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Hybrid Thoughts

6/30/2006

How the exam went

After a very stressful drive into DC after the major flooding I made it on time to the exam.

It was FAR more difficult than I was led to believe from the five books I studied from. Even with the very intensive studies the two weekends prior to the exam – it wasn’t enough! Granted I did hear warnings that they made the exam far more difficult to pass, yet lowered the percentage to pass from 75% to 61%.

I started the exam and realized that I have zero concentration levels that morning (due to the flooding and the drive, and an accident that occured right below). The exam is computerized. There’s an option on the exam to mark each question you’re not sure of for later review. When I got to Question 30 and realized I marked up 25 of them, I was sort of happy that I’m done with the 25 questions that were probably not graded (this exam has 200 questions, out of which 25 are not graded). But when I got to question 60 and I was still marking questions I began to worry. When I reached Question 90 I took a break and refocused. I knew that from Question 90 til the end if I could get all of them right, I could still pass the exam. But no, the questions just got harder and harder! I took two more breaks.

When I did the sample tests from the books and internet I had the confidence that I’d finish the exam within two hours and then I could go back to work, or if I really wanted to I could review my exam for the other two hours. When I finished question 200 I took a break. This time I was getting myself mentally ready for failure. I was organizing in my head my new schedule of studies and when I’ll be able to take it again. I processed in my mind whether I'd tell my coworkers that I failed or whether I'd keep it to myself.

I got back to the room and started reviewing the questions. I changed about 10-15 responses out of the 200.

I finished the exam after 3 hours and 48 minutes! I was completely drained out. My brain was fried. I could no longer concentrate on anything and just wanted to go back to work. I clicked on “end” and the screen went white. Nothing. No logo. No “calculating”. Just NOTHING. For sixty VERY LONG seconds! I looked under the table in panic thinking I had just disconnected the computer by mistake and will have to take the exam again. I kept looking at the screen anticipating the red print that says “Sorry, you failed.” But after a minute the screen came back on with these two sentences on the screen in the exact same size and print of the exam questions (small), and it said, “Congratulations! Your PMP kit will be sent to your address within four weeks.” I stared at it for a long time. Read it four times. I kept trying to process what I was reading. Did it say “congratulations you finished the exam. FINALLY” or did it say I passed. My brain just wouldn’t process any more written material. When it finally dawned on me, I was in complete shock. Because I swear I was convinced I was failing!


But I passed! And it’s a HUGE relief for me.

I got back to my office and first thing I did was email the three men I studied with. The email just said “you owe me lunch” because we had a bet that whoever passes the exam the others owe them lunch.

I got more than a lunch out of it, which makes it all the more worth it!


HAPPY FRIDAY to everyone! And if I don't return to post before the 4th of July I wish all Americans, wherever you may be, a very happy Independence Day celebration!

Todah La'el Hayom Yom Shishi.

6/26/2006

DC Under Water

Most important day of my professional life will now be forever embedded in my memory as the worst flooding Washington has seen since 1871.

Last week we had one day of torrential downpour that sent everyone looking for cover. That torrential downpour resulted in the flooding of my workplace - three floors of a building under four inches of rain. Everyone was sent to work at home. The government - they can do this. Unfortunately, I was in the wrong building, the one that stayed dry.

Then this past weekend was a repeat of last week but with a vengence! I don't recall seeing the sun this weekend. Granted, I was inside and studying, but still...

Now because I was studying, I did not watch TV, listen to the radio or get online. This means I was disconnected from what was happening in the real world. I was just too stressed about studying for my exam. This morning, I woke up at 5am planning my day so I could get to the exam site in Washington D.C. by 8:30am. Some of you are curious how far I live from D.C. - an hour. On a good day.

But the 5:30am morning show on TV clearly indicated TODAY was NOT A GOOD DAY! Washington DC had gotten the worst rainfall since 1871. Streets were flooded, roads closed, sink holes developed, mud slides covered roads, and the inevitable announcement on the radio "Government is on liberal leave." As one commentator summed it up very well - it's like Snow on a Summer Day.

When the DC beltway is closed down like it was today, it means that Mybrid and 60,000 of her best friends are sharing the road into DC. Thank God, the other 200,000 federal employees stayed home, because Mybrid had an important exam to get to!

