When I Write Something, I Sign My Name

OK, so it's not a perfect analogy, seeing as Sam was firing two jerks and I'm thrilled that people are reading my blog. (Sidebar: Sam Seaborn was Deputy Communications Director and Senior Advisor to the President. Who did those two think they were that he couldn't fire them? But I digress.) It's been brought to my attention that apparently people outside of my circle of friends and family are reading this blog. Despite what my last post may have implied, I love that this is being followed and people are interested in what I have to say. That being said... I want to know who you are! I'm not asking you to post your full name if you don't want to, but if your going to comment here (which I encourage, I love feedback), it would be nice to at least have some idea who you are.

Now, I guess it goes both ways here - if you're going to invest the time and effort to read my blog, it would be nice to know whose thoughts you're reading. You already know the basics of why I'm writing this: I'm a participant in Project OTZMA, I'm volunteering in Israel for 10 months, I'm living in Ashkelon at the moment, I'm apparently obsessed with The West Wing, yadda yadda yadda. But that really only describes what I'm doing, not who I am. So here goes: I recently graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Secondary and Middle School Education - Social Studies, which is a long way of saying I'm certified to be a high school or middle school social studies teacher. That being said, I'm not entirely sure teaching is really for me, and I'm planning on using this year to explore some of my options and see where I want to go with my career. I have a huge interest in politics and current events, and have been growing more and more interested over the past year in pursuing a career in politics. I'm a passionate fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and Missouri Tigers, and you'll find me commenting frequently on their seasons throughout the year. (Sidebar #2: Really, AP Poll? Washington over Mizzou in the rankings? Gee, glad they pulled out a fluke upset win over USC. That's why Stanford was ranked in 2007, right? In case anyone's math is off, 3-0 > 2-1.) I'm also a fan of referencing pop culture, particularly movies, the West Wing (in case you haven't noticed), and my favorite TV show, How I Met Your Mother. (Sidebar #3: If you don't watch that show, do yourself a favor and start. I believe the season premiere is tomorrow night. Watch it and thank me later.)

Them's the basics. Hopefully readership of Show Me the Shawarma will continue to grow, and more and more people will find interest in what I have to say. My goal is for these posts to be equal parts insightful, entertaining, informative, and most of all interesting. I will say that a lot happened to me over this past Rosh Hashanah weekend, so much that I've got about 4-5 posts waiting to find their way online. So watch this space, because there's a lot more to come! Shana tova!