Shalom! Welcome! Come on in, make yourself at home, have a browse. I'd be interested to hear your comments. And please do come again!

Shalom! Welcome! Come on in, make yourself at home, have a browse. I'd be interested to hear your comments. And please do come again! http://meirav.multiply.com/ to help you find your way round here... Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:21:01 -0000 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:39:00 -0000 Shalom! Welcome! Come on in, make yourself at home, have a browse. I'd be interested to hear your comments. And please do come again! http://images.meirav.multiply.com/logo http://meirav.multiply.com 100 100 The best blogging and networking site has just got even better! In case you haven't read <a href="http://multiply.multiply.com/journal/item/239/Introducing_the_Multiply_AutoUploader_Media_Locker_Premium_Service">the latest staff blog post</a>, I can tell you I've just read it and have checked out the upgrade and it is simply fantastic!!! If you want to know what I'm talking about, click on the new "My media locker" link underneath your headshot on your own site, and you will see what they've done for us. I am so excited, I wish there was a smiley here to show me doing a twirl.<img src="http://images.multiply.com/common/smiles/teeth.png"> http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/180/The_best_blogging_and_networking_site_has_just_got_even_better Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:39:00 -0000 Living in England - well, I guess dying is naturally included in this topic A friend of ours has suddenly died. It hasn't sunk in, and writing about it is probably my way of trying to get it into my head that he's gone. What is hard to get into my head is that he's never going to ring us again and leave his crazy jokey messages. The most weird thought I keep having is: we can't just ring him and ask what happened. From past experience of people dying, this is the thing that keeps coming up now and again, over the years - my sister died in 1996 and there are still moments when I have to stop myself thinking: I could tell her about that... And being Jewish, I feel weird not being able to just go visit the family. Back home it would be quite obvious what you do, the customs and traditions kick in automatically and everyone knows where they are. If you're part of the immediate family, you stay in for a week, normal life completely stops, and people come to visit you. If you know the family, you go and visit. If you're a neighbour, then there's no way you could not k... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/179/Living_in_England_-_well_I_guess_dying_is_naturally_included_in_this_topic Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:37:00 -0000 Multiply - some weird things going on but hopefully it's just temporary! Apparently they're working on things, so if strange things are happening to you I think the general message for now is hang on in there. But there's a thread at User Support dedicated to the current glitches <a href="http://usersupport.multiply.com/notes/item/4132">here</a>, which will be updated as things progress. I've just had something funny happen to me here when I tried editing one of my posts and it just didn't let me. But my experience of Multiply so far leads me to great optimism - they're great at listening to our moans (sorry, suggestions) and in one year here I've already seen some really good changes. Wow - this was quick - the editing glitch has gone! Hooray! http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/178/Multiply_-_some_weird_things_going_on_but_hopefully_its_just_temporary Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:31:00 -0000 Well I never... a yiddish version of Wikipedia! Whatever next.... http://meirav.multiply.com/links/item/26/Well_I_never..._a_yiddish_version_of_Wikipedia_Whatever_next.... Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:16:16 -0000 Sorry it hurts, but it's for your own good, honest... There was quite a bit in the Times on Friday about the latest figures for teenage abortions in Britain. <a style="font-family: trebuchet ms; " href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article4175921.ece">One item</a> was about a gynaecologist in London who clearly believes he is providing an important public service in providing abortions for young girls. "The girls I worry about," he says, "are the ones who don't come to us, and go on to have the baby. It is not in the interests of any child to have a 16-year-old mother."             Sorry it hurts, baby, but don't you see it makes sense?             You wouldn't want that sort of life             You're much better off if I get them to kill you now             You see, once you're out of my womb             it becomes illegal to kill you. http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/177/Sorry_it_hurts_but_its_for_your_own_good_honest... Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:31:00 -0000 Some Shabbat Poetry by Meirav I am such an idiot at times    missing out on the best      because I fancy something         that’s just okay, just nice    missing out on the best       because -             not now, God,             not now,             right now I want to play             right now I need             to check these emails             right now I want             to read the paper             do sudoku           &nbs... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/176/Some_Shabbat_Poetry_by_Meirav Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:42:00 -0000 Just discovered this treasure trove of information about using Multiply! http://meirav.multiply.com/links/item/25/Just_discovered_this_treasure_trove_of_information_about_using_Multiply Fri, 20 Jun 2008 22:49:52 -0000 Just eat less calories - now why didn't I think of that! Got into a debate elsewhere on the web (yes, I do leave the safe walls of my multi-home now and again...) and the subject of prejudice against "the obese" came up - and what prejudice there is out there! It seems that in a society that won't allow anything that might seem like you're possibly a teensy bit discriminating against people who sleep with those of their own gender (for example), anyone whose bmi is above a certain line is still considered fair game. And why? Because, as a guy called Andy on that thread pleasantly explained to me, the arithmetic is simple - eat less calories and you lose weight; eat more calories and you gain weight. Simple. So there's no reason why people should be overweight, and therefore - following Andy's logic - if I'm overweight it's my choice. I'll just pause here to clarify some terminology. If you don't know what a BMI is when it's at home - lucky you... You probably don't have a weight problem. Those of us who have struggled with weight issues ar... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/175/Just_eat_less_calories_-_now_why_didnt_I_think_of_that Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:36:00 -0000 Happy birthday Garfield... ... a cat after my own heart. <a href="http://www.garfield.com/comics/comics_todays.html">See what I mean here.</a> http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/174/Happy_birthday_Garfield... Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:06:00 -0000 Live Radio, Israeli News and Sports from Israel This is a fantastic website as it gives you links to a whole load of different news sources all in one place. Just discovered it thanks to my online buddy <a href="http://www.fmiklos.multiply.com">Miklos</a> http://meirav.multiply.com/links/item/24/Live_Radio_Israeli_News_and_Sports_from_Israel Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:19:05 -0000 Sabbath rest - what does it really mean? Okay, here's something that I've been wrestling with and as it's come up recently in a debate elsewhere, maybe it's time I attempted to put my confused thoughts together. Be warned though - I have many more questions than answers! In fact, I'd love to hear any thoughts or insights that you have on this issue. I'm leaving aside for the moment the question of which day of the week it should be - I know some people will want to stone me for saying this, but I really don't think it's that crucial, I think there's a principle in the Bible of having a day of rest, of not rushing around like headless chickens all the time but trusting God that he will provide all we need even if we dare to stop for a day. I think God gave us this gift out of his love and care for us, knowing the human tendency to work too hard and to keep pushing ourselves until we get a heart attack. So far, so good. We have a principle of stopping work for a day, and resting. Sounds good. But what does that actually mean in ... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/172/Sabbath_rest_-_what_does_it_really_mean Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:18:00 -0000 The best laid plans... So, I got back from the course weekend full of enthusiasm about the next assignment. Really looking forward to it as it involves a Bible study. (We're sort of pretending to be counselling Jacob.) I've piled up a whole load of books, printed out the relevant Bible text in two different translations, all set and raring to go... But by Monday evening my throat was on fire, and now I'm coughing and sneezing all over the place, my brain has turned into boiled cabbage, and I can just about spell my name right but that assignment is just going to have to wait till I can think straight. And in the meantime I'm getting daily reports from home about my mum's progress - she managed to have a fall last week and this time actually broke something for a change, but when I spoke to her on the phone she was still cracking jokes as normal, telling me how in her old age she's turned into a liar - having to lie down a lot and rest. Thank God for her sense of humour, and thank God that it's her left arm and... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/171/The_best_laid_plans... Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:46:00 -0000 Happy Multi-birthday to me! Well well well. Don't ask how... but I just discovered that today is exactly a year since I signed up here. Amazing now to think that I used to live without Multiply. When I first joined I didn't have a clue how I was going to use it. Someone invited me and I thought, okay, let's see what this is about. At first I stared and thought, what is this for? Then I began to realise - this is a writer's dream! A blank page on which I can write anything I like and it's me who chooses what to publish! Wonderful! So here we are, one year on, and any time I feel a bit of rambling coming on, I come here and ramble... Plus I've been making connections with people in a way that for an introvert is absolutely ideal - in my own time, not having to leave the house for it, plenty of time to think in between posts. Yes, this has been really good for me. Thank you Gerry for introducing me to this place! I love it. I feel I was born for blogging! http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/170/Happy_Multi-birthday_to_me Wed, 4 Jun 2008 21:37:00 -0000 Humpty Dumpty and the King I found this gem on my buddy's page and I feel it's too good not to http://meirav.multiply.com/links/item/23/Humpty_Dumpty_and_the_King Wed, 4 Jun 2008 14:19:50 -0000 Welcome to Multiply Here's a link to the bit that we get when we first join, skim through and then forget about... and then when we've been here a year or so and are wondering about something, we don't remember where to find it. (Speaking from my own http://meirav.multiply.com/links/item/22/Welcome_to_Multiply Wed, 4 Jun 2008 14:13:19 -0000 BMJA residential weekend - if you're Jewish and believe in Jesus, then come and join us! Further info available from the BMJA office: Tel: 07753527738 Email: http://meirav.multiply.com/calendar/item/10022/BMJA_residential_weekend_-_if_youre_Jewish_and_believe_in_Jesus_then_come_and_join_us Tue, 3 Jun 2008 19:01:32 -0000 BMJA Day Meeting in London - if you're Jewish and believe in Jesus, then come and join us! Further info available from the BMJA office: Tel: 07753527738 Email: http://meirav.multiply.com/calendar/item/10021/BMJA_Day_Meeting_in_London_-_if_youre_Jewish_and_believe_in_Jesus_then_come_and_join_us Tue, 3 Jun 2008 18:59:16 -0000 Fruits of the last weekend - a Psalm of Meirav Just got back yesterday from the bmja conference and it was fantastic! So good to catch up with friends and make new ones, not to mention all those lively debates in which we confirmed the old saying that two Jews means at least three opinions - great fun! And the teaching - wonderful stuff, new insights about the Psalms (well, at least new to me). But as a writer, the highlight for me was when we were given the exercise to write our own praise psalm. Richard Harvey (who I have discovered is an excellent teacher) explained to us about the structure of praise psalms - about starting with a call to praise God, then giving reasons for praising him - and I found this spiritually so useful, as when we started out I wasn't feeling very "up" but actually the act of writing down reasons to praise God was very uplifting. Anyway, I thought I'd share the fruit of this exercise, the praise psalm that I wrote. Here goes: Let us praise God even if we're not feeling like it even if our soul is downcast or... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/169/Fruits_of_the_last_weekend_-_a_Psalm_of_Meirav Mon, 2 Jun 2008 20:07:00 -0000 Shavuot (The Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost) http://meirav.multiply.com/calendar/item/10020/Shavuot_The_Feast_of_Weeks_also_known_as_Pentecost Sun, 1 Jun 2008 19:17:59 -0000 Just got up from rolling on the floor and thought I must share this... Got this on the email from a friend and... well, see for yourselves... (I bear no responsibility for either the theological or the nutritional basis for this story.) In the beginning God covered the earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, with green, yellow and red vegetables of all kinds so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives. Then using God's bountiful gifts, Satan created Dairy Ice Cream and Magnums. And Satan said, 'You want hot fudge with that? And Man said, 'Yes!' And Woman said, 'I'll have one too with chocolate chips'. And lo they gained 10 pounds. And God created the healthy yoghurt that woman might keep the figure that man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 12 to size 14. So God said, 'Try my fresh green salad'. And Satan presented Blue Cheese dressing and garlic croutons on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast. God then s... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/168/Just_got_up_from_rolling_on_the_floor_and_thought_I_must_share_this... Tue, 27 May 2008 23:43:00 -0000 Instead of sleeping So what are you doing up at 6am, Meirav? Well, counting sheep has never worked for me, nor have any of the other zillion suggestions I've had from well-meaning friends who just swear by lavendar/hot milky drinks/blah blah. Reading a novel is my normal way of getting to sleep, but now and again it just doesn't work and at 5.30 this morning I just decided if you can't beat them join them - get up and pretend it's morning, have a coffee and see what happens. Will probably find myself crashing on the sofa at some point and getting nothing near the requisite number of winks, but there you go, that's life. The biblical phrase that springs to mind is: this too shall pass... (Well, that's what experience tells me - I get these nights, it tends to get worse before it gets better but eventually it does get better.) So what to do now that I'm up and re-caffeinated? It feels weird, like I'm in some in-between zone, very definitely not asleep, but not properly awake either, kind of here but not full... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/163/Instead_of_sleeping Sun, 25 May 2008 05:13:00 -0000 Out of the mouth of babes... Have just watched <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2941308278563627414">this </a>and it's great! (Made by a 7-year-old Israeli girl, with a little help from her mother) (in Hebrew, with English subtitles) http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/159/Out_of_the_mouth_of_babes... Sat, 24 May 2008 14:18:00 -0000 Free personal nutrition report? I'm extremely unconvinced So there's a company that's offering a free personal report to tell you what you should change about your nutrition. I thought I'd give it a go - what did I have to lose? The way it works is that you fill in a questionnaire online, which they analyse and then they send you a link to your "personal" report which you can view online. I wasn't too surprised to see that their report ends up with recommendations for the purchase of health supplements from them - after all, why would they be offering a free report if they didn't hope to make a profit somehow? That's fair enough in my book. But really disappointed me was the way the questionnaire was phrased. They ask you about certain types of food, and the question is: how often do you eat this? e.g. how often do you eat red meat/wholemeal bread/fruit/etc. And then on the basis of that rather limited information they produce what is supposed to be a personal report for you - how on earth do they reckon they can produce a personal report abou... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/158/Free_personal_nutrition_report_Im_extremely_unconvinced Tue, 20 May 2008 13:16:00 -0000 Time for another Jewish joke, I reckon <a href="http://www.aish.com/jewlarious/jokes/A_Sinister_Sinner.asp?listType=latest">Not the worst sin...</a> http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/157/Time_for_another_Jewish_joke_I_reckon Sat, 17 May 2008 19:19:00 -0000 Personal Trivia I found this on my multi-travels and thought, okay, let's play, why not... Four [out of the very many] jobs I have had in my life: 1. selling car breakdown cover (when I was about 17 I think) (rather short-lived - let's just say I'm not a natural!)  2. door to door interviews (also when I was about 17) (that's when I ended up in hospital with dehydration - walking around in the Israeli summer and knocking on doors) 3. telemarketing for a charity trying to get donations for women who suffer from domestic violence (excellent cause but, guess what, telemarketing is not my forte!) 4. linguistic editor for a Messianic newspaper - the best job I've ever had! a chance to play with words and get paid for it, plus working with fellow believers, plus knowing that my work is serving God -  what more could a girl ask for!   Four [out of the very many] places I have lived: 1. Ramat Hasharon, Israel 2. Herzliah, Israel 3. London, England 4. Corwen, North Wales   Four place... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/156/Personal_Trivia Fri, 16 May 2008 19:39:00 -0000 "Honk if you love the Lord" Here's something amusing I found on my multi-travels: Grandma's letter, she is eighty-eight years old and still drives her own car. She writes: Dear Grand-son, The other day I went up to our local Christian book store and saw a Honk if you love Jesus bumper sticker. I was feeling particularly sassy that day because I had just come from a thrilling choir performance, followed by a thunderous prayer meeting. So,I bought the sticker and put it on my bumper. Boy, am I glad I did. What an uplifting experience that followed. I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection, just lost in thought about the Lord and how good he is, and I didn't notice that the light had changed.It is a good thing that someone else loves Jesus because if he hadn't honked, I'd never have noticed. I found that lots of people love Jesus! While I was sitting there, the guy behind started honking like crazy, and then he leaned out of his window and screamed, For the love of God! Go! Go! Go! Jesus Christ, GO! What an exuber... http://meirav.multiply.com/journal/item/155/Honk_if_you_love_the_Lord Thu, 15 May 2008 13:42:00 -0000