So, shut up and listen — It’s an old adage that extends back to ancient times. It was Plato who said, “Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something.” But, it was the Fool in Shakespeare’s King Lear who advises Lear: “Have more than thou showest, speak less…

A joke… — Fame, shame, and blame walked into a bar. They sat down and the bartender said, “You look like trouble. What’s your poison?” Fame said, “I’ll have the usual,” with a toss of her hair and a knowing wink. “Sex on the Beach it is,” replied the barkeep. Shame, feeling a…

Reasons why I suck and that’s okay. — Lately, I’ve been thinking about all the ways we have been taught to recognize failure in the different areas of our life. From work to school to relationships, throughout our lives, we are given criteria. In some areas, these criteria are standards set by groups of people within society —…

Fellow epistolers, this section is for you. Open Letters allow us to communicate with those that negatively (though sometimes positively) impact our lives. Epistles are open letters that are addressed to a person or group of people. They appear in the New Testament of the Bible and the ancient Egyptians…

What’s wrong with a little competition? — Egos exist in all industries, some more than others. There is a difference, however, between having a big ego (or weak ego) and a strong ego (or a strong personality). I am the latter. Having a big ego is often used in the negative and as I have learned in…

Why we write, why we stop writing, and why we should keep writing. — As a writer, there are days when the words flow out of me and I have to stop myself at some point and remind myself to actually participate in the world and live life outside of my head. And then there are days when I don’t know how to start…

So many books. So little time. — The June 10 & 17 edition of The New Yorker magazine just arrived in my mailbox today (Yes, I still subscribe to print magazines), and never have I ever seen a cover so relevant to my life. The title of the cover illustration is “Bedtime Stories” by American cartoonist Bruce…