I need a break from people. Often. When I go on a group vacation, within two days I am already fed up with everyone’s presence. I have to resist the urge to tell them to stick a cork in their jabbering yapper. I am not a mean person, honestly. I am a charming, funny, and […]

In a previous blog, I talked about how easy it is to get caught up in negative thinking in response to the current pandemic. After all, the number of infected people is rising exponentially, as is unemployment, and the economy is just barely chugging along. That doesn’t mean, however, that things won’t get better. If […]

Allowing negative thoughts to run rampant in your mind unchallenged, is sort of like trying to raft down the Amazon River without a paddle: Soon enough, you will be submerged in negativity. As a ruminator, I can understand the difficulty of breaking a vicious cycle of thoughts, especially in the midst of the current crisis. […]

If you’ve been fortunate to be able to work from home during this pandemic, it might require some adjustment. There’s nothing wrong with working in your pajamas, or starting your day at 8:59AM, but working from home isn’t as easy as people might think – especially with the TV only a few feet away, and […]

It goes without saying, but I will say it anyway: These are frightening and uncertain times, and it’s a hard not to be inundated by what’s going on. I can feel it when I step outside…that collective sense of trepidation that hangs in the air, reflected in the faces of every person I meet. People […]

Italy has gone through earthquakes, volcano eruptions, wars, and plagues, and its latest crisis is nothing short of a tragedy. But Italians are a stout and resolute people. They were blind-sided by the Coronavirus outbreak, but they learned quickly, and adapted as best they could. The videos of people singing and dancing on their balcony […]

With every news channel, radio station, newspaper, and Twitter trend focusing on COVID-19, it’s so easy to get caught up in the wave of negativity, panic, and paranoia. The gravity of our circumstances is undeniable. However, that doesn’t mean you should give yourself license to ruminate, panic, or assume the worst. When times are dark, […]

Unless you’re an introvert, self-isolation and social distancing does not come naturally to you – nor is it likely to appeal to you. Your morning traipse to the coffee shop and a chat with the barista…gone. A happy hour drink after work…gone. Taking in the latest Oscar-buzz movie, or finally finding out what Tovar Dal […]

To say that Jimi Hendrix has thoroughly earned the honor of being considered one of the greatest guitar players and songwriters of all time is irrefutable. Chances are, however, that even after 50+ years of airplay, Jimi would have modestly dismissed his rock legend status. “I don’t really live on compliments,” he said during an […]

They’re out there. In shopping malls, on snowy roads, mingling among the guests at your Christmas parties. You might have a few in your family, or among your colleagues. It’s the Three Scrooges. Those cranky, grumpy, onerous people who are determined to siphon your Christmas spirit and ruin your holiday cheers with their holiday jeers. […]

Sitcoms are not the ideal source of fatherly examples, but if you search for a list of the best TV dads, you’ll see a bunch of often goofy fathers who seem to screw up just as much as their kids. What you’ll also see, however, is that these dads (well, some of them at least) […]

As a child (and to this day), I’d rank my “girly-ness” at a 5. I played with Barbie, had a tea set, and read a lot of girl-oriented book series. I will also confess that I still thoroughly enjoy getting my nails done and can rock a pair of stilettos. But that’s as far as […]