Wednesday, January 27, 2010

does anyone actually celebrate Tu B'Shvat?

Ok, we all kind of 'celebrate' - we know the day is there because it's marked on our Jewish calendar. Maybe some of us make an effort to eat a new fruit or a fig or two, or even all of the Shivat Haminim. Apparently some people eat Etrogs on Tu B'Shvat. (but aren't those kinda spoiled by then?) I remember being given goodie bags filled with various dried fruit in elementary school - I don't know what they were thinking - most of those bags ended ended up in the garbage, because really what 7 year-old wants to eat dried apricot?  

There are always Tu B'Shvat parties to go where you can participate in a seder. But here's where my question comes in - do people actually have 'seders' at home?

Monday, January 25, 2010

worth a watch - The Good Guy

because Bryan Greenberg is in it - and he's one of my fave cute young Jewish actors.

wearing the same dress twice

So I was getting ready for a wedding the other night, debating which of my ten little black dresses to wear to the event. I really wanted to wear my latest purchase - a cute designer find that I found at Macy's for almost 50% off. (I heart Macy's sales!)

But then I realized that there was no way I could wear it - everyone had already seen me in it! The dress had just been worn to a family wedding only one week prior - and while the crowd at this wedding would be very different, I was 100% sure that everyone I cared about seeing the dress had already seen it - on facebook.

Facebook pictures present an interesting dilemma to the girl who hates being seen in the same outfit twice. True, I sometimes stick to the same two jean skirts for an entire school semester, but that's because there's hardly a risk of being photographed studying for exams on campus. And plus, do I really care what some of my classmates think?

But when it comes to a cute party dress that I'd like to show off a little more than once, having your friends and facebook buddies (because let's face it, not everyone on there is really a 'friend') see you work it online before they get to see you work it in the flesh kind of takes away from your enjoyment of the evening. (girls, be honest, you know you care more about the way you look than the way the bride does).

Sunday, January 17, 2010

when being a golddigger just wont do

I was recently set up with this fabulously wealthy guy - great catch for a material maidel right? While his looks didn't rival that of Channing Tatum, he certainly wasn't atrocious - definitely dateable. He also seemed really friendly and outgoing. Didn't exactly come off as an Einstein, which would normally bother me - but I figured if he had made all that money that he had to have some brains.
I didn't bother to do too much of a reference-check on him though - big mistake.
His family is pretty well known so I thought it wasn't really necessary. But then one night my mother happened to mention a friend of hers who is from the same neighborhood as this guy - and so I asked my mother to look into it. Can I just say THANK THE GOOD L-RD ABOVE for making the Jewish world a nice small one? Yentas are definitely great for somethings.
So I learned that while he did indeed have a lot of cash in the bank, the cash was most probably obtained by illegal means - think Madoff. That's when I did a Google search. And then I found a friend who's a lawyer to 'background' check this guy. Turns out he's been found guilty of fraud.
Great catch?
I told a friend at school about this guy and she was actually upset that I dumped him. Why? Because I could have made a ton of money getting a divorce from him in a year or two.
Interesting idea...
But chances are guys like this also lie on their income statements...

Friday, January 15, 2010

diamonds are a girl's best friend but cz's require less cash

So there's this really cute jewelry site that you should definitely check out. The selection is somewhat limited at the moment, but their pieces are realllly pretty and not too pricey either!

CZ studs are practically my trademark (I used to wear diamonds, but losing a CZ earring that didn't cost my father a few hundred gives me a lot less guilt). It's hard to find a quality CZ earring that isn't going to turn your ears green. So if you're looking for a great princess-cut earring, be sure to check out LuShae Jewelry.

They also have some gorgeous pendants like this triple clover design.

Oh, and ATTENTION FELLOW BLOGGERS - you can win $5000 by helping to advertise this site!

jewelry

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

worth a listen - Matisyahu - One Day

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

is this shiksa just for practice?

There's this non-Jewish girl in one of my classes. She's really pretty - in a more pornstar and less girl-next-door way. She has a lot of Jewish friends. And is 'seriously' dating a Jewish guy. (her plastic surgeon's probably Jewish too) She mentioned that she told her boyfriend that she would convert if he wanted her to, but that he doesn't. And that they've agreed to raise their future kids Jewish (ie have bar/bat mitzvah parties) despite her non-conversion.

