Done With Orientation

Well, I'm now done with orientation, and in minor limbo before beginning classes. The end of orientation was pretty reasonable, there were some actual interesting parts, and a good helping of requisite nonsense. (We're graduate students, one would think that we'd know a. what harassment is, and b. what an archive is.)

gimmelgirl was incredibly wonderful and did in fact loan me a computer- but for the moment I can't seem to persuade it to access the internet, so I'm still computer-labbing it for now. Marvin has been deemed (after a brief spurt of overdone optimism by the repair people) not to be worth repairing. So a new computer will be acquired soon (it'll need a name. Not sure what to go with). Dad's doing a little more research, and then hopefully either hte parents will buy it, or we'll order it online ASAP. So- hopefully I'll be set up on my own in a week or so, give or take.

Today's goals are to clean up and finish setting up the stuff I have in my room currently, to produce a dessert for Shabbos lunch, and maybe even to finish my orientation evaluation. Goal #2 will involve procuring baking powder, either butter or muffin cups (or getting creative with oil), and perhaps vanilla extract, or a conversion for what I need to add to baking soda to make it work in my recipe. Either all that, or plain oatmeal. It's weird not having a set-up kitchen with all the requisite supplies. Very weird.

Done With Orientation

Well, I'm now done with orientation, and in minor limbo before beginning classes. The end of orientation was pretty reasonable, there were some actual interesting parts, and a good helping of requisite nonsense. (We're graduate students, one would think that we'd know a. what harassment is, and b. what an archive is.)

gimmelgirl was incredibly wonderful and did in fact loan me a computer- but for the moment I can't seem to persuade it to access the internet, so I'm still computer-labbing it for now. Marvin has been deemed (after a brief spurt of overdone optimism by the repair people) not to be worth repairing. So a new computer will be acquired soon (it'll need a name. Not sure what to go with). Dad's doing a little more research, and then hopefully either hte parents will buy it, or we'll order it online ASAP. So- hopefully I'll be set up on my own in a week or so, give or take.

Today's goals are to clean up and finish setting up the stuff I have in my room currently, to produce a dessert for Shabbos lunch, and maybe even to finish my orientation evaluation. Goal #2 will involve procuring baking powder, either butter or muffin cups (or getting creative with oil), and perhaps vanilla extract, or a conversion for what I need to add to baking soda to make it work in my recipe. Either all that, or plain oatmeal. It's weird not having a set-up kitchen with all the requisite supplies. Very weird.

The Seminary and What's On My Head- Literally

I'm noticing that the head-covering culture at JTS and the surrounding area is decidedly different from around Brandeis, say, or anywhere else I've been. There seems to be none of the scarf-in-place-of-kippah thing that I've seen one or two people do in any other place with young obsevant women that I've been (and which I do so much when I don't want to be obtrusive). Here, the folks who sit near where I've been sitting for minyanim asked right off if I were married, based on the scarf. So- I guess I'll be wearing more kippot than previously, or something. (On the other hand, Monday night I was hanging out with Steve, and yet was typed immediately by someone to whom he introduced me as Conservative- it was sort of frightening.)

The other thing that I've noticed is that lots of the Wives of rabbinical students wear scarves or hats. But the married female rabbinical students themselves- don't. Perhaps this is because I haven't seen enough examples yet, but it's really what I've noticed thus far. It seems sort of odd, to me. I'm sure there's something going on behind that, but I don't know what yet. Stay tuned...

The Seminary and What's On My Head- Literally

I'm noticing that the head-covering culture at JTS and the surrounding area is decidedly different from around Brandeis, say, or anywhere else I've been. There seems to be none of the scarf-in-place-of-kippah thing that I've seen one or two people do in any other place with young obsevant women that I've been (and which I do so much when I don't want to be obtrusive). Here, the folks who sit near where I've been sitting for minyanim asked right off if I were married, based on the scarf. So- I guess I'll be wearing more kippot than previously, or something. (On the other hand, Monday night I was hanging out with Steve, and yet was typed immediately by someone to whom he introduced me as Conservative- it was sort of frightening.)

The other thing that I've noticed is that lots of the Wives of rabbinical students wear scarves or hats. But the married female rabbinical students themselves- don't. Perhaps this is because I haven't seen enough examples yet, but it's really what I've noticed thus far. It seems sort of odd, to me. I'm sure there's something going on behind that, but I don't know what yet. Stay tuned...