SJ: 3/10 + 3/100 + 3/1000 until infinity is...
Erachet: [Trying to think after having woken up in the middle of the night and being faced with math] Um...
SJ: .333333 etc. Which is also...?
Erachet: Um....a B?
SJ: [Looks at Erachet in utter bewilderment...]
Showing posts with label SJ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SJ. Show all posts
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Midnight Mathness
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Kindness Really Does Happen
Yesterday Erachet and I were the recipients of a truly overwhelming act of kindness, an example of the Jewish community at its best.
As new Heights-dwellers, we set out yesterday on our first expedition to the nearby Target (easily accessible by subway!) in search of apartment essentials and cereal at a decent price. Once in the store, of course, we discovered that we 'needed' a lot more than we previously thought we did. Erachet and I currently share a not-so-large room, and we're still figuring out how to maximize our space, so I was excited to find a piece of furniture on sale that looked like it would suit our needs. However, the box itself was too heavy to lift, and certainly not transportable by subway. I asked a Target employee about delivery, but it isn't a service they offer (and I ask: whyever not? This is New York City, people! You know we don't have cars!). The employee suggested that I order the item online, but acknowledged that in-store sales often don't apply to online orders. I racked my brain for friends with cars, and though I have a few, I didn't feel it would be appropriate or considerate to ask them for that kind of favour. Frustrated, I declared emphatically, "I wish we had a car!"
"Do you need a ride somewhere?" A young frum woman pushing her cart down the aisle had overheard my comment.
Surprised, I responded, "Well...um, yes, actually. We came by subway, but this piece of furniture is too heavy to carry."
"Where do you live?"
"The Heights." I told her our address.
"I can take you. I have a minivan, and I have some free time now."
Erachet and I were almost too overwhelmed to speak. When she initially offered the ride, I assumed that, like us, she lived in the Heights--but I soon found out that, in actuality, she lives in Riverdale, so the stop was completely inconvenient. Not only did this woman--an intelligent, accomplished mother of three children under five years old--offer a ride to two girls whom she had never met before, but she went far out of her way to do so, gladly taking time out of her busy schedule to help total strangers.
In the car (during stop and go traffic--for which she apologized to us, of all things), we chatted and played the obligatory game of Jewish geography. Passing a homeless man on the side of the road, our benefactress took out her wallet, rolled down her window, and dropped a bill into his cup. Clearly, we had stumbled upon someone who makes chesed her highest priority.
As we neared our destination, she exclaimed, "Oh! Do you want anything to eat? I'm sorry I didn't offer!" I was practically dumbstruck, and laughed as I thankfully declined. It wasn't enough for her to do us the favour of driving us to our apartment, but she also had to welcome us into her van as if it were her home.
As she dropped us off right in front of our building and even helped us carry our things to the door, all I could think was: wow.
So LL, thank you so much--you are an unbelievable baalas chesed, and truly inspiring. You made our day!
As new Heights-dwellers, we set out yesterday on our first expedition to the nearby Target (easily accessible by subway!) in search of apartment essentials and cereal at a decent price. Once in the store, of course, we discovered that we 'needed' a lot more than we previously thought we did. Erachet and I currently share a not-so-large room, and we're still figuring out how to maximize our space, so I was excited to find a piece of furniture on sale that looked like it would suit our needs. However, the box itself was too heavy to lift, and certainly not transportable by subway. I asked a Target employee about delivery, but it isn't a service they offer (and I ask: whyever not? This is New York City, people! You know we don't have cars!). The employee suggested that I order the item online, but acknowledged that in-store sales often don't apply to online orders. I racked my brain for friends with cars, and though I have a few, I didn't feel it would be appropriate or considerate to ask them for that kind of favour. Frustrated, I declared emphatically, "I wish we had a car!"
"Do you need a ride somewhere?" A young frum woman pushing her cart down the aisle had overheard my comment.
Surprised, I responded, "Well...um, yes, actually. We came by subway, but this piece of furniture is too heavy to carry."
"Where do you live?"
"The Heights." I told her our address.
"I can take you. I have a minivan, and I have some free time now."
