Matzah Man!

Were you thinking that this was some crazy Passover craft to do during Chol Hamoed?

Or perhaps a vision that we see after eating matzah for a week straight?

Nope.

He's a singing, dancing, slightly alarming tchotchke that I encoutered at Bed, Bath, & Beyond last night (totally pissing off the 2 salespeople and 1 other customer left in the store).

Hump Day

Tough day at work. Boss wanted something impossible (long story short- boss wanted something listed in the local paper for free which was not possible since it was clearly advertising a certain company, a no no to the woman in charge of that particular section of the paper). Co-worker found a way to go through corporate, thus making it 'free' to the client. Bad part- paperwork that lists the wrong contact people at corporate. The ones actually listed on the sheet took umbrage at this error. Not to mention the stupid macros that then rendered the document useless once it actually got to the correct contact people. Stupid Microsoft Excel. Boss also asked for ratings that don;t exist (according to Nielsen). Because showing the client the slash marks, representing zeros, looks so much better....?......



Also frustrated because I do not like being blown off when I've made plans with people., such as happened on Monday. Then they are impossible to reach. I was left with having to leave a message on the offending person's voice mail asking "why'd you blow me off?". I hate having to leave voice mails, much less say something like that to a machine.
If you're gonna blow me off at least call or email and let me know why. It's just polite.
Now watch. My friend will get back to me after I left this slighty bitchy voice mail and tell me that there was a family emergency or something equally important. And I will feel massive guilt for a long time.
Not sure if him just being a flake will make things better or worse.

“Not just news and not just Jews”

Thus speaketh John Odoner, CEO of the soon to be new network Jewish TV (JTV) in an article in Broadcasting & Cable. Not counting Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm Jewish viewers are an undertelevised market. Think about it- Telemundo for the Spanish-speaking crowd, BET for the hip urban black demo. JTV is supposed to debut in September.

Will it work?

Elie Rosenfeld, COO of the Joseph Jacobs Organization, an advertising and marketing agency specializing in Jewish consumers, says a network like Odoner's could probably get some carriage in the major markets. "There is certainly enough of a market to greatly increase the amount of Jewish-related television, because it's a community that is underserved," he says.

Or won't it?

"The barrier to entry is too high and the size of the audience is too low," says Jay Sanderson, CEO of the not-for-profit Jewish Television Network (JTN), which began life in the 1980s with plans to become a full-fledged network but instead morphed into a production company. "

Sanderson sounds a little bitter. However, his JTN was launched before VOD and the multitudes of smaller cable networks that can now be seen (NFL Network, Golf Channel, Discovery Wings, etc….) made specialized cable nets an all to common sight.

Cathy Rasenberger, of Rasenberger Media, which helps launch start-up networks, perceives Odonor's optimism as 'naiveté,' especially in such a 'hostile environment' for any new network.

"Most entrepreneurs believe their idea is unusually superior to others," she says. "But there is no economic model for this. It's just way too small a demographic to support a network. There's no way he'll launch in that many homes."

Rasenberger believes there may never be a big enough market for a full-fledged network but there will be more opportunities as cable operators develop a business model for video-on-demand.



Would you watch JTV?

More jail time for reporters

So much for freedom of the press.

V Day Assortment

I have decided to remain neutral on v day this year. I do not have a special someone to do cute things with. Nor am I scary and bitter. I can feel bitter about my confusing romantic situation any day of the year. I don't need to designate just one. That wouldn't be fair to the other 364 days.

I am happy to hear that Miri Ben Ari has won a Grammy. I saw her perform a few years ago at Wells College. Fantastic show. Talented. She waited around after the show, signed Every Single CD, seemed like, well, a nice Jewish girl. I still listen to the CD too.

On a random note- there's just something about this neighborhood in Texas that makes men want to sleep naked.....with strangers.

Wing Dings

Todd's trip to Starbucks brought back a funny memory:

My roommate and I went through a period of ordering almost the same thing once or twice a week for months from a local wings place. One day I went in there to pick up the order and there was a new guy at the counter. I asked for my order and he said "10 xtra hot wings and a coke?" I said that my order was something different. At that moment that manager walked by and said "No, MELISSA order the xtra hot wings. Alyssa orders the 10 hot and 10 medium wings". I concluded at that moment that I was probably eating out too much.
And that the mamanger knew not only my name, but my order as well. And I had no idea what his name was. When I went in to pick up the food we'd sometimes chat while waiting for it to be ready. He was a genuinely nice guy. I just felt terrible about not knowing his name. How awkward. (There's got to be an episode of Seinfeld about that topic too).

Scary Media Future

What is EPIC?


(via Lost Remote)

Insights into Singlehood

Good job, Sweet Rose, at putting into words the many problems that leave so many of us frustrated whenever a relative (or whoever) asks why we have not met that special someone yet. On a related note, one night while in my car, X decided to open up to me (is it something about being trapped in an automobile that makes people so likely to admit things?) about why he, at age 32, is probably still single. One reason is that he fairly comfortable with his routine. The second, and more revealing, is that he feel that his standards are too high when it comes to a future spouse. At least he knows that, I suppose (not sure what this says about me.......guess I don't meet the standards?). He also offered up this gem of wisdom- that subcouciously we may choose people who are bad matches in the long term out of a fear of intimacy.
Perhaps this is an insight into why I don't seem to end up dating Jewish guys? Time to quit blogging and start the introspective analysis.......(glad my couch is comfy).

What Actor Are You?

Try the Bravo Inside the Actor's Studio Perosnality Profile.

I am Carol Burnett.

Dating Drama

Good article Esther. Well put. Until you get to know someone, and their nuances, they are really just playing a part. I have sometimes felt first dates to be like an audition....even when I've known that person beforehand (from another context, like a former co-worker or friend-of-a-friend).

Jewish Porn

Ron Jeremy is not only Jewish, but smart. And well endowed. And knows how to please a woman.

And who knew Kelsey Grammer used to do porn......