We don’t issue instruction manuals to our guests. Nonetheless, over the years we’ve welcomed many visitors whose presence was instantly comfortable for our entire family. We’ve also suffered the ordeal of guests who couldn’t depart quickly enough for us. There was nothing intrinsically objectionable about the unwelcome guests; they just seemed clueless about our family...
Too much money. Could that be the core reason for Mitt Romney’s lack of success during this primary season? As strange as it sounds, I am becoming convinced that his ability to draw on his own millions may have hindered his campaign. While most of us chuckle at the idea of too much money causing...
Have you fallen into any fixed habits? I know I have. I have uttered some phrases so many times on my radio show that they are often the first expressions that come to mind. Not surprisingly, I occasionally overuse them. It is also why I tend to buy the same brand of toothpaste year after...
Certain rules of writing are easier to memorize than to obey. One of the most basic ones is the importance of staying on topic. As a writer, it is tremendously difficult to remove a phrase you love or edit out a point about which you are passionate. When the words are completely extraneous, adding nothing...
And my nominee is….the first candidate who reads, absorbs and acts upon the excellent advice to candidates given over the past few months by conservative writers. While I am in the doldrums over the actual candidates, I have been inspired by so many writers. Whether it is Wall Street Journal editorials, bloggers or columnists...
Have you ever gone to a business meeting or party only to find that once you got there you clammed up and contributed nothing? Though women do this more than men, both often fail to find the right moment or the right words to start talking. They feel frustrated at not having expressed something significant,...
Imagine your son’s high school principal calling you with the news that your child was caught stealing test keys from his teacher’s desk and selling them. After your heart started beating regularly again, you confront your child. How would you react if he reassured you, “Don’t worry Dad. It was Trevor’s idea and he said...
Thinking “I told you so” is gratifying. Saying it might be crass, but thinking it feels pretty good. Reading a Wall Street Journal article entitled, What’s Wrong with the Teenage Mind? I definitely underwent an “I told you so” moment. My husband and I tried as best we could to structure our children’s upbringing according...
