Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Incognito

I am now a student a Hebrew University...and proud.
This means I have a student number on top of my Israeli Identification Number which also differs from your passport number.
I have been given a Hebrew University email address, which I have to check because the course co-ordinator sends her emails to that address.
In order to access that email I was sent a 4 digit password which I then was allowed to change once I had logged on.
Everyone at my campus has a special campus access to computers account.
To log on to the campus computers, I needed my ISraeli ID and student number, and after that I could then choose my own password. Once logged on I was given yet another email account with a different address.
To get onto the library website, I needed to log on with my campus account, and then I had to register to the library so I could borrow, using my Israeli ID number.
To get access to the library from home, I had to fill out a form online and then I was given another username and I had to choose another password.
To take out a book, they needed my student card, even though I registeres with my Israeli ID number, they scanned the student card to check that I had registered.

I don't need another password. That I will inevitably forget.
Everyone knows my email address, which I ahd to write on my application anyway, so why do I need another. You are not making my life easier. You are making my life more annoying.

I think I am an anarchist in disguise. I'm on my usual rant about how much I hate systems, University in particular, and then it dawns on me, maybe I am just a plain old anarchist? How boring to have a label? I do like order though, I like things to work, I just hate systems of authority and beaurocracy. So how does that all fit together....ah what the hell, why not cause some trouble, what I really want is to see the whole thing go up in flames, I am out of the closet...I am an anarchist, but by my definition.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Strike

I am pissed off...I have started University and the professors are on strike. As a consequence I only have half my classes, practically I think it means that these classes will ahev to be amde u some other time i.e. my holidays. I am not a happy camper.
I think that all this striking is just to show that Olmert can't run the country. If you want to make a point that's fine, but it annoys me when it cuts into my time....gggrrrrr.
Being a student in Israel means that you ahve the lovely experience of having everything to do with your course being a secret.

How do you enroll? It's a secret.
HOw do you get a student card? It's a secret.
WHere are your classes and when? It's a secret.
When are there exams? It's a secret.

Week 1 Health economics class, the teacher stands up and asks the question in relation to economics...'Why do you think I am standing here?' and I foolishly answer, "Maybe to help us?" the rest of the class laughs, the teacher looks at me as if I have come from some sort of crazy planet...it apparently was not the answer he was looking for..."Profit", it would seem would be the correct answer, because he is being paid to be there.

So I now have the pleasure of being a part of a higher education system..again..aaahh what joy!

Friday, October 19, 2007

Place



















I was in Sydney last week for Rebecca's wedding. We have been friends since I cut off all her hair when we were 3 years old. On the night of the wedding I house sat her house and slept in her bed. I had tried to plan my trip in order to maximise my time there and see all the people and places that I wanted to see. Rebecca's house had not been on the list but at the end of the day it was the place that I was happiest that I had visited.
Suddenly I was flooded with memories of sleep-overs, rabbits, dirty pools, excursions to Northbridge plaza, playing Club Keno, movies at Cremorne Cinema, Polski Orgorki pickles and more...
There was a period in yr 7/8 where we spent almost every Saturday night together...and now I had not been there in 2.5 years.
I woke at night, I couldn't sleep...perhaps I was jet lagged. I paced around the house, ret-tracing my steps from over 10 years ago...by myslef in the absence of her presence I heard our laughing.
Where was this new place that she is going to live?
When was the last time we played together at each other's houses?
Rebecca will you come over and play?