Keeping a fit mind is like keeping a fit body: there are no reliable gimmicks or shortcuts. Health comes down to daily lifestyle choices, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and being judicious with french fries and six packs. IQ, just like weight, begins with the little choices. …
Last week I had the honor of speaking with about 200 wonderful students at Northeastern Community College here in Colorado. We discussed important things, like why the mind is willing to jump through too many hoops for a free cookie. During a lively Q&A, one student asked my opinion on sleeping pills. How does a person know when medication is the proper way to treat sleep difficulties? …
Hi there! Here’s a joke. A magician called a volunteer from his audience and handed the woman a large mallet.
“When I say the word,” said the magician, “I want you to strike my forehead as hard as you can with that mallet.” …
How to Handle Hypersensitive People In the WorkplaceRead More »
Hey, do you want to hear a secret? I was bullied as a kid, and it was not the moderate, teasing variety. Throughout grade school I was extorted for money, chased through alleys, beaten up, and repeatedly had my coke-bottle glasses knocked to the ground. (The Glasses Game went like this: someone would knock my glasses off, after which I would crawl around looking for them. The other kids found this more amusing than I did.) …
The Most Important Thing to Know about Bullies and PredatorsRead More »
A few weeks ago, psychologist Randi Gunther discussed the fact that women still initiate the majority of divorces, even after men dutifully followed women into the new millennium. …
“Hi. I’m looking for a Chicago screw,” I announced to the woman behind the counter at the hardware store.
A Chicago screw is essentially a large rivet, but it requires no rivet gun. You simply screw the two ends together. It’s also known as a sex bolt, though sex bolts are typically more robust. …
Here in Colorado we recently legalized recreational marijuana. I think that was a good decision. Grownups don’t need babysitters, and on my list of societal ills pot falls somewhere between stray dogs and people who drive slowly in the fast line. …
Five Reasons Why Marijuana Is a Real Jerk SometimesRead More »
I love good advice. Why? Because I love efficiency. Good advice spares me from costly, inefficient mistakes that others have already made, freeing me to make my own spectacular, brand-new mistakes. Of all the advice I’ve received, this is my favorite: …
When I was about 26 years old, I was offered a tattoo as a gift. This particular tattoo would have conveyed the type of thrilling message that young men imagine they will want emblazoned across their rippling biceps until the end. I planned to go out in a blaze of glory, rescuing women and children, and that tattoo was going to look great! …
We all have those lazy days we look back upon with regret. Today, for example, I donated a paltry four hours to the animal shelter, wrote only two chapters of my book on pre-Renaissance psychiatric interventions, and barely finished reshingling my roof. Some days I just can’t get myself moving. …
