Just thinking about the San Francisco Giants these days makes my heart race. Currently in the midst of a wild playoff chase, the Giants could play beyond the first week of October for the first time since 2003. With the G-men and the San Diego Padres continuously passing each other for first place in the National League West, this last week of the season has all the makings to be crazy!
Every day, I await the Giants' next game. Every day, I obsessively stalk ESPN.com's MLB page to see the latest scores and updates from across the league. Every day, I wonder who will slip and who will shine. Two teams have officially secured their spots in the playoffs. Four others have all but sealed the deal. That leaves two spots, both in the National League. Three teams: the Giants, Padres, and Atlanta Braves are duking it out to see who will make the postseason.
After an off-day Monday, the Giants play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks for three games. The D-backs may be in last place in the NL West, but the last time they came to San Francisco, they embarrassed the Giants, winning two out of three. Following the Snakes, the Padres come into town for potentially the most important series of the entire season. Three games to decide who will represent the NL West in the playoffs. The whole season, boiled down to a short-lived but enduring three game set.
For now, we wait. We wait for what seems like ages until that next Giants baseball game.
הוא היה אומר, אם אין אני לי, מי לי; וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני; ואם לא עכשיו, אימתיי? --Pikrei Avot 1:14
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Following The Dream
Since I finally settled on a title for this blog almost two months ago, I suppose it's about time I explain myself.
Following the dream: chronicling my adventures as I make my through college and pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a sportscaster. Not too complicated, but a very different view on life than my first three semesters at GW.
When I got to GW, I didn't know what I wanted to study. In an attempt to figure out what I did want to study, I took a wide variety of classes in my first semester: Calculus, Chemistry, Hebrew, and the Old Testament.
Instead of spending my second semester branching out further and figuring out which fields of study stimulated my interest, I continued on with Chemistry and Hebrew. I decided at some point during that Spring semester that I would declare my Chemistry major with a Biochemistry concentration, and I couldn't have been happier.
"What would I do with that major?" seemed to be the only question people were capable of asking me upon learning of my decision. I had no response. I didn't (and still don't) want to go to medical school, and I really had no idea where a Chemistry major would lead me. Grad school? Only time would tell...
In any case, I came back to GW psyched for the Fall 2009 semester. I was to take Organic Chemistry, which I thought would be really interesting, Genetics, Anthropology, and more Hebrew. As it turned out, being president of a student organization takes up way more time than I ever imagined it would, and it didn't help that, after planning High Holiday services, I was no longer so enthusiastic about the organization. I also did not fare well in Organic Chemistry. I was not nearly as interested in the material as I thought I would be, and this lack of interest led directly to a lack of motivation. I returned home after the semester frustrated and confused.
With a little help from my lovely older sister, I decided not to take the second semester of Organic Chemistry and see what else GW had to offer. She also helped me allow myself to have a dream and to pursue it. My entire time at GW, I was taking courses I thought I wanted to take. I never sat down and thought about what I wanted to do in life and how that dream might impact my studies.
Everybody always tells us to pursue our dreams and see where that takes us. My favorite quotation along those lines: "Shoot for the stars. You may not reach the stars, but you may get the moon." I can't say why I didn't allow myself to dream the way I do now, but, boy, does it feel good.
I realized during this memorable conversation with my sister that I have always wanted to be a sports caster. I love sports, and I enjoy talking about them. I love the thought of having such a close connection with a team and building a bridge between the team and the fans. With this new life view in mind, I figured I might as well start taking journalism classes and learn about the field.
Enter the Spring 2010 semester. No more Organic Chemistry. No more Organic Chemistry Lab, also known as the bane of my existence. Replace those with Introduction to News Writing and Reporting, Psychology, Music Theory, and even more Hebrew. I could not have been happier academically. I was taking all classes I found stimulating, and I felt that I was laying the groundwork for my career in broadcast journalism. I even decided at one point last semester that I was going to graduate from GW and go to graduate school in broadcast journalism to pursue my dream of becoming a sports caster.
However, after some words of wisdom at the end of the semester from my journalism professor, I decided that journalism school might not be the best route after all. Whether or not I have a journalism degree, I will always be able to write or find another way into the broadcast world. I also realized that, more than anything, I want to work in the sports world. Whether in sports marketing, advertising, or journalism, I want my job to have a direct connection to a professional sports team.
