I’ve often said my blog is like the Seinfeld show, in that I also reap millions of dollars in royalties from my old blog posts.
Actually, it’s more like Seinfeld because most of my blogs are about nothing, and have no redeeming qualities.
And many of the comments I have received over the years offer confirmation of such nothingness.
So I figured, why fight it, I may as well write a post about nothing, literally.
This post was inspired by a wonderful post from a fellow blogger, Debby Gies, in which she talks about the importance of self-care. In her post, she mentions the Berkeley Well-Being Quiz, which is designed to “explore the multiple aspects of your well-being”.
Since I love these sorts of quizzes, I clicked on the link and began the short quiz (less than five minutes to complete). Many of the questions focused on one’s perceived level of happiness across several domains. After completing the quiz, I entered my email address, hit enter, and received a message that I would receive my results in about three minutes. I was already looking forward to writing a blog post about my results.
Well, three minutes went by, and nothing. So I tried another email account, the same result. I then tried the original email address, still no luck. And I checked my spam folder; there was nothing there. It’s now been a few hours, and I have not received the results of my well-being quiz.
I don’t think I’m ever going to get them.
I’d like to say I’m not happy about this, but that would not be a healthy way of handling such a situation.
So I’ll just look on the bright side.
At least I got a blog post out of it, even though there was literally nothing to write about…
*image from Berkeley Well-Being Institute
I read Debby’s article today too, Jim, but I didn’t take the Well-Being Quiz. Let’s hope that they’re not sending your test off for a second opinion.
I know you like to poke fun at yourself with your self-deprecating style of humor, but if your blog was actually about nothing, you wouldn’t have your regular throng of fans. One of the reasons I like your blog so much is the unpredictability of the topics. I have trouble coming up with something to write about once a week, let alone, every day. Remember if you ever get stuck for a topic, your “tire fans” are still waiting.
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thanks, Pete! And talk about unpredictability, I usually don’t know what I am going to write about each day until about 30 minutes before I start! and fortunately those tire fans are still out there 🙂
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20 minutes before you start? Sounds like me, though there are a lot of times I don’t know until I actually begin typing! Other than knowing the name of some of the characters. LOL!
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it is fun to see what the end result will be… 🙂
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Yes, that is exciting. 🙂
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I believe that awhile back, you gave a good review to the movie “Creed.” I remembered that, and got a chance to watch it the other day. It was pretty good. I plan to watch “Creed II” in the near future. So there’s some redeeming value to at least one of your posts. In fact, there have been other times when your reviews and suggestions have led me in a rewarding direction.
So even though your current post is about nothing, I’ve decided to make this comment about something.
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I remember mentioning Creed in passing a couple of times, it was a great movie. glad you enjoyed it.
and thank you for the kind words!
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You’re welcome. I meant those kind words.
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much appreciated…
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That was very meta.
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I try…
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If you can make ‘nothing’ sound interesting, then you really are onto something. I like seeing creativity in these forms, so thank you for the inspiration, Jim!
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Seinfeld became a zillionaire from a show about nothing 🙂
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And that’s the reason why I stopped doing those online quizzes.
Once upon a time they were on paper, and all you had to do is flip to the end of the magazine, match and add up your points. 🙂
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so much for technology!
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Even writing about nothing is still entertaining and the comments are often more so…:) x
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thanks, Carol. And I agree, the comments are usually better than the post!
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Oh I’d love to hear about the results or at least the variation of wellbeing from unwell to very well?? Lol curious to know when you get results bc I’m interested in taking the quiz but not if I’ll never ever know the wellness of my being!! The curiosity alone might kill me! 😭😂 Side note, I’ve never watched Seinfeld but if it’s anything like your blog, maybe i ought to give it a chance?!? 🙂
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I want to know the results as well, but now it is 12 hours later, and still no results. I will try it again today and if I get the results, that will give me something else to write about!
I thought Seinfeld was great, but some of the shows may be a bit dated at this point…
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Well written! I wonder who they are passing your email address on to?
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thank you, Tandy. Good question!
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And what does that then say about us, you loyal merry band of readers??))
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I think some people like reading my blog because it makes them realize how much better their own blog is… 🙂
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Philosophically, I would argue that “nothing” is something. Or more accurately, the lack of something is something. Okay, I am not sure exactly how to word that idea, but it is the whole reason we have a number like “zero”. Even though it symbolizes nothing, it is vital and important when adding everything up.
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and my blog is ground zero for nothingness…
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I looked at the test but didn’t take it – why do they want to know all that about me? I’d be less suspicious if the test just gave you your result without the need for an email address that they say will probably be blocked anyway.
As for writing about nothing, I’m afraid Bill the Bard beat you to it…
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I am going to try the quiz one more time today to see what happens. I’m hoping I get the results, mainly so I have something to blog about…
and I’m always one step behind that Bill guy… much ado…
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Good luck! Now that you’ve put a link to it in your blog they may be watching every move you make, so be on your guard 😂
Bill was ahead of most of us, in time and ability.