Erachet and I were almost too overwhelmed to speak. When she initially offered the ride, I assumed that, like us, she lived in the Heights--but I soon found out that, in actuality, she lives in Riverdale, so the stop was completely inconvenient. Not only did this woman--an intelligent, accomplished mother of three children under five years old--offer a ride to two girls whom she had never met before, but she went far out of her way to do so, gladly taking time out of her busy schedule to help total strangers.
In the car (during stop and go traffic--for which she apologized to us, of all things), we chatted and played the obligatory game of Jewish geography. Passing a homeless man on the side of the road, our benefactress took out her wallet, rolled down her window, and dropped a bill into his cup. Clearly, we had stumbled upon someone who makes chesed her highest priority.
As we neared our destination, she exclaimed, "Oh! Do you want anything to eat? I'm sorry I didn't offer!" I was practically dumbstruck, and laughed as I thankfully declined. It wasn't enough for her to do us the favour of driving us to our apartment, but she also had to welcome us into her van as if it were her home.
As she dropped us off right in front of our building and even helped us carry our things to the door, all I could think was: wow.
So LL, thank you so much--you are an unbelievable baalas chesed, and truly inspiring. You made our day!
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Quite (and Quote) the Weekend
It was quite the weekend...! We think it was Elianna's favorite weekend with almost all her favorite people: SJ and Erachet visited us for Shabbos, J&S (and for the first time, our friendly sometime lurker Shosh!) came over Friday night, RivkaT stopped by, we were late for a kiddush for D&E before their upcoming move away, ate at Pobody's Nerfect & Shake for lunch, had a dessert at D&E where it seemed a nice chunk of our friends were, and then hosted shalosh seudos for a bunch more, including Rea and Xvi.*
Oh, and: My brother and SIL had a baby boy on Shabbos (Mazel Tov!!!), Kayla's birthday was Friday, I got a job, and we had parties galore it seemed.
All in all, it was nice, exciting, exhausting, and nothing compared to what next week will probably be like in terms of hecticity. This is niece/nephew #17 for us (#8 on my side), and mother and baby are bH doing well. Ben, Hen, and Shen are super excited about their new baby brother!
And of course, there's never a dull moment, so here are some of the best quotes from another great Shabbos:
Oh, and: My brother and SIL had a baby boy on Shabbos (Mazel Tov!!!), Kayla's birthday was Friday, I got a job, and we had parties galore it seemed.
All in all, it was nice, exciting, exhausting, and nothing compared to what next week will probably be like in terms of hecticity. This is niece/nephew #17 for us (#8 on my side), and mother and baby are bH doing well. Ben, Hen, and Shen are super excited about their new baby brother!
And of course, there's never a dull moment, so here are some of the best quotes from another great Shabbos:
Serach: What's Daddy's favorite color?* Later, we got ice cream, although we did not have a hot chocolate ending.
Elianna: E!
Elianna (rambling about a story she's making up as she goes along) "...I made a cupcake."
SJ: What was in it?
Elianna: Vanilla... and ice cream... and blue!
Older gentleman on way home from shul, as we walked past heading toward a kiddush: {smiling} "Are you going in the right direction?"
Ezzie: {smiles} Yes, I am. Perhaps you are going in the wrong direction?
Older gentleman: No, I'm going in the right direction as well. Isn't it something that two people going in opposite directions can both still be headed in the right direction?
Ez - I just love that one.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Commencement 2009
As President Obama, Rahm Emanuel, Larry Bird and various others take the stage to pass on their wisdom to this year's graduates, I thought I would offer my own piece of advice.
It's good, I wouldn't pass it on if it weren't.
It's good, I wouldn't pass it on if it weren't.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Best Lines From A Snow Shabbos
SJ to Elianna: Do you eat clothes?
Elianna to SJ: Nooo... I eat SJs!
Chana: I think people are pretty miserable most of the time.
Elianna (holding out her hands to SJ): Come here SJ baby squoosh!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Best Lines From Shabbos (and Pre- and Post-Shabbos)
- [Friday afternoon. SJ, Erachet, and ReCuz are on the bus to Chez SerandEz. Young man in button-down shirt and slacks sits nearby. Bus reaches stop, all rise to exit the bus. Man rises as SJ does.]
Man (inches away from SJ's face): Would you laugh if I asked you to go out with me?
