Okay, I have a five-hour very intense written test on Saturday. Should I schedule a massage sometime this week to calm me down beforehand, or next week as a reward for getting it done? I'd do both, but it's stretching finances just to have this one, so that's not an option.

Do you expect to ace this test, or are small advantages important? If the latter, is nervous energy a plus or a minus for you in test taking?

I want to be in Vortex's yesterday.

Pssh. Awesomeness is overrated.

It could be worse, Vortex. The original forecast for today was an ice storm.

Um, I'm not helping, am I?

oh noes! (actually, not much of a threat ... but honestly!)

Hey all.

First, healing ~ma for Daniel's mom.

And now, politics.

A bad policy is a bad policy, and walking away from it can't make things worse, even if it means walking away from a ground invasion that is already underway. Asking someone to be the last one to die for a mistake is horrible, but it is just as horrible a month from now as it would be today.

Sure, fighting is a bad policy. But then again, what we had since Palestinians refugees ran off to Gaza Strip and the West Bank ain't any better, and cost a lot more in human life, freedom and occupation currency. Not to mention, humanity. So yes, there's a part of me, maybe too-much-optimistic part of me, who thinks that if it'll be bad enough/will make enough noise this time, things will change. Because I'm talking about long term change, not "quiet for 6 months while Gaza Strip is still occupied" quiet.

I understand that when your country does a terrible thing there is a wish that it not have been done in vain.

And yes, also because of this. It doesn't matter who does a terrible thing, as long as something is learned from it and we step ahead into the general direction of good.

I really wonder about the timing of it all. Right before the Israeli elections. And more importantly, right before Bush leaves office. I agree that one can not sit idly by and watch missiles come in on a regular basis. I can understand having surgical strikes against the launchers. But when you get into blowing up Mosques and schools because they "store missiles there"? You need to be showing proof. And if you have proof, why not show them and the world, and say "look, we don't want to blow this shit up, but we need to defend ourselves. Clean up so we don't have to".

Yep. Elections is the magic word. Also Olmert, who wanted so bad to be remembered as the PM who brought peace with Syria and quiet to the south. Pffft.
As for sitting idly: dude. They practically didn't care for 8 years, and probably still wouldn't care unless Hamas would have not start shooting to further locations. Viva la very insignificant periphery.
As for blowing up Mosques and schools: yes. They do store and launch rockets from there, according to my sister. One of the most popular launching sites (top 3)? The roof of the girls elementary school in the north of the Strip, while they have a break or a minute before it, because they knew until the op that IDF will do nothing, in fear of hurting civilian population. I need to ask the sis if the school still exist when I'll see her this weekend.

Typo Boy, I hope the first part of my answer also answered you. omnis, stop falling. I'll send you some bubble wrapping, ok?

Also, how fucked up am I if visiting my late Grandfather's brother family during the Shiva'h makes me feel better?

If you're doing something, even if I have no idea what it is you're trying to do, achieve something AND GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE, and then start talking.

Yes indeed.

...Typo, I agree with your sentiments, but I'm going to second what David said last time - I think that using the pronoun "you" is needlessly combative in this context. Shir isn't doing this personally, and she isn't responsible for the decisions of her government. She's just having to live through them up close and personal.

We are all allowed to think our respective governments' decisions or actions suck donkey dick, without being obliged to stop loving our home countries, or indeed having to abandon all optimism that there's some kind of useful gameplan that we're just not aware of.

Omnis, I think that your point about Bush is distressingly likely. I hadn't thought about it until you made the point, but, yes, I do find it entirely plausible that the Israeli government want to seize the opportunity to bomb the Palestinian people and their governmental infrastructures to smithereens whilst they still feel confident that they have an American president who will let them do so.

I mean, if they just sit back and wait for Barack Obama to get in power, then he might go around putting pressure on them to make compromises, and allow the Palestinians more autonomy, and actually take steps towards bringing a Palestinian state into existence. So, quick! Seize the day! It will be a fair bit trickier for the Palestinian civilians to make any claims towards being ready for more independence, if their government buildings, schools, places of worship, roads, houses, water supplies etc have all been smashed to hell, if they're running (or being carried) to refuge in Egyptian hospitals - then they'll not be so damn uppity!

eta

Also? IT IS 3.26AM!!! WHY AM I AWAKE????

Jon Stewart mentioned the "get it done while Bush is still in power" thing on the Daily Show last night. And followed it up with his plan to start a baby-fighting ring before January 20, since he's pretty sure that Obama is against baby-fighting, but under Bush, it's a tax break. With a graphic of two babies facing each other in a boxing ring, with boxing gloves on their hands.

OK, my foot is still red and swollen, though the swelling's gone down some, and it hurts when I put too much weight on it or wiggle my toes. Is this a go to a doctor thing, or just a keep putting bags of frozen edamame on it thing? Because I really don't want to have to explain to a doctor that I was injured by my own shoes.

It hurts too much to put weight on it or wiggle your toes? Dude, I have trashed my feet with shoes, but never to that extent - not once said shoes are removed.

I'm tempted to say see the doctor, if it doesn't calm down soon - I mean, it sounds like something more serious than surface blistering (hideous as that is).

Still, maybe try the frozen edamame thing for a bit yet? And see what happens?