Money CAN Buy Happiness

I recently re-discovered a fabulous article originally published by Harvard Business School’s Working Knowledge site, way back in June.  It’s a research-based report on the concept of spending and Happiness. Selected excerpts from the article: Can money buy you happiness? Yes—so long as you spend the money on someone else. According to new research, giving … Read more

Slumdog Millionaire – a winner in my book!

After my post ten days ago about this movie, several people wrote me (or commented on the blog) to ask for my opinion AFTER seeing the movie. Well, my wife and I finally got to see it on Saturday afternoon.  I went into the theatre with high expectations.  Sometimes expecting too much of a film … Read more

Happiness is Contagious

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

Happy Coincidences

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

People hear what they see

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 – Inventory Your Wealth

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

Happiness is a wet dog

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

Do you see yourself in others?

My oldest son attended the University of Notre Dame.  Justin was a true fan (as in “fanatic”) of Fighting Irish football.  He lived and died by their win/loss record, hosted a weekly campus radio show on the subject, and even dyed his hair kelly green one semester.  He dressed as a (6-foot tall) leprechaun for … Read more

Short is sweet

I just finished up a two-hour class on using web tools to build relationships, build my brand, and support my business. My head is spinning. BlogTalkRadio.  Twitter.  Twellow.  Ping.fm. Podcasts thru iTunes. Trendwatching. Tweetbeep.com. Blogging.  Audio files — MP3 or CD? Video on the blog.  “The static website is dead (or wil be within two … Read more