Minds Wandering

As I make my bi-weekly pilgrimage through reading blog posts, I realize that I haven't posted on here in a while, and I apologize.

I have had writing on other blogs taking up my time, but don't get me wrong...I haven't run out of things to complain about on here.

But after a while I would just start to sound repetitive, and voicing the same things over and over. And while I have issues, I just don't tend to vent myself often, and that is another reason why this blog has been long dormant.

Should I start things back up here? Will the minds come back to their home base? Will the one finally decide to say yes?

Those are all really hard questions, with no answers in sight.

Helping and Giving

This was a post I started months ago, but never really put into it more than a few thoughts...so today I decided to clean it up a bit, and push it out.

In life, you give a lot of things, and get little in return...however, there are some things, that I think need to be returned, or at least thought out a little better.

Some of these include:

Wedding Presents
We give presents and/or money to people when they get engaged and/or married, to help them with their new lives.

What happens if God forbid it doesn't work out?

Should they have to then give back whatever it is they received? Or maybe next time they get engaged/married, you don't give them anything? But what if the other side took the gift you gave...now it's like you gave them nothing.

As such, I only give gifts as wedding presents. For starters, they shouldn't be needing that pot set, or whatever other gift you are giving, until after they are married. Unless of course you are giving cash...in which case they will need that before marriage, but all the more-so after they are married.

Baby Gifts
Always ask before you give these...the parents get sooooo many items, that they just can't use.

For example, how many onesies do you think they need for a newborn? It's great that you got them another one, but by the time they get around to it, (s)he will be up to the next size already.

Similarly for toys. When the child is at a young age, the parents choose which toys the kid gets, and its usually the same one over and over...as it is generally the one sitting closest to the child when (s)he starts crying.

As for electronic toys...as Jews you should think smarter. Shabbos and YT are some of the hardest times to keep a child entertained, and these toys are next to useless.

So find out what it is the parents need the most, and get that!

Sometimes even a free gift works, such as you watching the kid for a night, so that parents can get that much needed night out.

Moving Help
This one is a load of baloney.

I've helped many friends move. And maybe gained a slice of pizza or two in return.

Whoop-de-friggin-do.

But this isn't done for the reward. It's done for the friendship.

However, I did have one set of friends who I helped move completely into a fourth floor walk-up...and then they decided to move to Israel a few weeks later, making all my work completely useless.

So people, do us all a favor...move yourselves, and ask for help on that last day, for the big items.

No one wants to be wrapping your silverware in paper towels and packing your items.

That's your job.

</End Rant>

100 and Counting!

Wow, I can't believe this is my 100th post (and that I almost wrote episode).

Since the beginning of this blog, I didn't think that was a possibility...of course I didn't think the amount of page views was possible either, but I guess things happen!

Taking a quick peak back over the last 14+ months, I see lots of things that failed early on (anyone remember Tanka Thursdays? or how about a Schedule with specific topics depending on the days...oy.).

I mean, looking at my first "Blog Note", I noticed comments saying that I probably wouldn't last a week, let alone two weeks or even a year+. (Ahem, Altie.)

And then there are the Easter Eggs hidden throughout these pages.

Things like the locations of each post, which has been written about, and how they are either about where the post is talking about, or subtle hints at what I really meant.

Or things listed in the labels, some of them since Day 1, other reminders popping up throughout.

Either way, thanks to the 3 of you that still religiously read this blog, and to the 173 others of you that browse through once in a while!

Anyone think I can't make it to 200?

27 and Counting

Last week Frum Geek wrote an article talking about Online Dating and issues he had with it, and it got me thinking about the flaws in Jewish dating, and marriage as well.

An article in the New York Daily News on Friday stated that the average age of the American woman getting married is 27 years old.

Now clearly, in the Jewish community it is lower than that, or at least everyone thinks it has to be (I can't state for sure that it is, since I obviously don't have numbers on that).

One of my best friends at work is getting married next year. At that time his girlfriend and him will both be 27. Talk about living the American dream, right?

