Grinding

Hey all. As a few of you have already heard, I've found a job here in the Bay Area, at a company called Visual Concepts. I'd have really, really liked to move out to the East Coast, but I'm hoping that getting paid for the first time in years will help ease my disappointment. I'm working as a programmer on a basketball game for the XBox 360. It's been about a month now, and I figure it's just a matter of weeks before they realize their mistake and get rid of me. It's pretty neat... I've got an XBox on my desk, and nobody seems to care that I play games all day.

If any of you come to San Francisco, give me a call. My number is (415) 624-6563.

Harlan

Help for Mike Norton

Hello everyone,

Many of you may have gotten the same email from Mike that I got today. And anyone on the yahoo group already knows as well. Anyway, Mike is returning to Malawi. I don't exactly know why because I haven't had time to read the blog. Regardless, I sent him all my left over Malerone because Peace Corps said they didn't want it back. So if you have any Malerone (those 12 pills you kept in case you got sick) that you are sure you won't need anymore, you can express mail it to Mike and save him a few hundred dollars. He leaves the country Friday, so we have to ACT NOW :)

Here's his emails for those of you who haven't seen them:



Hi all,

For those of you who haven't heard, I'm headed back to the MW on
Friday morning for a 4-month stint in Mchinji. I just found out
that my health insurance got mixed up, and I'll have to pay $600
unless I can come up with enough Malarone for 4 months, or go back
on Larium, which I'm not too excited about. Steph Ramsey has
already stepped up with 58, but I will need 51 more. Does anyone
else out there have any Malarone tabs that they are trying to get
rid of? It's a shot in the dark, but it's also $300....

I will gladly pay in Malawi Gin or Nali or even Chibuku packets. If
everything works out correctly, I would even consider carving a
chief's chair. No, but seriously, anyone that can donate some pills
would be in line for a nice gift....

[Stephanie deleted the address since this is a public blog. Email Mike for his address or email me]
kilkswer@yahoo.com

But you're all also invited to follow along:
http://2manychefs.livejournal.com

Cheers,
-Mike

Hi all,

A funny thing happened to me. I came back from Peace Corps and couldn't talk about my experiences in Malawi too well, as happens to most Peace Corps volunteers. Now, I've had a year to think it over, and I'm actually headed back later this week.... For those of you interested in following along, I'll be writing a few things at:

http://2manychefs.livejournal.com

Feel free to share this with whoever you feel like.... The more readers, the better. Just be sure to put your name on it if you comment in...

Take care and have a great summer!

Cheers!
-Mike

Ramsey Update

Hello All,

Joaquin got accepted to NYU and Columbia, and we've decided to not wait for anymore responses. He sent all our money to Columbia so I guess we're headed to New York within a month. He got accepted to the Peace Corps Fellows program. We found out yesterday that he was accepted after believing it hadn't happened due to a mis-drected email. After being told on the phone that he was accepted they re-sent the acceptance email and all is now well.

I've decided on a second tattoo and am getting it for myself on Joaquin's birthday next Saturday. So that's my excitement. And now I'm searching for a new job in New York. Hopefully we won't be too horribly in debt soon.

This morning Joaquin and I went with our friend Jana down to the Mexican border town of Juarez. It was fun. I am now sunburned, or as we say here, Mexican-burned. Which doesn't really mean anything.

Who is where now? Who will we see in New York? We're in frequent contact with Kelly and Tom, but who else will be near? We'll be flying out there, I guess, in less than a month. Woo-hoo! My own place. Anyone who wants to see our apartment layout can just email me for a link. I feel a little creeped out about posting a link to my address and layout on this blog.

Miss you all.

Stephanie

Rabbiless in Houston

Well, I actually was catching up in preparation for posting this when I saw Ryan asking how it's going. I got the news a week ago, have been doling it out since Monday, and resigned myself to posting it today. The short version: it ain't gonna happen.

Here's the long version:
I went to L.A. in the third week of March for the interview process. It consisted of a psychological exam, an interview, and a Hebrew exam. The psych exam seemed to go fine, but I felt the psychologist spent more time focusing on my family life as a toddler than I would have liked. I didn't think to tell him not to, though. As a result, the interview the next day included more questions about my family than I felt it should have. (Such as, "How would you compare your family relationships with that of Jacob from Genesis?") When I left the interview, I felt there was a distinct possibility that they wouldn't take me, but I expected that I'd be accepted. I thought I had answered all their questions decently. The Hebrew exam... the grade I would have given myself would have been between a 50% and a 60%. (That's a high credit on the MSCE!) Unfortunately, their minimum requirement is 70%. That wouldn't have been a major issue, I would have been allowed a retest in a month or two.

The letter I received (on April Fool's Day) didn't say anything more significant than "no." When I called the Director of Admissions, he told me three problems they had: They decided I made my decision too quickly, they wanted me to do more work in a community in general, preferably a Jewish one, and "there were some aspects of my understanding of Judaism with which they didn't agree." Frankly, everybody I've told says they don't understand how the college couldn't have taken me, and I agree with them. Unfortunately, I wasn't given a chance for rebuttal, and the director told me not to bother applying next year. Wait at least 3 years. The best I can figure is that I didn't represent myself nearly as well as I should have during the interview.

