There seems to be endless scope for bizarre and fantastic human interaction. i wonder if that will always be the way, or if i'll appreciate things in the same way when i'm 57. My week so far goes a lil something like this:
Took a sherut from the Tel Aviv bus station back to my house. Before we pull out of the bus station, a young girl runs over and explains to the sherut driver that she has 10 minutes to find and catch her bus to another city, from central TA. She asks him, wide-eyed and hopeful, if he thinks she'll make it. He says he can't promise anything, but hop on. 12 minutes later we're on Allenby, central TA, pulling up next to bus no.24. "Are you heading her way?" our sherut driver shouts across to the bus. "No, but the one behind me, no.247, is going there! Signal him to wait!" Our driver thanks the bus driver like he's his cousin, reverses back down the road, finds the right bus, and as the rest of us smile at the lengths he is going to help this little girl, opens the door for her - somewhat aanxious but by now very amused - who proceeds to jump off with a "Good week to all of you!", leaving us with a hero of a driver who receives his smattering of applause modestly and continues his journey across another Tel Aviv evening.

On my way home from work yesterday, giant headache and winter coat in tow, i found myself seated next to a paratrooper with a giant bag. Soldiers, navy seals and the paratroopers in beige form part of the everyday scenery here, so i didnt take much notice. Alright, i noticed that he was super cute. Across from me, a fellow Herzlya-TA commuter had whipped out his laptop, now balanced precariously on his knees between me, the tzanchan, a very pretty girl (who i thought resembled MJ in his early years) and the giant bag. When it came time for the paratroopers to get off, they got up early. Too early. i stood in the aisle, waiting for them to make space but they didnt seem to want to move further down the bus. Head pounding, clutching my work bag, i tried my best not to fall over for about 2 minutes when suddenly Laptop boy came alive. "Bro, she's waiting for you to move", he called out, but was ignored. Looking up again, he says "hey, she's standing here, holding on, waiting for you guys to move!" Finally, i get to climb back in my seat, with a thank you to Laptop boy. i got a wink. i didnt really need to be rescued, but who said chivalry was dead?

i joined a new dating website(as a midyear pledge, have decided to increase the effort i put into "networking") and have started exchanging messages with a brilliantly funny man who seems to get my sense of humour/lack of people skills. in case it doesnt work out, i wont mention his name.. but it's a good one. We spoke tonight for the first time, which is usually awkward and strange but was fine, this time. keep your earlobes crossed.

Thinking a lot about yael stemmer (pearlman) these days, who is undergoing intense chemotherapy and stem cell treatment. Take a minute to think about her and pray/hope for her full & speedy recovery: yael chana hadassah, bat rivka.

night all xx