I left the house at 6:30am, because when it snows or rains in this area, you need a two hour lead to reach the destination that typically only takes you 40 minutes. At 6:31am my husband called me with the first warning of the morning - "traffic is backed up all the way to the beltway, you may not make it to the exam!"

Traffic and weather reports have extended from the mandatory 1 minute every ten minutes, to the full 10 minutes, because that's really a headline item when something happens only once in two centuries. Not to mention when a building such as the IRS is shut down due to flooding, or when the NATIONAL ARCHIVES is shut down due to the flooding, that is worthy of national news! But let's get back to Mybrid's concern with the traffic report, and why she absolutely adores the architect who developed Washington D.C.

I bring to you, Pierre-Charles L'Enfant. A genius no doubt, that no one appreciated in his time, but I thank dearly today. So what is so great about this city architect? The brilliance of his street design. DC is divided to four quadrants: NW, NE, SE, SW. Streets going north-south are numbered streets, and streets going east-west are lettered streets. And if anyone is interested in more details about this wonderful scheme, you can read about it here.

So what could have been one heck of a horrendous traffic report to figure out - "ok, is that street on the way to my exam? Or is it after my exam?" - this traffic report turned out to be the most calming piece of news possible. My exam took place at 1660 L street. By a simplistic calculation one figures out that it's between L St and 16th St. A traffic report that announces a closures of 17th through 19th, and identifies the METRO stations that are closed is accurate enough to plan where to park, how much I need to walk, and how long it will take me.

I just love driving in DC where everything just makes sense! No matter what street you're on, you can pretty much figure out how to get out of D.C. by staying on either lettered roads or numbered roads, depending which state you live in.

Driving in DC is of course considered a nightmare for many, but that's because they're so used to Brazilia and Canbera with their six lanes worth of roadway. DC gives me that feeling of a cozy home. Small, tight, friendly. Tons of places to go. Clubs, restaurants. Something is always happening in DC. It never quiets down. Night life is so rich that I wish I won the lottery and could just enjoy an evening out every day!

Oh yeah, and there's this little thing I learned one day as I was driving out of work with a co-worker. He pointed out the sign at the corner of our building that said, "No right turn between 8pm and 5am." (I'm not certain about the hours but it was night time hours). This goes against any logical sign I've seen before. Typically signs prohibit turns during rush hour so as not to cause a traffic jam with cars waiting to turn. But this made zero sense when night time is the quietest time around my building. He then pointed out that I can take a right turn only every TWO blocks in this area. So even if I took a right the next block, I wouldn't be able to take another right within a block, I'd have to go another block farther. I couldn't for the life of me guess the reason.

Turns out that this is D.C.'s way of making it more difficult for "opportunity seekers" to ride around the block and look for hookers.

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Not only is D.C. designed by a genius, but it's run by a genius!

Oh yeah, I made it to the exam site on time, and I passed the exam!!! I'm officially Mrs. "Mybrid," PMP.

I'll post separately about the exam.

6/22/2006

It's about breasts

While my relative was in town for the Diabetes Conference, I spent almost every evening in a nice fancy dinner with him. One of those evenings, after dinner we decided to go by his hotel for a cup of coffee. When we entered the hotel's bar my relative noticed all his collegues in a corner. So we joined them and for the next hour I listened to the most fascinating discussion between doctors who specialise in Diabetes.

So all of you must be wondering what could be so fascinating in listening to doctors talk? You're thinking, they must have discussed some new advancements in therapy, a new medication, a new scientific discovery that would lead to a cure, a new connection between Diabetes and something in our dietary habits. But no, it was nothing of the sort.

The discussion was about breast examination!

Yes, believe it or not, but apparently this was a hot topic for these Diabetes doctors to discuss. Now don't get this wrong - there were as many women sitting at this discussion as men. This was not the pervert type of discussion, this was purely ethical!

Here's the dilema that was raised: a woman with Diabetes visits her Diabetes doctor regularly, but because everything in her health relates to Diabetes she does not visit a primary physician and only visits a Diabetes doctor. Should the doctor conduct a physical and a breast examination? And if so, should he have an assistant or nurse enter the room when he does it? How does a Diabetes doctor justify to a patient a breast examination?

Why is this on their minds? Because apparently, a couple of their patients were diagnosed with advanced breast cancer too late, and they could have detected it sooner if they conducted a simple test during a regular office visit.

All seriousness aside, I'm wondering how long before we hear of a discussion between female optometricians discussing how to conduct testicular cancer exams to their male patients. I'd love to hear how they'd justify it.

