the number of men looking for sex instead of a spouse increases.

On the other hand, there is an economic study that shows when someone has too much choice, they don't choose. Whereas, when a person has just the right number of choices, they make a decision and they purchase. Therefore, perhaps the solution is for all shadchans to specialize in a certain type and age bracket. They they would throw events for the parties that are already compatible. They would pick out 10 men and ten women who are all about the same hashkafah and the same age bracket. After such, they would follow up. I would actually rather put that crap on my face for an event where I would meet 10 suitable men over a date with one guy that I've never met and is he really even interested in me? After all, if the guy just thinks it's cool to go out with a convert and grill me about how do I feel about bishul akum and other stuff and he's not going to give me a chance, why should *I* bother putting that crap on my face?

Brooklyn Vs. Queens or Queens Vs. Brooklyn

Let’s start with Kosher food:
Brooklyn has more selection. However, my friend and I went all down J and Coney Island looking for kosher places that would deliver when her husband would later get home from work at 9pm. I think Mendy’s was the only place that fit the bill. Most places weren’t even going to be open then. Queens has places open late, even late night delivery. In fact, I don’t even live in Kew Gardens Hills where the take out is. Yet, I can get a pizza delivered at midnight. Also, Subway: the one in Brooklyn doesn’t have fake (parve) cheese. The one in Queens does and they deliver, too.

Queens wins with food.

Now, the people…

I need some input from you, my readers… how ARE the people in Brooklyn? In Queens, it depends on the area. Now, if you are talking about Kew Gardens Hills, people are REALLY great. However, if you are talking about Forest Hills… well… I’ve been to Brooklyn for Shabbos the people seem nice enough to me. However, KGH has a hospitality committee for meals. That makes it easy to meet new people.

The people: undecided

Brooklyn College Vs. Queens College
I have run into a bunch of people in KGH who went to Brooklyn College because they had a better program for what they wanted to do. If you’re just going into speech therapy, sure Queens is right there. However, I specifically wanted marketing. There are some CUNYs that offer just marketing but, those schools didn’t work for me, for a different reason each. So, I chose Brooklyn College’s Business with a concentration in Marketing.

For me, Brooklyn won this one.

Now, I turn to you, my readers, what other aspects of the two boros should I compare and contrast?

Women throughout Jewish history...

I was Emailed this link from one of my readers:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden_of_Ludmir

I'm not sure how reliable it is, being from Wiki and all.

I went to something at MJE one time one euthenasia, suicide and whether or not you can withhold medical treatment. I mention this because I want to point out this was not a class on women in Jewish history or anything of that nature. Yet, many of the examples set forth by the rabbi would double to make my point.

One examples comes from a woman who wanted to die. She said she was soooooooo old and it was just time. So, the rabbi she went to asked her how she got to be so old. She said it was because she goes to shul everyday. He said that she should stop. The next day she did not go and she passed on.

The next example the comes to mind is about a great rabbi that was in a lot of pain. He had to make many trips to the latrine everyday. This was back when the men used to wear the Tefillin all day, not just for morning davening. So, in addition to how it was painful for his insides, his hands would hurt or shake or something to where putting the Tefillin back on and taking it off again was particularly trying for him. His female aid saw this. However, the men would be downstairs constantly praying for him. So, this female went to the roof and dropped and alabaster something or other. When it shattered, it disrupted the prayers for a second and the man was able to die.

Now, these examples were used again, NOT to support a woman's role as a human, but to support ideas regarding medical practices. Yet they seem to support and acknowledge a way of life where women are treated and thought of in a more positive light than most certainly the men in Boro Park or Mea Sharim. Even the yeshivish world poo-poos women going to shul. In Queens, it's socially acceptable for them to attend on Shabbos. However, in Brooklyn, even attending on Shabbos is frowned upon. Parents say, "my daughter sleeps in." with a tone of voice like you just asked her to go to a nightclub with you instead of synagogue services. Only the Modern Orthodox accept women in shul during the week. I used to attend during the week. They were Yeshivish but, it was a Young Israel so, that may have had something to do with it.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Frum Women & Sex Drives.... con't...

