• I've Got Mad Skillz,  Random Thoughts,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    The Power Of Positive Thinking

    Yesterday I drove to the Dailey Method studio to take class and as I got out of the car I put my gloves on and secured my hat and scarf to make sure I was protected from the sub-zero temperatures. I squeezed my keys in my right hand a couple of times—a habit that has kept me from locking myself out of my car for as long as I can remember—and then quickly shoved them into the pocket of my jacket as I walked. I heard something fall to the sidewalk and realized that the keyring that has an easy release, the one that makes it easy for me to…

  • Confessions,  Do I Really Want My Readers To Know This?,  I've Got Mad Skillz

    Don’t Try This At Home!

    So let’s say that sometimes you wear those nasal strips at night, the ones that help you breathe easier and keep you from snoring. And let’s say that one night you go through the same face-cleansing routine you perform every night, paying special attention to your nose because the nasal strips stick so much better when you have properly cleansed your nose. And then let’s say that you apply the nasal strip, pressing it down tightly to create the seal it needs in order to stay put all night. And then let’s say that shortly after you apply the nasal strip you rip it off in anger (the reason for…

  • I've Got Mad Skillz

    The Best Of 2013, As I See It

    Let’s face it: not everything we bloggers put out there is a gem. In fact, if I had to estimate my gem to non-gem ratio, I’d say it’s about 10% gem/90% non-gem, and that’s probably on the generous side. Anyway, I thought I would comb through every post I published in 2013 to create an end-of-year wrap-up list, in case you want to do a little reminiscing on the cusp of the new year, or maybe you’re just looking for reading material. By the way, just so we’re clear, each post I qualify as a “gem” must satisfy one or more of the following Melisa-determined requirements: 1. well written 2.…

  • I've Got Mad Skillz,  My Kid Has Mad Skillz

    The Listmaker Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree

    As my boys have grown, it’s been very interesting to see which personality traits they’ve inherited from Jim and me. While I have felt terrible when we’ve discovered certain that some of the less desirable characteristics have been passed down—cough, cough, procrastination, cough, cough—I have laughed a little bit at others. Here’s an example. This conversation happens several times a week in my house, year-round: Jim: “What do you have going on today?” Me: “Ugh, so much. My to do list is miles long.” This conversation happened on Tuesday: Jim: “What do you have going on today?” D: “Ugh, a lot. My to do list is six and a half…

  • Food,  Friends,  I've Got Mad Skillz

    Pomegranate Smacking: Not An Olympic Sport, Yet

    Today was the second annual “Jew Help A Christian Day”, i.e. the second consecutive Christmas Eve I’ve driven across town to spend a few hours helping my friend Jen get ready for her big family dinner. (Last year’s recap is HERE.) I had a BLAST, which is something I don’t normally say when I’m cleaning and cooking in my own house. Something to work on. Anyway, last week I asked Jen what was on the menu for this year and it came up in conversation that, among other things, she was going to have me remove seeds from a pomegranate. I was clueless about the task: to be honest, I’ve…