Dear Sara,

I was very happy to receive your letter (albeit it was short, but in this day and age isn’t it the quality that’s important, not the quantity?) I do have a new address (which you’ll luckily find on the top left corner of the envelope. Unless of course in your excitement to read my letter, you ripped that part; in which case, just send it to my old address, the Mom’s forwarding express has been working overtime.) Where to begin, where to begin.

I guess at the beginning. I got a call from my manager at Coopers & Lybrand on a Monday morning informing me that the background check was complete, and asking me when I wanted to start. This was over a month after they had initially made me the offer. At that point I was rather unenthusiastic about the whole idea of moving out to DC. I was incredibly bored at home, but I had gotten myself into a routine where the boredom seemed a positive outgrowth of that routine. Regrettably, that routine wasn’t earning me any money, so I told them that I was hopefully going to start on the first of November (about a week or so after they called.)

That weekend I went up to Virginia to stay with my cousins and look for an apartment. My cousins are nice, elderly people (the husband just turned 65.) They are very nice (did I say that already?), but they tend to get on your nerves after a while (or an hour, whichever comes first.) We looked for an apartment for me in DC near my work, and in Virginia in two different areas. After a day of intensive searching, I decided to live here, in Arlington, VA in a place called Crystal City. My cousins were very gracious hosts, and they seem to feel that it is their responsibility to make sure that I’m doing okay in this big scary city of theirs. Did I not tell you that my cousin can talk the leaves off trees? Suffice to say, I don’t look forward to their calls, or at least my poor defenseless ear doesn’t particularly like them. But, they are very nice people (I just keep telling myself that, over and over again.)

Crystal City used to be a rundown area next to an old Railroad dump (where the old trains were stored.) That was until the Edward Smith and Marriot Corporation decided that it was time to develop and make a fortune. What they developed was a beautiful little city, with its own six story mall (we’re talking monstrous and beautiful – that is if you’re into malls. Personally, the first time I went in there it scared me half to death. Here was proof of the decadence of modern society. It was in those very halls that I finally found the proof of the decline of modern civilization! But I digress.) They also developed a number of expensive hotels, and apartment buildings. I happen to live in one of those apartment buildings.

Like a proud parent, I cannot resist but give you the layout of where I live. It is beautiful. The apartment complex itself houses two separate apartment buildings with the lobby joining them together. The lobby looks like a huge ballroom, with enormous chandeliers and a beautiful ballroom floor. To the left after you enter is the Concierge desk and a past the ballroom floor is a sitting area with paintings on the wall. The complex also is home to a Olympic sized swimming pool. The apartment itself is what is known as a efficiency (like a studio, but not exactly one room.) The apartment is shaped like a mutated L. At the top is where you enter. To your left after you enter is the entrance closet, and to the right is the dressing room. The dressing room is a long hallway with one wall dedicated to closet space. At the end of the dressing room is a sink, and the bathroom door. If you walk past the entrance closet to your right is the kitchen. The kitchen is huge. It has a gas stove, dishwasher, garbage disposal, full sized fridge and lots of counter and shelf space. Outside the kitchen is the rest of my apartment, a large room with a big window at the bottom of the L. The little part of the L is where my bed is, and another entrance to the kitchen.

I of course immediately got a Queen Sized Bed (notice I capitalize this. It is intended to show respect and reverence to one of man’s greatest creations.) I also went to IKEA and bought some furniture. I got a black futon (which I placed in front of my window, next to a person-sized plant – which I’m afraid to report is slowly, and very painfully dying.) I also bought a black desk, and a small, plastic, rickety kitchen table with four kitchen chairs. Aside from that, I have a CD tower, a 13” TV on a sleeping bag cardboard box, and a pseudo night stand made from an old CD carousel. I also have a cool stereographic picture. It’s called “Guardians Of The Deep”. Not sure if you can see them yet (it takes a special, dedicated person to be able to see into the realms of the third dimension), but I’ve always thought it was the coolest one. Aside from that I have clock. It’s a $6 clock, but nonetheless, it’s still a clock. As you can tell by my proud description, I love my apartment.

Regrettably, I have to occasionally leave my apartment to go to my job. I’m not saying it’s a bad job (they don’t make me lug boxes around, or clean up after sick animals), but it’s just not challenging enough. The company is a big six financial services firm. Very rich (of course you’d never be able to tell from the pitiful salary they’re paying me.) I write programs for the national tax division. Mostly my group writes support programs and supports this large database known as ERIS (Expatriate Resource Information System – or something like that.) Not very exciting, or very challenging. The only positive aspect of the job is that I am damn good at it. They gave me a project which I guess they thought would take me a week or so, it was done by the end of the day. But, they do pay me, and support my apartment addictions.

The good part about work is that it is only fifteen minutes by Metro (the extremely fast, clean and safe subway system in DC, southern MD, and northern VA – where I live.) The Metro station is across the street from my apartment building inside the underground mall (yet another Marriot creation, in the basement of a group of Marriot hotels.) The commute is painlessly short, and always exciting (people watching being one of my favorite activities outside of watching television of course.)

I haven’t met anyone outside of work yet (I know, you’re shocked and surprised. How can such a social butterfly such as myself not have met many people? I don’t understand it either.) I have gotten a chance to see the sights in DC. I am sorry to report that although the government buildings are beautiful, the bums-per-square meter ratio is ten times worse than NY’s. Isn’t that sad? Our nations capital overrun with bums. It takes so much away from its beauty.

I doubt I’m going to stay in this job for more than 10 month (my apartment lease forces me to stay at least that long.) My law school applications are all out, and I’m planning on applying for other jobs in a couple of months (as soon as I get experience and can write down this job on my resume.) What do I want to do you ask? I have no fucking clue. You would think once you get past college, you would know what you want to do with the rest of your life. Well, it just doesn’t happen I’m afraid – at least not for me. Sigh.

Enough about my exciting life. Now on to yours. So, you have big college decisions to make. Don’t even think about not going to college! Sheesh, I can’t believe that even crossed your mind! My suggestion would be to go the best college you can get into in the States. Of course, look to the Jewish population. NYU I’m sure has a decent percentage, as does University of Pennsylvania, etc. Don’t sell yourself short (upon proof-reading, no pun intended) on your quest for finding the Jewish person locked deep within you (and deeper within me.)

I know that Judaism is extremely important to you, and that’s great, but remember yourself and your own goals. Also remember, that you should give yourself the opportunity to expand and think beyond religion. The ability to question religion I think is one of the most important aspects of religion. Without it, you do religion because you do religion, and for no other reason. I want you to have the best possible chance to be the best possible person that you can be. The best way for you to do that is to give yourself the best secular as well as religious education!

You’ll be happy to know that I have a Menorah in my apartment, and a Mezuzah on the door (look at me go! Such the crazy Jewish person.) I haven’t really given much more thought to my Jewish identity. But I know there’s something missing within my life, and you never know, maybe it is religion (although personally I think it’s a 27” Trinitron SONY Television.)

Aside from all these exciting things happening within my life, I’m pretty much the same person I’ve always been (much to the chagrin of everyone I know.) Keep in touch, and write me more about your experiences and life out there in the boondocks of Israel! Oh yeah, my sister is going out there next semester, so I am probably going to visit her in April. I would love to see you if that is possible. When I find out more information, I’ll write you more about it. I miss you! And I’m hoping to hear from you (hopefully with more quantity as well as quality).

Love Always,

“Beware anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.” -- Yoda

(I know, why the same quote over and over again? The results of a very unimaginative mind I’m afraid.)