********************WARNING***************************
This particular blog post is really explicit and graphic, don't read it, if you think that's going to be a problem.
********************WARNING**************************



I hope you all can excuse me. I had an exam to study for for today so I had to put off blogging this hot topic. The blog from last night was some of the material I was studying for the test (of course it wasn't on the test...)

So, to catch everyone up to speed: there are at least three other blogs that were discussing this on Monday when I originally wanted to blog the topic. However, I was just too doggone tired.

Now, I may be violating some code of the secret women's club or something but, this is just bogus. Women are HORNNNNNNNNNNY. As one of my commenters pointed out, women have a Torah-guaranteed requirement for onah from their husbands. Biologically speaking, some women can have multiple orgasms, one on top of the other. Men cannot do this. In the best scenario, a man may be able to go again in about an hour. For some men, the whole process from start to finish is so quick, a woman could have multiples for that whole time.

I used to have a boss that I was so horny working for him I had to quit-he was married. Women get horny like crazy for their bosses, co-workers, classmates and teachers. Unlike men, nothing physically shows so, if a woman has a good poker face, no one will ever know.

My comment from the Emes V Emunah site where I saw this:
You know, part of the reason why men look at all the porn and all the porn is directed at men instead of women is the perceived idea that this is what is wanted. Women feel more embarassed to buy the stuff.

Women DEFINITELY look at men and fantasize way more than anyone realizes. Since, no one expects this... it goes under the radar.

Another thing, when men think they are winning a conquest, really, the girl wanted it. Girls play coy even to their female friends. It's not acceptable for women to have libido.

Back to new thoughts: women say they are lonely when they are really horny. Men say they are horny when they are lonely. Again, I think this has more to do with the fact that the message to women from society is, "you don't have a sex drive, so if you do something is wrong with you" and the message for the men is, "you have a sex drive that you can't control, so don't fight it, just go for it."

I suspect, though, that the men know women really do have a sex drive. I have had many comments made to me about how I must miss "it" from supposedly religious men. It is important to note, I am speaking about hard core Yeshivish or Chasidic like Satmars. I'm talking about men who hold by all the chumros-no TV... broccoli checked by microscope over a light box...

Another point, that many male commenters made on the Emes VEmunah was that there are no ads with sexy men for women because women don't have a sex drive. Well, this picture below is the front of today's AM New York with a COVER ad for A/X. Holy cow, does this ad effect me. Ooops, I'm supposed to pretend it doesn't.

Now you decide...

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Is a mind more than a machine or a machine more than a mind?

It's an interesting topic that I'm looking over for a class. Both sides of this discussion have their points.

First, let's suppose we're going to take the position that the human mind is more than a machine. We would argue that a human can fall in love and a machine can not. Although, I'm not sure if I really should make that an advantage on the mind side of the argument, considering heartbreak and all... Anyhow, a mind can look at a small computer program and figure out if that computer program will crash or not. However, no program can be written to decide this, not even for small programs. If one could write such a program, no commercial program would crash, as you can bet that all software developers would have a copy of this program.

Some of the great mathematicians of the past century have weighed in that mind is more than a machine. Kurt Godel wrote out some fancy theorems back in the 1930's where he said that humans can sometimes solve an undecidable problem. Actually, I pointed that out in the above paragraph with the example of the halting problem. Sir Roger Penrose (his name already sounds like a genius' name) stated that brain uses quantum gravity. Well, computers are not quite up to the quantum gravity level.

In 1950, Alan Turing who is another great math geek of the century wrote a paper, "Computing Machinery and Intelligence." Despite the misleading title of his paper, he, too, felt that the mind was over the machine. Douglas R. Hofstadter pointed out the mind's abliity for self-reference, something which machine's lack. Although, I'm not so sure I know what's going on in my own mind sometimes, how about you?

