Things I Saved On Facebook - #NaBloPoMo 18

The best functionality that Facebook has ever introduced is by far the "Saved" function. When I'm scrolling through Facebook when I don't really have time to read a longer article or watch a video, being able to save it for later and know that it's not forever lost to the wind is fabulous. I usually forget about what treasure I buried in the Saved section, and when I do get back to it, it's always a treat. Here's a few tidbits from the Saved pile.

This bit of fun from Scary Mommy shows a man's vacation video in Las Vegas, only it was taken entirely in selfie mode instead of forward-facing. I remember when my Dad used to take tons of vacation videos of the scenery; this version is actually more entertaining.

I love choreographed wedding-related items, whether it's proposal flash mobs or creative first dance routines. Marc and I spent weeks in ballroom dance lessons to avoid blowing our first dance, but we didn't have a videographer or camera phones back then, so our first dance isn't on tape anywhere. This one is much more impressive anyway.

And finally, there's my weekly dose of Whine About It. This week is a particularly worthy thing to whine about: pants. As he says, "my pants are just a mosaic of all the mistakes that I've made. I don't need that kind of documentation in my life." Amen.

S2 Ep. 4: Reasons Wearing Pants Is The Absolute Worst
This week on Whine About It... REASONS WEARING PANTS IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST. #NoToPants
Posted by Matt Bellassai on Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Kitchen Details - #NaBloPoMo 17

How the kitchen connects to the new space

I haven't really written about the house in detail since we completed the renovation, and that's because I don't think of it as "done" yet. The building permit is gone and we haven't had workers in the house in weeks, but there are still various parts of the house that need unpacking and moving into, or new furniture and accessories, or just more thought on how to use the space. We're getting there little by little, ordering blinds and trying to make sense of where the couch should go, but it's a process. Overall though, we're really happy with the changes and I think it'll only get better with time.

One of my favorite things is the access we have from the kitchen into the new back room of the house. We're still figuring out how best to use the room, and I think that includes settling on a name for the space too. The photo above shows the old kitchen off to the left and the connection to the new room on the right. And it shows some of the messes we have yet to put away. And the folding table I haven't bothered to move since Thanksgiving is a week away and we're hosting for the first time.

Here's a close-up of a Hanukkah present Marc bought for me a couple years ago, a clock with Hebrew letters. It's a modern update of a Hebrew letter clock that had been in my grandfather's living room for years, that I always wanted. The green dot matches my counter tops, and the light blue now matches the wall paint.

Hanging on the opposite wall, we now have this photo of tomatoes, which mimics the clock's multi-colored circles so, so well. I don't even like tomatoes that much, but I can't stop looking at this new art. It's like it was always meant to be a part of our home.

Here's one more photo of the new downstairs space. As I said, the blinds are coming. We haven't figured out a proper cushion for the window seat yet. There are still a few boxes. But the piano is getting daily use, and the new washer and dryer (just outside of the frame!) have been life-changing. The goal is to get this space a little more presentable over the next week, and I think we can do it. Presentable is one thing. Done is totally another.

The Best Sp@m - #NaBloPoMo 16

@cherylstober A compilation of some of your best blog spam comments.

— Sam Tackeff (@alphaprep) November 17, 2015

Thank goodness for the swift response of Twitter. I had nothing worth saying this evening for NaBloPoMo. But now, you get to see inside the oh-so-fascinating world of spam blog comments!

Actually, I have to admit, the spam comments have gotten better over the years. The mangled English is at a minimum, and the Blogger platform does a really good job of keeping these comments out of my inbox. It's a shame though, as some of them are so complimentary that I almost want to post them. Like this Anonymous gem:

I don't even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was great. I don't know who you are but certainly you're going to a famous blogger if you are not already ;) Cheers! Take a look at my web page...

 Or this shiny one, also by Anonymous:

This post is worth everyone's attention. How can I find out more? Here is my page...

 And some people are just so helpful!

I'm not sure why but this weblog is loading extremely slow for me. Is anyone else having this problem or is it a problem on my end? I'll check back later on and see if the problem still exists. My webpage...

Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch? Er, breakfast:

An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a colleague who had been doing a little research on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast simply because I found it for him... lol. So allow me to reword this.... Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending time to discuss this issue here on your web site.

It almost makes you want to start a blog, right? Of course, there are the real comments too, from people who find you "dangerous." Such a shame that the blogger behind that sentiment doesn't appear to maintain her site anymore.

Of course, there are the real, amazing make every typed word worth it comments too. I thank you for those, and hope they keep on coming. It'll keep me from approving the fake nice ones.

What's Missing - #NaBloPoMo 15

It's the last few hours of the weekend, a weekend many spent learning the details of the latest terrorist actions around the world. But not me.

I spent the majority of my weekend in activities centered around our synagogue and the community it provides for me and my family. We attended services, a study session, a parent-teacher conference, play practice, and a discussion group for 6th grade girls, while the moms got together in a local restaurant.

Terrorists might spend their weekends organizing for whatever they believe in too, I guess. But I'll never understand what makes their discussions veer in harmful directions, where others spend their time enhancing culture, shaping the lives of children, or deepening their understanding of differences and working towards acceptance. What's missing that leads people towards terror instead?

I don't believe that it's mental illness, or access to guns, although I think we need more support for treatment and less access.

I think people are missing options. Opportunities. And they're missing loving, guiding forces for better in their lives.

It's not much, but I hope, even with a few words here once in a while, that I help foster a sense of connection, community and concern for the community I care about. Because you never know who can provide what's missing.

I Wasn't Expecting That - #NaBloPoMo 14

Yea, yea, I forgot to post yesterday. We spent almost the entire day at a Shabbaton for Hannah's upcoming bat mitzvah, and I am overwhelmed. It's so much to think about, and no one "right way" to do it, and I guess it all comes down to expectations. As I've blogged here before, when Marc and I got counseled by a rabbi prior to our wedding, his biggest advice was about managing expectations, and I've been struck over and over again how true it was and is.

It's not exactly the same, but this song always leaves a lump in my throat, so I thought I'd share it this morning.

An Ideal Day Off - #NaBloPoMo 13

I'm mining the prompts for NaBloPoMo today, as I couldn't think of a topic myself. The question is how I'd spend an ideal day off, and I can think of many options there. 

But I think the true ideal is seeing a Broadway show in New York City, and great food. I loved how we spent Hannah's last birthday with one extreme day spent doing just that. And now it's got me thinking that maybe we should do it again this winter break. 

A close runner up is spending a day at a spa with friends. I haven't done it much, but it's always been fabulous when I do. It's hard not to find that relaxing. 

What else? Live music. Fun shopping. Getting my nails done. Catching up with family and friends. Time spent writing. 

What about you?

Out of Steam - #NaBloPoMo 12

It's been a long week. 

I left the house at 6 am on Monday, flew to Jacksonville, flew back on Tuesday night, attended a work event on Wednesday night that got me home at 9:45 pm, and left for work again at 6:45 am this morning to make it in for an 8 am conference call. I've had sixteen meetings in four days. I have a minor cold too, and am kind of amazed I haven't lost my voice. So I'm pretty excited to work from home tomorrow. I've only got one conference call, but a few personal calls I'd like to make too: rescheduling an eye doctor appointment, making a dinner reservation, possibly investigating a hotel block for Hannah's bat mitzvah. But tonight I am out of steam and very tired of hearing myself talk. 

Thankfully, Max seems to be in a quiet (very rare!) mood too. It's nice being quiet together. 

Shhhh. I'll be the one over here struggling to keep my eyes open until the 7yo's bedtime. G'nite.