Articles from 2019
882 articles · browse by month or scroll through the year.
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Notes From My Journal
Reviewing 2019 Goals Before Setting 2020 Targets
“The beginning is the most important part of any work.” – Plato HAPPY NEW YEAR! This is exactly the right day for thinking about what you want to accomplish in 2020. You can’t do that seriously, however…
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A Word to the Wise
intentionality (noun)
Intentionality (in-ten-shuh-NAL-ih-tee ) is being deliberate or purposeful. As I used it today: “You can learn to act intentionally without attachment.”
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Fun and/or Interesting
The Two-Faced God Behind January's Name
January is named for Janus, the Roman god of gates and doorways. He is depicted with two faces – one looking backward and one looking forward.
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Worth Reading
Burning the Old Year” by Naomi Shihab Nye
Letters swallow themselves in seconds, Notes friends tied to the doorknob, transparent scarlet paper, sizzle like moth wings, marry the air. So much of any year is flammable, lists of vegetables, partial poems…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Paris Streets Come Alive In Rare 1900 Footage
"A Look At Paris In 1900" - This made me feel like I was there. Note how the passersby look at the camera, a novelty at the time.
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Notes From My Journal
Toasts for the New Year
It’s always good to be prepared. In greeting 2020 with colleagues, friends, and family, the following sentiments may come in handy: Toasts for the New Year In all this world, why I do think There are four…
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A Word to the Wise
barlyhood (noun)
Barlyhood – a word rarely used these days – is a fit of unruly behavior brought on by heavy drinking. From “The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng,” a long, satiric poem written by John Skelton in around 1517: “And as…
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Worth Quoting
Rainer Maria Rilke On Beginning The New Year
“And now let us believe in a long year that is given to us, new, untouched, full of things that have never been, full of work that has never been done, full of tasks, claims, and demands.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
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Fun and/or Interesting
First Places On Earth To Ring In 2020
If you want to be one of the very first people to celebrate New Year’s Day 2020, you’re going to have to position yourself somewhere along the International Date Line, which runs through the Pacific Ocean a…
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Worth Reading
The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy
I leant upon a coppice gate When Frost was spectre-gray, And Winter’s dregs made desolate The weakening eye of day. The tangled bine-stems scored the sky Like strings of broken lyres, And all mankind that…
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Readers Write
An email from CR
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, and immensely benefitted from, Mark’s work, so on the off chance he reads this… THANK YOU, Mark!
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Fun and/or Interesting
Andre Rieu Performs O Holy Night
Andre Rieu - "O Holy Night"
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Notes From My Journal
The Hidden Religious Meaning Of Christmas Carol
The history of the Christmas carol, “The 12 Days of Christmas,” isn’t entirely clear. The earliest known version dates back to 1780 in a children’s book titled Mirth With-out Mischief, but it had almost…
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A Word to the Wise
convivial (adjective)
This is a joyful, exuberant, sociable time of year – made festive with the pleasures of good food, good drink, and good company. In other words, it’s the most “convivial” (kun-VIV-ee-ul) of all holidays.
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Fun and/or Interesting
The Mysterious Origins Of Eggnog's Oddly Named Ingredient
You know what eggnog is – the traditional Christmas/New Year’s drink consisting of milk or cream, sugar, and eggs beaten together and often mixed with rum or brandy. But why is it called “eggnog”? Egg, yes…
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Worth Quoting
The Bible on Welcoming Strangers
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” – The Bible (Hebrews 13.2)
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Worth Reading
Mistletoe” by Walter de la Mare
Sitting under the mistletoe (Pale-green, fairy mistletoe), One last candle burning low, All the sleepy dancers were gone, Just one candle burning on, Shadows lurking everywhere: Someone came and kissed me…
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Fun and/or Interesting
The Little Drummer Boy Gets A Metal Makeover
An exciting rendition of "Little Drummer Boy"...
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Notes From My Journal
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
“Christmas time! That man must be a misanthrope indeed, in whose breast something like a jovial feeling is not roused – in whose mind some pleasant associations are not awakened – by the recurrence of…
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A Word to the Wise
Xmas (noun)
Many people are offended when they see this shortened form of the word “Christmas” – but it actually comes from the Greek for Christ, which is Xristos. It became popular in Europe in the 1500s. These days, we…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Ancient Gifts: The Medicinal Power Of Frankincense And Myrrh
When the Three Wise Men gave the Christ child frankincense and myrrh, they were doing much more than giving him something that smelled good. They were giving him a gift of good health. Because in those days…
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Worth Reading
Journey of the Magi” by T.S. Eliot
“A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey: The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter.” And the camels galled, sore-footed…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Silent Night Performed With Stunning Simplicity
A beautiful video of "Silent Night"...