On the flip side, there is the emerging field of artificial intelligence. Can a machine become "more" than a human? Some say that the mind is, essentially a machine. If you are someone that believes that, then you should have no problem accepting this concept. A machine can most certainly do math better than most humans. I know when I encounter the four letter word (see http://michalbasavraham.blogspot.com/2009/11/four-letter-word-which-haunts-my.html)
I'm quick to whip out my calculator. Yes, that little trusty machine that can break out the "M" lightning fast, what would I do without it?

Another example of machines being more than the mind may surprise you. It seems that in May of 1997, a chess guru was beaten by Deep Blue. Deep Blue is, of course, a supercomputer. When one considers this, who knows what shall come next for the advancement of machines? Some say that quantum computers are not that far off. Any Trekkie will immediately exclaim that Dr. Noonien Soong has proved this when he created Data. Unfortunately, Dr. Soong and Data are ficticious characters in a fictitious future world of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

I conclude, that the question of mind vs. machine cannot be determined. Perhaps, each group has it's strengths or weaknesses. After all, aren't there humans that can do that which another cannot, yet that same other human has talents which the first doesn't have. For example, in high school, I was friends with this guy who was awesome at Math, Science and Computers. Yes, when it came to the "Catcher In The Rye," he was sooooooooo lost. Guess who got to tutor him? I love the bragging rights of that. I tutored a guy who graduated in the top ten of our class-wha ha ha!

As I write this post, I can't help but think of what one of my drill sergeants in the Army used to say, "It's mind over matter. I don't mind that you don't matter."

Monday, November 23, 2009

Women have no sex drive: who believes that?

I'm reading the http://haemtza.blogspot.com/ (Emes Ve Emunah) blog and they are discussing how women have to cover up and men are visual but women aren't...


Oh, that's what they all think...

I will discuss this more when I have more time. I have a test for which to study.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

The four-letter word strikes again!

I'm working on my accounting. However, it's so much easier when I plug numbers into a formula and punch-punch Mr. Calculator.

Mr. Calculator says I've bruised him from all this accounting...



Sorry, Mr. Calculator, that's your job.

Ok, lame post...

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Interesting article...

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091122/FOREIGN/711219850/1002


Ok, as an Orthodox woman, I'm in no hurry to run out and buy myself a tallis and tefillin or try to layin the Torah. However, I don't agree that Charedim in Israel should insist that women don't have these rights. The points that I've heard against all women from the Chareidim are ridiculously sexist and male chauvinistic. In general, you hear these men name call women stupid for anything, even for doing nothing. So, it doesn't surprise me that they call women stupid for wanting to wrap in a tallis.

Incidentally, so Rashi's daughter's were stupid? Does that mean Rashi was stupid?

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

More about men and sexual harassment...

So, one of my readers just popped me a Facebook IM and was telling me about how at one time she had her touchas nipped in Boro Park by a Mexican guy. She ran after him and cursed him out...

So, I remembered. I didn't mention the time a Mexican guy grabbed my touchas. Although, I was in Brownsville, not Boro Park. I dropped my bag. In a split second, I turned around and socked one to him in the stomach. He turned sheet white and ran for the border. Do you suppose Taco Bell was suddenly having a special?

Male Chauvinism amongst Orthodox Jewish boys...

A commenter on Frum Satire, "Frum Ger" left this comment on Heshy's blog during a discussion of tefillin dates and Jewish swinging...

"the more I think of it the more i wonder what business a young women has living by herself unmarried. its dangerous number one, and secondly a women should be living with family or under some sort of leadership. (not that men should necessarily live alone until they are married either but its different) women need male leaders, firsly her father, her father takes care of her and is her “man” until another comes along if there is no father then her mother takes that role, if neither than some elder in the community, needs to take care of that women."

A comment was left by Abandoning Eden, "BARF." That about sums it up.

I gotta ask him what I'm supposed to do? My parents are both dead.