SJ: Yes! [Exeunt]- Bas~Melech, Serach, Pobody, Erachet, SJ, ReCuz (to Ezzie): Wow, that sheitel looks really good on you.
- Erachet: It's calming. It looks like milk.
SJ: So when I need to calm you down I should just pour you a glass of milk to look at?
Erachet: No, only illustrated milk.- Elianna: Mummy! Crumpets!
- Erachet (accusingly): Ezzie, I thought you were going to close your computer to save the battery.
Ezzie: [stares at Erachet quizzically]
Computer: {shut down music}
Erachet: Oh.- [All playing Boggle]
Erachet: Aww! There was almost such a cool word. I hate it when the board spells things wrong.
Friday, September 05, 2008
This is why Ed is truly special
So there we were, Apple and SJ and M2, waiting for the shuttle back from Da Heights to the safer grounds of Murray Hill. We were joined by a boisterous group of cologne-adorned boys and a scattered number of girls, huddled against the door of the shuttle that wasn't accepting passengers yet.
Unfortunately, we were beat out of the shuttle by the Cologne Boys, who swarmed onto the shuttle as soon as the door opened, and thus Apple, SJ and M2 were left forlornly on the curb, destined to wait for the next shuttle.
So we waited . . . and waited . . . and waited. And then! Down Amsterdam Avenue slid the sleek, black intercampus shuttle! It stopped at the corner of 187th and Amsterdam and the enterprising Apple ran to see if the shuttle would let us on. Oddly, the shuttle left, but this didn't matter, as Special Ed and his friend disembarked and joined us as we stood on the fringe of the sketchy boy-girl scene outside Morg.
After hearing our sob story about how the Cologne Boys took our spots on the shuttle, Special Ed said something truly special. He said:
"Really?" exclaimed Apple.
And so he did. Right from Washington Heights down to the door of our beautiful dorm.
And so, Special Ed, you are really a special guy, because not only did you do us a huge chesed, but you also allowed three other people to take the shuttle (the three spots that opened when we left before the shuttle came), but you even did this on your birthday.
Happy birthday, Ed. Many happy returns to a truly special guy.
Unfortunately, we were beat out of the shuttle by the Cologne Boys, who swarmed onto the shuttle as soon as the door opened, and thus Apple, SJ and M2 were left forlornly on the curb, destined to wait for the next shuttle.
So we waited . . . and waited . . . and waited. And then! Down Amsterdam Avenue slid the sleek, black intercampus shuttle! It stopped at the corner of 187th and Amsterdam and the enterprising Apple ran to see if the shuttle would let us on. Oddly, the shuttle left, but this didn't matter, as Special Ed and his friend disembarked and joined us as we stood on the fringe of the sketchy boy-girl scene outside Morg.
After hearing our sob story about how the Cologne Boys took our spots on the shuttle, Special Ed said something truly special. He said:
"I'll drive you!"
"Really?" exclaimed Apple.
And so he did. Right from Washington Heights down to the door of our beautiful dorm.
And so, Special Ed, you are really a special guy, because not only did you do us a huge chesed, but you also allowed three other people to take the shuttle (the three spots that opened when we left before the shuttle came), but you even did this on your birthday.
Happy birthday, Ed. Many happy returns to a truly special guy.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Best Lines From Shabbos - BBT/SerandEz Shabbaton Version
Special Ed: Erachet, I saw a crazy old guy today and I thought of you.
Everyone: ...?
[In a conversation where the word 'molecularly' was used...]
Ezzie [to Bad4]: Is molecularly even a word?
Special Ed: I'm no Scientologist, but I'm pretty sure it's a word.
[Everyone laughs]
Special Ed: Yes! I'm on a roll! You've gotta know when to use it! You have to know the right time to use the line! You've got to use it the right way!
[Elianna commandeers the double stroller and walks with it across the room. Corner Point chases her down and turns the stroller around]
Ezzie: ...is Kayla in there?!
Everyone else: [staring] You're holding her!
Serach: Who was that guy who was sitting across the street from...?
Ezzie: ...across the table?
Serach: Who was that guy who was sitting across the street...?
Ezzie: You did it again!!!
