First, this is what Seth said:
"One of us is wrong...
and it's not me."
That's the way every single conflict begins. Of course it does, because if it didn't, it wouldn't be a conflict, would it?
...[But] The thing that's worth addressing has nothing much to do with the matter at hand...We cure disagreements by building a bridge of mutual respect first, a bridge that permits education or dialogue or learning. When you burn that bridge, you've ensured nothing but conflict. ...continue reading
Last fall, I heard about a small little book that promised to help the reader quickly shift their thoughts to be more positive and happy.
I bought it.
But when it arrived, it wasn't just the size that threw me, but that there were no quick tips on how to do those quick shifts. Disappointed that I didn't get the book I had expected, I thought, maybe I should write it then.
My intention was to create a very simple little instruction guide with a little wisdom and a few tips on how to catch and change one's thoughts and shift them so we could become less stressed, less angry, more relaxed, calmer and happier. ...continue reading
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
I believe this is true with bullying. Taking on a situation where someone is trying to take you down can make you feel stronger. Unfortunately when you aren't successful - whether due to skill, wit, strength or being up against too sophisticated a foe - it can kill you. It can kill your spirit, your sense of self worth or in extreme cases make you think that killing yourself is the only answer. That is why we all need to take this issue seriously.
Recently, I went with my 18 year old son to see Bully a newly released movie that attempts to shed some light bullying and its effects. Here are my thoughts: ...continue reading
Go The Fuck To Sleep is a new book written by Adam Mansbach about a tired parent's frustration at his child's inability to go to sleep. Written like a children's book - but definitely not one - it mimics the rhyming cuplet style of the sleepytime genre only with a twist.
The story highlights much of the 11th hour drama that parents with young kids can relate to. Negotiating the number of books read, glasses of water drunk, and, not surprisingly, just how many trips to the bathroom need to be taken, it offers two sweet lines of text, followed by two exacerbated lines finishing with the book's catchy signature phrase.
The book appears to be doing well and the author is making the rounds to media outlets. But there's something about a book that jokes about being SO frustrated with your child that you would repeatly tell them to 'Go the fuck to sleep' - if only in your head - that has me going against the 'this book had me ROTFLMAO' crowd and give it a thumbs down. ...continue reading
In the story The Little Red Hen, the overworked and under-supported Mama Hen spends all her time cooking and cleaning while the rest of her household naps the day away.
Finally fed up after getting no help in tending the wheat seeds she eventually turns into flour and eventually a cake, she answers the question of "Who's going to eat this cake?" with, "Not any of you."
Of course, in the story, losing out on cake is just the trick needed to get her lazy, and now hungry, crew to start pitching in - presumably living cooperatively ever after from there on out. ...continue reading
You'll Thank Me Later: 
A very recommended read that should not be overlooked. Gratitude can be the most important lesson one ever teaches their children. "You'll Thank Me Later: A Guide to Raising Children (And Why It Matters)" is a parent's guide to gratitude. Young people can easily be lulled into a sense of entitlement, if their parents don't teach them the importance of gratitude and how true appreciation can take one far in life. "You'll Thank Me Later" is a very recommended read that should not be overlooked. ~ Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) January 10, 2010 ...continue reading