The funniest thing is that they joke about it all the time.

One day, when I'm less tired, remind me to tell you about Kishon (a famous Israeli writer who joked about this stuff all the time).

It really IS great!

Yay! I know what I'm going to do once this working day (which is already tomorrow morning, in case you were wondering) is over.

At first I wasn't sure I'd like it, because I can't handle shows/stories that involve humiliating a character, and I was afraid that "Ugly Betty" could head that way. It hasn't, though, and it's had some fantastic moments.

It was recommended to me by a friend who really doesn't like this sort of stuff as well, so I wasn't worried already. But it's always good to read.

At first I wasn't sure I'd like it, because I can't handle shows/stories that involve humiliating a character, and I was afraid that "Ugly Betty" could head that way. It hasn't, though, and it's had some fantastic moments.

Yeah, I have a big problem with shows like that. It's one of the reasons I think most British comedy doesn't translate well to American remakes.

The bad-ass Israeli story I tend to tell is about Nilly...

We were at the top of the Empire State Building and it was crowded. I offered to push our way to the front (for Nilly is wee and Nilly is sweet and I am a New Yorker and neither) and she said "Oh please, I'm Israeli" and yanked me through to the front.

so. funny.

billytea! I love your tagline:

Geography, my old nemesis! Wait, that's gravity. I like geography, that's where they keep all the cool stuff.

[Edit: Trudy! I remember that! And I wasn't even trying very hard to get through. Once you tried to get home on a crowded bus full of soldiers on evening before the weekend, or get back right after a weekend is over, almost any other crowded place is easy. I mean, the lack of backpacks that could swallow me whole alone is a huge difference.]

And hardly anybody on the ESB was armed!

The most dangerous weapon of soldiers on the way home for the weekend is a huge backpack full of dirty laundry, anyway. Even when they carry their guns.

billytea! I love your tagline:

Hee. Well, thank you. (It's not entirely true, gravity is my brother's nemesis, but still.)

The most dangerous weapon of soldiers on the way home for the weekend is a huge backpack full of dirty laundry, anyway. Even when they carry their guns.

Oh dear. And I thought that backpacks big enough to swallow you whole was an idle threat.

We were at the top of the Empire State Building and it was crowded. I offered to push our way to the front (for Nilly is wee and Nilly is sweet and I am a New Yorker and neither) and she said "Oh please, I'm Israeli" and yanked me through to the front

HA! This is so in keeping with my experience at the school.

Also, how cool is it that right now we're having a conversation from two coasts of the US, Israel, and Australia? Yay internets!

ETA: Also, yay bed. I just realized what time it was. I've been working for the last seven hours, and I think I'm done.

And I thought that backpacks big enough to swallow you whole was an idle threat.

Never ever try to stand between a tired hungry dirty miserable home-sick Israeli soldier after 3 weeks of not-being-at-home, and between his mommy. Or at least her food. Never.

Also, how cool is it that right now we're having a conversation from two coasts of the US, Israel, and Australia? Yay internets!

I was just thinking that, too!