I Have a Theory About Match.com....

Ok, disclaimer - I COULD be wrong.  This is JUST a theory.  However....

My theory is match.com (and quite possibly quite a few other dating sites, but who knows) purposely show you 'non-matches' at first.  This way (I'm not sure the exact term for this, but I'm sure there's some psychological term for it) when they show you actual matches, they seem better by compare/contrast factor.

When I very briefly did match, I only put in a couple requirements - within 10 miles of my zipcode (Chicago), 24-40, never married, no children.  This should, in theory, fit a lot.  Yet I didn't feel I got that many matches, and I felt I kept getting quite a few men outside these parameters.  Divorced dad in Plainfield, age 45.  Not so much.  Anyhow.  I am not sure, exactly, if the people at match are purposely doing something funny, but I have my questions.

Also.  I remember the first time I went out and about looking for an apartment in Chicago with an apartment finder service.  The first couple units they showed me were tiny holes in the wall that were way over-priced.  They then showed me something decent that was much more competitively priced - which, comparatively speaking, seemed like an oasis in the dessert.  I almost wonder if these companies purposely rent and maintain crappy units just to show everyone first off the bat, so they are more apt to 'jump' at something decent available.

Anyhow.  I could be wrong.  I am curious if anyone else had similar experiences.  I shouldn't talk too much, though, because I may return to the world of online dating come January.  I figure it's like joining a gym - there's a time when there'll be specials, so I will, at the very least, wait for said specials.

Merry Christmas!!

This got out of hand....

(close-up for effect)

(angel again)

I'm Clearly Not Afraid of Getting Stalked.

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, 'Little Fockers' was filmed right in my neighborhood.

Well, if you check out 14-18, it was clearly RIGHT IN MY BACKYARD. I am still looking for myself in the background. I am so proud of my neighborhood for making it to the big screen - it was well-deserved.

Sidenote: In order to find this clip, I had to watch like 18 different coming attractions for 'Little Fockers'. They must feel that the scene with the turkey is some of their best stuff...which scares me for the movie....

Guiltiest Pleasure of All....

So I have always really loved the Christmas movie 'The Family Stone' (not the guilty pleasure).  I watch it every year around the holiday season.

Every time, I have always though 'I really like that song at the very end of the movie when the credits play'.

Drumroll please....

"Count on me" by Jefferson Starship.

I am not sure, exactly, who Jefferson Starship is, but I am pretty sure that anyone who likes them is supposed to stay mum about it behind a black curtain of shame.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Your thoughts?  Are there any blogs out there currently talking about Jefferson Starship?  Yeah, didn't think so....

Travel

So, I don't travel much.  I usually have an annual trip to STL, if that counts, but otherwise, most of my friends live in the Chicagoland area.  I didn't travel much growing up and I'd hoped to overcome that.  However, with the exception of a Panama City Beach trip back in college (please don't judge, everyone was doing it).

I've tried to figure why I don't travel much in adulthood.  A small part of me thought it was because my friends don't live in other parts of the country, but then again, most people, when they travel, aren't SOLELY visiting people.

Anyhow, then it hit me.  Of all my friends in adulthood, whenever they have traveled and haven't been solely visiting someone - they were traveling with their romantic partner.  Le sigh.  I get it.  This is why I haven't traveled.

Anyhow.  It seems as though there are very few 'girls' trips' since college.  It's probably one part money, another part time off work, a third part time with said significant other.  It's rare that I have girlfriends around who are free and up for doing a girls' tirp.  Well, somehow, the stars have aligned perfectly for me.   I am going to Miami this February!  BEACH TIME.  I am flying Southwest for the first time.  Update and tons of pictures to come.

MIA Blogger

So folks, my three or four loyal readers have commented on the fact that I've been a MIA blogger.   I apologize.  My few readers are precious to me.  It's very important that I keep them happy.

I suppose I have been very busy with work, the holidays, and perhaps impending life changes (let's call this 'foreshadowing').   Anyhow.

I can't help but notice that most of my fave bloggers have also slacked off.  I'm not a fan of groupthink and wouldn't follow someone else off a bridge, or however that old expression goes, but maybe misery loves company?

Anyhow.   Just to let you know, I'm still here and I plan on bringing this blog back in full-force pretty soon.

Milestones.

This is this blog's 1000th post.

Moment of observation.

This should mean something.  That something is to be determined....

I Got Your Sweater Right Here.

Go ugly early.

My Year in Facebook Statuses....

...per some random application.  (click to enlarge)

Christmas at my Apartment.

the big picture

Some people have been very good this year.

No tree is complete without an angel on top.

My spirits are in the spirit.

Getting Christmasy Around the Apartment

The wine glasses prove I'm over the age of 12, contrary to the other pieces of evidence.

For My French Readers

For All My Friends....

Happy Holidays, Deer Friends!

For the First Time EVER....

I have been invited to an ugly sweater Christmas party!

Does anyone know where I  can find a good sweater?

Editor's sidenote:  these parties slowly but surely became THE RAGE.  Faster than ugly sweaters became the rage 15 years ago.  There are more ugly sweater parties than there are ugly sweaters.  I appreciate a good ugly sweater (and a party to accommodate it) as much as the next folk, but why did these become SO POPULAR?   Anyone?  Your thoughts?

I Should be Embarrassed, Part 215

So one of my favorite movies to get me in 'the Christmas Spirit' is 'A Very Brady Christmas'.  As described on this blog, it's cheesy and schmaltzy (love that word!!!).  It reminds me of my childhood.

I try to make a point of catching this every Christmas season (along with Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, The Family Stone, and all the Friends and Office Christmas episodes).  Most people I know go for the classics - like White Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street.  It's not that I have anything against those movies.  I guess I am just slightly more commercialized.

It looks (from the comments in the aforementioned blog) that the show is on later this season, airing only once.  I am going to have to do my best to catch it.

Yet Another Question.

So recently, some good friends and I were having quite the enlightening conversation.  A curious topic came up.

What is one supposed to do when, hypothetically speaking, someone we care about is being a jerk?  Granted, usually the instinctive answer is to confront the issue, however,  if someone is being a jerk, there's already the issue of a lack of concern for one's feelings at hand - how receptive/concerned will he or she truly be?  I feel like whenever we, as people, confront someone for something, he or she will apologize because it is what is supposed to be done (and to feel better about him/herself as a person).  If that person actually felt sorry for what he or she did, he or she would have produced an apology without being prompted.

That, and I can definitely say the handful of times I've addressed issues with people, nothing's good come from it. Most of these people ended up gone from my life for various reasons, or, as mentioned earlier - produced insincere apologies (then committed said offenses again later).

Anyhow.

When someone we care about is a jerk, is there anything we can do whatsoever?  The more I think about it, I'm convinced the only real potential solution is waiting for this person to come around on his or her own.  Of course, we can always let someone know how disappointed we are with him or her as a person, but then there's the general assumption he or she will be gone from our life for good.

Editor's sidenote:  I know I am human.  I know I am at times a jerk.  I do not, in any way, think I am above such behavior.

Crumbs of Love

So my good friend Steve Koo (indirectly) reminded me of one of my favorite things (it's that time of year, I suppose).

Crumbs Bakery

I discovered them for the first time on my most recent New York city trip.  The cupcakes are un-bleeping-believable!!   Not that I live in New York, but regardless, I will declare them the best of New York.   They are definitely the best of cupcakes.

I want some right now.  I know there were rumors of Crumbs coming to Chicago - it is supposed to be 'opening soon'.  Hurry up, Crumbs.