When a plant dies does it think, “Ok I’m going to die now, or I am dying, or I’m about to be killed”? Or is there any “I”. Has anyone updated that fun book “The Secret Life of Plants” where the author attached various plants to EEG and/or EKG and did various things to it […]
The popular TV shows, American Idol and Project Runway, have taught us the reality of “not winning” in useful ways. Useful in that we watch and process rejection and harsh criticism on television, an activity that, with any luck, can help us get through the pain of “not winning” when we ourselves don’t “win.”
We watch […]
Down in the dumps?
Sing!
Even though the rules for a particular game are the same, world-wide, every game is different. Those games include gin rummy, Sudoku, tennis, baseball, basketball, football, poker, and inter-personal relationships. Let’s take Sudoku. I was quite proud to do the EVIL level this morning in my all-time best record of 18 minutes. Hmmm, why? Well, […]
Every year I tell my music theory students to not forget to say THANK YOU to their teachers at the end of a course. In fact, to say thank you whenever the opportunity arises — that is, without sounding like a goody-two-shoes. It is so easy, and facilitates friendly interpersonal relationships.
But then, I’m paid by […]
My new best friend is my portable GPS device that snaps into a holder on my windshield to tell me where I am and where I’m going. I have a terrible, terrible sense of direction so this has been a godsend. Even when I ignore Nüvi (the device), it can keep me awake arguing with […]
Twice today I heard a friend dismiss someone because of something they said when they first met. In the first case it was an obnoxious bordering on hostile comment, and in the second case it was something someone said in their interview. And in both cases, they never updated their opinions of the person, and […]
The lesson that keeps getting pounded into me this year, both in my role as a departmental chair, but also serving on this jury, is that it is SOOO important to hear both sides of every story. Many of us go through life believing that X is true, but have never heard or were never […]
I have not written about martinis of late and felt it time to do so.
These days a martini is the new word for cocktail. You don’t hear people use the word “cocktail” so much these days. The word “martini” sounds more sophisticated. I guess.
But those of us in the know, KNOW that the original martini […]
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