I launched The Teri Tome on March 18, 2015.

I was actually ready to roll it out earlier in March, but it was imperative to me that I waited until the 18^th.

Why you ask?

Because for Jews, the number 18 has reverential status. The Jewish prayer, usually read silently, and known as the Amidah is also called the “Shmoneh Esreh,” meaning “The Eighteen,” which refers to the number of separate blessings that originally comprised the prayer.

Additionally, in the Jewish numerological tradition of gematria, the number 18 has long been viewed as corresponding to the Hebrew word “chai,” meaning “alive,” derived by adding the eight and tenth letters of the Hebrew alphabet, chet and yud.

According to Wikipedia, gematria is Greek, meaning geometry and is an Assyro-Babylonian-Greek system of code and numerology.

Gematria was at some point adopted into Jewish culture where a numerical value to a word or phrase was assigned in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other or bear some relation to the number itself.

Many Jews who write a check on the occasion of a celebratory event, will use a multiple of $18, which is synonymous with “l’chaim,” or “To Life.” So if you ever receive a check from a Jew with an odd numerical value like $270, you’ll know why.

My husband and I like to tell the following anecdote regarding a used car we once purchased in Florida while visiting family. The next door neighbor of my sister-in-law quoted us a price of $17,500 for the purchase of his several-year-old Mercedes E350. My husband made a counter offer—of $18,000. The neighbor looked at us like we were nuts, but he immediately shouted, “Sold!” He thought he’d gotten one over on us, but that car ran like a lucky charm and gave us many years of good riding.  So there.

Back to The Teri Tome.

By the end of 2015, I had written 59 posts. Out of the 59 posts, 35% of them, representing the top 20, have garnered anywhere from a high of 10,470 hits for the #1 post, to a low of 1,023 for the #20 post.

Now I’m not sure if these are impressive numbers or not, but they’re good enough for me.

Although 36% representing the top 18 posts, would have been my preferred numbers of choice. And if you’ve been paying attention to the above verbiage in this blog post, you know why.

Anyway, here are the links to my top 20 blog posts for 2015.

Drum roll, please…

#1: My Sun Phobia—Just Call Me Draculess
I am no fan of the sun. And believe you me, the sun doesn’t like me either.

#2: My Arduous Journey from Bridgeport to Westport—and What I Never Should Have Worn
Nothing like throwing a little Bridgeport fashion into the Westport shee-shee mix. NOT.

#3: Bullies Are Cowards and Why I Refuse To Turn the Other Cheek
I despise bullies. There is nothing worse than a coward who takes other people down to bring themselves up.

#4: How to Market Your Book
I’m still trying to figure this one out. My marketing skills are a work in progress, but I hope this post gives people a few solid tips.

#5: Writing the Perfect Book Blurb in 25 Words
I’m really proud I was able to do this. Come on, saying anything in 25 words for me is near impossible.

#6: Wedding Centerpieces that Won’t Cost You the World Versus Wedding Centerpieces that Can Save the World
This title doesn’t really work. What I really wanted to say was, stop spending ridiculous money on those stupid flowers. There has to be something else you can put on your wedding tables, girls.

#7: ISIS Seizes Syrian City of Palmyra: One of the Most Important Cultural Centers of the Ancient World
Another treasure lost to the maniac fanatics out there.

#8:  Addiction, Depression, Suicide, Chronic Pain and Their Symbiotic Link
While reading this post, if you think I’ve made a mishmash out of addiction, depression, suicide and chronic pain, it’s because they are all linked and related in so many unfortunate ways. A heartbreaking and devastating mishmash.

#9: My Elusive Father and the Chance Meeting I Blew
I spent a lifetime dreaming of one day meeting my father. And there he was unbeknownst to me—sitting right next to me at a local Westport bar.

#10: American Express Small Business Saturday
I get it. American Express was tired of shoppers abusing their awards program, so they canceled it. But they could have easily limited the promotion to one card per person, and that would have been the end of the abuse.

#11: Happy Mother’s Day!
In 1868, this special day was organized to allow mothers of Union and Confederate soldiers to come together in the hopes of eliminating the divide between them, as a result of the Civil War. Why does it always come down to red and blue? There has to be a way of finally eliminating the divide, no?

#12: My Love-Hate Relationship with Facebook
Okay, Facebook No Longer Just Has A ‘Like’ Button, but I still love it and hate it.

#13: Book Marketing Flyers for Dummies
Anyone with Word can create this easy DIY sell sheet.

#14: Khalid al-Asaad the Man vs. Cecil the Lion. Where’s the Outrage?
This photo of the beheaded al-Asaad and the story of his life and death just about broke my heart. Yes, that’s his head at his feet.

#15: The Y Chromosome
Men determine the sex of a baby depending on whether their sperm is carrying an X or Y chromosome.  An X chromosome combines with the mother’s X chromosome to make a baby girl (XX) and a Y chromosome will combine with the mother’s to make a baby boy (XY).  When my husband does something stupid I always ask myself, WHY? And then I answer my own question: Blame it on the Y!

#16: Bravo’s New Reality Show “Secrets and Wives”
This blog post is less about the show and more about the fact that these bimbettes live on the North Shore of Long Island and love nothing better than to put down those of us (like me) who reside on the South Shore. Puleeze.

#17: The Easy, Breezy Summer Dinner Party
This was my first stab at posting a food blog along with some BBQ pics, and it got some fairly impressive page views.

#18: Happy Birthday Pam 6/2/52-5/20/09
No surprise to me that my sorely missed and beloved cousin sits at #18.

#19: The Ending of My Life Will NOT Be Happy—But I Need to Be the Boss of It
I have been impatiently waiting since 2009 for my attorney husband to update my will. Pending a revised will, durable power of attorney, living will, health care proxy and DNR (no pun intended, but I’m not holding my breath), this post is my quick and dirty amendment to the Last Will and Testament of Teri Dawne Schure.

#20: How I Lost 100 Pounds and Why Fat-Free is so Overrated
How did I do it?  That’s what everyone always asks. Pretty simple: Eat Real food. Not too much. Mostly plants. BORING.