The place I applied is basically THE place to go to rabbi school for Reform Judaism. There's other options, but if I did get accepted at any of them, the first question a congregation would ask me is "Why not Hebrew Union College?" So, basically, there's no way I'll be in rabbinical school, at least for three years. I expect by then, that I'll have moved on with my life. All sorts of ideas of striking out in anger wandered through my mind (go on a drinking binge, quit being Jewish, etc.), but I realized that the college's opinion of me doesn't change who I am. The worst I did was stop playing guitar for a week, and I've even gotten back in to that.

I'm surprisingly not very bitter about this. I wish they had not given this response, and I don't like failing at something I've had my heart set on for most of two years. But other than that, my basic thought is just: "The answer is no. Life goes on." At this point, the worst part is just telling others the news. But, my life is rebounding fairly decently. I still have a decent place to live in Houston, have a vehicle, and my pre-PC job gave me an offer as soon as they found out I'll be sticking around. (Nothing in writing yet, but it should happen this coming week.) So I can continue doing what I was doing, do a programming (uggh!) job by day, and Save the World in my free time. I'm not currently sure how I'll be doing that, but I know there's lots of options available.

So, that's my news from Houston. It's not that bad -- I've got habitation and transportation, and expect to have an ccupation soon. Just missed out on my planned vocation, though. And to the geeky gamers out there - yeah, I've been spending WAY too much free time playing computer games.

I hope you all are doing well. It's still a pleasure reading this blog and keeping up with ya.

-- Scott

Jobless in Denver

Hey Everyone. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I was waiting to hear back about a job so that I could give good news, but as you can tell from the title, they are going with someone else. It's probably for the best (for them anyway) since I only want to work for a few months and I would have very likely left before the end of the year. So it's off to a nearby restaurant to wait tables.

Like some of you, I find it really strange that I can't find any jobs. What is probably most irritating is that some people I've talked to say that don't think I will fit at a job because I took two years off like I was on vacation. Okay, rant over.

Other than that I'm still doing pretty good. I'm embarassed to say I've "toyed up" and bought a satellite radio (XM for those who care) as well as a playstation 2. I figure if I'm not working I might as well spend my time doing something :)

Happy Birthday to everyone who has one this year (just in case I forget) and of course, if anyone is coming out to Denver feel free to call me up: (720)238-3858.

And finally congratulations to all who got into their respective graduate schools.
Got any GRE tips?

Ryan

PS. Scott, how is your application process going?

Pepani chomene, pepani chomene Mrs. Ramsey

(pepani chomene= very sorry in chitumbuka)

Stephanie, I am so sorry for screwing up the birthdays....Madam M has made a serious error. I am happy that you enjoyed whip cream, and hope you will forgive me for misleading people on the dates of the Ramseys separate-and both very important-birthdays.

Love ya,
Merilee

From Stephanie

Hello again,

Regarding the magazine, I will do my best the minute I have some spare time. After returning to the States in mid-January, I travelled here until the beginning of March. After that time every minute was spent building a storage shed and moving our belongings. I only had a couple days to go through everything I had mailed myself, including materials for the cosmo, before I started a temp job. If I am un-lucky and don't get another temp job after this one ends next week, then I'll have time to do the cosmo. Otherwise....it will be a nice reminder to you all, I'm sure, of your time in Malawi in a couple months.

I will pass on the birthday greeting to Joaquin, as he hasn't had a chance to get online recently. I'm sure he will have a nice birthday in a couple weeks. I had a nice birthday this week complete with cool whip. Yum.

Sorry again that I don't have the magazine out. Getting back to the states after a month and a half of travelling, followed by another month and a half of travelling, followed by frantic job hunting and shed building didn't leave me much time for anything. I do have email addresses for most of you, so if anyone wants an email address, feel free to email me for it at slhramsey@yahoo.com. I have your sheets from COS conference somewhere, but they are likely in the boxes I still have to go through, so I can't promise I have phone numbers or addresses at hand.

Miss you all!

Stephanie

Happy Birthdays and Congrats

Happy Birthday to all you April babies! I tell you now because I know I will be forgetful on the days themselves - you are in my calendar and my heart. Hey -Steph, any plans to get out the magazine? Namely, an updated contact list? I know I'm inclined to pick up the phone now and again. Any news on that?

Congratulations to Kelly, Joaquin, Tommy, and anyone else whom I might be missing who's been accepted to school! I am proud of you all, yes, proud, achimwene ndi achemwali athu! Keep up the good work and keep us posted!

I am rolling along, realizing that this year is more or less going to progress under a cloud, but I will look to the sunshine. I think most of you know that my mother died in early February, and now I must be the administrator of her estate, which is a year-long scenario, so I am working through the ups and downs of that. If you didn't know about my mother, don't worry, I am okay, just, well, majorly bummed. Thanks to those who've called or e-mailed me. I've been a bum in getting back to some of you - especially Kelly - sorry, babe, I haven't forgotten you, but I admit I've been a slacker. Please forgive me! I will get on the ball!

And Sarah - I have your discs and I will try to get them out to you this month. I just need to find your address!

Meanwhile, I've signed up for some fun classes with Adult Ed: painting and color theory, woodworking, and how to buy a house! With subbing for now, I'm making my ends meet.

Zikuyenda.
Wishing you all the best,
Madam Whitey

Happy Birthday Mr. Ramsey!

Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy Birthday Joaquin, Happy Birthday to you!

Madam M

Vacation in Asheville- Matt

Greetings, I've settled in Asheville, NC. If anyone is interested my address is

77 greeley st
asheville, nc 28806
828.280.2359

I am sharing a house, but feel free to stop in.

Matt