Dr. Dating -- Just in time for Hanukkah

Dr. Dating Review for What to Do When You're Dating a Jew:

Any non-Jew who is dating a Jew will quickly find that they know nothing about the Jewish community and what they are hearing and seeing seems pretty much like, well, Yiddish. You want to stay with your Jewish friend and in order to do so, you've got some reading to do! This book is the complete guide you will need in order to make sense of and maybe even fall in love with the life of the Jew in your life.

Holidays, traditions, beliefs and culture are a very important part of any Jew's life. Not only are these things important to your Jewish friend, but they are a very important part of his family. You will learn about what to expect during any special occasion, how to dress for specific Jewish events and even how to order Kosher when eating out.

This highly informative crash course on Judaism will shed some light on your love's religious beliefs, how to deal with his or her family, what the significance of each holiday or ritual is and how to avoid offending his family or embarrassing yourself when together. This book is far more than a tutorial on the Jewish faith with anecdotes from other interfaith couples, jokes, suggestions and more. While this is a wonderful learning tool for anyone involved with a Jewish person, it can also act as your survival guide!

A Special Thanks to the Interfaith Organizations

for reviewing and recommending "What to Do When You're Dating a Jew":

Jewish Family and Children's Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties, CA

Dovetail Institute for Interfaith Family Resources, Boston, KY

Rabbi B, Swampscott, MA

Jewish Outreach Institute, New York, NY

Good Reads and more "Dating a Jew" mentions

Thanks to these sites and reviewers!

GoodReads.com
MavenSearch
Jewlicious
Boinkology (oh, my!)

Shiksapedia

Found on shiksapedia.blogspot.com:

Book Review:What to Do When You're Dating a Jew

In What to Do When You're Dating a Jew, two nice and very funny Jewish girls, Vikki Weiss and Jennifer A. Block, attempt to "keep you from ordering a ham and cheese sandwich in a kosher deli or planning a party to celebrate the Jewish New Year. Think of it as a little advance warning about what you are getting into by dating a Jew. You'll thank us later."

I wish I could have read it many years ago when I fell in love with Fred, but alas--or rather, oy veh--this delightful book wasn't published until 2000. If you want to learn a lot and laugh until your kishkes hurt, it's Must Reading. The authors can be irreverent and politically incorrect in a way we shiksas never could, even if we knew the stuff, which we don't, which is why we need the book....

For example, in the chapter on holidays they write, "Some may be disappointed that the High Holy Days have nothing to do with marijuana. These same people will take comfort in learning that there is a big feast at the end. But you've got to suffer a little to get there."

Have you ever wondered if synagogue, temple, and shul are the same? Weiss and Block explain it all for you: "Orthodox Jews usually use the word shul. Conservative Jews say they are going to synagogue. Reform Jews go to temple, but not often."
This breezy how-to-fit-in book doesn't tackle very serious issues such as conversion, spirituality, and morality. Sprinkled with recipes, anecdotes, and jokes, What to Do When You're Dating a Jew introduces you to holidays, jewish food, and the major stages and rituals in Jewish life, love, and death. So read it already!

Dating a Jew on Brandeis

Hadassah Brandeis Institute magazing of Brandeis University

Yes, JDate might be the most well known online dating site for Jews out there. But it's certainly not the only one. Below are some other services you might want to check out if your New Year's resolution was to try new ways to find a nice, (hot), Jewish soulmate. ... And if you find him/her, here are some books you might want to explore to stay on track: What to Do When You're Dating a Jew: Everything You Need to Know from Matzah Balls to Marriage (Paperback) by Vikki Weiss and Jennifer A. Block (Three Rivers Press, 2000).

Theys all growed up!

I love coming across books I've nurtured in their infancy that have blossomed into real, live publications. I helped out Christina Harbridge of Allegory Training by proofreading her book, Your Professionalism Is Killing You: How to be a Better Communicator by Being Yourself. Interesting stuff:

After crawling on her belly over broken glass in a real tough industry, our founder realized the intellectual property she used to transform one industry applies to kitchen tables and board rooms throughout out the globe. Inside the covers of this book are thoughts meant to inspire you to raise your fist or holler a two-hands-up-rollercoaster-like whoo hoo! These road tested concepts will help you communicate to be heard and remembered.

Andover beginnings

This cracks me up. From the Memorial Hall Library (Andover, Mass.) site:

OTHER AUTHORS WITH ANDOVER CONNECTIONS
Jennifer Block

What to Do When You're Dating a Jew: everything you need to know from matzo balls to marriage (2000) coauthored with Vikki Weiss. Jennifer grew up in Andover, graduated from Andover High in 1987, and has a Journalism degree from Boston University. She now lives with her husband in San Francisco.