So when he told me that, on Friday too, no coincidences there, it got me thinking as to why, in my mind, marriage was such a pressing issue.

And I have just the answer.

It's because I want kids. I want a lover. I want to be loved. And I want a close knit family.

But the Jewish aspect of being in my low 20s, and not even having dated much, means that in my mind, I am behind the bell curve.

And it is time for me to stop letting it f**k with my mind.

Starting now.

Now let's go make out somewhere quiet.

The Minds Have Returned

With this blog being dormant for a long period, the Minds have determined that it is time to come back.

For at least the next couple of weeks, there will hopefully be a post a day, just like things were back when this blog launched.

Topics that are in the works include marriage issues, privacy and an open letter to someone that's always been there for me.

I hope that those that have been here since Day 1 are still around, and those that are just discovering me, will stick around!

Give The Wedding Gifts Back!

When people get engaged, I don't get them a gift. The reason is quite simple. If I get you an object, what are you doing with it? You guys aren't living together, and if it is opened in one of your houses, chances are it'll never make it to your newly married house.

But when you get married, and I get invited to the wedding (a real invite, not a faux Facebook mass message), I'll look through your registry and buy a few things. I'll look through and buy things that I think could be used.
I won't get the waffle iron or any other item that I think is an impulse buy, and at the same time, probably won't get used more than once per year.
I'll buy practical things. Like pot sets, silverware, or a "tool set" (which has all those useful spoons (slotted and full), spatulas, and beaters).

But when people ask for all those things, and then decide within a year or two, to move to Israel, leaving all their worldly belongings behind, and buying new things when they are there, as its simpler then packing and shipping, I think it's time to give everything back.

People spent money on you, and now you are just throwing it all away.

If you bought all of that for yourself the first time, you would be less likely to leave it behind.

Cheap People and Subscriptions

Over the last few weeks I have seen a lot of posts that look like this:

"Ugh. My free Netflix subscription ended again. Anyone have one that I can join?"

People are so cheap. 

Yes, I know, money isn't always flowing, and sometimes we live paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet.

But we are talking about $7 a month.

Don't buy a coffee for a couple of days a month.

Next time you want to buy candy, buy the smaller version or don't get it that day.

If you save a quarter a day, you too can get Netflix. Or Hulu.

Silver Linings Playbook - Review (Book & Movie)

To make a great movie, you need to have an even better script.

So when I heard the premise for Silver Linings Playbook, and the release date of the DVD being a few weeks away (at the time), I set out to read the book behind the movie.

And it was great. A great read. A great story line. And some great characters.

So when I acquired the DVD last week, I was excited to watch it, especially with all the award nominations and wins that the movie had received.

Boy was I disappointed.

It was an okay movie.

But they removed some of the key story lines.

In the book, his father won't talk to him when he comes back from Baltimore...yet in the movie, hes all friendly the minute he walks in the door...even go so far as to hug him (which in the book, Pat wouldn't let anyone touch him without cringing, let alone hug him (at first)).

The whole story of Nikki was completely changed for the movie, including the revelations of important memories of why he was sent to the facility in Baltimore.

And don't even get me started on the parking lot fight now being with a fellow Eagles fan. Or the bringing in of Danny throughout the movie (just so Chris Tucker can get more lines, that don't exist anywhere in the book).

If you watched SLP and liked the movie, go out and read the book. You won't be disappointed.

Blogaversary

I was going to ignore it altogether...but really, my life has changed a little bit with all of you in it.

So to my 89 posts, 12,000+ Page Views, and those 9 special followers...

Thank you.

Without you guuuuuuuuuuuuu

10,000 Page Views

Not much to say in this post...except that when I started blogging, less than a year ago...I never thought I would have 1,000 page views, let alone 10,000.

So this is just me blowing that little paper horn that people use for New Years, in celebration of a mini milestone.

So thanks for all the reads, people of the internet!

1600 Penn

So for those that have explored the minds, they have come to learn that there are very few Network Television Shows, that have yet to be watched.

