J.J. Goodman: Writings, Musings and More

It's been one of those weeks.   I don't know how to describe it accurately, which means this post is going to be a bunch of words that, at times, will ramble, will make little sense, or will be so poignant to some of you that you will simultaneous appreciate and regret reading them. Yes, it's going to be one of those posts.   Over the years I've been writing this blog, one thing about which I have not been shy is my own emotional state. As a writer I firmly believe that I have to be honest on these pages if I'm to earn your readership and respect. I've shared a lot about myself, from my failures, including failed marriages, to my triumphs, and pretty much everything in between. There's not a lot about this writer you haven't come to learn since I first began this blog on July 27, 2011, with the exception of my true, given name; even astute readers, however, have probably come to figure that out fairly easily, as well. One prominent aspe

I don't like to think on Monday's as it is. I don't like to adult on Mondays. I do not like Mondays with some ham, I do not like Mondays with guys named Sam.   (Oh dear cripes. Please go have some more coffee, Dr. Seuss.)   I'm just getting started. See, here's the thing. I saw a bumper sticker this morning on my drive downtown, and it got me thinking. Like, deep, philosophical stuff. Who needs that on a Monday morning?   (Not you, apparently….)   Right?? But yet, here we are. So, I'm thinking, which means you get words. Lots of 'em.   (*sigh* Let me get my coffee, then.)   There I was driving on the expressway, and the car in front of me, going ever so slowly in the passing lane, has a bumper sticker that says "No Jesus, No Peace." My first thought was how I could write an entire blog post about how drivers that display religious bumper stickers are, in my general experience, stereotypically poor d

You know what phrase I hate?   (Oh boy, here we go….)   "Life hack."   (*grabs popcorn* This is gonna be good….)   Seriously. "If you turn the tab on a soda can around, you can put a straw in it! Life hack!"   *blink blink*   THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR.   Utilizing something for its intended purpose is not a life hack. Frankly, utilizing something for a purpose for which it is not intended is not a life hack, either.   You. Cannot. Hack. Life.   It's called living .   I see so many of these stupid life hack videos and posts online, and I can't help but think to myself: when did people get so stupid that they think themselves brilliant for doing simple things?   Fill an ice cube tray with coffee and use the frozen coffee to cool your hot coffee! Life hack! Take a thing and use it as another thing! Life hack! Use string to tie things! LIFE HACK!!!!!!!!   Shut. Up.   Do p