Archive for January, 2010

A Cappella Fest

As planned, Moe, our friend Ziva, and I went to A Cappella Fest. Overall it was a great event, though it was different than I was expecting.

We were informed that the doors opened at 7:30, so that’s when we planned to arrive. It was a frigid outside and we had to walk a few blocks from where the train dropped us off to get to the synagogue. However, when we arrived, all of the doors were locked. We checked our watches which read “7:28.” They couldn’t possibly leave us out in the cold just because we came 2 minutes too early. We tried to get the attention of the people inside, which proved difficult. Read More…

January 31, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Cure for Boredom  2 Comments

Boredom (Week 1): A Cappella Fest

For the first week of the Cure for Boredom, Moe and I decided to go to the 4th Annual A Cappella Fest presented by Congregation Kehillath Israel and Mishkan Tefila. The performance will be held at the Congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline, Massachusetts on Saturday and Sunday this week and tickets are only $15 (proceeds benefit Ethiopian Early Childhood Education in Haifa and the Mitzvah Heroes Fund).

As a member of an Acappella group myself, I am a huge fan of the music genre. A lot of schools from around Massachusetts and elsewhere are sending their groups to the fest including Berklee, Boston University, Harvard, Brown, and many others. It should be a great, entertaining evening.

Moe and I, plus another friend of ours, are planning to go on Saturday night and I know we are all looking forward to it.

January 28, 2010   Posted in: Cure for Boredom  No Comments

New Goal: Drop and Give Me 100?!

Lately I’ve been thinking more and more about fitness and strength. For me personally, I’m in good physical shape and eat relatively healthfully; however, I’m not very consistent with any of these areas. And since I am thinking about becoming a physical educator and trainer, it makes sense for me to start a stable program.

That being said, one program that interested me was the “One Hundred Push-Ups” program. You may have heard of it, since there are a number of spin-offs and variations. I decided, what the heck, why not give it a shot? Supposedly, anyone can do it, and if I’m as in shape as I think I am, it should be a piece of cake. Or several pieces of cake. Or several pieces of low-calorie cake. Read More…

January 26, 2010  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: 100 Push Ups  4 Comments

New Goal: The Cure for Boredom

Hoorah! As you can see from the title, I am starting up a new goal. And this one should be a lot of fun.

In fact, having fun is the basis of the goal itself. I call it “The Cure for Boredom.” It all began when my friend Moe and I were talking about things to do one weekend. I said that another friend of mine was throwing a party. And though I like my friend and like to hang out with her, “party” usually means a lot of drinking and a lot of people in a small space.

Both Moe and I are not big drinkers (in fact, I don’t drink at all), so going to parties like these are rarely all that fun for either of us. However, we also recognized that it seems as if that’s the only think people our age bother doing for fun. Moe then posed a question to me: “What is fun to do in the city at night that doesn’t require alcohol or a lot of money?” Read More…

January 25, 2010  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: Cure for Boredom  No Comments

Missed Opportunities, Part Deux

I get incredibly frustrated when I have an opportunity and fail to take it. The last time I talked about Missed Opportunities is when I explained how I’d come up with a great plan that never works because I already missed my chance. I also know that there are times when I could certainly take advantage of an opportunity, but don’t because of some fear in myself.

Just earlier today I was to plan a workshop for the church group I co-organize. The group has been going through a period of low attendance lately, so I prepared myself for the possibility that only a few people would show. The workshop I had in mind was low-key, but it did require at least four or five people (including me) to be there. Unfortunately, it ended up being me and one other person. Read More…

January 22, 2010   Posted in: Stories  No Comments

Method #6: You Don’t Have to Call

You know what has really bothered me much of my life? The tendency for people to fall into the thinking that there are a set of gender roles that we cannot break away from. For example, who says a guy has to be the one to pay for dinner? Or that he is supposed to pick the girl up and not the other way around? I suppose it has an evolutionary basis and men are naturally supposed to court females. Guys do tend to have more trouble getting women interested in them, so it makes sense that they are expected to pamper a romantic interest.

Those matters don’t bother me so much (perhaps they would if I were more successful in finding a date), but what really gets me is the expectation that men must ask out women. I’ve met a lot of women who felt it wouldn’t be appropriate to ask a guy out. Generally speaking, if they did they would be more successful than if I guy did. Men would love to be asked out. However, a lot of girls say that they would feel uncomfortable doing so. My response is, “Now you know how we feel…” Read More…

January 21, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Methods  No Comments

New Honorable Mention Segment

With the success of my previous BlogCarnival, I have decided to make this into a recurring segment of the blog. I am calling it the “Street Saint’s Honorable Mention.”

On selected months I will request that other bloggers submit content to me via BlogCarnival based on a particular theme. The theme will most likely be based on the goal I am working towards at that particular point.

I believe my Honorable Mention will be a good chance for me to bring in unique thoughts from other bloggers and it is also a good way for bloggers to have their content seen. So, if you are a blogger, be sure to check my theme of the month and you may be able to submit content from your own blog. Read More…

January 20, 2010   Posted in: Honorable Mention  2 Comments

Why “Be The Change”?

I’m sure most of you are familiar with the pivotal words of Mahatma Gandhi, but if not, then consider this your much needed education. “Be the change” as a phrase has been a meaningful (and perhaps overused) saying ever since Gandhi’s death in 1948.

The words are a call (a demand perhaps) for people to be more accountable for their actions. To recognize how their choices can leave a huge effect on the people around them and the world. Everyone knows what qualities are seen as most desirable in people: respect, honesty, trust, compassion, patience, intelligence, just to name a few. Most people know what the “right” choice to make is, even if they decide to do the opposite. Read More…

January 18, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: General  No Comments

More Updates

Only two days left until I return to Boston and start up the semester again. I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. Lots of great stuff planned!

As for Be the Change, it means I’m getting back to the goal game. I’m nearing the home stretch of my first goal and, at this point, odds do not look great for me. :(

However, I’m staying hopeful. I’m ending my semi-hiatus when I return, so I’ll be back to sending you all frequent updates of my progress. Also, I’m planning to take on another goal soon (perhaps early February), so be sure to check back for that! Read More…

January 17, 2010   Posted in: General  No Comments

Brand Spanking New Site

Perhaps I should have called this post “Name Creation.” Nevertheless, Street Saint’s Blog is no longer called Street Saint’s Blog. Instead, the title is “Be The Change.”

The title Be The Change comes from Mahatma Gandhi’s famous quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I figure, since this blog is about change and working to achieve both long-term and short-term goals, why not have a title that reflects the sentiment?

In light of this change, I am also going to be focusing the blog more so on my goals. In short, I will no longer be publishing general content on self-help, personal development, or mental health.

Don’t worry! I’m not abandoning this pursuit altogether. I’ll still write more tangential content; however, with a different focus comes, yes, you guessed it! a NEW BLOG! Read More…

January 10, 2010   Posted in: General  No Comments