Edit Freak, Guilty as Charged

Friend: The newspaper had great content today.
Me: We spelled Red Bull two different ways (Red Bull and Redbull) in headlines!

My new most favorite Web site in the entire world: The Slot

Check it out. If you are even slightly sane and not a copy editing freak, you will probably not appreciate, but if, y'know, you're a copy editng freak, you might enjoy.

And while I'm at it, we'll add Bill Walsh's books to my Chanukah/really early birthday wish list. I mean how great is a book that is called Lapsing Into a Comma? It's just awesome. Awesome, I say.

And now I'll put on my glasses and suspenders and enjoy my geekiness...

On Old Roommates and New Roommates

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago (well, fine, about three years ago, but it feels like an eternity), I spent a year studying in Israel. It was a year of spirituality and growth, and I firmly believe that it would not have been what it was had I lived with different people.

My dira, or apartment, went through some hardships, but by the end of that year was especially close-knit. I count the people I lived with in Dira 13 as some of my best friends. My roommate for that year was one of the nicest, best, whole-hearted people I have ever met. She is real and genuine and special. And she definitely took part in making me who I am today.

And she has gone and found herself a new roommate. And he's no sem girl. She got engaged last week and I can only wish them the best of luck in their future together. Mazal tov.

Happy Turkey Day

Wait? You mean it's vacation? Where? When did that happen?

Anyhow, in case anyone is wondering, I haven't had class since 5:30 yesterday, but I am currently sitting at my computer trying to simultaneously write a paper about the U.N.'s farcical redefinition of sovereignty and an experimental play about moving to Israel. Bad things could happen if I get them confused.

But I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving, whether you actually celebrate or not (and I don't wanna go there right now, thank you). Enjoy your day (or two) off from school/work. And don't have too much fun. If that's a problem, I can send you some of my work to do or something...

The Caffeine Bible

I found an excellent reference guide for the upcoming weeks of finals-studying, paper-writing, and sleep-deprivation. I'm personally partial to coffee, but this opens new possibilities. (And there's a new Red Bull vending machine in my dorm.)

Though the fact that many of the new energy drinks have a disclaimer that says they are "not recommended for children, pregnant women or people sensitive to caffeine" is slightly disturbing. Good thing I don't fall into any of those categories.

Let the caffeine swigging begin.

An Excused Absence From Blogger?

Dear Blog Readers,
My room is a mess. Sleep has become something that only happens sometimes. I have long papers to write which I haven't even thought about. There are like 15 copies of newspapers littering my floor. I can't remember the last time (barring Shabbos) when I had a real meal that consisted of more than some pre-packaged gunk that went straight from the freezer to the toaster oven to my mouth. I haven't bothered looking decent in a very long time--makeup, what's that? I'm confused and stressed out and tired. Oh yeah, and finals are approaching. So, I will post when I want to, when I can, and when I need a procrastination method. I'm sorry to leave you all in a lurch without your daily dose of Eli7, but you know how it is.
All my love,
Eli7

You Have the Power: a Challenge

I'm in the library pretending to do work. Pretending being the operative word in that sentence as I am clearly actually blogging and not writing a paper on human rights violations. Ahh well.

So, since I've found my merry way to Blogger, I just wanted to share a not-so-deep thought: acknowledgement and praise can sometimes make all the difference. It's nice to be told you did good when you did in fact do good in whatever sense. When you work hard at something, it's nice to know that someone noticed. And, sure, it may be stupid to get super happy by a little comment or e-mail or IM, but it does matter.

I don't mind giving my heart and soul to a certain extra curricular I am a part of. I don't mind the late, late nights and the sleep deprivation. I actually love it (in some strange way). But you know what? It makes all the difference that I got an e-mail today saying thank you and saying that my work mattered. It made me feel a whole lot better about the fact that when I went to sleep at 1 a.m. last night I realized that I had only slept two of the previous 40 hours. It made me feel good about my contribution. It made me feel appreciated.

So, in conclusion (before I return to the black hole of Butler Library), we all have the power to make someone feel better. Give a compliment. Tell someone something nice. Acknowledge someone's hard work. Because you can.

