Goodbyes...

Goodbye gloomy weather and loads of rain (yeah, just had to start with the weather!)
Goodbye Saturday-Sunday weekends...
Goodbye bus-driver who greet the passengers
Goodbye Foosball tables
Goodbye huge, extremely comfortable bin bags
Goodbye free gym
Goodbye Sky news at the gym
Goodbye Grand Canal and Forbes Quay
Goodbye stupid drivers. Now I'll have to handle predictable Israeli drivers, then Aussies
Goodbye ATM machines that were fed with noodles and Veggies overnight.
Goodbye fresh blackberries straight from the bushes
Goodbye Sky news at the gym
Goodbye rogue police cars
Goodbye my private Blogger help (yeah, Pezzin, you!)
Goodbye my secret admirers
Goodbye drunk scumbags who threten to sue me
Goodbye DART
Goodbye urban foxes
Goodbye Dutchman and his jacket
Goodbye stupid Christmas parties and silly drunken people
Goodbye Region 4, you really are the best (one may think its a fraternity. he he)

And of course, goodbye Ryanair. Even though it's not fun travelling in Europe anymore, having the new baggage allowance restrictions...

Waiting for an Ending to Come to an End

I hate endings. I hate that it sometimes lasts forever

Here's a quick glance on how my life looks like these days, and will probably last for the next 2 months:

Too much bureaucracy and filling in all kinds of documents I had to fill in over the last 1.5 years, in less than one month (my bad)

Selling, giving away and donating too many personal belongings (a great way to know new people at work!)

Packing and shipping the rest of my stuff

Trying to see as many friends as possible because I know I won't see them for a very very long while. This includes having lunch dates with so many people, can't keep up with my calendar (and my calendar cannot keep up with me)

There are still several more places in Dublin that I want to see since I never got the chance to

Still going to the gym coz I need to maintain some healthy habits, moaning all day about it, feeling great right after, though

Reading 2 books at the same time so I'll be able to sell them over the next 2 weekend I have left in Dublin

Did I mention that in the next couple of months I'll be living in and leaving 3 different apartment:
3 weeks left in my Dublin apartment
3 weeks in a company housing in Tel Aviv
2 weeks in Rehovot

After that, by the way, I'll be moving to Perth (yay!!!), so that's the 4th city in 2 months.

I'm so tired of living on suitcases, accumulating, selling and most importantly, leaving friends behind...

A Time for a Change

The day I wake up and ask myself what have I done with my life, has arrived.

Years ago, I was thinking to myself what I'm going to do and be when I'm older. Today's answer is not exactly what I expected it to be back then.

At the moment it doesn't matter what I believe I should be doing or what the main purpose of my life should have been. The important thing is that I blame my parents. For growing up in a city. Why? Well, for example I blame them for running in my schools stadium, when I should have ran on hills and mountains.

Why is it important that I blame my parents? Probably since everything I am now, profession wise, is what they expected me to be. Now that I have realised this, I can actually do something about it. Be what I expect myself to be.

Starting tomorrow. Just because I'm so tired and want to clean all my mess from the last few weeks, and then go to sleep. I need to be early at work tomorrow, so I can go and see some flats. Yes, moving to a different apartment, again...

No News, Some Mews and a Police Car Bed-Time Story

Whenever I go to the gym during lunch time, from some reason one of the TVs will always show the mid-day British Parliament broadcast (The house of Commons). It always looks like a big bunch of arguing teenagers. Politely arguing, though. There is a Speaker of the House, and s/he grants the permission to speak to whoever is on the list. Each one speaks for few minutes. While speaking, the rest of the parliament members in the house support or oppose the each speaker. How do they vote? Members shout out "Aye" and "No". Their votes are recorded, by the way.
That specific moment that the first one starts shouting, and everybody else join, is quite an hilarious moment, which reminds of the above mentioned high-school kids.

