trolls

Today, March 16, 2014: The first day I was trolled on the internet after leaving a comment.

Thoughts:
a) I shouldn't have left a comment, maybe.
b) I am glad I said what I wanted to and conveyed my beliefs. So forget about you, part a).
c) How did I make it to 2014 without being trolled?

Happy belated Pi day!

Hasan's Stalking Network

For indiscrete stalkers that wish to know my day-to-day in Israel:

http://jthegroundup.blogspot.co.il/

I'll also post some reflections on here while I'm in Israel related to conflict, public health, education, economic, psychological, public affairs, (insert your passion/interest area here).

Be'ahavah v'felafel (With love and felafel),

H

Shortened Version of 8/21/12 until 1/10/14

Ok folks.

Time to apologize for being away for so long, and then to also let you know where I've been.

I think the last real update I did was 8/21/12.

I won't try and catch people up to every move. But I'll give some highlights. Enjoy!

Here's what 8/21/12-10/31/13 looked like:

1) 5 jobs in community organizing/education/teaching

2) Physical Ventures:

• Said goodbye to physical therapy
• ...and picked up rock climbing and beach volleyball
• Played with mixed ultimate frisbee club team and got back in shape.
• Started the insanity workout on 12/10/13. For those who are wondering, yes. It's insane. On the flip side, I've never felt more energetic in my life.

3) Directed and facilitated mediation groups within my Jewish community on the subject of Israel

4) Ate a lot of kale, and other sweet vegetable-like substances.

5) Strengthened ties to my immediate and extended family.

6) Did around 4-5 volunteer gigs at community organizations targeting low-income folks in Chapel Hill/Durham

7) Following a rejection from yet another teaching fellowship after getting to the final interview stage, I saw the raw reality that I probably won't get hired to a job I want to do or by an organization I want to work for unless I apply for a higher degree and gain connections to organizations through said higher degree.

8) Decided I wanted to do the following under said higher degree: utilize social justice and peace education-to-action programming, specifically geared toward environmental issues and oral historical exchange, as methods of community development and intercultural cohesion.

9) Dad started and is now running a taxi cab/public service company for old-aged folks in Chestnut Hill/Brookline Massachusetts. He also has procured green cards for 5 of his immediate relatives, each of which I met for the first time in my life.

And then, on 11/01/13, I got accepted for a peace/social justice fellowship in Jerusalem, Israel to begin on January 10th, 2014. So here's what 11/01/13 to 1/06/14 looked like:

1) Lots of graduate school conversations (Georgetown, Brandeis, SIT, Monterey Institute of Int'l Studies, George Washington U, American U, Univ of Denver, and George Mason U)

2) Fundraised for the projects that I am to run on my trip, because I have had to pay to do it (details can be found here: http://funds.gofundme.com/index.php?route=fundmanager)

3) Found a one way flight to Israel. Haven't booked a return yet. This should be fun.

4) Finished 0 applications to grad schools

5) Completely ignored health and ate by the budget.

6) From 12/20 to 12/23, my brother and myself experienced three days of nonstop scotch drinking with my synagogue. I performed a Monty Python montage with my brother, ran a sing-off variety show while "4 drinks deep" (I'm becoming a slightly more expensive date) and also won $65 in a 15-person winner take all poker game. That was pretty sweet.

1/06 to 1/10/14 looked like:

1) Went to DC to visit schools and organizations

2) Didn't actually visit schools because they were closed

3) Organizations ended up being too busy to accommodate a visitor 

4) So I played NBA 2k14 for most of the day (especially the one day that it was 7 degrees with -2 windchill outside)
5) Saw Adam Marshall, Will Bloomhardt, Samah Mahmood, Gill Conly, Alex Pan, and Ellen Morris.

6) Went to NYC for 13 hours as part of my layover, and got Shakshuka at a Mediterranean Grille in the W. Village

7) Left in a jet plan, and was seated next to a man who drank 4 bottles of water in 10 minutes, treated the hostesses like crap, and then promptly passed out afterward. He woke up much happier. I think he might have been high or drunk.

1/10/14 to 1/18/14....

1) Finished all applications to grad school

2) Refer to the link in the post above to stalk my every move :-)

Love you all. Give me a shout if you have any comments/if you have an update to share as well!