eHarmony: An Anicdote
Friday, May 14th, 2010A few years ago, I worked at a dating website. Yes, yes I did. It was a startup, and part of my job as an all-around assistant was to scour the competitors’ sites, sign up for a bogus account and go through their questionnaires so we could get an idea of how to model ours. Most of them were pretty standard: name, occupation, body type, interests, etc. Then I got to the eHarmony questionnaire. I’ll tell you from experience, don’t start it unless you have two days to finish it.
Oh, and how inane the questions were. I remember some along the lines of “On a scale of not very likely to very likely, you are prone to get angry after a long day.” Huh? Doesn’t that depend on the circumstances? But, no – I had to answer on a scale of likelihood. Another one read, “Answer yes or no. Would you rather take a risk, or paint a picture.” I’m not kidding. What in the hell kind of question… oh, wait a minute!
I realized about halfway through that the tone of these questions was unnervingly familiar. I had seen something like them somewhere before… but where? WHERE?
And, then it hit me. For fun that summer, a friend on mine and I had taken the Scientology Personality Test. In tone, context and substance, the questions on that test are eerily similar to the questions on the eHarmony exam. Just something to keep in mind the next time you venture to the net to find your soulmate. They may be the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard.
Southern Cooking
Friday, April 23rd, 2010I enjoy exotic foods. I like to eat new and exciting foods that I have never tried before. I also like to eat foods that are foreign and that I do not have to opportunity to enjoy very often. But by far my favorite food has got to be Southern comfort food. Some of my very favorite foods are Southern food. Foods like fried chicken or steak, meatloaf, and barbequed ribs are just a few examples. And I am sure that I am not the only one who cannot resist these foods.
This kind of food just fills me up perfectly. I can always count on a good meal when I hear that I am going to have Southern food. And it is not called comfort food for nothing. Any kind of comfort is a type of food that just makes you happy. It might remind you of home or growing up or it might just remind you of the first time you had food like this. No matter how it makes you feel it is hard to turn down good Southern food.
We’re All Getting Older and Growing Up
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010I have noticed that everyone around me is getting older. When I say everyone I mean all of my close friends and family. And I don’t just mean that they are ageing. I mean they are maturing and continue to set goals for themselves. This year one of my best friends became a national dance champion. Another of my friends won state in bowling. It is really interesting to see how far we have come in the last few years.
I have become part of the basketball team and part of the track and field team while my other friend is more into the arts. He takes part in the fall play and the spring musical and this year he had leading rolls in each. It makes me happy to see that we have all succeeded in blending socially with other kids though our interests differ quite a bit.
That means that we have each separated enough to be our own people and have our own personalities and interests. That means that though we are still friends we have made our own friends and when we eventually have to separate to have our own lives it will be much easier. I guess that really is what growing up is all about.
Importance of Breakfast
Sunday, March 7th, 2010Everyone has heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But not every one has really thought about what the effects of skipping breakfast can mean to the average Joe. Turns out it can be very harmful and, of course, very uncomfortable. What’s clear is breakfast can do some pretty good things for you.
When you eat food, your body extracts the nutrients in that food. With those nutrients, it makes energy for your body to do work. Now if you start the day without breakfast, which means that, you are literally running on barely any fuel at all. Think of your body as a car. If you don’t eat breakfast then you are not filling up with fuel and you will run out of what little fuel you have left. When that happens, your body will crash. And when it crashes it’s going to be hard.
So no matter how busy you are or how late you are, you should always eat breakfast. If you can’t manage then you should find a way to get some food as soon as possible. If you don’t then you will not be good for much, like working, until you do.
The Different Shopping Processes
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010I am always amazed at the way my wife shops in compared to the way I shop. I am definitely a commando shopper; I go I get and I come home. I know exactly what I am going to buy before I go to the store or go online. I do have to admit that I sometimes do not get the best price but I always get what I am looking for and don’t send much back because I did the research.
On the other hand my wife is a skimmer. She has an “idea” of what she wants to buy and needs to “see” it and “feel” it before she commits. She also collects coupons that can sometimes help but most of the time you have to buy a certain brand or product to get the deal. If no one will eat it and it ends up in the trash unopened, to me, it was a waste of money; to her it was worth trying. Needless to say she spends almost as much time taking things back than actually shopping for the stuff. If I could put it to music it would be an opera based on futility, but it makes her happy and for that I am glad.
