I don’t have to remind you we just celebrated Thanksgiving. For many of us, the day was full of family, feasting, football and Friday…endless advertisements about Black Friday and the “don’t you dare miss this” sales that go with it.  One of my family’s simple traditions is to go around the table during the Thanksgiving […]

What’s the most overused phrase in the English language? Here’s a vote for “the new normal.”  (“At the end of the day” runs a close second.) Pundits talk endlessly about “the new normal” in healthcare, politics, foreign relations, sexuality, the climate, the workplace—you name it. One exception is the financial world where I’m seeing a […]

I grew up watching Let’s Make a Deal with Monty Hall.  Eager audience members would scream wildly, pleading with Monty to pick them to play the game. Once Hall had chosen someone to play, announcer Jay Stewart would bring down what looked to me like a TV dinner trey with a small package on it.  […]

“I should get on a budget.”  Ever say that? It’s really an admission that budgeting isn’t easy or fun. (If it were, everyone would be doing it, right?)  So, if you’re one of those who doesn’t have a budget, why bother trying to create and live by one? Because having a firm spending plan—which is […]

“Honey!” the mother pleads, looking into her adult daughter’s eyes. “I just want you to be happy. Listen to your heart!”  This line (or one like it) shows up in every sappy Hallmark movie I watch with my wife.  I can’t imagine worse advice to give someone—whether in the area of romance, parenting, career advancement, […]

In my 100% polyester, off-white leisure suit with its bell-bottomed pants and extra wide lapels, I thought I was hot stuff. My lime green nylon shirt sported a lion’s head on the back. My ensemble was made complete with platform shoes and a puka shell necklace. Oh, and I should mention my hair—blown dry and […]