Literally, a Blog Post about Nothing

Blogging, family, happiness, health related issues, humor, lessons learned, Teaching and Education 1 Minute

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

Published by Jim Borden

A 60-something guy trying to figure out the world, and his place in it. Happily married for 40-plus years, three wonderful sons. Accounting teacher, fitness enthusiast, blogger, reader.

Published

69 thoughts on “Literally, a Blog Post about Nothing”

  1. 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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    1. 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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  2. 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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  7. 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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    1. 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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  10. 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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  11. 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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    1. 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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      1. 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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      2. 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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      3. 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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      5. 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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      7. 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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  14. 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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    1. 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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  20. 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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