Christmas Brings Out Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009One of the things I have realized over the years is I have no business trying to decorate anything at Christmas. That is not to say that I haven’t tried over the years because I have given it my all on several occasions. I have done my best to make sure the tree looks decent before my wife sent me outside to hang the lights on the trees outside while she “fixed” the inside tree. She then came outside and had me take the lights down and follow her instructions, which I do because I know my limitations. But when it comes to the cooking; she knows who’s who.
So now we have been together long enough to know what our strengths and weaknesses are so we have Christmas down to a well oiled science and it works very well. I do all the cooking and she does all the decorating. We hire a cleaning lady to come in before we get started to do those deep cleaning chores and it all works to the advantage of our guests. No one is exhausted and we are able to put our best foot forward.
Really Enjoying Your Kids
Monday, November 30th, 2009What do you do when your children’s interest are no where near yours? A friend of mine has come up with a great idea in order to interact with his son who has nothing in common with him and he calls it “fun time”. This time could be anything his son wants to do from exploring bugs in the yard to watching a show or movie, reading a book on Egyptian pyramids to cooking something together. The idea is not to make anything happen but to just have fun. Since his boy is six years old and he wants to have a great relationship with him my friend decided that together trumps what you’re doing.
This is kind of a reversal from the “old school” thinking where you had to do whatever your parents were doing in order to spend time with them. What my buddy has discovered after several years of doing what his son likes that now his boy is asking him what he likes to do and they are starting to do some additional things like go to a football game and camping. What you see when you are with these guys is the love they have for each other and how much fun and joy they get from just hanging out. It’s a great way to have fun with kids.
Don’t Forget to Have Fun!
Friday, November 20th, 2009There are so many people walking around in a daze and looking like they are going to explode at any minute. The stress is all over their face and some even walk bent over like the hunchback of Notre Dame with back and neck pain galore. Very few adults I know over the age of forty are having fun and this is a national problem.
Yes, I know we are stressed and the economy is not what it was a couple of years ago and I know there are some of us who are out of work and really struggling. However, I also know that laughter lifts us out of the doldrums and ruts we find ourselves in and makes life more tolerable and just a little bit easier. The lack of fun and play has ripped the life right out of so many of us that we need to pay attention and get it back. If that means getting on the floor and playing with the dog or sliding down a slide with your kids or your spouse if you don’t have kids then do it. Get out and breathe in the fresh air and laugh out loud for real and not in a text message. You and the people around you will be glad you did.
Exploring Gender
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009I recently had the opportunity to speak to someone who had a good friend who happened to be someone that had undergone a gender reassignment and had lived in their current gender for many years. What I found fascinating was how many actually new about this person and no one cared one way or the other. When I asked about why no one seemed to be upset or reactive about a friend who has had a gender change I was told it was more about them than about everyone else.
What I was told is the transgendered friend never defined themselves as a transgendered person; it is just a part of their lives and no different than being a parent, a spouse, a christian, a business owner or anything else any of us do or identify with in our lives. The other thing that set this person apart was their behavior within the group of friends; they area true and real friend and just as normal as can be. In fact, when I came away from the group, I could not tell you one way or the other which one of these people was the transgendered person and that’s just the way it should be. We are all just people and should remember that wherever we may be you never know the history of those around you and, in most cases, it shouldn’t matter anyways.
How to Really Find out What Your House is Worth before You Sell It
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009One of the hardest things a realtor has to do is tell a seller of a home what their house is really worth after they have gone to tax records and several online places that give you an idea of what a house is worth but seldom hit it on the head. What sellers don’t realize is the house is worth whatever a buyer will pay, not necessarily what the tax records or companies guess and what a buyer will pay is about more than the market will bare; it’s about the shape the home is in, the location and the presentation.
What that breaks down to is working with a local realtor who can get you correct information determined by the current market. He or she will look at the home and give you some advice on the best way to stage it for showings, what you will need to pack away and what should stay out. They might give you hints about the curb appeal and any other items you need to know that will allow you to put your best foot forward and get the best offer you can get. Many an overpriced house has sat on the market for weeks and weeks with no movement from an uninformed seller. Don’t let that be you.