Two years ago in my 2007 Summer Reading List I lauded the book, Q&A, by Vikas Swarup. I thought it was a WONDERFUL story, and highly recommended the audio version of the book. I am thrilled that it’s been turned in to a movie, Slumdog Millionaire, opening in Cleveland tonite! Here’s an excerpt from my … Read more
Sitting on my bureau in my bedroom is a huge glass beer stein I won back in college (I won’t say what, precisely, I won it for…). Every day when I arrive home I toss any loose change from my pockets into the mug. It’s been ages since I last rolled all those coins. In … Read more
This just in, from the bespectacled researchers at Harvard: Happiness is contagious. OK, so we’ve known for a long time that moods and emotions spread to those around us. What’s different about this study is that the researchers have been able to quantify the impact. And it’s not just about who you talk with daily. … Read more
So, I’m out of coffee beans at home. I wander into my regular Starbucks location for coffee, and decide to pick up a pound of… something. But I’m looking at six different possibilities. What’s the difference? I’m so confused. This is the same feeling I get when I’m standing in the wine aisle. How can … Read more
My wife’s brother is getting (re)married in a couple weeks, and we need to have a modest gift (it’s a third marriage, so no crockpot for this one!). She came across an old photo of her parents’ wedding a few weeks ago, which sparked an idea. The bride-to-be is really “into” vintage photos, which hang … Read more
Many movies today have such short and limited runs that most of us never hear about them, especially if they are released in the shadow of some summer or holiday blockbuster flick. That’s sad, because so many of those ‘little’ movies are really fabulous — they are unconventional, thoughtful, creative, and often showcase some incredible … Read more
Happy Thanksgiving! As The Executive Happiness Coach® I especially love any holiday that carries a greeting of HAPPY in front of it. You know, many people say that Happiness is the “ultimate currency.” So when we wish each other a “Happy Anything” we are, in a way, wishing for them a life that is wealthy … Read more
We drove to South Bend to see Syracuse play Notre Dame this weekend. While there we met up with our daughter and son-in-law, and his parents and his sister and her new husband. Fun time! It was cold. We did a little tailgating, but no one really wanted to spend a lot of time out … Read more
So, my wife and I are dogsitting for our “grand dog,” while my daughter and son-in-law are on a vacation in New York City. We see the dog (Heidi, a miniature black schnauzer) regularly, since we drop by their house every evening and take Heidi with us on our daily walk. She’s a sweet, well-behaved, … Read more
So, the buckle on my good leather briefcase broke, and while it’s getting fixed I’ve been using another smaller case I purchased from a Life Is Good store in the Chicago Midway airport. It’s actually an over-the-shoulder messenger bag, so when I’m walking around with it the bag hangs behind me. I’ve been having lots … Read more