Recently, I was flying back from Singapore on Philippine Airlines. I always try to demonstrate courtesy and kindness to flight attendants because their job is hard and often thankless. Whenever the flight attendant who was working my section of the cabin did something for me, I made sure I said “thank you” in a way…
When she was 89, Frances Fisher was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. According to an article by Eric Mungenast, which appeared in a recent issue of the East Valley Tribune, she was given two choices: go through six months of five days a week of intense chemo therapy and the pain it…
Alan Mulally took over as CEO of Ford Motor Company during the roughest stretch in the auto industry since the Great Depression and restored it to profitability without taking a government bailout. How did he do it? With some common sense ideas that are totally foreign to the Detroit auto industry. According to a recent…
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal written by Elizabeth Bernstein points out that we actually get nicer with age. Several large research studies show that as we get older our positive traits such as being polite, preferring cooperation over competition and feeling compassion for others tend to increase. At the same time our…
Recently my wife, who directs a foster care and adoption agency, was teaching a class to would be foster parents. She was discussing some of the challenges and difficulties that come with being a foster parent when one of the people attending the class raised her hand and said, “We do not want to…
A recent article in USA Today written by Nanci Hellmich discussed ways that people could enrich their lives during their retirement years. She said the key is to: “…get out and try new things.” I think she’s right on the money, but we don’t have to wait until we retire to take advantage of this idea.…
Lacey Holsworth, the eight year old girl with terminal cancer who developed a strong relationship with Adreian Payne, the star player of the Michigan State University men’s basketball team, became this year’s human interest story during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Why did the nation take such notice of her? Because she met the adversity…
Mickey Rooney, the legendary actor whose career spanned more than 80 years, died this week. When asked by the Associated Press in 2008 why he continued to work so late in life, his answer was: “I always say, don’t retire–inspire. There’s a lot to be done.” This is a good principle for all of us…
Consumer Reports recently rated Trader Joe’s as the number one national grocery store chain in the United States. A post made by NBC News contributor Herb Weisbaum on TODAY.com, quoted Consumer Reports’ Tom Marks as saying, “Trader Joe’s gets exemplary marks for service and very good marks for perishables. Their prices were considered extraordinary and…
Many residents of the northern and eastern parts of the United States, who have experienced a seemingly endless and frigid winter, have expressed disgust at Mother Nature. According to a recent article in USA Today, a Minnesota farmer named Greg Novak along, with his family and friends, built a huge 50 foot high snowman “…as…