There’s irony afoot in my life. I’m having an issue with a person who cares more for the ends than the means in their work. To get my point across and force the issue to a head, I engaged in some less than ideal conduct. See what I did there? We justify this sort of… Continue reading Means to an Ends
Author: Rocky
Incendiary
I stayed quiet when the people in uniforms asked, “Are you okay?” because eventually they asked, “Do you know what happened?” I knew. There was uncle Ricky’s fight with the neighbor about the car. Cody and Ray wanted their money back, but the landlord wanted his too. And mom just wanted a man who would… Continue reading Incendiary
Perceived Threat
“I think your son risks becoming a social pariah.” Her tone betrays the rehearsal of this sentence. “Can you give me some specifics about that?” “We can discuss it at the conference, but I strongly recommend he see a neurologist.” I get off the phone, not bothering to tell her we’ve seen three neurologists. Obviously,… Continue reading Perceived Threat
Pay Your Kids for Chores
It’s a common debate now-a-days. Do kids get cash for chores or are they unpaid family responsibilities? Ron Lieber, the New York Times’ “Your Money” columnist and author of the new book The Opposite Of Spoiled, says don’t pay your kids for chores. One reason? “According to Lieber’s philosophy, kids should look at chores just like… Continue reading Pay Your Kids for Chores
Time for “The Talks”
My son is eleven and so the “talks” are coming. We’re a family that allows youtube and video games, so we’ve already covered swearing and virtual reality vs. reality reality. We’ve also done some basic birds and bees chats, but the talk about penis, vagina and where babies come from will be covered just fine… Continue reading Time for “The Talks”
Learning to Tolerate Anxiety
I have long tapped into what this Business article says is, “the benefit of anxiety.” I do as they recommend and “use it as motivation to get prepared and push yourself to perform well.” To this I say, Yuck. We’d all be better off shunning this productivity validates your existence paradigm. I take meds for anxiety,… Continue reading Learning to Tolerate Anxiety
What Should I Be When I Grow Up?
Yeah, so my first world problems include this incredible fear of missing out of all my different potential selves and lives. Explained beautifully here at one of my all-time favorite blogs, Brain Pickings. “Our lived lives might become a protracted mourning for, or an endless tantrum about, the lives we were unable to live. But the exemptions… Continue reading What Should I Be When I Grow Up?
The Truth about Money and Happiness
“Money Can’t Buy Happiness,” say folks mostly from the middle class. Rich and poor people know it grants tons of happiness and scientists also know it does… to a point. The point is about $75,000.00. I see money buy me happiness nearly every day. I buy artichokes and basmati rice and salmon. When my son… Continue reading The Truth about Money and Happiness
Mind Blown
My last post felt self indulgent, egotistical, sad and, while honest, wrong. Wrong? Yeah. Something about it seemed off. And the today I read this. Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets That Shape Our Lives I don’t suffer from a fixed mindset in everything in my life, but when it comes to writing I… Continue reading Mind Blown
The C+ Life
My mother always said I was special, but unlike most who grow up and realize this admiration was ill placed, I carried on believing it deep down even though the world continues to disappoint my delusions. I am a GenXer and not from the generation that got a trophy for 5th place. I was proud… Continue reading The C+ Life