Archive for 2011
His position on same sex marriage is abhorrent, but credit him for his civility and willing to engage
This is a fascinating exchange. As much as I think Mitt Romney’s position on same sex marriage is ludicrous and reprehensible, he handles a potentially volatile situation rather well. He unknowingly steps into a potential lion’s den and emerges relatively unscathed. And the Vietnam veteran who challenges Romney on same sex marriage also conducts himself…
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Worth watching.
Read MoreThe best needle ever
I had blood drawn this morning. As a person terrified of needles, this is an incredibly difficult procedure for me. I once donated platelets for a former student at Sloan-Kettering in New York, and the nurse who took care of me told my wife that in her twenty-five years of drawing blood, I was her…
Read MoreSolutions to the problem of too many freakin’ gifts
This is an exceptionally gift-filled season for our family. My wife is Jewish, so we celebrate Hanukah. Or Hanukkah. Or Chanukah. Her people really need to decide upon a spelling. In accordance with the tradition, we should be giving a gift to one another every night for eight straight nights. That means a total of…
Read MoreThe perfect teacher gift
I am often asked about the appropriate gift to give your child’s teacher around the holidays or at the end of the school year. After almost two decades as an elementary school teacher, here are some thoughts: First, not giving your teacher anything is perfectly fine. Teachers do not expect to receive a gift and are…
Read MoreYou just lost a customer, Lowes
Check it out. I’m exceedingly pleased, and perhaps even proud, of one of Connecticut’s US congressmen. With Congress’ approval rating close to single digits, that doesn’t happen often. And thought I’ve never been a Home Depot loyalist, it turns out that I am now.
Read MoreA chink in my super hero armor
One of my super powers is my ability to sleep. Not only do I require very little sleep, but I am also able to fall asleep within a minute of laying my head on the pillow and can sleep in the most uncomfortable of circumstances. Except for the fact that most of my nights are…
Read MoreThe stupidest thing that you can say when helping someone locate lost keys or a wallet or a phone
The inability to locate an item like a set of keys, a phone or a wallet can be frustrating. Thinking it helpful to offer someone advice like “retrace your steps” or “think about when you had it last” only makes the situation worse. We all know about retracing our steps. This is not some cutting…
Read MoreInterview my bully? I don’t think so.
Salon has been running a series entitled Interview With My Bully. The premise is this: Some adolescent scars linger well into adulthood. Interview With My Bully, our new essay series, hopes to provide some closure, and maybe even build some understanding and common ground between the picked-on and their young tormentors. Ever wonder what happened…
Read MoreTime flies when you’re creating?
I have never found this to be the case.
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