Driss-A-Blog

It's been a long while since I've blogged, but all is well with me. This summer was amazing, and I learned so much. I was able to go to Chevron for my last Shabbos in Israel and at some point I will post what I have to say about that experience. It really was an experience, and a great one at that. I absolutely loved it, and felt very much at home there as crazy as that seems. But it wasn't crazy, it was me, or at least a big part of me. I'll blog about that a different time.

This past Monday Avi and I went to visit the USS Intrepid, a carrier that was turned into a very neat museum. The Intrepid served during World War Two in the Pacific arena and survived five kamikazee attacks. It was fun going through the museum with Avi. We read all the plaques and possibly anything that had writing on it. We checked out the airplanes, the helicopters, and the missiles. We even found that they had an Israeli Kfir jet. It'll be closing for renovations in October (I think) for about one and a half to two years.

While at the museum we stopped into the shop. I found a small book written by Martin Gilbert titled Winston Churchill's War Leadership. The quote inside the front cover really struck me. "The problem is not winning the war, but persuading people to let you win it." I'm about halfway through the book already and really do recommend it. I never really spent time learning about Churchill, but I am truly impressed with him and think that I should read more about him. He is especially impressive during this time in history when we're involved in World War Three and no one is aware of it.

I saw the first ten minutes of the Katie Couric debute on CBS. I wasn't impressed. From the moment she opened her mouth I thought to myself that it sounded like all opinion. It was strange to start with an editorial - usually they save those till the end of the show, but then it seemed that that was supposed to be the news. Go figure, only could stand to watch the first ten minutes.

I've also bought myself a stationary bike for the apartment. This is to help me strengthen my knee. I didn't really do the exercises like I should have this summer, so I'm trying to give myself a kick start in the right direction. I do believe that it is helping. I bike about five minutes in the morning, then five later in the afternoon. I've started with the lowest setting, but have moved up the tension one notch. Hey, it's a start.

I've also gone back to the banjo. I really do want to stick with it. The fellow who I bought the bike off of is a musician - not just any musician, but a country/blues/rock musician. So while he gave me a ride back to my apartment with the bike I talked music with him and was inspired to pull out the banjo again. I'm excited. Bluegrass is more than music, it's history as well.

I'm not especially tired at the moment, but I'm looking at the clock and wishing that I were. My printer seems to be out of ink, so I can't do any real work, probably a good thing. Tomorrow (Wednesday) of course will be a late night for me. Murphy's Law - if you have to get up early, your body will go to bed late.

I'm jumping the gun a bit, but I'm looking forward to the November elections. I'm thinking I should have a party here to watch the results come back - but I'm not sure I want to invite any Democrats. Although it seems that Republicans in New York are actually Democrats, and the Democrats are really Socialists. What can I do? I don't think that the Dems will gain either house of Congress anyway.

I'm going to try the sleeping thing again. WIsh me well.