But regardless of that...I had yet to see an episode of "1600 Penn".

I have seen lots of bad reviews for it...and the ads were pretty terrible...but what else is one to do on a boring afternoon?

So I started watching.

Nine episodes later:

I laughed.
I cried.
I enjoyed myself.
And I quite seriously have no idea where the last three hours went.

The show is fun.

Sure, some of the story lines are stolen from shows like "The West Wing" (Thanks Donna Moss and Josh Lyman for some great years), but that doesn't take away from a decent comedy.

And with shows like The Office (awesome) and 30 Rock (eh) going into retirement, maybe this can be a good placeholder for Thursday nights?

If only I didn't have three other hours of programming to watch that night already.

Why Do We, Miss Judge?

The problem? Your attitude.

Ask, and you may learn.

Sometimes people see things, and don't really understand them.

So they either ignore it (and then the next time it comes up, they still don't know, but by then they really should, so it's too late to ask), or they say "I have no idea what this means", but never ask for an explanation.

If people would just ask, there are plenty of us out there that would just answer.

And then you would know :)

Mr. Google

So, like every obsessive blogger, I check my stats once in a while.

Simple things, that blogger generally provides me with. Things like, "Page Views", "Most Popular", etc.

But then I found a website that can tell me where I rank in Google Searches, based on different search queries.

Some of my posts, I was fairly surprised, when it would give me the ranking, it would say: "Your page is ranked #19 in this query".

19!!!! Yes, I am starting to make a dent in this world.

But then I got a real shocker...one of my pages came up listed as "Your page is ranked #1 in this query."

#1!!!!

NUMBERO FREAKIN' UNO!!!

Granted it was on Google.uk and not Google.com, but still, I'm impressed. :)

I just wish I knew who some of the people reading my posts are...because the ones getting the most reads, are all people I would love to have a conversation with.

Happiest Day Ever

For those that missed it, yesterday was the happiest day of the year in China!!!

:)

Rules, Rules, Rules

If I don't want to play by the rules, who is anyone else to tell me to?

Especially if the rules aren't really rules, but guidelines, that some choose to do, yet others don't.

Maybe your interpretation of the rules are wrong? Or maybe rules truly are made to be broken...

Now I'm differentiating here between "rules" and "laws", laws are obviously to be followed, or suffer the consequences (death, hell, and all that other good stuff).

But if it's a rule, lay off, and let others do as they wish, and if you don't like it, well then, simply walk away, and don't become a pimple on the rump of society.

Define: Friend

It's actually quite a simple task.

I am looking for the definition of the word "friend".

Is a friend there for you when you call? Or only when you message? Or only when they get around to it?

Is a friend someone who when you say "We need to hang out.", it happens. Or can it be someone you never see socially.

What defines a friend. What distinguishes friends from "close friends" and "bff"s?

Yes, I know my readership on this blog is now next to nothing, but for those that are still hanging around...just help me to understand...

Sarcasm By Design

So I tend to use sarcasm a lot, both in my writing and my speaking.

When I speak, it’s quite easy to tell sarcasm. But during typing, it is harder to detect.

So I figured I would start with some different font, maybe one of those that includes the word “Comic”, such as “Comic Sans”.

And then I realized…my phone doesn't have fonts…and fonts are different everywhere. So I have come up with a simple method to distinguish my sarcasm.

The tilde (~). Placed on both ends of your sarcasm, so those reading can tell where it begins and ends.

It is rarely used, so it wont confuse people when it is used to mark sarcasm.

All in favor of this idea, don’t comment on this.

All those who do like it, feel free to voice the awesomeness of this idea down below.

~ Great, you all love the idea :) ~

Damn You Google + New Look

So Google decided to randomly reset my page views to 0.

So instead of a few hundred, thousand, whatever, I now have 0 page views. So now I can hopefully get a few views on this to start it off again!

And since they messed me up, I decided to change the look of my blog.

What do y'all think?