Long time no write...

First of all, as you can see, I've moved my blog and I hope this site will be more user friendly (for me at least). I am still figuring out how to deal with my photos so stay tuned.

I know, I know - I've been totally delinquent in my writing duties. For a while I was very busy with school - I had a big research paper due and I could not focus on anything else. I am happy to report that my semester is over and I am getting A's in both my classes! June 11th I can register for the fall semester. I hope to take 3 classes.
The year is winding down. I cannot believe it's almost June. At first time seemed to drag for me but now it just flies by. Maor finishes school June 14th. We've had a bar and bat mitzvah of people we've gotten friendly with in the community - the bat mitzvah was in a conservative shul and the girl read from the Torah. It was very interesting, not what I am used to. Arthur is doing a lot of traveling for work and I am trying to finalize plans for the summer and Maor's bat mitzvah party in Israel. Maor and I are coming the end of June until the end of August and various friends on Zufim have graciously agreed to put us up (or put up with us) for some of that time. Arthur will be coming for a short time since somebody has to earn a living.
Maor is going to a shabbaton in New York this weekend and is very excited. She and one other girl from her school were chosen to participate in this shabbaton sponsored by a Jewish kiruv organization and they flew out this afternoon and will return on Sunday. I was so nervous/excited that I locked my keys in the car! Thank goodness for AAA. As Arthur is in Texas I will be alone for Shabbat.
As you may (or may not) know, this past weekend was Memorial Day weekend. So motzei Shavuot we headed down to San Diego which is about a 7-8 hour drive away from us. We stopped for the night along the way and thought we'd make it to San Diego early on Friday but we got a late start and hit traffic so it was basically a travel day. We made it to the kosher food store right before closing and bought some food for Shabbat, then headed over to our hotel. Shabbat morning we went to a Chabad minyan in the Chabad Hebrew Academy which according to the map was a 37 minute walk away from the hotel. In reality, it took about an hour but it was a nice walk and Chabad starts davening at 10:00 anyway. The school campus is really beautiful and quite large. The Rabbi, Rabbi Yonah Fradkin and his wife, Leah, graciously invited us for lunch and we had a wonderful time at their home. Two of their sons and one of their daughters were there as well, as well as another couple, and it was a very interesting meal. One of his sons, Rabbi Motti Fradkin, is very charismatic and funny, teaches middle school, and entertained Maor by telling her he can say "We want moshiach now" in 18 languages! He got stuck at 16 but was helped by his brother who added it in Portugese and he used pig latin as the last one! He also said he is often mistaken for Matisyahu (this link is for Arthur who has no clue who that is!) We got back to the hotel at about 17:00, napped and hung out till Shabbat was over (Arthur napped, Maor hung out – LOL. I read a book) and then went out for pizza at Orly's cafe.
Sunday morning we got an early start and after breakfast headed out to the San Diego Zoo. We got there before the zoo opened and were able to enjoy the first bus tour (no lines) and the zoo before it got too hot or crowded. The zoo is huge and beautiful. We saw panda bears sleeping, a polar bear eating his morning fish, and watched one gorilla swipe food from another. Arthur and Maor got to feed giraffes. We headed back to the hotel for a short rest and then headed over to Seaworld which was open till 23:00. Seaworld was very crowded even though we got there at about 17:00 and we ran around trying to see the shows. We saw a sea lion show Clyde and Seamore's Risky Rescue, Dolphin Discovery with bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales, and saw the last show in the park for the night, Shamu Rocks. The Shamu show is amazing but unfortunately you will have to take my word for it because the camera battery died and I have no pictures.
Even though it was already getting cold and dark, Maor insisted on going on the Shipwreck Rapids ride and she and I got soaked and were freezing! We headed back to the hotel cold, wet, and tired but satisfied. I would have liked to spend more time in Seaworld. Guess we'll have to go back or make it to Seaworld in Orlando, Florida.
Monday morning we managed to get an early start again and went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. We did the journey into Africa tour again with no waiting and then enjoyed the rest of the park walking around. We saw an elephant show and learned that 7 African elephants who were going to be killed because of overpopulation in Swaziland were brought over to San Diego in 2003. We learned about tigers and saw 3 beautiful cubs with their mother. We then watched a Bengal tiger get fed (and roar!) and learned that these beautiful white striped tigers are actually a recessive mutation. Both the zoo and wild animal park are involved in conservation and preservation efforts.
San Diego is home to many interesting museums located in Balboa Park, which is also home to the zoo. Maor vetoed every single museum so maybe in about 10 years or so when she matures a bit.
We then began our long drive back home and except for about half an hour between San Diego and Los Angeles, we didn't hit traffic and made it home (with stops for bathroom, gas, and coffee) at about 22:30. And a good time was had by all.
As much of an internet junkie as I was before, I am learning about all these new technologies and things you can do online (Web 2.0, I hope to take a class next semester) through my studies so using Google maps I created a map of the places we've visited in California and other important places (where we live, Maor's school).

I am trying Picasa for my photos so please click HERE to view my album or sit back and enjoy the show :


Chasida

Quote: " Eway antway osiachmay ownay"
Translation from pig latin to English: "We want mosiach now"

Interesting web site: Incredible Things to Do on the Internet