I finished Cyrano de Bergerac this morning. As advertised (by Patrick Rothfuss), it is Quite Good. I mean, I thought the ending was pretty predictable and kind of silly, but two out of five acts have really moving bits, even for a person Reading rather than Watching the play. Applause!
After that, I listened to some financial webinars from NBN. Nothing really fascinating, but it seems that Israel just passed legislation that will cause your credit report to follow you (good: I was not looking forward to building credit from scratch). Much more interestingly, unless you specifically write otherwise, any check you write in this country is fully transferable, even if you write a name in the "pay to the order of" line. Good thing we don't have an Israeli checkbook. Yet?
In other financial news, I finally figured out how to view our itemized insurance bills. Until now, the nurse would tell me, for example, to give BSM vitamins, so I would 'buy' the vitamins at the health clinic. By this, I mean that I would hand the nurse BSM's insurance card, she'd swipe it, and then she'd hand me vitamins. Was I charged? If so, how much? Did my bank account pay this, as I think I set it up to do? Until today, I couldn't really answer those questions. Now I can. That feels slightly more responsible.
I also went to the kibbutz library this afternoon and\took out some board books. I brought five board books with me, and after three months, I am bored of them. Even though I've only been reading to BSM about once a week. Especially since one of the books is Goodnight, Moon and I don't read to him before bed. This leaves me with four board books, none of which are Jamberry. (No, I can't read Goodnight, Moon if it isn't bedtime. Don't be crazy!) So yeah, a change in pace will be nice.
Speaking of board books, I read what Roz tells me is a classic Israeli kids' book at her house last Shabbos. Endearingly titled A Story of Five Balloons מעשה בחמשה בלונים and clearly illustrated in the heart of the '70s, this book in no way prepared me for the tragedy within. I told Roz that, while sweet, it was kind of sad (seriously? Four balloons pop [one while being lovingly hugged to protect it from all harm] and the last flies away?). I failed spectactularly to convince her that it was sad at all. In her [translated] words, "Why is it sad? That's what happens. Sometimes in life there are situations, and you just have to deal with them." Granted, she was firmly within the text when she said that: the book's refrain is, "Don't be upset, that is the end of every balloon," but, but, but-- It's a board book! With cute little rhymes! For the very young! It might not be as tragic as Cyrano de Bergerac (like the callback?), but it is "a little sad." Come on!
Today's real news, however, is that I finally sent out the email blast I've known I'd have to send out eventually. G-d bless my friends and acquaintances. I am still overwhelmed by the sheer number of emails I got in response, each of which had to be properly and promptly acknowledged. This is going to be a long next few days. Good!
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