Referrals = One Degree of Separation

One of the best ways to grow your business is through referrals from friends and happy customers. Use these tips to get more and make sure they pay off:

1. Put your business card to work by adding a tagline that tells people what you do at a glance. Offer a few cards to friends and colleagues, and simply ask, "Would you mind passing these on to anyone you know who needs a ___________ ?" Be specific about what you do and the type of client you're looking for to trigger associations. Keep connectors -- colleagues with many contacts -- stocked with cards since they're often your best sales people.

2. Make your email newsletter content interesting and relevant, and include a send-to-a-friend link so it's easy for readers to forward.

3. Set referral goals with fun rewards. Whether it's asking for two referrals each week or elevating the level of referrals you receive, strive to reach a specific goal and enjoy a reward to stay motivated. The real payoff will be new business and increased confidence asking for referrals, so start now for long-term success.

4. Think of your five best clients. Let them know you're looking for more clients exactly like them. Ask if they know anyone who needs the type of service or product you provide for them, and if they would make an introduction. Most people will be flattered and happy to help.

5. Initiate the referral process and create IOUs. People are more willing to help if it’s not always one-sided. (Plus, it feels good!)

6. Make the most of a referral when you get it. Go the extra mile for the referred prospect and call the person who referred you to say thanks, or send a personal note or gift card whether or not you got the business.


For more great marketing advice, drop J&J Marketing a line at 415-793-4606 or info@2jsmarketing.com.

Smart Closet Makeovers

Came across these Amazon reviews, which I hadn't seen before, for Smart Closet Makeovers (Sunset Books). I was the managing editor, and ended up wearing the hats of project manager and photo stylist as well. (The latter is definitely not my forte. Big thanks to real photo stylists Laura Del Fava and Julie Maldonado for taking over!)

Closet space can be a reality, June 22, 2008 By Angela Schmidt (Knoxville, TN)

Great color photos, lots of good info on how to organize and arrange your closets. Not only for clothes closets, but this also gives details on turning a small closet into an office, pantry, etc. Great decorative schemes, and so many ideas you won't know what to do with. I like the before and afters.

An absolutely excellent book! , March 23, 2007 By dakwriter

No holds barred, this closet makeover book is the best! Highly practical in its format, giving solutions for storage for small and large spaces, instructions and ideas are presented in a very clear way. Makeovers range from the extremely simple (adding another shelf) to the complex and everything in between. If this book doesn't inspire you to redesign your closet to suit YOUR needs, nothing will!

Subdue That Messy Closet, October 24, 2006 By Virginia Allain (retired librarian, Poinciana, FL)

I can always count on Sunset books for good info, clear photos and good coverage on a topic. This books tells how to get the most from your closet space. I like that this doesn't just tackle the clothes closet, but also covers pantries, utility closets, craft closets and office closets. When I hear of people renting storage facilities for their excess things, it makes me realize we need to streamline and organize. The books tells how to get more space in your closets by adding shelves and organizing systems. It also tells how to purge some of the overflow. The projects include step-by-step directions.

Recommended for anyone needing to make their closets more efficient, more elegant, more esthetic, or simply better organized, August 8, 2006 By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)

Profusely illustrated throughout, Smart Closet Makeovers offers step-by-step instructions on basic shelf building, practical tips on putting together "ready-to-assemble" kits, and shows how to effectively upgrade light fixtures to brighten a closet. There are literally dozens of examples of closet configurations to select from for any weekend do-it-yourself closet makeover project. Readers will also discover new and useful storage products that will increase the capacity, accessibility, and orderliness of any closet. Enhanced with a special bonus section showcasing forty-four organizing ideas applicable to any area of the home, Smart Closet Makeovers is enthusiastically recommended for anyone needing to make their closets more efficient, more elegant, more esthetic, or simply better organized.

Juicy Jews?

Thanks to whoever is behind the blog Juicy Jews for quoting an article that ran in the J. Jewish Bulletin of Northern California. It was an interview with me and Vikki and mentions the Passover section from What to Do When You're Dating a Jew.

This is actually a very cute story……and one that MOST of us can probably relate to in our own ever expanding family faux pas..:-) ( I think I did something like this once a Catholic Mass while at a wedding with an old girlfriend). I'm not sure if the book is still in print (it's an old story!) but funny nonetheless!

