do-de-do

Today I attended my 5th ibex meeting. I think it went really well. After going over the same info for the 5th time (not to mention how many times I've read that info in proofreading), I did a fairly good job in predicting Dr. Behle's comments: "There is no Starbucks in Israel." "egg smoothies" "I just push buttons till money comes out" "poof!" etc. :)
I will be heading to the Grand Canyon in just 3 weeks! Unfortunately there are no vacancies, otherwise I might invite you...might.
With the sad departure of Lester and the temporary absence of Katharyn, the apartment is pretty quiet...sigh.
I managed to cook popcorn last night without burning it! It was really good, though I wish I had held back a little on the butter and salt.
Hmmm, not much else is new...except that I have a fiancee...according to my teacher. ;)

"This is the Mossad. Bye bye!"

So Israel has one of the best intelligence agencies in the world, called the Mossad. Read about what they just did:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1203019395821&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

(I am not trying to make to light of a situation in which a human died, by the way.)

Sometimes I miss Israel and the moshav and everything about that rocky little country so much it's not even funny. I think I'm turning into Rachel Israel.

Happy Valentine's Day!

So, it's Valentine's Day, and every single person is expected to write a blog post, right? ;)

Well, here's mine:

What do I think about being single? I'm really not sure. All I know is that if I were to start dating someone tomorrow (which I'm NOT), he would have to put up with a very independent, somewhat rebellious, fairly opinionated girl. I would love to have a boyfriend if God willed it, but I don't know if I'm ready to give up freedom, a whole lot of time, and maybe even life-long dreams. As my best friend said, "your view would probably change if you did have a boyfriend," but I'm pretty happy right now. So don't you come along and mess it up. ;)

Oh, and 2 years ago today, I was at Jericho........

Harry Connick, Jr.

I really like the song, She Belongs To Me by Harry Connick, Jr. I especially like the phrase,

"Oh, and how many times does your heart meet
The most beautiful girl in the world."

I want this to be me someday...I want to be beautiful in inner qualities, not necessarily outward. I know I am often described as "sweet" (which I don't like, by the way), but I want to be seen as kind toward everyone, both on the inside and the outside . Lord, give me consistency from "the inside out."

Pics...again

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Israel
Rose and world map, Apt. 29
Sutter puppy, NorCal
Swamp, NorCal

Abandoned building, NorCal

Twitterpated

Apt. 29 has been infected with twitterpation...However, as of 11:03pm, the Canadian and the NorCalian have managed to avoid the disease.

It was an accident...

So I got in a car accident on the way to LAX, but I'm fine. Fortunately the car that I hit was partially made of plastic so the impact was not as bad and my car was not damaged as badly, but now I can't drive it in case something is wrong under the hood. Oh yeah, and I can't open my hood. Hmmmm...
Thankfully God protected the other girl and I from any serious or even minor injury. No one else hit us and I was still able to get to the airport to see off my group of IBEXers. And my insurance is really good, so hopefully we won't have to pay too much once the claims are settled.
Now I am dependent on others for rides and such. I haven't had to be dependent for even more than a week (probably) since I was 17 when my parents got the first car for me. That car just became "undriveable" because the 2nd gear just wasn't there any more. My parents are so kind to me, and they bought me a 1998 black Subaru within that week. I really liked it (except for the radio; I still haven't figured it out totally) and my parents could have easily said, "We're sorry, but you are 21 and you need to buy your own car if you want to get around." I am very thankful for my parents' generosity, though sometimes I think they go too far.
Any way, now I am being blessed by my friends who are willing to drive me places, to look at my car, to follow me to the collision center, to give me rides to church, etc. Now I know a little bit how maybe an international student feels who needs to be dependent on others to get around...So if you are one of those people, thanks... :)

Ummmm, hello!!

Does anyone else see a problem with Barack Obama and his high ratings?????
*Isn't Obama a Muslim?
*Didn't we go to war with Afghanistan because militant Muslims attacked our country and killed our people?
*Don't Muslims have strict rules that are opposed to the freedoms that America supposedly holds so dear?
*Can't America wake up and realize that some things just cannot be accepted, namely cowardice in the name of religion (or cowardice in the name of acceptance)?
What is going on in this country? I am not opposed to Barack Obama as a person. I am opposed to him as president. I am also opposed to those Americans who look on the outside - he's nice, he's charismatic, he's different - look on the inside! Look at what he believes! The religion that he claims to be affiliated with has terrorized our country and countless others! Yes, that was militant Islam, but where does militant stop and moderate begin?
Please wake up...tell me it's a dream...

Jo=Jennica

"...for Jo loved a few persons very dearly and dreaded to have their affection lost or lessened in any way."
-Little Women, ch. 23

I love all my friends very much. It causes me pain when they think they are free but are really trapped; when they think they can see but are really blind; when they think they are right but are really wrong...

I want to see the world. Oh God, will You let me go?

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/world_maps/world_rel_803005AI_2003.jpg

Bah-humbug and yea!

On an annoying note, what I don't understand is how a student can apply, be accepted, and have everything done for IBEX in 2 days, yet the people who were accepted 4 months ago still don't have it together. I guess it is this way in a lot of things (classes, jobs, applications, etc.), but you would think that if you really cared about going to Israel, you would be prepared.
On a happier note, my oldest brother graduated from the police academy last night and is now a full-fledged policeman! After 24 weeks of study and preparation, Ross is now a Placer County deputy sheriff! He works for the same department as my brother Scott, who has been a deputy sheriff for about a year and a half. They both looked very spiffy in their green uniforms. They also sported little black elastic bands across their stars, in honor of the policeman that died on duty on Wednesday.
On a funnier note, when Brenda and I walked into the auditorium last night, the usher handing out programs gave one to Brenda and asked her to share it with her mom.
"Mom? or sister?" he asked.
"Sister," I said.

Pickles

For some reason when my parents had Brenda 7 1/2 years ago, I started calling her "Pickle." I don't know why; she doesn't look like a pickle. Any way, the other day Brenda was commenting on the fact that Mom had written "pickles" on her shopping list.
Jennica-"We don't need pickles, we have one right here!!"
Brenda-"I'm not a pickle to eat, I'm a pickle to love!!"


Pickle has a big forehead just like the rest of her family...