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The Smallest Table

In addition to writing, I spent a career as an experience designer—skills that I use today but primarily when I design my life. My expertise was in interactive and participatory design. I did a ton of work on this while at Disney, but it was one night on vacation in New York City, with my husband and our two youngest children, that I realized the best design ever created… The Smallest Table The restaurant was crowded, as most were during Spring Break near Broadway and Times Square. There was a small square table in the center of a very crowded restaurant with a small chair on each side. Our knees easily touched and the length of the table was about… Continue Reading

A 16-Year-Old Talks the 6 Evils of Social Media

There have been hundreds of blogs about the negative side of social media but the other night, as we hung out at the kitchen table with friends, a 16-year-old shared with me how he thought social media was essentially bad for you. I thought I’d share his remarks as they speak to a failure on the part several generations. First, he admitted that social media can be fun, especially for sharing pet videos and practical jokes (that don’t cause physical harm or injury). But beyond that use, is this noted “time suck” valuable, or contributing to the betterment of humans any way? My young friend answers his own question with a resounding, “NO.” Here are his points primarily in his… Continue Reading

8 Reasons To Be Nice To Your Mom and/or Dad When You’re 16

Let’s face it, teen years can be hard—on the parents that is. For teenagers, they get lots of new responsibilities and freedoms, and their parents are financing the fun. It really doesn’t get any better even if you have to take SATs. So teens, if your parents are decent people—you know, they don’t beat you, or lock you in the closet under the stairs—then let’s be real and give them a break. And if they’re not, this blog does not apply to you. Why you should consider being a more fun and engaging housemate… 1 – COMFORT: It just makes day-to-day life more pleasant for everyone. Be polite to them the way you would if they were a celebrity you… Continue Reading

Promotions, Bonuses, Merit—Oh My! Ask or You Won’t Receive.

There have been a lot of articles lately on how to ask for a raise and the best time to ask—probably because it is that time of year when many companies are doing their annual evaluations, and managers are getting their allotment of funds to be distributed to their teams. After reading a few of these articles I felt compelled to add my two cents. As an executive who has allocated funds and an executive who has asked for more and tried to navigate the corporate ladder, there are still unspoken rules and bias that can trip you up. An HR person will tell you that the right time to ask for a raise is during your annual review. Well,… Continue Reading

“Just Be Yourself” a.k.a. Worst. Advice. Ever.

Until you’ve aged a little and accomplished some awesome things, and come to a place where you know you are fierce and can kill it in any situation, “being yourself” is really stressful. Especially if you want to be a lot more than “yourself.” As a teen, I never wanted to be myself. I wanted to be the “self” that fit in and was liked for being myself. If I was actually myself, I would have never engaged in conversation, or done extra curricular activities, or been responsible with my chores. I only did those things to appear normal, to have the hope of being a better ‘self’ someday, and so that my parents would get off my back and… Continue Reading

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Dreams and Schemes for a Legendary Life

The Smallest Table

A 16-Year-Old Talks the 6 Evils of Social Media

8 Reasons To Be Nice To Your Mom and/or Dad When You’re 16

Promotions, Bonuses, Merit—Oh My! Ask or You Won’t Receive.

“Just Be Yourself” a.k.a. Worst. Advice. Ever.

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