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Get Uncomfortable
Ever try writing with your non-dominant hand? It’s very awkward. You become aware of every movement, each dip and swoop. Something as second nature as writing suddenly demands your complete attention and forces you to reconsider micro decisions you had not given a thought to since the second grade. Human beings are very adaptable, and our brains are wired to seek efficiency. Once a decision has been made, it will not be reconsidered unless there is significant new information to process. All of this is a good thing. If we had to put as much thought into which way the bunny ears are supposed to be looped while tying our shoes as we do other more complex concerns, we…
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Expectable
In a recent conversation with my 12 year old son, I demanded to know was his behavior acceptable?? Frankly, I was trying to maintain my composure. I had just walked into a family room that could have been declared a disaster area for the number of Legos strewn about the floor. He and his sister had been playing there all morning. My son was thoughtfully quiet and then responded, “Not acceptable…but expectable.” And, in that moment, I knew he was right. It’s easy to deny the nature of people–even ourselves. We like to pretend that certain proclivities, big or small don’t exist. Or that they were temporary. Certainly, the object of our expectations has out grown…
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Only So Much Pie
Thanksgiving is just a week away. A day dedicated to gratitude, it’s my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving conveys the warmth of the season without the stress of gifting…whom to buy for? where to hide the treasures? and where it will all get stowed come December 26!? And Thanksgiving has me thinking about pie. Pie has many delightful qualities. Homemade pie is the universal comfort food. Pie evokes memories. It is both commonplace and special. But, pie does have its limitations. The most fundamental of which is that there is only so much pie in a pie. Sure, you can cut it into several small pieces. But restore it to its original shape…and you still only have…
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Gauntlet Buttons
There is a small button on the sleeve of a dress shirt just to the north of the cuff. For sartorial reference, that portion of the shirt is called the gauntlet. Hence, the button itself is aptly termed a gauntlet button. Spend any amount of time around men (or women) dressed for their business casual days and you’ll have the opportunity to acquaint yourself with this fashion detail. As with many functionally-limited components of today’s more structured attire, the gauntlet button was originally born out of utility and civility and has lingered. However it arrived on your well-dressed forearm, I encourage you to button it. No, it’s not because I have an obsessive…
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Following Instructions
I’m on a plane (again) and struck by a profound, simple truth hidden in the safety card instructions being recited dispassionately by the flight attendant a few yards in front of me. If you travel frequently, you could probably say it with her… “in the unlikely event of a change in cabin pressure, secure your own oxygen mask first before helping others.” Why is it that the airlines feel compelled to explicitly specify the order of events within the basic instructions on how to use the mask? Could it be because of our predisposition to prioritize taking care of others before caring for ourselves? How frequently do we allow the demands on our time by our family, our friends, even our co-workers come before our…
