Welcome
So, I've been pissed about this forever, and while I like to think of myself as a nice person, a more than reasonable man, that's not what's showing up recently.
I try to come up with reasons to justify this site, maybe save someone else the bother, provide a reality check, something like that. Yeah, but when I look back at myself, I just didn't listen. So why would you? Unless you are like me (but maybe a little more clear on what makes you tick), and then I feel sorry for you.
You see, I've got high standards, and am relatively unforgiving in certain areas. The upshot is I'm mostly just angry, with occasional bouts of unreasonable hopefulness.
So what this was supposed to be about was a “house in Israel.” We just finished building one. This enterprise was a colossal waste of time, and in the end, I didn't get the house I wanted anyway.
But I did learn some lessons, and maybe in the end they are worth sharing.
First maybe a bit about myself. I am David Herz. I am 50 perfect years old. I have four beautiful children (who somehow came out so much better than I have), and an amazing and accomplished wife (Sharleen, amazing dentist, mom, coach, cook, crafts person, daughter, and a few other things).
I am proud to be a lawyer, still admitted in three jurisdictions: in the US, in Connecticut and New York (I used to count New Jersey and Pennsylvania as well, but I've allowed one license to lapse, the other is in inactive/retired status), internationally in Israel (no surprise there), a licensed teacher in Israel, as a dead friend of mine put it “a whip-smart, good guy,” but he intoxicated himself to his end, so….
As to language, I tend toward the prescriptivist, with a few rules I like to break anyway. Garner is a good guide if you are interested.
My pet peeves are Israelis and table manners, and I might just skewer you in a most unmannerly way if you cross certain red lines, but then I might just mutter or curse you under my breath and put you on my list of people I want nothing to do with.
It bothers the crap out of me that people are unthinking when they have the ability to, and that they don't step up in certain ways. I suppose I am still routinely surprised by how stupid stupid can be, but I know you can't fix stupid, so that bothers me less.
What this blog is about
As I said above, we just built a house (not with our own hands, though that would have been much, much more satisfying), and it was my frustration with that process that got me started with a new domain name.
But I realise (as to rule-breaking, I love starting sentences with conjunctions) that my frustration probably runs a little deeper; so I will give myself permission to reach back a little before this house fiasco as I vent.
The truth is I wish you (or is it me) Peace, as much as I like to [say I] hate people, and if you've any doubt about that, I invite you to check out my 6096 answers on Quora (1.9 million views) helping people get some perspective and move forward powerfully in their relationships.
I hope you are amused, enlightened, maybe catch a glimpse of a side of yourself you hate…and find a better way to be (I've got a course for you if you are interested), maybe find a compatriot or kindred voice that can provide you some perspective I am obviously missing as you move forward in life.
And I hope that the house you build is the one you want.