So, given that I am currently a junior, I don't have time to start over academically (assuming I want to graduate in 2012, which I do). I realize that I have other options, namely taking an extra year, but for many reasons, I just don't want to stay at GW more than four years. That all in mind, my choice of a major should be relatively obvious. There is only one course that I have taken every semester at GW: Hebrew. And while GW doesn't have a Hebrew major (yet, anyway), GW has a very well-renowned Judaic Studies department.
I've always held this stigma about Judaic Studies majors: cop-outs who don't actually study interesting topics. I have no idea why, but the History of Modern Israel course I am taking has definitely convinced me otherwise. I am realizing that I love studying Hebrew and learning about Jewish history. While I may not want to pursue a career path directly related Judaic Studies, I am definitely enjoying it as a student, and I'm still thinking of different ways to get into the sports world.
I currently work at City Segway Tours, and that on top of classes takes up plenty of my time, but maybe next summer, depending on where I choose to be, I can look for a job or internship with a sports team somewhere.
So that, my friends, is Sam's version of Following the Dream.
Peace, love, and happiness,
Sam
Following the dream: chronicling my adventures as I make my through college and pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a sportscaster. Not too complicated, but a very different view on life than my first three semesters at GW.
When I got to GW, I didn't know what I wanted to study. In an attempt to figure out what I did want to study, I took a wide variety of classes in my first semester: Calculus, Chemistry, Hebrew, and the Old Testament.
Instead of spending my second semester branching out further and figuring out which fields of study stimulated my interest, I continued on with Chemistry and Hebrew. I decided at some point during that Spring semester that I would declare my Chemistry major with a Biochemistry concentration, and I couldn't have been happier.
"What would I do with that major?" seemed to be the only question people were capable of asking me upon learning of my decision. I had no response. I didn't (and still don't) want to go to medical school, and I really had no idea where a Chemistry major would lead me. Grad school? Only time would tell...
In any case, I came back to GW psyched for the Fall 2009 semester. I was to take Organic Chemistry, which I thought would be really interesting, Genetics, Anthropology, and more Hebrew. As it turned out, being president of a student organization takes up way more time than I ever imagined it would, and it didn't help that, after planning High Holiday services, I was no longer so enthusiastic about the organization. I also did not fare well in Organic Chemistry. I was not nearly as interested in the material as I thought I would be, and this lack of interest led directly to a lack of motivation. I returned home after the semester frustrated and confused.
With a little help from my lovely older sister, I decided not to take the second semester of Organic Chemistry and see what else GW had to offer. She also helped me allow myself to have a dream and to pursue it. My entire time at GW, I was taking courses I thought I wanted to take. I never sat down and thought about what I wanted to do in life and how that dream might impact my studies.
Everybody always tells us to pursue our dreams and see where that takes us. My favorite quotation along those lines: "Shoot for the stars. You may not reach the stars, but you may get the moon." I can't say why I didn't allow myself to dream the way I do now, but, boy, does it feel good.
I realized during this memorable conversation with my sister that I have always wanted to be a sports caster. I love sports, and I enjoy talking about them. I love the thought of having such a close connection with a team and building a bridge between the team and the fans. With this new life view in mind, I figured I might as well start taking journalism classes and learn about the field.
Enter the Spring 2010 semester. No more Organic Chemistry. No more Organic Chemistry Lab, also known as the bane of my existence. Replace those with Introduction to News Writing and Reporting, Psychology, Music Theory, and even more Hebrew. I could not have been happier academically. I was taking all classes I found stimulating, and I felt that I was laying the groundwork for my career in broadcast journalism. I even decided at one point last semester that I was going to graduate from GW and go to graduate school in broadcast journalism to pursue my dream of becoming a sports caster.
However, after some words of wisdom at the end of the semester from my journalism professor, I decided that journalism school might not be the best route after all. Whether or not I have a journalism degree, I will always be able to write or find another way into the broadcast world. I also realized that, more than anything, I want to work in the sports world. Whether in sports marketing, advertising, or journalism, I want my job to have a direct connection to a professional sports team.
So, given that I am currently a junior, I don't have time to start over academically (assuming I want to graduate in 2012, which I do). I realize that I have other options, namely taking an extra year, but for many reasons, I just don't want to stay at GW more than four years. That all in mind, my choice of a major should be relatively obvious. There is only one course that I have taken every semester at GW: Hebrew. And while GW doesn't have a Hebrew major (yet, anyway), GW has a very well-renowned Judaic Studies department.
I've always held this stigma about Judaic Studies majors: cop-outs who don't actually study interesting topics. I have no idea why, but the History of Modern Israel course I am taking has definitely convinced me otherwise. I am realizing that I love studying Hebrew and learning about Jewish history. While I may not want to pursue a career path directly related Judaic Studies, I am definitely enjoying it as a student, and I'm still thinking of different ways to get into the sports world.