6/21/2006

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BLOG!

If I had the time I would have had a link here to a Happy Birthday audio or video. Or maybe I would have done a nice graphic. Or maybe I would have held a quiz.

But then again, this is my blog, the blog of someone who's too busy to have time to think.

So there ya go - Happy Birthday to my blog!

And now we return to regular programming.

How polite are Americans?

This morning as I was driving to work I heard something on my favourite morning show that I was dying to call in and explain to them, since they seemed so surprised by the results of a Politeness Survey conducted worldwide.

Apparently, Americans believe that they are being seen by other countries as impolite and rude. They believe that the world hates Americans because they're so impolite. Yet in a worldwide survey seems that Americans are actually the most polite in the world. So that was a surprise to the commentators in this morning show.

So how was the survey conducted? They'd go into restaurants in different cities around the world and see how often people held the doors for others. Or they'd drop papers on the ground and see how often someone came to pick them up and help.

I'm thinking - ok, does that really surprise Americans that they've turned out to be the most polite in the world in such a survey???

I actually fell in love with Americans while I was in Israel because they were so polite! In comparison to Israelis it was a refreshing change to deal with polite young men. I was absolutely floored by the Americans behaviour. I've never had anyone keep the door open for me until I met an American.

This begs the question, so why do Americans get the impression that the world hates them, if they're so polite?

Ah, this is where I wanted to call the radio station and explain it - there's a huge difference between ACTIONS and WORDS. Americans are no doubt the most polite in the world when it comes to actions. Chivalry lives. They know what is the right thing to DO. But when time comes to speak up, they use their democracy and freedom of speech to say things that come across as rude and impolite to people of other nationalities where democracy does not hold freedom of speech at the highest level.

Obviously, no survey can be conducted on the civility of people when they express opinions. But that's exactly why the world judges America so harshly. It's about the words chosen by politicians, the media, American celebrities and yes, American tourists.

Freedom of Speech is something that only Americans value so highly. In Israel for example, where we have a social democracy, freedom of speech has a limit. If you're using it for spreading hatred and encouraging violence - you'll be jailed (and rightfully so!!!!). Having lived both in Israel and in the U.S. I completely disagree with the American Freedom of Speech (note to self: don't tell the immigration officer when he interviews me).

Maybe Indians won't hold the door open, maybe Middle Eastern people aren't as polite in their actions. But if anyone has been lucky enough to live in those countries and meet the people, I'm willing to bet that the impression has always been positive about how warming they are when welcoming strangers to their homes (something I have never seen in America).

There's a different dictionary of definitions for politeness in every nation. It doesn't make sense to conduct a world-wide survey based on the American definition of it.

If Americans are worried about how they are perceived by the world, they should try and learn the definitions of other nations to fully understand what other nations consider rude and impolite. I'm not proposing that Americans change their way of life, I'm just suggesting they open their minds to understanding what other nations believe.

6/20/2006

Important Birthday

My husband is celebrating his birthday today, so I'm running more and more behind on writing meaningful and humourous posts.

TOMORROW, is an even more important birthday...

My blog turns 1 !!!

I can't believe I got pulled into this by CultureShock who has since retired and left me on my own out here in blogland. An entire year of sticking to my writing and not getting too bored with it. Though I still wish I had more time to write in my true style. Instead I'm reduced to writing about what I do every day as if this were a personal diary. How boring for all of you, huh?

Yesterday - I had an awesome lunch paid for by a contractor on my job. Tonight - an expensive dinner out on the river. Tomorrow - I'm going out to see my first baseball game ever (this should prove lots of fun considering I don't know the rules nor do I feel as passionate about it as everyone else who'll be there). Thursday - another dinner out. So yes, after a week visit from my Australian rellie, this sums up to ten lunch and dinners out in the past two weeks!

Friday, Saturday, Sunday - yet another weekend of relaxing and studying. Mostly because I spent this past weekend with severe stomach cramps and couldn't study to save my life. I hate this damn disease!

On this boring note, I better get back to my work. Maybe I'll make some changes in my blog as it turns 1 tomorrow. I'll have to think about it.

6/18/2006

Mazal Tov, Ghana!

