Thank You Notes: Just Do It

Are you a perfectionist when it comes to trying to craft the perfect thank you note? If so, Dan Ariely has some solid advice for you in the email exchange below. Dear Dan, I know I should probably write thank-you notes for the holiday gifts I received, but I’m bad at composing them. I end … Continue reading Thank You Notes: Just Do It

Music Monday: Music from the Republic of the Congo

As a follow-up to my post from yesterday which was a not-so-subtle attempt to try and get someone from the Republic of the Congo to visit my blog (no success at this point), I thought I would share a couple of songs from two different Congolese musicians, Bisso na Bisso and Sam Talanis. I came … Continue reading Music Monday: Music from the Republic of the Congo

What’s the Point of Having All These Streaming Services?

My son and I were planning to watch a movie this afternoon, and I thought I would try and knock off some of the movies on the American Film Institute Top 100 list, which I had mentioned a couple of days ago. So I started scrolling through the list from the top, and when I … Continue reading What’s the Point of Having All These Streaming Services?

Could You Live Here, Knowing Its History?

The house shown above is owned by Jeff Franklin, creator of the 1980s television sitcom “Full House”. Franklin is putting his Beverly Hills estate on the market for $85 million. The roughly 21,000-square-foot, Andalusian-style estate, recognizable for its distinctive blue dome, sits on about 3.6 acres near Benedict Canyon and has nine bedrooms and 18 … Continue reading Could You Live Here, Knowing Its History?

If This Past Week Was A Prelude, I Already Know What One of My First Retirement Goals Will Be

A week ago I tested positive for COVID, and fortunately, it seemed to be a relatively mild case. I didn't feel well for a couple of days (fever, headache, nausea) but then I started recover nicely. I was blessed to have a wife who took great care of me. We were isolating from each other … Continue reading If This Past Week Was A Prelude, I Already Know What One of My First Retirement Goals Will Be

I’m Looking Forward to Reading Dan Pink’s New Book: The Power of Regret

Regular readers of my blog (my wife and three sons) know that I have featured Dan Pink quite often in my blog. Dan started a series of bi-weekly Pinkcasts a few years ago, and I believe I have featured every one of those Pinkcasts. I have also read nearly all of Dan's books (I consider … Continue reading I’m Looking Forward to Reading Dan Pink’s New Book: The Power of Regret

Music Monday: Philadelphia’s Mummer Parade

The Mummers are a Philadelphia institution, perhaps most well-known for their annual New Year's Day parade. I've mentioned them before in a few posts I've written about our neighborhood's 4th of July parade, which often included a guest appearance from a small subset of one of the Mummers' string bands. But I've never written a … Continue reading Music Monday: Philadelphia’s Mummer Parade

Where’s My Joie de vivre?

Joie de vivre is a French phrase often used in English to express a cheerful enjoyment of life, an exultation of spirit. It "can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do… And joie de vivre may be seen as a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy, a philosophy of life, a Weltanschauung. Robert's Dictionnaire says "joie" … Continue reading Where’s My Joie de vivre?

Do You Suffer from Nose Blindness?

We've all got our fears. Public speaking. Walking down a dark street. Swimming in deep water. Me? Reptiles. Snakes, alligators, crocodiles. I don't want to be within 100 miles of them. Retiring to Florida could be a problem. But there is one fear I was not aware of. According to the Wall Street Journal, "one … Continue reading Do You Suffer from Nose Blindness?

When Worlds Collide

When worlds collide is one of my favorite expressions. One example that always comes to mind for me is what if Moms Demand Action, a gun rights organization, booked a hotel where there was also a meeting of the NRA taking place? Another example might be a vegan showing up at an all-you-can-eat steakhouse. And … Continue reading When Worlds Collide