RaggedyMom [to MordyS]: So, you're a firefighter? We once had a garbage collector come to us for Shabbos.
MordyS: Are you comparing firefighters to garbage collectors?!
RaggedyMom: ...Yes.
[During "Apples to Apples," Erachet is judge of the word 'flirtatious.' She looks at the cards and exclaims]
Erachet: Firefighters?! Firefighters aren't flirtatious!!!
Ezzie: [Looks meaningfully at MordyS]
MordyS [half asleep]: Wait, what? Did someone just say something about firefighters?
Ezzie: I'm debating whether or not to make Erachet really self-conscious right now.
[Pause. Erachet glares at Ezzie and starts slinking under the table]
Special Ed: Well, that worked!
[SJ, Bad4, Corner Point, Erachet, Apple, Special Ed, and Serach cluster around Jameel, listening with rapt attention]
Steve of Webads turns to Ezzie: He was never this popular with the girls at NCSY!
Jameel: I'm Jameel.
Princess D'Tiara: I'm Princess D'Tiara.
Serach [inserts herself into the circle]: I'm DovBear!
P.S. Kayla has selected her future career: she wants to be a pirate. CornerPoint, Bad4, Erachet, and SJ determined that her pirate name will be "Nobeard Pinksock." Or alternatively, "Pinkbeard Nosock." She is currently accepting applications for a First Mate.
Everyone: ...?
[In a conversation where the word 'molecularly' was used...]
Ezzie [to Bad4]: Is molecularly even a word?
Special Ed: I'm no Scientologist, but I'm pretty sure it's a word.
[Everyone laughs]
Special Ed: Yes! I'm on a roll! You've gotta know when to use it! You have to know the right time to use the line! You've got to use it the right way!
[Elianna commandeers the double stroller and walks with it across the room. Corner Point chases her down and turns the stroller around]
Ezzie: ...is Kayla in there?!
Everyone else: [staring] You're holding her!
Serach: Who was that guy who was sitting across the street from...?
Ezzie: ...across the table?
Serach: Who was that guy who was sitting across the street...?
Ezzie: You did it again!!!
RaggedyMom [to MordyS]: So, you're a firefighter? We once had a garbage collector come to us for Shabbos.
MordyS: Are you comparing firefighters to garbage collectors?!
RaggedyMom: ...Yes.
[During "Apples to Apples," Erachet is judge of the word 'flirtatious.' She looks at the cards and exclaims]
Erachet: Firefighters?! Firefighters aren't flirtatious!!!
Ezzie: [Looks meaningfully at MordyS]
MordyS [half asleep]: Wait, what? Did someone just say something about firefighters?
Ezzie: I'm debating whether or not to make Erachet really self-conscious right now.
[Pause. Erachet glares at Ezzie and starts slinking under the table]
Special Ed: Well, that worked!
[SJ, Bad4, Corner Point, Erachet, Apple, Special Ed, and Serach cluster around Jameel, listening with rapt attention]
Steve of Webads turns to Ezzie: He was never this popular with the girls at NCSY!
Jameel: I'm Jameel.
Princess D'Tiara: I'm Princess D'Tiara.
Serach [inserts herself into the circle]: I'm DovBear!
P.S. Kayla has selected her future career: she wants to be a pirate. CornerPoint, Bad4, Erachet, and SJ determined that her pirate name will be "Nobeard Pinksock." Or alternatively, "Pinkbeard Nosock." She is currently accepting applications for a First Mate.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Last Chance!
Today is the last day to sign up for the BeyondBT / SerandEz Shabbaton being held this Shabbos (Shabbos Nachamu) in Kew Gardens Hills, NY. It promises to be a great Shabbos, with good food, relaxed meals, and personal thoughts and musings on the themes of Individuality, Integration, and Inspiration, capped by a Melave Malka including music by the BBT Jam Band. To me, the best part about such a Shabbos is the company that surrounds, and this Shabbos will be no different, with a number of members and good friends of this blog already signed up. A small sampling:
Thanks! As a small aside, Mazel Tov to sometime reader/commenter Bob Miller, a big commenter at BeyondBT, on his son's engagement!
