Good morning everyone: “This will be simple,” I thought. “I can handle it,” I told myself as I pulled the new car stereo system out of its packaging and looked over the wiring diagram. A couple of hours later, with the car dashboard opened up and a confusing array of disconnected wires of various colors…
Good morning everyone: Do you have big plans for saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming 2017 tonight? Millions of people around the world will gather for countdown parties, and when midnight comes will cheer and celebrate. But have you ever wondered what the excitement is really all about? Is there something fundamentally unique…
Good morning everyone: “Ready for Christmas?” I asked a friend yesterday. His response was simply a half-smile and a deep sigh. No words were necessary. I knew what he was saying. “Christmas” as we celebrate it has many moving parts and it’s often a rush to the last minute to see whether they all fall…
Good morning everyone: “This is BIG!” announced a sale flyer in today’s newspaper. The ad went on and on promising massive savings with minimal exclusions. But have you noticed how often heavily hyped sales are disappointing, while the truly worthwhile ones are quietly passed along by word of mouth. They don’t need huge fonts and…
Good morning everyone: “I’m ashamed.” When was the last time you heard someone admit that? When did you last say it? It’s not a popular thing to acknowledge. Even when someone is obviously at fault, shame is rarely expressed. Instead, a person may become defensive and assert their right to do whatever they like. Someone…
Good morning everyone: “Door-buster specials! Mega Sales! Unbelievable deals! You Can’t Miss This One!” By now you’ve heard these and many other extravagant claims designed to motivate you to purchase everything from socks to new cars. Did the advertising work? Were you up and waiting at the door by the time the store opened at…
Good morning everyone: “Here, take this pill. You’ll feel better.” Would you pop it in your mouth and wash it down with a glass of water? It would depend on who was speaking, wouldn’t it? If it were a stranger on a street corner downtown, you wouldn’t even consider it. The person might be offering…
Good morning everyone: If you have ever been on a commercial airline flight you have heard the preflight safety instructions given by the flight attendants before takeoff. But do you remember what those instructions were? Could you carry them out if there ever were an emergency midflight? Perhaps not. If you’re like most passengers you…
Good morning everyone: Have you noticed how much time is spent in “searching” at this time of year? We search through the Sunday ads, online catalogs, and the aisles of the mall for just the right gifts for the people on our list. We dig through closets and garages for lights and other decorations. We…
Good morning everyone: “THE END IS NEAR” states the cover of the latest TIME magazine. It is, of course, speaking of the end of the long, drawn-out presidential campaign which concludes with next Tuesday’s general election. Are you relieved, apprehensive, ready? To be prepared we need to be informed of the issues and candidates, so…