miluim

Miluim is the Hebrew word for reserves, referring to the military service all Israeli men (and some women) get called up for periodically, between getting released for the army and retirement age or something. Anyhow with all the craziness going on, many reserves are getting called up, and it is really bringing home what is happening in the north. The chairman of the organization I work for was gone last week for it, and only for a week because he had an office job. The office manager at the company I edit for has been gone for a few weeks now, and it's even more worrying because he was/is part of a combat unit. My roommate's boyfriend was called up a few days ago and it was really somber in the house, but then he got released a couple days later, so we all were able to breathe again. This kind of thing makes the war even less emotionally distant. It is definitely stressful, even though I'm not living in an area getting bombed or anything.

Not to say that life doesn't still have its lighter moments. The other day at the office, the chairman was convincing us how accurate his impression of an elephant was, while someone else was making seal sounds and just looking at the office - it's full of boxes, since we've been moving for a few weeks now. It's all kind of rediculous. But in a good way. And they all keep laughing at me and my left-wing, hippie child tendencies. But I don't mind, maybe in the end I'll be a positive influence for change ......