One of my Jewish guy friends commented (not to her) that her guy is probably just using her for practice - that she's definitely not the type of girl a boy brings home to his yiddishe mama.

I don't know if I agree with him - neither of us have met the boyfriend in question, so this is all purely us being yentas - but I see more and more couples getting married where he's a yid, she's not - and the whole (fake) conversion thing is not even an issue. It seems like 'our generation', or rather secular Jews of our generation, care a lot less about marrying within the faith...

Comments?

Monday, January 11, 2010

dating Daniels

For some reason I feel like I go through name cycles a lot when I'm dating. I'll have entire seasons where almost every boy I get set up with is named Michael or Daniel or Josh. Granted, there aren't too many Jewish names in circulation to begin with, but why do the same exact names pop up at the same time?

Granted, it makes it a lot easier to remember their names that way (you can just say "Hi Josh" when one of them calls and chances are you get it right) As I've let you know before, I'm not too great with names. So this can be a plus.

But when they all have the same name, it means that I have to keep the facts - and voices - straight. Unless of course I remember last names (which let's face it, hardly happens) - but even so, I can't exactly imagine calling my potential husband by his last name like one of his football buddies (can you imagine - he says "Hi Sweetie", I respond "Hi Goldberg").

Friday, January 8, 2010

hi ma!

So my mother discovered my blog - I should've known it would happen eventually. I mean, she does occasionally use my laptop to play Mah Jong online.

My mom actually asked me if I was the girl behind Material Maidel. And of course I lied and told her it was my best friend's. (thanks Shaindy!) But that was only because she asked if I was a lesbian. Seriously ma, wtf (that means 'What The Blank' in blog lingo) - one minute we were watching Mad Money when I mentioned that Queen Latifah has a girlfriend in real life and next thing I know she's bringing this up. I may be a little tired of dating guys, but I'm not desperate enough to switch teams.

Apparently she read that last post about the YU Gay Panel. Well, she obviously didn't read the whole post, or any of my other posts, because she totally missed the jist. I guess my mom is really that blond :)

Ma - you still reading?

Thursday, January 7, 2010

bad blind dates

You know those movie montages that they show in romantic comedies where the heroine goes on a series of bad blind dates with a series of bad blind date stereotypes?

For the past week or two, that's been my dating life in a nutshell.

Science geek from the Midwest who has hobbies such as reading? Check.
Sleazy Brooklyn hocker who mysteriously has millions? Check.
Ivy League grad who wants to talk about Nietzsche? Check.
Volunteer Hatzolah dude who gets excited about crazy trauma cases? Check.

Why can't I meet guys who are... normal.... you know - whose lives aren't ripped out of the pages of a movie script by the Coen brothers?

I hate getting frustrated about dating (see New Year's resolution, below). And I hate being corny.... But when will the 'happily ever after' part kick in?

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

helllo 2010

I was going to write a post entitled 'Good Riddance 2009' but decided that sounded too glass-is-half-empty. 2009 was a pretty shitty year, globally and personally. The economy went to sh$t. Swine flu happened. Three people who were very close to my heart tragically passed away. I don't think I've ever cried more in my life. I would have told you but Material Maidels can't share everything.

Instead I'll share with you a dvar torah/challenge that my Rabbi spoke about on Rosh Hashanah - the real New Year.

I can't remember the exact details, but I think he called it the Stay Positive Challenge. He challenged us not to cut everything negative from our lives - but to deal with things in a more happy fashion. To try not to have a bad thought or say a bad word against someone. To not react with anger when something happens, but to look at it as a test, that everything happens for the betterment of our lives. To make 'Gam Zeh L'Tovah' our motto. To regard other people favorably. I think part of his challenge included wearing a bracelet on one wrist - and then if you ever said or felt something negative, you would have to put the bracelet on the other wrist. The challenge was to wear the bracelet on the same wrist for 7 days straight.

While I never remembered to try the challenge after Rosh Hashanah, maybe I'll make this my 2010 new year's resolution.

You don't have to try this at home.

But I do hope that you and your loved ones have a very, very happy and positive 2010 :)