Just in Case Y'all Have Been Missing Me

I have been out of blog commission for awhile due to a few unfortunate circumstances--mostly a lot of work and a computer crash--and some not-so-unfortunate circumstances--election day weekend and a family bar mitzvah in Monsey, ir haKodesh. But now I am back, maybe (we'll see how the work goes...).

But just in case y'all have been missing me terribly, some thoughts from my hiatus before I go off to read an essay about humanitarian intervention or something:

• We are INCREDIBLY dependent on computers. When mine crashed (don't ask, long story which mostly makes me look stupid) I freaked out. For like five days. I cried to my father. I cried to my friends. I told said listeners that if I didn't get my files back I would contemplate suicide or drop out of school (note: I was NOT serious). It was bad. Really bad. It almost makes me want to write everything out by hand and ditch the thing completely. Almost.
• People are not all good or all bad and sometimes you just hafta appreciate the whole person. I am not always on the best terms with my father, but I called him crying about my computer and he came and fixed it for me. That's right, he spent five hours in my dorm room and then countless more on the phone with me. That means he cares. He's not perfect, but then neither am I (shhh, don't tell).
• Things change and that's ok. Transitions suck and that's ok too. It is not ok for those feelings to be invalidated. And it is not ok for people involved to not at least try to help in that transition. (Ok, fine, bad use of double negative. Sue me.) Sometimes you just need someone to tell you that they understand and they'll try.
  
• Friends are people who get excited about something just because you're excited about it.
  
• You appreciate something A LOT more if you had to go through pain to get it.

That's all folks. I am off to the library with my trusty iPod. Wish me luck and lots and lots of caffeine.

Welcome to the 21st Century

I have arrived. (But not without growing pains in the form of MAJOR computer issues.)

On iPods, Ayn Rand, and Being an Older Sister

I am at school, working on an extra-curricular that desperately needs to get done, or more accurately playing a fierce game of Trivial Pursuit (which I lost miserably) at a hectic office in which said extra-curricular will not be finished till very, very late. I had already sold my soul to my parents for an iPod earlier in the same day. My phone rings.

Me: Hello?
My sis: Hi, Eli7, I need another word for 'sufficient' for my college essay.
Me: Umm, why don't you check the thesaurus?
My sis: I already did.
Me: And you thought I would know more words than the dictionary because... ?

My phone rings again.

Me: Yeeees?
My bro: Hi, Eli7, so, can you compare Ayn Rand's philosophy on the role of the individual to Torah's philosophy for me?
Me: [insert Bro's name here], do you really think that I sit in school twiddling my thumbs just waiting for you to call me up for homework help?
My bro: Yes.

Some random person at office: You're so mean.

Halloween May Be a pagan Holiday...

...but the day after is a Jewish holiday (cheap candy for cheap Jews!). And other random thoughts:

• If you wait to buy the leftover Halloween candy on sale a few days after Halloween, it will be gone. I know this for a fact because my father and I tried FOUR stores motzai shabbos and came away with one bag of Snickers and one bag of Three Musketeers. I was very disappointed. Just goes to show you, im lo achshav, eimatai?
• You should not take your kids with you to get a manicure. I understand that mothers have different priorities and you can't always find a baby-sitter, etc., but it is wrong to bring your child with you to a nail salon. It just is.
• Things are not always what they seem. The 20-something girl surrounded by dishes and glasses and people who could be helpful family members may not be getting married.

That's all folks. Back to work. Despite the fact that I am on vacation. I'll have a Halloween Snickers to celebrate.

Burning (the Midnight Oil) in Butler

The Hellish Library

Drunken revelers
Cutting through campus
On their way from bar to party
And back again
See the lights burning in the windows
And in the blurry haze of intoxication,
Perceive the lights as the blazes of hell
Students inside study their textbooks
As the devil studies his craft,
While those outside
Are oh-so-relieved
Not to be burning in the hellfires
Of the library on a weekend.


(Fine, so really I just wanted an excuse to post this beautiful picture of Butler, Columbia's library, and, yes, I did just call a library beautiful.)

Yeshivish Cheerleaders

Black hatters with pom poms. It doesn't get better than this ;)