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we can add them to the long list of companies that are probably tracking everything I do…
and this is embarrassing to admit, but I really don’t know Bill’s work that well. I couldn’t tell you the difference between Macbeth and Hamlet… (but at least I’ve heard of them, if that counts for anything…)
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And so say all of us!
No shame in admitting that – why should you have read him or seen his plays? I studied Macbeth for O level (taken at 16) and Hamlet for A level (at 18), then did a course on him at uni. Can I remember any of it now? Hell no!
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well, Mr. Shakespeare was one of the most influential writers ever, so I feel I should know a few of his works. I am sure you remember more than you may realize…
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Fair point, but I’m not sure how much he would have featured on the school syllabus over there.
My abiding memory is of the Macbeth exam. One of the questions asked us to explain the significance of the second appearance of the three witches. My Eng Lit teacher asked me what I wrote and when I told him he had that ‘this boy is a fool’ look as he pointed out that I’d written about their third appearance. I still passed so I guess my other answers must have been alright!
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second appearance, third appearance, does it really matter 🙂
at least it showed you read further in the play beyond the second appearance!
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It mattered at the time! All I can recall is that the appearances were both significant but for different reasons, not that I could tell you now what either of them is. I think it was a given that we’d have read the whole play! 😂
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I never know for certain if students read everything I assign them…
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There’s an element of trust in there, isn’t there. It’s to their advantage if they do read it, though.
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Not getting a response to the survey would be a blow to my well being.
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it was to mine as well. I wonder if I take it again, if my score will be lower…
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Good point. I definitely wouldn’t take the test again. My score would be lower and then my well being would take another blow when they didn’t report that score.
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fortunately I did not need to take it again, there results were there all the time, in a quarantined email…
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It kind of feels like a psychological experimental experiment, doesn’t it? Maybe you’ll have a post with your results tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
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it could be. how many times will someone keep taking the test until they realize there will be no results…
I plan to try one more time later today to see what happens…
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Well not really about nothing… it’s about strong, clever, irreverent writing. I’m concerned that you gave 2 email addresses out and you’re going to start receiving a tidal wave of spam. I once took an IQ test and gave my email address for the results. No results but a never ending stream of spam came in after that.
I’m interviewing audit firms this week for a future engagement. Some of the discussion reminded me of something funny that happened while working at home at the start of the pandemic. A conversation between my daughter Sophie and me:
Sophie: Hey dad, whatcha working on?
Me: A capitalization policy for work
Sophie: Um, how about the first letter of each sentence?
Maybe you can use this in your class when you discuss capital assets.
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still no results, but I have not seen increase in spam, but I could see how that is possible.
good luck with your interviews.
and that’s a funny story about your daughter. I like the way she thinks – combining accounting with grammar!
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Jim- sorry, somehow your results were sent to me by accident. They said your well-being was excellent for a man your age and nothing else.
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maybe by accident I entered your email address…
well, I like that’s it’s short and sweet…
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I wish you success to equal Seinfeld’s/
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thanks, Norah!
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Did you check your spam?? Your results email may have gone to your spam.
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they weren’t in spam, but we also have something called a daily quarantine email, and somehow it ended up in there…
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Oh I see- well glad you were able to retrieve it!
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yes – I was able to get two blog posts out of it!
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Hmm, out of nothing comes something. Only a master thespian can ever achieve this level of greatness. I need to hurry along just in case there is really something in Part 2 . . . The Sequel.
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no need to rush, trust me…
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Sometimes I’ll get through a whole quiz and when they ask for my email at the end, I say forget it and exit out.
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I’ve done that a few times as well. But this one I felt ok with, since it was located at Berkeley.
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I wonder if that was the purpose of the quiz and the ‘promise’ of an analysis.? There was no one to tell you your true level of well being but yourself! And it then enabled you to say – who needs a quiz to tell me all these things – I know in my heart what they are.
A very good blog idea – but certainly about something!
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hmmm… I hadn’t thought about that possibility. that would have been a very clever psychological maneuver!
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Never underestimate the psychology of these quizzes!
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I’ll be more careful in the future! 🙂
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Jim, I’m cracking right up! So hilarious how a post about nothing could be so funny. And thanks for the mention, and I’m sorry about the bogus response. LOL 🙂
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I’m glad you enjoyed it, Debby. But eventually I found their response 🙂
And I have you to thank for getting two posts out of this!
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Lol, just hyserical. Yes, I read the 2nd post. Of course I had to! 🙂
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I’m just glad I discovered that hidden email the next day; otherwise it would have been just one blog post! 🙂
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Lolllllllllllll 🙂
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Perhaps no news is good news.
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but the waiting is hard… 🙂
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Yes!
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👍
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