Happy Days

Nothing says happy like a big smile. 

This smiley face in the yard in front of the house was a perfect real estate addition. 

As my father used to sing so beautifully:

When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you! 

It really is a beautiful and positively contagious thing!  ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Happy Days

90-10 Charity Rule

There is a commandment of giving at least 10% to charity.

In Genesis 14:20:

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

In Genesis 28:22

[Jacob says] And in all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you. 

In Leviticus 27:30:

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the L-rd, it is holy to the L-rd. 

In general, G-d lets you keep 90% and he commands that you give 10% to charity.

I understand that some righteous people even give 20% of their income to charity.

I learned from Rabbi Yaron Reuven that:

For those that are miserly and not charitable and don't tithe, G-d reverses the equation, and He takes back the 90% and lets you keep the 10%.

Very ingenious and where the punishment fits "the crime" so to say.

So what do you want the 90% or the 10%--it's your choice to give or have it given for you!  ;-)

(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)

90-10 Charity Rule

@Clarksville Sunflower Festival 2020

(Source Photos: Andy and Dossy Blumenthal)

@Clarksville Sunflower Festival 2020

No, It's Not Fort Knox

Did I just walk into Urgent Care or is this Fort Knox's repository for gold bullion?

I don't think I've ever seen this many surveillance cameras in one relatively small room that's not related to national security! 

And there were even more cameras around me--they were freakin everywhere. 

I get that people are afraid and want security, but seriously over a dozen cameras in the entry/waiting room to see a doctor!

Did someone go a little overboard here?

Maybe they had a bad experience, who knows.

Still, this is beyond dystopian and never a private moment shall one have!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

No, It's Not Fort Knox

You Get Your Own Special Table

This was a funny sign on a table a good deal away from all the others in a restaurant.

Reserved for Mr. and Mrs. Social Distance. Thank You.  

Wow, for people that are rightfully worried about Coronavirus or maybe they're just hypochondriacs, there is a secluded table for you in the restaurant, so you can still go out and eat and enjoy yourselves. 

Mr. and Mrs. Social Distance, you are sitting far away but still part of the living, Halleluja!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

You Get Your Own Special Table

Man Lamp

Gotta love this man lamp!

Probably great for your man cave. 

It stands on 2 legs.

Its spine is the electrical cord running down the middle. 

And the lamp shade is the hat. 

Sort of design ingenious. 

And during Coronavirus quarantine, it makes you feel perhaps like you have a little extra companionship. 

Even if it's just a lamp!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Facebook)

Man Lamp

Merging Of Man

In light of the shutdown due to Coronavirus and nearly everyone doing 100% telework, this cartoon was particularly funny. 

I can't remember--do I work at home or do I live at work?

Maybe this is the ultimate merging of the two halves of ourselves--the worker and the family man/woman.

These days were seeing a lot of mergers like this: 

- Man-machine with embedded technology, robotics, and AI
- Man-environment with environmentalism and greening technologies
- Man-media with social media and other 100% always-on social computing

So why not Man Family-Work, it's just another merger of near equals in our day-to-day lives. ;-)

Merging Of Man

When Planning Is A Joke

This is a wonderful example of horribly bad planning.

The College of Architecture and Planning apparently didn't plan enough space for the "C" of college and so it's plastered to the brick wall at a corner angle.

Talk about irony!

Would you want them teaching your architect and planners?

Oy this is just too classic. ;-)

(Source Photo: Facebook)

When Planning Is A Joke

Pink Bear

Does a pink bear sh*t in the woods?

Like a politician speaks falsehoods!

My dad would rightfully say, "Be careful, don't step in the hoy[t]a!"

Compliments of some good old Native American humor. 

At one point, probably from Reader's Digest! :-)

(Credit Photo; Andy Blumenthal)

Pink Bear

Hear O' Israel

Hear O' Israel,

The L-rd is our G-d,

The L-rd is One!

Hear O' Israel

Holes In The Eyes

IDK who this bust is, and I don't care. 

What I do know is that there are some people (not all) in this world who are very bad people that are blind to truth and good. 

