Pretty good crowd for a Yom Rishon

The past weeks have become something of a blur as I inch ever closer to the end of the summer session. For all those buugged by my negligence, here's a news brief:

Last night our class held its first Beit Cafe, literally "house of coffee," but in actuality more akin to a talent show in which students performed for staff, visitors, and each other. All the cover charges and refreshment sales went directly to aid recovery in Northern Israel, and we managed to raise over 4000 NIS - roughly $1000. I played the piano in several acts, including a hastily arranged blues trio (guitar, harmonica). It's been a while since I tickled the ivories in public, and being the only student in my class with the relevant background, I was more than happy to oblige. The evening ended with a parody of "Don't Worry, Be Happy" and a Billy Joel sing-along, enjoyed by all.

Today in ulpan I gave my oral presentation on how I asked for Donna's hand in marriage, accompanied by a computer slide show and an attempt to play back the proposal on my weak laptop speakers. The ladies of the class (including my teacher) were sufficiently moved, while the men donned stoic expressions and nodded gravely as I passed the images around. I also took the opportunity to create a "teachable moment" by writing the names of several classical composers on the board - in Hebrew. As if Hebrew-English transliteration isn't tough enough to decipher - just try reading a familiar name in a Semitic script!

Not having Donna around is kind of a bummer, but I am already counting the days...