Can we reduce the number of Anonymous comments?

I saw on one of the blogs I read where the author asked people to post their names or come up with an alias. Some of you have done this but, I thought I would mention again that it's nice when a person can tell that comments came from the same person.... We have the Curmudgedly Gyoret. We have the Australian... We had Vox Populi until I stopped posting his commentss... hehehe..

An article about Ivanka, Thank You, Anonymous reader

So, one of my readers was kind enough to post this link:
http://stylerepublicmagazine.com/lifestyle/trump.html


You'll notice first that dress is no where close to tznius.

The "interview" reads like like one big sales pitch for the Trump real estate. For us, the highlight is where she says she goes for brunch with her girlfriends at a non-kosher place. My reader is supposing she eats dairy... If an Orthodox rabbi is training people for conversion that it's ok to eat traif dairy...

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Asking for your opinion about Costco Vs. Coke...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Costco-nixes-Coke-products-apf-2225277826.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=6&asset=&ccode=

So, if you shop at Costco and drink Coke, what is your response? Will you refuse to shop at Costco now? Will you refuse to drink Coke now? Will you just buy your Coke at the grocery store? Why do you make the choice, you've made?

Monday, November 16, 2009

The four letter word...

..which haunts my curriculum...

I just thought I'd blog some college experience since I haven't been. Three of my four classes involve sooooooo much math. If it's not Microeconomics with it's, "AVC = TVC over q," or accounting where I run amortization calculations. You would think my core curriculum would be the one class where I would be safe from such a four letter word as the "M" word, but nooOOOOooooOOOOooo. I'm working on something called "log2n" and factoring numbers for my formerly sweet class on philosophical thought...

The class is actually called, "Paradoxes and the Limits of Knowledge." Anyhow, it was always supposed to turn into something cold and scientific. It's actually considered a science class. Nevertheless, I liked it better before I was doing all these calculations, especially finding finding log2 of 9 for my homework table.

Thankfully, in management, I'm safe from that four letter word.... mmmmmmm... aaaaa...

Anonymous likes my post...

I just clicked off on this comment on the old post from when my host brought up Ivanka's conversion at the Shabbos table, "Excellent response Michal! Ivanka definately converted for marriage and didn't do it on a whim. Everyone conveniently forgets that Jared split with Ivanka for a few months precisely because she didn't want to convert. Ivanka only went through the "conversion" because it was quick, easy and of course to get married to Jared.

The way Ivanka dresses, presents herself convinces me that she's not serious about Judaism. I recently heard that Ivanka used Twitter on Shabbat. I'm not a Twitter user so I don't know it it's true but it wouldn't surprise me."

Unfortunately, I have to say that I've logged in to Facebook after a Shabbos or yontiff to see posts from people over 6 months into the process or even once, an FFB posted something in the middle of the day-she was not out of town, I casually verified.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

More highlights from RATEMYPROFESSOR

For the most difficult class in the department, one student said, "This professor is not for college. I red the book and his notes. Did all the homeworks from the books and still had to take a W, beacouse midterm wasn't reasbnable what-so-ever. Out may be 40 people, after the midterm 15 staid and the rest just left. I think this professor is a waste of time and money. Do not take him."


Well, gee, being that the student's English is at the highest level, their opinion must be worthwhile.


I'll let you all know when I find more....

JAFFA: Israeli indie film review

So, on Thursday I went with others from the Brooklyn College Hillel to see "Jaffa," an Israeli indie film with subtitles and gala reception. The promo spoke about an Israeli girl falling in love with an Arab that works with her at her father's business. The two makes plans to run away and marry and then a tragic even occurs.

I thought, "I want to see what it is but, I bet it's lame."

Oh, no... It was NOT lame. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who manages to go see this movie. You must, MUST find a way to go see this movie. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The movie is nothing but surprising twists and turns.

We met the actor who played the Arab boyfriend after the showing at the gala reception. He even told us that one aspect of the movie was written in specifically to piss people off.

