A Recent Israeli Speaks His Mind

Much of life's daily activities require little retrospection or self-analysis.
I suppose that is why journals and diaries were created. I find that this is part of the purpose of this blog.
However, before I go ahead with that, I have the desire to procrastinate and review my activities since I last posted a blog.
I have since backed up my three duffel bag suitcases, filled them to the brim with all of my clothes, and filled something like eight relatively small boxes with all of my books, CDs, and other non-clothing items of my life in the United States. I have yet to have found a kind family planning to move to Israel and sending a container shipment, so that means that those eight boxes are what still remains of my belongings in the bedroom that my parents have given me in their home in Northbrook.
My parents and sister drove me to Ohare International Airport last Tuesday, the 19th of May at four o'clock in the morning in order that I make my 6:15AM flight to Newark International Airport and then onward to Ben Gurion International Airport. Although it was somewhat expected of them to do this for me, it was nonetheless very much apprecieted and kind of them to disrupt their sleeping schedule and day in order to help send me off and wish me farewell. After getting my bags checked with the assistance of my father's persuasive abilities, I made my way through security and onto my flight with the usual speedy quasi-frantic walk I do as I feared being late to my flight.
That flight was pretty uneventful as I successfully caught a sliver of time to take a short nap.
Upon arrive in Newark, I found my way to my checked luggage at baggage claim and met with a young woman that was also making aliyah from Chicago and we tiredly walked together through the airport to find the El Al ticketing counter and the Nefesh B'Nefesh desk. Since we had arrived at 9:20PM EDT and both of the counters didn't open until something like eleven o'clock, I found some time to daven shaharit in a side area of the hallway. Eventually people started to line up for the table that became the NBN desk and NBN personnel came around to check us off and give us our luggage things. When it came time to pick up our papers from the NBN desk, their personnel told me that they had not received my flight processing fee that I had sent overnight the previous Friday so that it would arrive at their office on time. But I managed to wave them away explaining that they may have misplaced the check because it had my father's name on it in addition to my own.
Looking up at what I have written, I think that it has been too much for one blog. So, I will go get some dinner and daven mincha and I'll be back to explain further.

Welcome! ברוכים הבאים! Blessed be your coming!

This is my first blog entry and is being written 2 days before my aliyah.
I am sitting in my father's office in my parent's home in Northbrook waiting for my sister.
It is 10 minutes to 11am. I am looking forward to spending much of the day with my sister.
We are planning on going to the Chicago Cubs game. They are playing at 1:20pm against the Houston Astros.
Honestly, I don't care much for how they do or who they play. Rather, I am going because I enjoy the game of baseball and like being outside on a day with good weather with my sister. The weather forecast calls for clear skies, lots of sun and temperatures in the low 50s Fahrenheit or 10-13 Celsius.
With regards to my aliyah, I just had a nice goodbye party with friends last night at my parent's house.
We watched the unrated version and illegally produced DVD of "You Don't Mess with The Zohan". My sister unknowingly supported human trafficking in Thailand with the purchase of the DVD. I can't say that it was worth it, but we had a good time.
I am in the works of reaching Rabbi Zev Shandalov who teaches at Ida Crown Jewish Academy and therefore my friend Jeremy Perlow (from my synagogue here: Adas Yehudah V'Shoshana) to see if I can purchase some space on his family's lift/container shipment to Israel (they are making aliyah this summer).
After the game is over, my sister and I will meet with my parents to go to musical or play of the sort most likely in the theater district. Seeing as I will be quite tired by the end of the day, I hope to have an easy and quick time when I pack the rest of my belongings tomorrow.
It seems like my sister is ready to go.
Heading out!
Dan