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RELAYED STRESS: BAD NEWS TRAVELS LIKE WILDFIRE

Relayed stress comes from hearing and repeating bad news, and it doesn’t get enough attention. Finding bad news is easy. It’s as easy as opening a magazine, a newspaper; as easy as looking at a phone screen, a laptop, or a tablet. Bad news is popular in print, on air, everywhere. “Do you remember where […]

FEELINGS MATTER, A REVIEW OF WHY ON SAUVIE ISLAND

Feelings matter when you see yourself in a forty year old reflection. In the image I’m looking through a window with another window shining on the other side. Every year for decades a crew would go to Sauvie Island and prepare a historical house for the upcoming season. Every room was cleaned, inventoried, and filled […]

SELF ESTEEM: TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE

Self esteem is the last defense against doing something regrettable. If you’ve ever needed to build your self esteem, you know the risks. The early build up happens while kids travel the route from grade school, to junior high, high school, college, job, wife and kids. That’s one route. Call it the traditional route. There […]

MAKE EXCUSES THAT AT LEAST MAKE SOME SENSE

Make excuses for yourself that don’t make others look bad. If you’re more of an ‘excuse’ person than a ‘get things done’ person, at least make it plausible. Instead of, “I can’t do ____ , because of ___ ,” try and be convincing. Do this instead: “I did ____ , but I need help with […]

HAPPY LIFE NEEDS A FEW ADDITIONS

A happy life can be a goal, but not for those who see happiness in others as an obstacle to overcome. Besides, isn’t happiness overrated? How can anyone have a happy life, or even strive for one, in 2021? If you’ve ever asked that question, keep asking. Then ask, “What else is there to work […]

HEART SCIENCE FOR THE NON-SCIENTIST

Heart science arrives sooner or later. The good news is you will be told you have the heart of someone twenty years younger than you. The bad news is you might be told you the heart of someone twenty years older than you. If you max out on bacon every meal, with eggs cooked in […]

ACCUMULATED CRAP NEEDS NEW TREASURE VAULT HOME

‘Accumulated crap’ is the name for important collections started so long ago I forget the point. It’s also the name for the avalanche of stuff from living long enough to get dumped on. Getting dumped on isn’t the best way of describing accumulated crap, but it fits the theme. If like attracts like, then my […]

DOING ‘MY RESEARCH’ FOR EXTRA CREDIT

Hearing about people doing ‘my research’ gives me hope. Before making a big decision it’s best to know all you can about the possible outcomes, the likely effects, and how you would benefit. The problems start when the notion of doing anything extra, from reading, asking questions, to testing new knowledge, comes from people who […]

MACARTHUR FOUNDATION GENIUS GRANT FOR BLOGGER

The MacArthur Foundation takes it upon themselves to find people to give money to. Tagging the recipients of a $625,000 grant as genius is just icing on the cake. If getting the grant requires a genius level IQ, I’ll just stop right here. On the other hand, I think an extra, unexpected, $625K would make […]

BLOG TOOLS: HOW TO ORGANIZE TIME AND SPACE

Blog tools help writers get where they’re going, and as any writer will tell you, they are going to fill up a page. Sometimes it’s a long, long, loooooong haul to fill up one page, then another, then another. Look at a stack of printer paper some time and imagine filling them all. From the […]