My friend had a disturbing shidduchim encounter...

So, my friend just told me that a rabbi from her area apparently cornered her mother and told her that there's a problem with her status on the shidduch market. What this time? Her mother shops at the wrong store!

"Are you serious?" you ask. Well, she heard this second hand (from her mother) so, hopefully, it's not for real. However, there is such a disturbing trend in the shidduch world. This is not the only story this gyoress has heard from young FFBs or their parents about this sort of thing.

A rabbi posted online one time that his son was turned down by someone because he was a BT. Now, he wasn't just some BT from yesterday. He had been a BT for I think 40 years and a rabbi for 30 of those years. There were a handful of rosh yeshivos in his and his wife's families. Also, his wife was an FFB going back many generations... but oh, no, that wasn't good enough. This family wanted both families to be FFB for many generations.

As a convert, I have been subjected to outright verbal abuse by the shadchanim and the community. This is why I will no longer date or ask people for Shabbos invitations. It isn't bad enough that shadchanim tell me I'm not good enough for anyone but losers, the community has to knaw at me by repeatedly blaming me for being single. Even the lady at the check cashing place asked me last Friday, "you're beautiful, why aren't you married?" GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

But, wait there's more!

No, I'm not including a set of ginsu knives. I have another story for you. There is this wonderful lady I work for that has both a son and a daughter. When they were still in the parshah, a woman she knew would repeatedly tell her, "your kids will never marry because you use a shopping cart," or "your kids will never marry because you use a vinyl tablecloth during the week."

Is there any end to this madness?

Happy ending: my friend's son and daughter are both married to great spouses. We need more happy endings like that. However, I fear that when everyone interferes like this, this is why we have such a shidduch crisis.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Shout out to the Vegetarians!

I just want to say thank you to the vegetarians, who make keeping kosher so much easier for someone like me who used to live on ham and cheese sandwiches. The vegetarians help create a market for many of the "fake" products that make kosher easier. I just had two "fake chicken" and "fake cheese" sandwiches on Thomas English Muffins. The other night, I was eating some fake ham and cheese sandwiches. Ok, it was Empire Turkey and fake cheese. However, I noticed how the oven roasted turkey lunch meat tastes just like ham.

Ok, lame post....

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Being driven out of shul...

In the post, http://www.alizahausman.net/2009/11/wearing-this-to-shul.html?showComment=1257981024845
Madame Hausman mentions that she knows people who've stopped going to shul because they don't want to be grilled about being a Jew of Color. This is not the only thing that can drive a person out of the shul. Consider myself: someone who's been driven out by the attempt from the community to FORCE me to date and ultimately marry a man I don't want. They should put this sort of pressure on the men... They don't stop. So, I had to stop... going to shul, that is. Besides which, I'm a woman and I don't have to do anything but keep kosher and Shabbos. Actually, women don't have to sit shiva or even bentsch. We are exempt as it's more important that we look pretty and take care of the kids and the dishes...

Touching and invading personal space...

I just noticed a post from fellow blogger, Aliza "la Jewminicana" Hausman about people touching her hair.

It reminded me about something I was going to blog. I was on the subway (almost empty-mind you) last week and some guy touches my leg and says, "sweetheart, can you move your bag so I can sit here?" I went off on him. I said, "who the HELL do you think you are putting your hand on my body?" and on and on. When he got off the subway he told me my pussy stinks. When I called my married friend and told her about this, her husband immediately chimed in confirming that YES a man only touches women when he wants them.

Tell me something, audience, why does he need to sit next to me sooooooooo bad when there are plenty of spaces on the train? That's what I thought. He didn't NEED to sit there. He just WANTED to.

I also want to mention, because some think I'm crazy when I mention the men trying to bump into me and such on the subway, that there are signs on the subway. What sort of signs? Signs that state we shouldn't have toe tolerate sexual harassment on the train.