I haven't been ignoring the World Cup. I just assumed there are better sport-oriented blogs out there and no need for me to mention it. But soccer is indeed Israel's national sport and the World Cup is deeply ingrained in my cultural upbringing. In fact, I still recall with fondness the small statue my grandmother bought for my brother from the world cup in Germany 1974. It was a tall lanky soccer player next to a short muscular soccer player. I should ask my brother if he still has it and maybe I could post a photo.

I don't watch the games, but I follow the results and the stories when I can. On weekends I get the full detail play-by-play from my husband.

Congratulations are in place to the team from Ghana for their spectacular win over the second best team in the world from the Czech Republic. For those of you who missed this game, then you missed another important moment in the World Cup where no Israeli team qualified - somehow our flag was displayed in pride by a soccer player from... Ghana!

Yes, Israeli soccer teams and basketball teams often import players from other nations such as Ghana, Nigeria, US and many others. I mean com'n how often do you hear of Jews excelling in Sports?!


Now I'm in a dilema because I'm about to become a US citizen and as a Patriotic citizen I should probably root for the US team when they play Ghana on Thursday. But oh, how I long to see that Israeli flag flown again on Thursday. Hopefully the immigration officer will forgive me, given the dual citizenship I will hold.

For those among you wondering which team I hope wins the World Cup - I have no favourites. But I'm now leaning towards Ghana for obvious reasons.

PS For those of you who watched the US game this weekend and were as outraged as my husband at the referree - don't worry other countries felt the same way about this referree. I've received messages from Israel, Poland and Australia congratulating the US on a game well played. One of them went to the extent of claiming the referree should be hung and spit on in public. Let's hope he gets fired from ever working as a referree.

6/14/2006

Happy Flag Day!

I got back home to a familiar looking envelope. One of those official envelopes that I've been receiving since I started the process of applying for US Citizenship.

How appropriate is it that on Flag Day I'll get the envelope that schedules me for the interview and exam to become a U.S. Citizen?!!!

So now I have to study not only for the PMP Exam that I've been studying for what seems forever, but I also have to add more stress into my life and study American history!

And only this morning I learned from my husband that apparently it's not all that common for a Senator to move from the Republican party to the Democratic party. Heck, this happens all the time in Israel. Now I have to unlearn everything I ever understood about democracy and politics.

I may need to sign you all up to help me with studying American history. I have two things going against me - I have a bad memory, and I hate history!

I bought the book. Now I just need to master it.

Oh, and the interview is supposed to test my ability to speak and write in English. This has me worried. I'll have to explain why in a separate post. It's not so much about my ability to speak and understand English, as much as it's the ability of the employees at the dept-of-you-know-what to understand English...

6/13/2006

Commentary on Polygamy

After reading Mel's post about polygamy I've decided to try and tackle this topic myself. For several years now I've been thinking about this topic on and off. Wouldn't it be nice if marriage wasn't so strictly defined and viewed by other people. Wouldn't it be nice if this were 17th century France when every man had a mistress and everyone in society was very well aware of it. Wouldn't it be nice if we turned this over and every woman had a mister (ok, what word am I looking for?) and everyone in society would be well aware and it'd be seen as normal.

We seem to have progressed from the bible days when polygamy was common. Sometimes we define progress as good and sometimes we define it as bad. Today society considers progress from polygamy to monogamy as a good thing, but I'm not too certain of it myself.

All these divorces? Wouldn't a lot of them be resolved if society didn't think so highly of monogamy? Wouldn't a lot of divorces just end in a fun extended family in a polygamous environment? Isn't that how differences between couples were resolved in the bible era?

Instead, we're raised to believe that anything outside the marriage is bad and evil. We're raised to think it is morally wrong. We're raised to standards imposed by a modern society.

Sure this works great for those who are religious and are comfortable with sticking to strict rules. But there are those of us who don't care much for rules, especially if they are solely moral rules that do not harm any other human being.

Personally, I'd love to have a second man around the house. Sure, I may not put my 100% into feeling love for both of them, but isn't that the case when a mother has two kids or more? Do we really always need 100% of someone's love and attention? Can we not just live with getting 50% from two people? And truly, does a mother really give only 50% to each of her two children???

I asked my husband what he thought of the subject, but apparently I caught him at a bad time to compose a thoughtful answer other than - "Does that mean I can bring in another woman?" While I was perfectly fine with it, he didn't seem too thrilled about me bringing another man into our house. His claim, "too much competition." I can see why the competitive nature of men would make it more difficult for them to share the same woman. But it sure would be nice if I could have two men in my life without neither of them worried about where they stand with me.

