‘Easy Steps to Success with People’

Based on the collected wisdom through the ages, it seems that who we are is largely determined by what we believe is our purpose in life and what paths we take to get there.
And, the rest of who we are seems to be made up of our core values, morals, or ethics—i.e., whatever […]

Last week, I shared with you an upbeat, sort of lighthearted animated-short-film-slash-music- video directed by Baz Luhrmann called “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen).” The famous “Sunscreen Speech” gives truly great advice about life in a more-or-less sunny message, and that’s wonderful!
But, I recall a time when bright, cheery advice would have done […]

Aardman Animation’s “Creature Comforts” was made in 1989 and won the academy-award for Best Animated Short Film in 1990. It uses one of my beloved styles of animation since my earliest and fondest memories of holiday TV specials: stop-motion clay animation!
It features interviews with children about their thoughts on animals that live in […]

Remember Family Feud? “Oh yeah,” you’re thinking, “That was the game show where the smarmy host tried to kiss all the females in the families, right?” Yep, that’s the one.
To win the cash, the “feuding” families tried to guess what the top 10 answers were to such basic questions as, “What is your […]

As most of you know, I love quotes!
When I began gathering the data for a list full of quotes about youth (inspired by the “Sunscreen Speech”), I was stunned to find so many that I couldn’t possibly fit them all in one post without making everybody dizzy.
So, since there were plenty […]

One of the most widespread and widely believed internet hoaxes was a speech that Kurt Vonnegut purportedly gave to the graduating class at MIT in 1997 in which he extolled the scientifically-proven virtues of sunscreen. It turns out that none of that story was true.
Well, okay, scientists did prove sunscreen’s good for […]

“Mental constipation” is defined in the Urban Dictionary as “an inability to articulate one’s thoughts or ideas, resulting in significant psychological distress and frustration.”
And, while there is no listing for “mental diarrhea” from the same source, we can analogize from the listings they do have for “diarrhea of the mouth,” which include such colorful definitions […]

The definition of “passion” has evolved quite a bit throughout history. At one time, it meant any strong negative feeling, such as “fear,” “anger,” and “jealousy,” and was often considered the opposite of “reason,” “logic,” and “calmness.”
However, over time, “passion” also came to mean the equally strong—but very positive!—emotion or motivation we […]

[For “Day 29: Always Go Back to the Drawing Board,” click here.]
Today is the last day of the “All About You!” series. But, the end of this little journey we have shared together—through 30 days of questions and answers all about you, your past, and your future—is the beginning of the exciting, much […]

[For “Day 28: Never, Never, Never Give Up!,” click here.]
As already stressed, never giving up does not mean repeating the same old mistakes or sticking to a plan that obviously isn’t working. The problem isn’t your dream; it’s your plan.
Never give up your dream! Just ditch the plan for a […]