Alison Weiss (née Johnson) was at her first seder at her in-laws. The table was decorated with matzah covers, a seder plate and a figurine of a baby in a basket that her nephew had made in school. "Who's this? Baby Jesus?" Weiss asked. "All surrounding conversations came to a halt. My 2-year-old nephew yelled, 'No! It's Baby Moses!'""It took me a couple of years to live that down," she said.Had Weiss read "What to Do When You're Dating a Jew," she would have been more prepared.Weiss' blunder is one of the many scenarios that interfaith couples share in this amusing new book, subtitled "Everything You Need to Know From Matzah Balls to Marriage," by two Bay Area authors.The idea for the book originated with Vikki Weiss of Mill Valley (of no relation to Alison), whose two sisters and brother all married non-Jews."There were no big faux pas in my family, but I saw the potential," she said. "I realized a handy guidebook would be useful."So, she spoke with her friend Jennifer A. Block, who lives in San Francisco. The pair work in marketing and had met while employed by Wells Fargo. They were both transplants to the Bay Area, Weiss from the Chicago area and Block from a suburb of Boston. Both are 31.With the high rates of intermarriage and their own experience with it — Block is married to a non-Jew; Weiss is single, but has dated primarily non-Jews — they certainly knew there were some people who could benefit from a book such as this.

Play Ball

In honor of the beginning of baseball season, I'm posting a few mastheads I wrote for Bank of America MLB Extra Bases program. Leveraging the winning MLB World Series team, the designer and I create 1 static mastheads for the deposits devision with a general message and 2 static mastheads for credit card group that directed to application, all with sign off from the MLB. The target was fans who were pumped about their World Series-winning team and looking for team merchandise to show their pride.

With such a small amount of copy, it was tough to write something fresh, eye-catching and on target. Plus, no one at BOA was ever sure what got trademark symbols and what didn't, something that really bugged this proofreader. (The second and third banners are the ones that ran.) Let me know what you think.

Social networking: boon or bane of your existence?

Facebook is all about cheap thrills, like finding out that your 9th grade social date (who moved away the following summer) is still cute or that 20 years later, the popular kids are more than happy to "friend" the formerly geeky. But how does it work in the business world? I've been testing the bounds of LinkedIn for promoting my business, J&J Marketing, and my own writing and editing career.

Last month, I used the "ask a question" function: The subject was "How to you get referrals" and the question was "How do you entice colleagues, clients, and friends to send you referrals? I'm looking for fresh ideas for an article/white paper." I sent the question out to all of my LinkedIn connections (about 150) and got more than 30 responses. And what I got was an interesting mixture. The majority sent back thoughtful ideas on generating leads and goodwill. A good portion assumed I was asking about getting recommendations/testimonials from coworkers and clients, which is part of it, I guess. And handful thought I was fishing for recommendations and complied by posted kudos for me on my LinkedIn page (thanks!). Julie and I are writing a white paper which will compile all of the creative methods I received and will post it soon.

Not exactly timely...

If you ever wanted to know what the 2007 Top 5 Trends in Outdoor Living, check out this article I wrote as an insert for the Reed Business publication Professional Builder. And a friend posted the article using issuu, so it has a more tactical feel (the pages appear to turn) than just a PDF. Unfortunately, the pages are not in order.

I also wrote about the 2008 top trends in outdoor living for the same pub. As you can imagine, not much changes from year to year, making this a surprisingly tough piece to write.

You've Met Your Match

Looking to push these personalized credit cards, Bank of America wanted a friendly campaign that relayed the many card options of MyExpression Banking while still being accessible. I developed the concept and wrote copy for flash mastheads. The wonderful Marsha Knight designed the creative.

Like every other writer out there, I constantly Google my books and name to see what pops up. I just found this in the blogsphere, which made my day:

"If I had read a book like What to Do When You’re Dating a Jew when I was first introduced to the Jewish community, it would have made it easier for me to connect, or at least to understand. The book is aimed at non-Jews who want to know all about interacting and fitting into Jewish families with as little friction as possible. It has lots of down-to-earth information." (Lynne on Jewish stuff: Lynne's paper)

We're remodeling a rental unit, so we're on a first name basis with several Home Depot employees. On our last trip there, I was thrilled to see two of my Sunset books on the racks: Smart Closet Makeovers and Backyards for Kids. For the first one, I remade my husband's closet into Scrapbooking Central (much to his surprise!). For Backyards for Kids, I enlisted Dave to help build a play structure and a kids' log cabin (on the cover), so look for him on the pages. (Photography by Michele Lee Willson and styling by Lara Del Fava.)

Perhaps this is a sign of the times: Back in 2006, I wrote several chapters for Reader's Digest's Free Money, Free Stuff. Just came across an Ohio library site that says the book is checked out of 9 library locations. Good reading in tough times.

Ah, a big gap since my last post. Right now I'm working on an profile for ReadyMade magazine about super sweet Given Campbell wallpaper. These motifs make you want to get up and dance to '70s mod music. Best of all, Given prints by hand with eco-friendly ink, so what's good for your wall is also good for the environment. Look for the piece in ReadyMade issue #41 (June/July 09).

Bank of America Online Banking ads

Here's another masthead I wrote for the Bank of America Online Banking group.

Bank of America Military Banking projects

The Military Banking campaigns I wrote are online now. See more here:

https://www.bankofamerica.com/military