((((Raq)))) Do what you need to do, whether that means engaging, not engaging, or lurking.

Happy Birthday, Raq. Come back whenever you can.

Happy birthday, Raq!! I hope your day goes as you want, which is always a good thing. And that things get better soon.

I am watching the twin girls of a friend who teaches kindergarten at my school today and tomorrow since we have conferences and her older kids have school til 3. Emeline loves them, but it's interesting watching her try to navigate not only with having to compromise her play ideas when she's so used to running the show, but also trying to understand the girls' as they do their twin thing.

Also? I think the girls must be going through a growth spurt because wow can they eat!! They're lots of fun, though. At one point, the four of us were snuggling on the couch watching iCarly and Looney Tunes.

Happy Birthday, Raq! May this be the start of your best year yet.

Good to hear you are ok, Shir. I can't even imagine the stress.

Shir! So glad you are ok, and I hope all your peeps are as well!

Happy birthday, Raq. I do hope you'll have wonderful and awesome fun today.

And thanks, all. I'm still kind of shaken. Apparently my sister was at the other side of the road and saw it all (my poor thing. It's the third bombing she's at. She's claiming it's scarier to see rockets fly above you). Another friend took #74 (the bus that took the hit) that passed 10 minutes before. I still hope people I know are alright. There are too many of them to call to, even if they just go to the same classes with me.

And actually, rockets aren't so bad (unless flying directly above you, as the sister says). Mostly if the protected room in the house has the TV and the DVD player in it. And you have an alarm and time to go there. There are (mostly, unless it's a rare direct hit) safe places to hide. In bombings... NSM.

Oh, and in happy news: I have a request. I'm gonna give a mini-lecture in some kind of a very elitist Israeli blogger's evening (6 of us, each talks for 12 minutes). Kindda like TED, only more theoretical one with people who really love to analyze things too much. So I'm gonna speak about how we can change and shift the discourse, perception and access to and between what's "representation" (reality) and "imagery" (myth, a-la Barthes) using Hollaback Israel as an example. In order to make it really cool, I wanted to ask your permission to use the rubber-glove pretend to be chicken joke, if that's OK.

(I'm not getting a dime for it, but people actually have to buy tickets for the event. And I'm supposed to lecture. Academically. in 12 minutes. And I've been asked to do so, for crying out loud, and been told that the draft is "fucking fantastic").

And now, I'm gonna try and relax in front of the TV with something stupid to watch.

Shir, that's awesome. I'm so glad you have something exciting and good going on today. Huge ~ma headed your direction and to all those who were in the vicinity this morning.

I really can't believe it's happening and that I've been asked to do it.

This is a huge opportunity. I hope not to blow it.

That's awesome, Shir!