That's the only type of news I consume nowadays. For example, only today I discovered that the Israeli high-school teachers are on strike for 1.5 months. The Universities are on strike for a month, by the way. But what am I talking about, you probably know it already.

And as promised, a short story:
It was early in the morning, the sun was still somewhere else, only the newspaper people are at the streets, even the Cafes were still closed. Only one car was slowly driving the streets. And when we came across each other, I had to give way to that police car before crossing the street.

That moment changed everything. I just gave up and admitted defeat in my own private war against Irish car drivers. And I became one of them, the passive, frightened, miserable, running from the cars like a rat that is being chased by a cat, Irish pedestrians.

My First Time

Or: First Month Summary

1. Got my first ever Free Massage for the first time in my life
2. Played Foosball for the first time in my life
3. Played Nintendo Wii for the first time in my life
4. Worked extra hours on my third week in a new job for the first time in my life
5. And must think how I want to spend my 11 Vacation days by the end of the year! And some other 25 days by the end of next one, not including public holidays - another 9 days per year. I wish this was my only problem. But when I come to think of it, I don't have that many problems these days for the first time in my life
6. Having an umbrella in my bag on a regular basis for the first time in my life
7. Walked in the rain wearing shorts for the first time in my life
8. Not working on Sundays for the first time in my life
9. Go to the Gym (for the first time in 6 years)
10. And don't have to pay for it for the first time in my life
11. Went to a Jews' singles party (organized by Rabbi Zalman), and enjoyed every minute (not everybody were Jews neither single) for the first time in my life
12. Drank alcohol every weekend for the first time in my life
13. Being broke for the first time in my life. Had more money when I was 16 (Don't want to spend the money I have in Israel)
14. But I'm also doing good by thinking how shall I spend the little money I do have.
15. Don't spend money on food during weekdays for the first time in my life
16. I'll have a very impressive this month for the first time in my life. This month only, though...
17. And of course living abroad, (18.) working abroad, (19.) to be precise- working at Google, (20.) partying and having fun and (21.) trying to count how many people in Israel are thinking of me and wanting to strangle me out of jealousy. Or just strangle me without any reasonable reason (I can think of one person right now! haha ha ha hahaha ha... I wish she could read that!) all of the above- for the first time in my life

There are many other first times I just can't remember. So many new good things and adventures. Besides, I must leave something for my next post.

I also have to go to a party soon, so no time as well.

Week 1 Summary

Here are the implications of my first week at Google:

My shoulders hurt and my back is almost broken from carrying my new laptop to and from work.

I have some blisters that refuse to heal from walking to and from work, 30 minutes every direction.

My arms are full with bruises as I bump into so many people on rush hours in the crowded city of Dublin.

My ass hurts from sitting for 3 hours at the Immigration police waiting to get a Certificate of Registration card that looks exactly like an ID card, but says at the back: This is not an Identity Card. And they got my details wrong: they changed my name and made me 2 years older. what the hell will happen if a policeman will check my certificate and see I'm supposed to be 30 according to it? He might think it's a fake one!
Ohhh, and almost an hour at the social security offices.

I have a cold from walking in the rain. With umbrella. No jacket.

Lack of sleep. It just feels that way. Now that I'm working again, I feel like I need to sleep more than I used to when I was unemployed. Besides, I don't feel like my back is healing as well, because of the lousy mattress we have in our apartment. In Israel I had my own wonder mattress. Now we have the cheapest mattress the owner could find. which probably wasn't that cheap. After all he paid in Euros.

And of course, I'm broke.
But somehow there's always money a pint or 2 everytime we are going to the pub.
Some of my last month expenses:
British Airways' (expensive) ticket to Dublin (which will be reimbursed);
New shoes for work, paid 100 (!!) Euros for the above-mentioned certificate (which will be reimbursed);
A new mobile. I know I cannot allow myself luxuries, but I'm an Israeli, I cannot function without a mobile. In spite of the fact that I don't really use it, I must grant people the opportunity to reach me all day. Doesn't matter if I'm broke;
New pants. In order to justify this purchase I will state that it was for work as well.