They see themselves not only first and foremost but only themselves--they are truly selfish pr*cks!

Next, they see their buddies from the "old boy's network" where one dirty hand washes the other even dirtier hand. 

They see everyone else as pawns to get what they want--power, money, prestige--and in turn others are for their abuse and as a punching bag.

People born and bred on immediate and self-gratification at the expense of doing what's right. 

Power used to intimidate, to harass, to bully, to step on, to shame, and to kick to the gutter. 

To them it's just what it takes "to make it" in this world. And for them they don't consider what they are giving up in the world to come.

It's an ancient war of good over evil where bad people seem very strong indeed. 

But where we can't cower from a fight for what we know in the end is right.

Where did their eyes go?  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Holes In The Eyes

30,000 Chances To Get It Right

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "30,000 Chances To Get It Right."

Teshuvah (Repentance) is really not just a yearly process, it is a daily one. And 80 years is almost 30,000 days, with every day that we wake up, get up, and start up the process of another day again, we have the opportunity to get it right this day, this time around!

Every day that we awake and arise is a great opportunity to try again where we failed in prior days and we can potentially think holier thoughts, say kinder words, and treat each other better, more compassionately and righteously.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

30,000 Chances To Get It Right

Let Them Eat Cake

Do we see and hear when people are hurting?

Do we pay attention or look away?

Do we even care?

Do we do anything about it?

As queen Marie-Antoinette said when told that her people were starving and had no bread, what did she say? 

Let them eat cake!  

Pray that we are better than that.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Let Them Eat Cake

Seeing Red!

I can't help but see red.

Red is the color of an apple and a strawberry

Red is the color of blood and fire.

Red is when you unfortunately lose money or go broke. 

Red is a can of Coke and the planet Mars.

Red means you got something wrong on the paper or exam.

Red sneakers, that's okay too.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Seeing Red!

Happy Umbrellas!

These are happy umbrellas. 

Designs and color give them life!  

Not sure how good they are for shielding from the soaking rain. 

But they do add some shade in the blazing hot sun. 

Florida tends to be hot, hot, hot.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Happy Umbrellas!

Beautiful Cookware

Thought this was beautiful cookware at the Amazon 4-Star Store.

BTW, can't believe Amazon is now getting into bricks and mortar too!

These enameled cast iron dutch oven pots are colorful and useful. 

In a way, they are too good-looking to use.  

Maybe just put them on the stovetop and let them look pretty. 

There is always the microwave for the real food. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Beautiful Cookware

@Macy's - Cool Minnie Mouse

Huge sales at Macy's today.

They seem to be trying to get rid of all the merchandise built up during Coronavirus.

On line was this stylish lady in an orange dress with a white handbag.

On her arm were happy, playful tattoos, including a Minnie Mouse with her tongue out on her upper arm.

Life goes on with Disney characters cheering us up with or without a global pandemic.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

@Macy's - Cool Minnie Mouse

Finding Reality in a Floating Pink Abstract World

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "Finding Reality in a Floating Pink Abstract World."

But when we return home to our Maker then we'll see beyond time and space what we could never see while we were enveloped in a physical body and a material world. For the spirit survives the life as our L-rd spans infinity and one day too we will rejoin with Him and discover what our eyes could never see and our ears did never hear.

For our heart was hardened of flesh while our soul was molten and deep until eventually we awake from our slumber and find what we always did seek.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Finding Reality in a Floating Pink Abstract World

Stop Child Abuse!

Saw this on a bus in Florida.

It's an important message. 

Take Action. Stop Child Abuse.

Children are innocent! 

The adults who commit the abuse and trafficking are animals. 

If you see something, say something to the authorities.

You may just be saving a child's life.  

Protect our children...they are our future. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Stop Child Abuse!

We Are Comm-unity!

I saw this painted on a storefront window. 

Community, United We Stand. 

With all the polarization these days, is this still true?

Unity is literally built into Comm-unity.

Divided, we tear each other apart. 

Instead, we could accomplish so much together.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

We Are Comm-unity!