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Notes From My Journal
Twelve Favorite Monty Python Moments From Holy Grail
Chris said: “Setting up the tree… decorating the house. I always feel compelled to come up with something new. Not my best work this year, but sufficient enough. Sufficient enough... is that redundant?” I…
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Fun and/or Interesting
How Irving Berlin's Parody Became A Christmas Classic
“White Christmas,” Irving Berlin's wistful ode to homesickness, was originally meant to be a parody, according to Jody Rosen, author of White Christmas: The Story of an American Song. Inspiration for the song…
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A Word to the Wise
exultation (noun)
Exultation (ek-sul-TAY-shun) is a feeling of triumphant elation or jubilation; rejoicing. As used by John Burroughs: “There is something very human in this apparent mirth and mockery of the squirrels. It seems…
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Worth Reading
Poems to Learn by Heart
A collection of several hundred poems illustrated (apparently for children) by Jon J. Muth. I found “Ozymandias” again here and put it to memory, which was a great joy for me.
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Readers Write
An email from DA
That was a superb dive into Big Idea packages. It has clarified a few things. Thanks
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Fun and/or Interesting
Lindsey Stirling's Electrifying Little Drummer Boy
An exciting rendition of "Little Drummer Boy"... https://youtu.be/5l1CS0Jhk90
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Notes From My Journal
Kurt Vonnegut On Living At The Edge
“I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you can see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center.”– Kurt Vonnegut My friend Tom Dyson has just returned from his…
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A Word to the Wise
eye-minded (adjective)
To be eye-minded (AYE-mine-did) is to be disposed to perceive and understand things visually, and to recall sights more vividly than sounds, smells, etc. As used by Samuel Christian Schmucker in The Meaning of…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Beijing Duck Restaurant Seats Nine Thousand Diners
China’s Beijing Duck Restaurant can seat 9,000 people at the same time.
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Worth Reading
Chen Tingyou, translated by Ren Lingjuan
Chinese Calligraphy by Chen Tingyou, translated by Ren Lingjuan A small, well-written book that explains Chinese calligraphy: where it came from, its different styles, and why in China it is considered a great…
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Fun and/or Interesting
The Magic Behind Impressive Card Tricks
Not sure which I like better, the technology or the talent...
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Notes From My Journal
Why Raising The Minimum Wage Backfires
“It is not easy for men to rise whose qualities are thwarted by poverty.” – Juvenal For as long as I can remember, raising the federal minimum wage has been an issue. After all, the federal minimum wage is $7…
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A Word to the Wise
exacerbate (verb)
To exacerbate (ig-ZAS-ur-bate) is to make a problem or situation worse. As I used it today: “But is [raising the minimum wage] really the answer to poverty in this country? In fact, there’s considerable…
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Fun and/or Interesting
How Music Engages Your Entire Brain
Listening to music utilizes the entire brain.
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Worth Reading
The Top 10 Largest US Cities by Population” from Moving.com
Thinking of moving, but not sure where you want to live? Here are some cities to consider… LINK
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Fun and/or Interesting
Ten Christmas Life-Hacks Worth Trying
10 life-hacks for Christmas...
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
My Wealth Building Strategy for 2020
The stock market is as perilous today as it’s been in many years. The warning signs are many: The bull market is superannuated (second longest since WWII), the Treasury yield curve is inverted, and the S&P…
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A Word to the Wise
obviate (verb)
To obviate (AHB-vee-ate) is to anticipate and prevent or remove a need or difficulty. As I used it today: “To obviate [the urge that I’ll have to sell all my stocks if the market crashes], I’m doing a sort of…
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Worth Quoting
Albert Einstein On Judging Others Unfairly
“If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, you will think it’s stupid.” – Albert Einstein
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Worth Reading
The Monkey’s Paw of Beauty Products” in The New Yorker
This cartoonisn’t funny. It’s not even clever. It’s correct. And that’s what’s wrong with our culture. LINK
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Fun and/or Interesting
Why Your Butt Is Your Body's Strongest Muscle
The gluteus maximus – the main muscle in your buttocks – is the largest and one of the strongest muscles in the human body.
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Readers Write
An email from BG
Thanks for writing one of the best articles on networking I’ve ever read. Step by step on how to initiate contact and develop relationships. I immediately shared it with my 2 daughters who have both graduated…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Virtual Reality Brings Angel Falls To Your Home
Thanks to technology, you can get an amazing experience of Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall.
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Fifteen Essential Tips For Building An Art Collection
I’m writing this in response to a young friend who’s decided he wants to start collecting art and asked for my advice. I don’t consider myself to be an expert in any aspect of art, but I have had a fair amount…
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Worth Quoting
Simone Weil On The Power Of Imagination
“Imagination and fiction make up more than three quarters of our real life.” – Simone Weil
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A Word to the Wise
yen (noun)
Yen (YEN) – aside from being the basic monetary unit of Japan – is a strong desire, craving, or urge. As used by Mark Waters: “My first inkling that I might have a yen for directing came when I realized I…
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Fun and/or Interesting
The Major Muscles That Make Your Back Strong
The back is home to several large muscles. These include the rhomboids (upper back, near the shoulders), latissimus dorsi (“lats” – the muscles behind your armpits that help you pick up things), and spine…
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