- The Raggedies, our esteemed neighbors
- Jameel, imported from Israel (albeit unfortunately only for the Melave Malka due to other engagements)
- Kasamba, dragged over from England (also only for the MM, sadly)
- Bad4Shidduchim, CornerPoint, Erachet, SJ, The Apple...
- MordyS, Special Ed (both of SerandEz)...
Thanks! As a small aside, Mazel Tov to sometime reader/commenter Bob Miller, a big commenter at BeyondBT, on his son's engagement!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Living the Dream
As I sadly prepare to leave Israel after an all-too-brief trip, I'd like to point the dedicated readership of SerandEz to a blog that should not be missed.
Living the Dream: Reflections From an Olah Chadasha is written by a friend of mine who just made aliyah about three weeks ago. In addition to being an incredibly amazing person, she is also a fabulous writer, and her posts are consistently inspiring.
Enjoy!
Living the Dream: Reflections From an Olah Chadasha is written by a friend of mine who just made aliyah about three weeks ago. In addition to being an incredibly amazing person, she is also a fabulous writer, and her posts are consistently inspiring.
Enjoy!
Monday, June 16, 2008
FEIBP (otherwise known as "operation reviving the fun")
Hello! And welcome to the First Ever Interactive Blogging Poemathon - otherwise known as the FEIBP (pronounced Phoebe. The P [of FEIBP] is silent). FEIBP is brought to you with much rhyme and rhythm by bloggers-by-day-poets-by-night SJ and Erachet.
What, you may ask, is a poemathon? The way it works is we start you off with six lines of a poem. Then it's your job to continue! You can comment with two more lines, or four if you'd like, provided they comply with the rhyme scheme established by the original four lines. Rhyme scheme is basically the pattern of the rhymes. In this poem, every second and fourth line will rhyme (abcb) so that's the rhyme scheme.
When you comment, you should add on to the poem based on whoever commented above you. We'll start with a simple poem, since this round of FEIBP is the First Ever.
Ready?
Ahem.
The trees swayed in the morning breeze
The day was bright and warm
But distant clouds told an ominous tale
Foreboding a blusterous storm.
Yet little did anyone think of that
As they went to work that day...
[Okay, someone continue!]
What, you may ask, is a poemathon? The way it works is we start you off with six lines of a poem. Then it's your job to continue! You can comment with two more lines, or four if you'd like, provided they comply with the rhyme scheme established by the original four lines. Rhyme scheme is basically the pattern of the rhymes. In this poem, every second and fourth line will rhyme (abcb) so that's the rhyme scheme.
When you comment, you should add on to the poem based on whoever commented above you. We'll start with a simple poem, since this round of FEIBP is the First Ever.
Ready?
Ahem.
The trees swayed in the morning breeze
The day was bright and warm
But distant clouds told an ominous tale
Foreboding a blusterous storm.
Yet little did anyone think of that
As they went to work that day...
[Okay, someone continue!]
Thursday, May 29, 2008
And This Is Why...
...we shouldn't allow overtired Stern students on summer break to oversleep in our apartment while we go to work.
Friday, May 02, 2008
How sad we are, or what today's youth has come to
Friend: SJ and the apple, can one of you loan me your computer?
[simultaneously]
'Nuff said.
[simultaneously]
SJ: That's like asking me to loan you a limb!
the apple: But that would be like cutting off my arm!
'Nuff said.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
On Empathy
SJ has a very thoughtful post on empathy, and where do we draw the line on what is proper and what is unhealthy. In discussing this subject recently, I think she also mentioned another factor - how helpful it is or is not. After all, my feeling bad does little or nothing for whomever is affected by a tragedy, does it not? It further strengthens the question: Since I'm not really helping, why be empathetic at all, or more than a certain amount. The passing of R' Henoch Leibowitz yesterday brought this to the forefront of my mind again, as my brother (in Chofetz Chaim) is obviously far greater affected than I.
I have lots to say on the subject, but go over there and give your own input. Interesting discussion...
I have lots to say on the subject, but go over there and give your own input. Interesting discussion...
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Readers Wanted
Over at "Which Way Is Up?" I've re-evaluated the title and purpose(s) of my blog. Feel free to stop by periodically--and contribute to the discussions, whether old or new.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
On SerandEz & Sleep
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