Monthly Archives: December 2006

I have a nagging fault that seems like it would be easy to conquer, but somehow I can’t cure myself of it: rushing to get in front of other people. I never actually cut in line, but I do zip ahead when the right thing to do would be to wait patiently for someone who is moving slowly. I’m always … →

One of my resolutions is to “appreciate the season and the time of life,” that is, revel in the special qualities of each time of year and each stage of life. One thing I remember vividly from my childhood is my mother’s custom of having some seasonal ornamentation in the house. Forsythia or cherry blossoms in the spring, squash arrangements … →

Every Wednesday is Tip Day. This Wednesday…Tips for squelching your anger. One of my worst faults is my quick temper. I’ve been working hard to control my anger—by not expressing it, or even better, not feeling it. The problem with that familiar advice about “counting to 10” is that I can never remember to do it. Here are some strategies … →

Two of my resolutions are to “read better” and “follow my inclinations in reading.” And at long last, I’m in the midst of reading Elias Canetti’s Crowds and Power. I have a strange history with this book. I read about it somewhere about three years ago, and was immediately intrigued. In my ignorance, I imagined it as an obscure work, … →

Yipppeeeee. I figured out how to podcast. Did it make me happy? You bet. A frequent piece of happiness advice is to “learn something new”—and I can attest that this bit of wisdom really is true. My happiness doesn’t come from the actual ability to podcast, which isn’t particularly important to me. What makes me feel happy—really, exhilarated—is that despite … →

My resolution for November was “Take the extra step,” and one of my goals was to figure out how to podcast. Well, I’m three days late, but I think I’ve done it. I feel like I’m breaking through the yellow tape at the end of a race. For this podcast, I decided to re-visit one of my most popular posts: … →

“The true history of the human race is the story of human affections. In comparison with it all other histories – even economic history – are false.” –E. M. Forster

On the last day of each month, I include a list of happiness-related suggested reading, but for some reason I was under the impression that November has 31 days. Oops. So I’m a day late. I have a real love of self-help books. I used to be embarrassed to admit that, but hey, “Be Gretchen.” Here are some of my … →