I'll get my first paycheck and the reimbursements on the 25th of August! I'll have to use the Israeli bank account for everything, and the money in it is about to evaporate by the 2nd of August.
Or maybe just ask Dan for some money... Haven't asked someone for money for over 10 years...
Isn't life wonderful as a poor girl?

So as you probably already figured out, Israelis like to complain. A lot.

But I, contrary to other Israelis, can also distinguish some positive aspects of the situation:

I start working on Mondays. I always thought that working on Sundays is useless. And at last someone actually agrees. (And for the moment, lets drop the fact I also work Fridays, OK?)

It is so nice to see the smiling face of the man who hands out the morning papers at the same street corner, and greets me every morning and wishes me a wonderful day.

I met so many interesting people, from at least 15 different nationalities!

I become even more eco-friendly than before.

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of free beer in the canteen (Where we have breakfast and lunch everyday) on each Friday's TGIF. And after drinking some, we go to the pub to drink some more.

Playing X-BOX, Foosball (Still learning), Pool (trying to, anyway), and the possibility to choose any other game, such as SP2 (t, Table-Tennis, and more (the rumor says there is or are PS3 somewhere).
If I don't feel like playing I can always sit on cushion seat (pouffe). Or on the massage sofa.

And....
I do have a google.com account, which is priceless!

What is Home?

Is it the place where I grew up?
Is it the apartment where I live?

Is it the apartment I rent or the one my parents paid mortgage for?

And what happens if I feel like a guest at my parent's place, and my place feels like home, but not quite yet?
And what about a situation where my childhood home is sold and I haven't been at my parents' new place yet? Should I consider it home? It doesn't feel that way.

Either way, how can home be called home when I practically packed it all into 2 not-so-big suitcases??... And close the door behind me the same way as I used to when I went to work or just out, knowing I'll be back within few hours?

And is it normal to just enter a new place and all of a sudden feel like that's the home I was searching for over the last few years?

Because it feels like I found home, at last.

News Flash

Yes, I submitted my resignation letter a month ago, and I'm not working there since last Thursday. It feels wonderful to be unemployed! Even though I wake up at around 7:30 every morning for a different doctor, meeting at the bank or breakfast with friends.

Yeah, I'm busy! If you want to meet me (in addition to all the 20 doctors I met), you must schedule. But I'm afraid it's too late, my time here is almost up... Well, by HERE I mean Israel.

I'm leaving in 6 days, for as long as possible!

On Monday I'll be heading to Dublin, Ireland. I'll be working and living there, and of course I'll be joining Dan, at last!

Right now my apartment is one big mess. Suitcases, bags and cloths that need to be washed are thrown on the floor, along with some dust and a bit more dust... And few pairs of shoes. I have so many papers on every table, and every time I need to look for my mobile phone, I must call it from my land line...

So of course I'm all excitements and stressed at the same time (WIll I be able to pack everything in the 2 suitcases? Will I be able to meet everybody by monday? etc...), and can't wait till monday comes!

Guest Post by Ellen

My post today comes courtesy of Ellen.
Please read it at http://inflammablyflammable.blogspot.com/2007/06/tribute-to-leaving-your-job-part-uno.html

I Love You Too!

Standing on the Edge of a Cliff....

I can't really tell what's going on in my life these days. I can just say it is unbelievably amazing. But even then, I feel a bit strange and I find myself asking why do my mood swings range between pissed off and monstrously happy?
And why do I let some stupid people bring me down?
But then I just remember that I shouldn't care, and gaze at them with a huge grin in my eyes.

I'm about to have a huge change in my life, and to me it seems like all good things are happening at once, and I'm just being a bit afraid I won't be able to handle all at once...
I feel like I'm standing at the edge of a very high cliff. When I look behind I can see my life until now, and when I look ahead, there's a wonderful gorge, but everything depends on how I'm going to get there. Will I fly and land safely or will I fall?