I currently work at City Segway Tours, and that on top of classes takes up plenty of my time, but maybe next summer, depending on where I choose to be, I can look for a job or internship with a sports team somewhere.
So that, my friends, is Sam's version of Following the Dream.
Peace, love, and happiness,
Sam
Monday, September 20, 2010
I Will Remember
Yizkor - literally, "he will remember" in Hebrew. An entire service devoted to remembering the deaths of our loved ones. Four times each year. Most notably on Yom Kippur. After we finish reading the torah and haftarah, we recite Yizkor. After having fasted for about seventeen hours, we remember our loved ones that have passed.
There is something incredibly meaningful about remembering our departed relatives and friends while on an empty stomach. For some reason, the circumstances create a more vulnerable situation than I have allowed myself to be in for a very long time, if ever. And, with that, emotions that I haven't experienced recently came rushing to the surface.
For the first time since April, I truly mourned the loss of my dog, Lily. I remembered exactly what it felt like to play with her, pet her, and be around her. I mourned the loss of my friend Molly four years ago. I remember the different perspectives she brought to my life. And, lastly, I mourned the loss of my grandfather fourteen and a half years ago. I hardly knew the man, yet somehow, we were close. I have only one strong recollection of him: sitting in the hotel by Lake Merritt. I went to hang out with my grandparents after school one day while they were in California for part of the winter, and Grandpa and I watched TV and did puzzles. He lived for puzzles, and I loved doing them with him. I didn't really know what I was doing, but I was getting quality time with my grandpa. What more could I have asked for? I remember there was one puzzle I absolutely loved doing with him, and when he died, my grandma gave that puzzle to me. Unfortunately, I don't know where that puzzle is today, but I definitely remember receiving it and being so excited about I got to keep it.
All these emotions that I had not visited in a long time, maybe not even since last Yom Kippur, came rushing back to me. Holding the sefer torah, bawling all over the place. I was exhausted, overworked, hungry, and filled with sadness. And there is only so much a person can take before completely breaking down.
And yet, we call this service "Yizkor," he will remember. I'm going to steal one from Rabbi Yoni and argue that the service might be better called "Ezkor," I will remember. I will remember the lives of those who I hold close to me. I will remember the happiness they brought to this world. I will remember what they all wished of others and do my best to exemplify those values.
I would like to leave you with a poem by David Harkins:
There is something incredibly meaningful about remembering our departed relatives and friends while on an empty stomach. For some reason, the circumstances create a more vulnerable situation than I have allowed myself to be in for a very long time, if ever. And, with that, emotions that I haven't experienced recently came rushing to the surface.
For the first time since April, I truly mourned the loss of my dog, Lily. I remembered exactly what it felt like to play with her, pet her, and be around her. I mourned the loss of my friend Molly four years ago. I remember the different perspectives she brought to my life. And, lastly, I mourned the loss of my grandfather fourteen and a half years ago. I hardly knew the man, yet somehow, we were close. I have only one strong recollection of him: sitting in the hotel by Lake Merritt. I went to hang out with my grandparents after school one day while they were in California for part of the winter, and Grandpa and I watched TV and did puzzles. He lived for puzzles, and I loved doing them with him. I didn't really know what I was doing, but I was getting quality time with my grandpa. What more could I have asked for? I remember there was one puzzle I absolutely loved doing with him, and when he died, my grandma gave that puzzle to me. Unfortunately, I don't know where that puzzle is today, but I definitely remember receiving it and being so excited about I got to keep it.
All these emotions that I had not visited in a long time, maybe not even since last Yom Kippur, came rushing back to me. Holding the sefer torah, bawling all over the place. I was exhausted, overworked, hungry, and filled with sadness. And there is only so much a person can take before completely breaking down.
And yet, we call this service "Yizkor," he will remember. I'm going to steal one from Rabbi Yoni and argue that the service might be better called "Ezkor," I will remember. I will remember the lives of those who I hold close to me. I will remember the happiness they brought to this world. I will remember what they all wished of others and do my best to exemplify those values.
I would like to leave you with a poem by David Harkins:
You can shed tears that he is gone
Or you can smile because he has lived
You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left
Your heart can be empty because you can't see him
Or you can be full of the love that you shared
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday
You can remember him and only that he is gone
Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what he would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
Peace, love, and happiness,
Sam
Thursday, September 16, 2010
High Holidays
For those of you who may not know, we are currently in the midst of the Jewish High Holiday season, including Rosh Hashanah, the new year; Yom Kippur, the day of atonement; Sukkot, remembering the 40 years that Israelites wandered the desert after the exodus from Egypt; and Simchat Torah, the celebration of the completion of the torah. The holidays are considered to be a time of reflection and rebirth. A time to repent for sins and we pray that we can be inscribed into the book of life.