I can love two. I can care about two. So why can't I share a life with two?

Admittedly, this isn't the deep thinking post I could write about this topic, nor is it a double-sided post where I also think about the negative things of polygamy. Maybe because I don't WANT to know the negative and only care about what makes me happy?

I stress, like Mel, that this is my own opinion and in no way do I judge anyone from any belief system, religion or culture. To each his own.

6/09/2006

Entertaining guests

My relative from Australia arrived a couple of days ago and is in town 'til next week. While he only stayed at our home one night, we will still be spending quite a bit of time with him while he's at a very important convention in D.C. My relative is one of those doctors who loves his job and cares so much about his patients that he calls the hospital and his assistant on his weekends off and when he's at international conventions. He takes several weeks out of his schedule every year to attend multiple conferences in North America that relate to his medical field (Diabetes). He's an incredible person to get to know and I love him dearly!

As a result my posts will not be very frequent for this next week. I'll be spending every free moment catching up on sleep.

So this is a short post just to wish everyone a Happy Friday!

Todah La'el Hayom Yom Shishi!

6/06/2006

Da Vinci and stuffed animals

I finally finished reading The Da Vinci Code last week, and went to see the movie on Friday. I loved the movie (I give it 4.5 stars out of 5). Not sure what all the noise is about. It's a fiction book, so why is everyone taking it so seriously?! I can't say that literally this book is a masterpiece, but it is definitely written well enough to keep the reader in suspense through the end. Some books are just meant for the pleasure of the mystery and suspense and not for the brain. If you've read the book and haven't seen the movie yet - highly recommended. If you haven't read the book and haven't seen the movie - not sure you'd enjoy it as much, but I heard that many did.

Totally unrelated subject:
My parents are on vacation in Poland (their home country) and this week they're touring an area that has bisons. I've lived 37 years not knowing that Poland has bisons! Amazing what you learn in old age. As you all well know I love animals with fur, and the stranger they look - the better. I have quite a collection of stuffed animals (the fake fur ones). I used to think this was childish so they're hidden from the eyes of guests to my house. They're all in my bedroom (on shelves). But I've discovered I'm not the only adult with stuffed animals (and no kids), in fact I work with someone who also adores stuffed animals. So I'm okay with coming out in the open and admitting my problem.

Anyway, when hearing that my parents were going to see bisons, I text messaged my mom on her cellphone and requested that she find me a Bison "Made in Poland" and send it to me, because she KNOWS how much I love stuffed animals and that I buy them when I travel around the world. I got a text message response from her this morning: "Rainy days and cold here. Saw Bisons. 1 in the car 4 u, no place 4 me." Somehow I have this image of my 70 year old mom sitting in the backseat smooshed next to a real bison as he licks her face and my dad shouting at her: you really had to get that one, huh?!

6/02/2006

New Species found in Israel

[Second article for the day]

Just as you think we know it all, and eight new species are discovered underground in a cave in Israel.

Absolutely fascinating article! (I majored in Biology in High School).

7 Weeks

Very happy Friday to everyone! It's another Jewish holiday (past couple of days) - Shavuot (Pentecost). I did my part of celebrating it by eating a cheese platter last night, courtesy of a Happy Hour with friends. Shavuot means literally weeks in Hebrew and takes place seven weeks after the first night of Passover. During these seven weeks no Jewish weddings are allowed (except on Lag Ba'Omer which is another holiday that falls within the seven week period).

Shavuot commemorates when the ten commandments were given to Charlton Heston on Mt. Sinai. For those who like to stick with biblical names - I'm speaking of Moses.

Tradition has it that we are required to eat at least one dairy meal during this holiday. Unfortunately, no one knows the exact reason for it and there's a lot of speculation. But I'm not one to complain because I love eating cheese!

This is one of those Jewish holidays where 99.9% of non-Jews have never heard of it and know nothing of it. Funnily enough, a quite high number of JEWS don't know when this holiday occurs and do nothing in preparation for it or in celebration of it. This, in spite of Shavuot being one of three most important holidays in the Jewish religion.

There are three important Jewish holidays where a Jew is required to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem: Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot.

And this concludes my brief Judaism 101 lesson of the week on the holiday called "Weeks."

Todah La'el Hayom Yom Shishi!