Writer Chick-Bri

"Can I handle the seasons of my life?" Dixie Chicks is currently playing in my mind. I've realized it's my favorite music to ponder life to.

Today I think I've had another epiphany. I really want to teach, but now I've learned most of all I really want to learn from my kids. I cannot wait to step out of my own shoes and step into one of my children's. The best part of teaching is knowing the potential of each of your students to change the world one day.

First of all if you haven't, go right now and watch the movie "Freedom Writers". Second, I mention this because I saw the movie in theaters and was inspired by the bravery of each of the students to change. Today Erin Gruwell came to my University to speak. I find myself clinging to each word, hearing how grateful she was to have had her life changed by these students. I realized that is how teachers should teach, by learning from their students. Each student began to love learning by learning about things that they had an actually connection to. I got this same joy when I was asked to help with a shabbat service at my Hillel. I used to think reading from the torah wasn't very useful and sometimes believed judaism didn't connect to me. Once I really found a connection between me and the portion of the torah I was studying that week I fell in love. I could believe I was traveling the journey of the jewish people during passover. These ways of connecting are what make learning worthwhile.

Not only did Erin change my outlook and increase my excitement towards teaching, she was also an extremely nice human being. I bought her memoir, "Teach With Your Heart", and she spoke to me about how nervous she had been. She signed my book "follow your heart"...how perfect! She even took a picture with my friend and I!

I also remembered 500 Days of Summer is one of my favorite movies. Zooey Deschanel may have something to do with that...I mean look at her..

Also Emily and the gang lovingly silly stringed me. Thanks guys.

Epiphanies of a Queer Jewess

I've always wished I was super cool and trendy but blissfully unaware of how cool I really was. This is not the case. I assure you.

It's me ya'll!

However, I am learning who I am. This fact in itself is pretty darn cool. It's been a while since I've written so I'm going to have to back track a bit.


If winter quarter was april showers, then spring quarter is may flowers. In fact May has been a beyond amazing month so far, and we're only on the eighth day! During the beginning of spring I was feeling a bit down and I wanted to connect to something, someone, anything really. My BFF Katie convinced me to go to a Christian Bible study. (Just so we're clear, I've been raised jewish...bat mitzvah and all) I've always considered myself to be open minded and I believe being open minded means you try to give everything and everyone a chance. Bible study was very interesting and I'm glad I went because during it I looked inside myself and realized that I'm jewish through and through and christianity just wasn't for me.


The second time I realized this was when I decided to attend a Passover Seder at Hillel (aka the building where you can find all the jews on a college campus). There was a twist to this Seder, it was all women and followed a feminist format. HOW FREAKING COOL IS THAT!? It was amazing, so many powerful college jewish women gathered around a table reading about standing up for women and gay people and eating a vegetarian meal. I felt totally connected and in awe of the sacred beauty of two of my biggest spiritual connections, feminism and judaism.

Via Hella Gloire

This leads to my next epiphany. Chris. Chris blows my mind every I talk to her, she has expanded my world in unbelievable proportions. I met Chris last quarter, in where else but group therapy. (OH HEY YA'LL IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THE SHOW "BEING ERICA" PLEASE DO SO!) At the time we met I was in a lackluster relationship with Raymond, who I love dearly, but just not as a boyfriend anymore. I was also still mourning Kayla's jump back into the straight world. Chris had a girlfriend, but she made my stomach spin every time she opened her mouth during our sessions. There was something about Chris that I fell in love with the moment I laid eyes on her. Winter quarter ended and so did group, I was sad to leave for many reasons, but especially because I didn't know if I would see Chris again. We were friends on facebook and we began to message back and forth. Eventually we exchanged numbers and met up at an LGBT dance. She introduced me to all of her friends as her "friend Bri, who is just wonderful!". I think I fell asleep beaming. Her girlfriend and her broke up, Raymond and I broke up. We continued to talk and hang out, she drag me out of my dorm more than I'd ever left it before! We went to pride week events, International Film Festival movies together, she gave me books like Rubyfruit Jungle, I was amazed by her depth and maturity. Each time I saw her I never wanted to leave. Finally after last weekend when we met each other's mothers I knew I wanted to tell her how I felt. She felt the same, and the next day she kissed me.

Via Effindykes

Chris is a senior. She's graduating in three short weeks. I am trying to take things one step at a time and I don't want to fall in love again like I did with Kayla, but it's going to take all I have not to.


In the last month or so I've realized I'm totally a Queer Jewess, and I never want the month of May to end.

Via Effindykes