The signs state: Sexual Harassment is a Crim in the subway, too. A crowded train is no excuse fo an imporper touch. Don't stand for it or feel ashamed, or be afraid to speak up. Report it to an MTA employee or police officer.

Now, why are these signs there, if it's just me and I'm just someone who should be on a mehedrin bus in Israel? Not sitting next to men on the bus and subway is about my own piece of mind. That is to say that it shoudl be at peace in one piece. I know that when I stopped sitting next to men, I got harassed a lot less. If you think I'm overreacting, you're probably fat and ugly so the men don't hit on you.

Rating professors

So, someone I work for who just graduated her undergraduate degree was telling me about various websites that I must know about. One such site is the: http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/

site. So, I was looking through it and the opinions posted for various professors I was considering taking. People in Brooklyn College (ahem, I don't go to Queens College) seem to think every professor is crazy and such a horrible unfair grader. I saw a comment that the professors should realize that the students have lives outside of class.

One of the things I noticed in Brooklyn College is that many of the students don't come to class. I was thinking, "what kind of grades do these students have?" When the accounting midterm grades were Emailed to the whole class (with your grade listed by social's last four), I had my answer. The lowest grade was a 35 (with a 14 point curve-that's 21 percent!) Most of the grades were in the 50's, 60's and 70's. There were a small handful in the 80's. Only three of us in the class made it into the 90's. However, considering the 14 point curve, only one earned in the 80's. The rest of us in the nineties earned in the high 70's.

I don't know what these kids are expecting. This is college. This is not high school. I saw comments on this ratemyprofessor that people expected to barter a higher grade from their professors at the end of the term. Seriously? The chutzpah! Some seemed to think they should be given a higher grade for regular attendance. As one of the commmenters said, "this is college, not high school. Grow up!" Actually, my high school was pretty hard. We even had to write 8 to 10 page papers. It's funny that these criticisms of the "harsh" professors are written in the worst English.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

I'm writing a mini paper for my management class on 3M corp

First of all, in case you didn't get the Facebook status, I go to BROOKLYN College. I don't go to Queens College. So, at Brooklyn College, I am majoring in Business with a concentration in Marketing. The assignment I'm currently working on a mini paper about the 3M corp. I don't know about the other students but, I had already known who they were. So, I was happy to finally do a mini paper on a company of which I had heard rather than some industrial business-to-business company from the fifties, sixties or seventies, as with the previous papers.

I just have to mention that in the movie, “Romy And Michele’s High School Reunion,” the two main characters try to impress their former classmates by telling them that they invented Post-Its. Janeane Garofalo’s character says, “no, you didn’t, Arthur Fry from 3M did. We learned it in business school."

Now, I too, can say that I learned about 3M and Post-Its in business school. Yippee!

Who makes money in ISRAEL?

We're having a discussion on my Yahoo group. I suppose it's a little off topic but, anyhow, one of the members who has made aliyah and tells the rest of us to come along suggested to one of the girls that she should make aliyah. Anyhow, it segwayed into a discussion topic of who makes money in Israel?

So, now I'm asking the public, think of people you know who live in Israel, especially those who have made aliyah. How do they derive income in Israel? For those who know, I've been curious, what are the "good jobs" in Israel?

In the US, as we all know, Jewish women usually go into Speech Therapy, Occupation Therapy, Teaching, Social work, Nurse, Bookkeepping and maybe accounting. The Orthodox Jewish men in the US become rabbis (of course), rebbes in a school, accountants, doctors/dentists and lawyers. Sephardic men go into the family business which might be diamonds or fashion. At least, these are the occupations I hear over and over associated with each gender.



One of the girls from my group posted this example:

Monday, November 2, 2009

Speeding with your kids in the car is more illegal than just speeding...

So, over Shabbos, my friend's husband was telling me about some friends of his who got a speeding ticket in some hick town upstate. Apparently, since they had their kids in the car and they were over 30 miles over the speed limit, they got an additional ticket for endangering a child. So, watch your led foot when you have your kids in the car.