Most years, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services move me to bcomee a better person and to change my ways. This year, however, has not been entirely the same.
This past December, I had my time to be introspective and start fresh. I decided to take a step back and re-evaluate where I was, academically, socially, and emotionally. I realized that chemistry, my major, was actually making me miserable, the opposite of what one's field of study should do. I chose not to take the second semester of Organic Chemistry. Instead, in pursuit of my dream of becoming a sports broadcaster, I took a slew of classes I had always thought about taking but never had the chance to: psychology, music theory, and journalism. Before I knew it, I had fallen in love with journalism and completely forgotten about chemistry.
Also in December, I decided that I would be happier. I would make an active effort to be happier with my life. I feel that, since last winter break, I have become the happy person that I strive to be. I'm enthusiastic about my Judaic Studies Major, I'm able to spend time with most of my friends in DC on a regular basis, I have a job that I love (and pays well ;) ), and I have grown to love the city I live in.
This high holiday season, I may have lots to repent for, but Rabbi Yoni (the new executive director at Hillel) has been encouraging us to not only repent but also look inside and find ways in which we want to change ourselves, to go that extra step. Instead of just saying "I will not lie," say "I will make an effort to tell the truth instead of lying." That may be a very straightforward example, but I think you all get the point. I can repent for my sins, but at this point, I don't feel that there are large parts of my life that I want to change as there have been in the past. I'm satisfied with my life right now. I DON'T want to change very much. I suppose this is just one of many challenges I will encounter in the upcoming year: finding smaller, but still important, ways to change and be even happier in life.
Peace, love, and happiness.
L'Shana tova u'metukah (to a sweet and happy new year),
Sam
Most years, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services move me to bcomee a better person and to change my ways. This year, however, has not been entirely the same.
This past December, I had my time to be introspective and start fresh. I decided to take a step back and re-evaluate where I was, academically, socially, and emotionally. I realized that chemistry, my major, was actually making me miserable, the opposite of what one's field of study should do. I chose not to take the second semester of Organic Chemistry. Instead, in pursuit of my dream of becoming a sports broadcaster, I took a slew of classes I had always thought about taking but never had the chance to: psychology, music theory, and journalism. Before I knew it, I had fallen in love with journalism and completely forgotten about chemistry.
Also in December, I decided that I would be happier. I would make an active effort to be happier with my life. I feel that, since last winter break, I have become the happy person that I strive to be. I'm enthusiastic about my Judaic Studies Major, I'm able to spend time with most of my friends in DC on a regular basis, I have a job that I love (and pays well ;) ), and I have grown to love the city I live in.
This high holiday season, I may have lots to repent for, but Rabbi Yoni (the new executive director at Hillel) has been encouraging us to not only repent but also look inside and find ways in which we want to change ourselves, to go that extra step. Instead of just saying "I will not lie," say "I will make an effort to tell the truth instead of lying." That may be a very straightforward example, but I think you all get the point. I can repent for my sins, but at this point, I don't feel that there are large parts of my life that I want to change as there have been in the past. I'm satisfied with my life right now. I DON'T want to change very much. I suppose this is just one of many challenges I will encounter in the upcoming year: finding smaller, but still important, ways to change and be even happier in life.
Peace, love, and happiness.
L'Shana tova u'metukah (to a sweet and happy new year),
Sam
Sunday, September 5, 2010
First Shabbat
Last night, we celebrated the first Shabbat of the school year at Hillel, and I could not have been more thrilled by the turnout. More than 100 people came to Hillel for Shabbat services and dinner, and everybody was incredibly friendly. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all those I have missed since May, and, as always, enjoyed the thrill of meeting new wide-eyed freshmen.
For the first time, I felt as though I had truly left Koach in quality, able hands. Props to Scott Backer and Dan Gil for running smooth, high quality services. I have nothing but excitement for the future of Koach here at GW.
Now, onto High Holidays.
Here we go!
Shana tova u'metukah
For the first time, I felt as though I had truly left Koach in quality, able hands. Props to Scott Backer and Dan Gil for running smooth, high quality services. I have nothing but excitement for the future of Koach here at GW.
Now, onto High Holidays.
Here we go!
Shana tova u'metukah
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)