A Cab Driver Who Appeared as if from Nowhere
I had a fever of 102° and stood in front of the hotel terrified that I was going to be late for a series of interviews. It started the previous day . . . Once my plane landed at LaGuardia…
A Dr. Pepper Explosion and the Power of Laughter
I stood there with Dr. Pepper streaming off my face, dripping from my hair, and decorating my ceiling. I had dropped a can on the floor and it exploded all over me and my brand new kitchen. At first I…
Why I Believe in Me
Last night something weird happened. As I was doing my Barre exercises, I failed to complete each exercise. I gave into the burn. Later, while sitting on the couch eating chips as a reward for my mediocre effort, I considered…
What Raccoons Know About Motivation
I am an optimist. I believe that we are inherently good, and that love will win. I believe that most people want to help, and that McDonald’s didn’t intend to gradually kill us with their french fries. But I’m not particularly peaceful…
Hell’s Kitchen or Extreme Weight Loss or Me?
I believe that the human spirit is amazing, but the brain is easily influenced. Thanks to my television addiction, I found proof of that fact the other night. I was on my couch holding the remote control like a magic wand,…
Eeyore, Aliens, and How To Keep Your Tale On
I sat in the chair listening to a woman explain why and how aliens were going to melt the earth in September. Yes, this September. For two hours, I heard about the end of the world and how religion controls people…
What On Earth Are You Doing Here?
Yesterday a new acquaintance asked me, “Are you doing what you’re supposed to be doing right now?” I was eating a salad at Panera Bread when I thought I should be eating a treat from the bakery, so I replied honestly. “Not at this…
You Have More Power Than You Think
Yes, you. The person who looks in the mirror each morning and says, “ugh.” The person who takes out the trash and curses when the bag breaks. The same human being who occasionally wonders if there’s anything beyond this crazy world…
Simplifying My Life
I have all sorts of resolutions this year, many of them recycled over the past twenty years. You know those resolutions that you feel obligated to write down but you never actually do. Mine include: Lose twenty-five pounds Dress for success…
Hospital Heroes and Handwashing
I never thought that I would find such joy in a hospital setting. Having spent a lot of my childhood in hospitals, I’m not a big fan of the sterile hallways where footsteps echo as parents leave for the night….