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These two posts make readers the most angry

I’ve been writing a blog post every day without missing a day for nearly 15 years, and almost 11 years on this platform. That’s 4,696 days worth of blog posts, More than 4,696 actual posts, since there was many days, especially in the past, when I would more than once on a single day. That’s…

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Direct but funny is the perfect combination

I spotted this sign at the wedding of my former student, sitting atop the bar. I love it so much. Designed by the same couple who advised guests to respond to their wedding invitation by a certain date or plan to bring a chair and a sandwich, this is the perfect demonstration of sending a…

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Don’t eat children

I told Charlie to hurry up and get into the car “…before the Daddy monster eats you!” “You eat children?” Charlie asked. “Yes, I do,” I said in my most gravely voice. “If that’s true,” he said, “then you eat poop and butts and feet.” There’s really nothing more impressive than a witty, rhetorical comeback.

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I sometimes use different words based upon the day

Something I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone: Sometimes my choice of words is dependent upon the day. A few days ago I wrote about Harvard’s unconscionable policy of admitting applicants based upon legacy and parental donations, when a great number of those students would not have otherwise been admitted to the university. I suggested…

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Stupid words for simple things

Here’s an expression that I’ve been hearing a lot lately: “Let’s talk about this offline.” These words are used when a person directing a meeting wants to engage in conversation with a meeting attendee at a later time. Typically this occurs when the matter involves a small number of meeting attendees and need not waste…

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Why bullies bully

“Most people are bullied because they’re better than the people who bully them.” – Simon Cowell A reader sent me this quote by Cowell, who judges singing shows on television. Except for clips on YouTube, I haven’t watched a singing show since the first season of American Idol back in 2002, but I remember Cowell…

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Fun facts are never fun

Fact: The percentage of times that a “fun fact” is actually fun is exceptionally low. Yesterday, while working on a project about a Japanese bridge, Clara said, “Fun fact! This bridge has survived eight earthquakes because it’s built on a faulty line.” My response: “That’s not fun.” And no, it wasn’t. It was certainly a…

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Definition of guilt

I saw a definition of guilt online that I really did not like (and I wish I had saved it), so I wrote my own: Guilt is the space between self-blame – justifiable or otherwise – and forgiveness of self. It is – at its very worst – the chasm between self-hatred and self-love.

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