OOS and The Stockholm Syndrome

Is OOS suffering from the Stockholm Syndrome?

He is back in the US, finishing his masters in social work at the Block program at Wurtzweiler, my financial partner's graduate school.

During the past two summers, by this time in the semester I would have received multiple text messages like "Shoot Me!", or "I'm going to jump out the window", "I feel like I'm in Cuba".

This year, nothing. He actually likes three of his four classes. Sheesh.

Can it be that, after two years of clinical work and two and half summers of course works he finally drank the Cool Aid?

The Scam of The Century

I just received the bill from Yeshiva University (the main beneficiary of my annual income after the government) for OOS's graduate school. OOS is going for his masters at the Block program at Wertzweiler. This program includes three summers of intensive class work and two years of clinical field work (which he does in Israel).

The 6 weeks of classwork costs over $10,000. While there are occasional tidbits of useful information, much of the classwork is radical left-wing, psycho-babble, feel-good nonsense. (It is not unusual for me to receive text messages from OOS from class that say things like "Please shoot me" or I'm going to jump out the window".) But, it is what it is.

More amazing is that in addition to the $10,000 for classwork, I get to pay over $7,000 for each year of OOS's clinical work! Keep in mind that OOS works pretty much full time with some of the most dysfunctional situations that you can imagine** and doesn't receive a single shekel!

The good news is that there is only one more summer to go.

** All kidding aside, the clinical program in which OOS is enrolled is fantastic, he has outstanding supervisors and he is being exposed to amazing learning experiences. I am happy to pay for that even if I don't get it.

Thoughts on Israeli Style

From OOS

OOS on the Mental Health Profession and Orthodoxy

Here

While you're there, check out his other recent posts.

I Think I'll Work Late

Things are very leibidig at Chez MoC. We have three, count 'em, three, kiddies under the age of 2 1/2 hanging out, The Toddler and the two grandchildren. All Heck has broken loose.

The truth is the kids have been remarkably good. The two older kids are playing nicely together and are keeping their torture of the little one down to a minimum. The Toddler, for her part, is being extremely generous with her toys and her mother's attention (You would expect as much from our grandchildren's aunt).

All of this, by the way, is hearsay on my part. The volatile markets have given me an excuse to get to work early and leave late so that the heavy lifting has been done almost entirely by MHW and OOD, G-d bless 'em.

By the time I get back tonight, things will have returned to normal (or as normal as things get in Chez MoC), OOS and OHDIL will have returned from their short vacation and picked up the kiddies. At that point, MHW will need the vacation.

OOS Has Parenting Issues

He can't wait to get back to work.

What It Takes...

To love the Land

Kiddie Update

It is difficult to keep all my constituents happy all the time but I realize that I haven't posted much on the little ones in our lives lately so here goes.

The Toddler continues to thrive, BH. Her language continues to develop nicely and she is as cute as ever. She has successfully processed the fact that when she goes to shul she gets a "yoppipop" so she is anxious to go there as often as possible. She also has a "terrible two" side which she is not shy about displaying. All in all, she is a very happy two year old. It is now one month short of two years that she has been with us and there is nothing new to report on that front.

A new dimension has been added by the return from Israel for the summer of the OOS family, including our two grandchildren. Shmuel, who is now 27 months old, talks in full sentences and is beyond cute. (He is fascinated by our automatic garage door which he'd never seen in Israel. He calls the garage a "good rahge". Far be it from me to correct him. In fact, I urge him on by asking "is it a VERY good rahge?" to which he responds, "very good rahge".)

The second biggest beneficiary of the temporary move back to the States (we are the first) is our granddaughter Atara who is 11 months old. Since Shmuel is often busy playing with The Toddler, he more or less ignores her rather than terrorizes her. TT isn't threatened by Atara and views her, instead, as a curiosity (although she covets the baby's pacifier which she is only permitted in the crib). Atara is very content to be left alone.

So, it's very leibidig at the MoC household this summer and we cherish the opportunity.

OOS Clarifies Things

OOS has been getting grief for making fun of the silly PC nonsense that passes for education at his masters program at Wurtzweiler.

He responds here and here.

It is of course patently ridiculous to suggest that someone can or can't be an effective professional on the basis of his political views or sense of humor. It is even sillier to suggest that one can assess someone's potential based on one post on a blog.

L'maisa, having raised him and knowing who his mother is, I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that OOS will be a great therapist.

Israel is lucky to have him and could use a whole bunch more just like him.

And that's all I have to say.

OOS Visits..

Social Work Land

[ed. note: I take judicial notice that OOS has been posting a lot lately. Either his client workload is down or the kids are going to sleep more easily]

Traffic Jam

At Shalom Falafel

OOS Piles On

OOS snarkily follows up on Ben's post on Seminary girls.

I Miss OOS

I was never one to get all weepy-eyed at departures and I didn't change that when OOS and family left for Israel on Aliyah last September. Of course, I knew then that I would be visiting a mere two weeks later and that I would likely be in Israel frequently. (L'maisah, I was there in September, November, January and March).

It is now a couple of months since my last visit and I have to admit that I miss OOS, MHDIL and the two grandchildren terribly. Although I speak to OOS frequently, it is simply not the same. And, of course, the grandchildren are growing up without us and that is hard to take. (I think it's actually made worse by the fact that we see The Toddler growing up and realize very keenly what we are missing).

The good news is that the OOS family will be coming back to galus for the summer as part of OOS's master's program. Less than three weeks to go.

Insightful Political Commentary From OOS

On the Winograd Report

OOS Makes A Big Announcement

And a shocking one at that

More on Aliyah

From OOS

Yom Hazikaron

From the point of view of a new Oleh.

Is Aliyah The Only Way?

OOS wonders.

OOS Is Amused

Here

Minyan Chronicles

OOS Excercises Self Restraint (and doesn't commit an act of murder)