When I became an office manager, my sister sent me a terrific sign that became my Prime Directive (sorry, Star Trek). If I ever forgot, this sign reminded me of the purpose of my job. I was the designated gatekeeper, tasked with running interference on every distraction that phoned or walked in the door. I dealt with them so my bosses could focus on the work that kept us in business each month. Most sal...
Most of the time, I try to be happy. I think everybody does. Either we find that’s a good way to deal with the world or we think that’s what the world wants from us. But sometimes, happiness isn’t an appropriate choice for what’s going on in our lives. Now a motivational speaker might say the thing to do when you’re sad is paste a smile on your face anyway. Fake being happy unt...
There’s a wonderful line in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel that says, “Everything will be all right in the end…if it’s not all right, then it’s not yet the end.” There’s more than mindless optimism in that phrase, that’s an expression of faith. It encourages you to keep going, and not be dismayed, even in the face of disaster. It’s a faith Jane Austen endorsed when she wr...
The holiday season is coming up fast with its compliment of “prestige” films, those high-budget, critic-favored movies all aimed to become Oscar bait. That’s fine, but since a lot of prestige pictures are based on written works, some readers face an unusual quandary. When a book-based picture comes out, which should you do first: read the book or see the movie? Or, if you love one of these, should you...
Two years ago I started writing “The Stories that Follow You Home” also known as “The Istoriaphile’s Corner.” It’s been fun to write about stories so full of thought and meaning that they ‘ve found a home in my soul. Still, I have to admit that’s not the reason I started this blog. I began this because (deep breath) I wrote a book. A bit more than two years ago, I decided...