20Dec 2012 by CJ

Envy is the most stupid of vices for there’s nothing you can gain from it

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
Over the last few weeks, I’ve found myself battling feelings of envy regarding so many facets of my life – my appearance, my social status, my wealth, my relationships with family and friends. This time of year may in fact be a time for hope and celebration, but it’s also a time for personal reflection – and many times we’re not always pleased with what we see. Wallowing in my own self pity is usually how I like to deal with these things. But it’s this self-defeatist attitude which only makes the situation worse. I once learned from a very wise woman, who has helped me through many personal struggles, that so many times our emotions are not grounded in reality, but rather the result of our own insecurities, envy…
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17Dec 2012 by CJ

Superintendent of schools should be ashamed of herself

Information & Education, Life & Living, Youth
Our local newspaper recently ran a story on the front page headlined, "Superintendent gets $45K bonus". I’ve called the township of Lyndhurst, NJ home for over three decades. In that time I’ve seen some pretty interesting things when it comes to the political and educational forces controlling the town. The items below ranks right up there. I suspect I’m not alone when I say that Lyndhurst’s school superintendent, Tracey Marinelli, should be ashamed of herself - as should the Board of Education who’s supposed to serve the students before lining the pockets of its staff. As the husband of a Bergen County educator, I am not naïve to the workings of a public school system and the strains recently put on it under the leadership of Governor Christie. However, innovative…
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14Dec 2012 by CJ

Sandy Hook Elementary School Victims – our hearts are with you

Information & Education, Life & Living, Love & Relationships, Youth
My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who lost loved ones at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut today. My wife is a school teacher and I’d be a liar to say that every time I hear the mention of a school shooting, I cringe. I cannot imagine what those who lost someone near and dear to them must be going through – at Christmas time no less. What a truly senseless tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. If the shooter wanted to take his own life, he certainly didn’t have to take anyone else’s in the process. This horrific crime just reinforces why it is so very important to live each and every day to the fullest. When you go home tonight, wrap…
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14Dec 2012 by CJ

Parking ticket – my mistake and lesson learned

Life & Living
The other night, while visiting a friend in the hospital, I decided to park on the street – refusing to pay their $6 parking garage fee. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t notice the bus stop sign near the edge of my back bumper and got a parking ticket. Now it’s been a while since I’ve taken a driver’s ed class, but my wife (the rule keeper in life) assures me that parking in front of a bus stop sign (not a booth) is in fact an offense. And so as you might have guessed, I was greeted with a ticket when I returned to my car. Normally, I would try and argue my way out of it with a well crafted letter – with some success I might add. But…
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14Dec 2012 by CJ

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander

Information & Education, Life & Living
Human beings amuse me at times - okay, many times. And sometimes, I find there's nothing more profound than the old adage, "what's good for the goose is good for the gander". How often have you witnessed a shocked reaction over your disrespectful behavior from either a parent, employer or spouse, and wondered why they were so surprised by your public display? I say this because many times human beings are only emulating what they see and hear from the people they spend a great deal of time with. After all, if your behaviors are regularly deemed “acceptable,” then why wouldn’t they be acceptable for everyone else, right? I’ll tell you why, because many times their actions are NOT acceptable behaviors in society, just for themselves. Funny how they’ll never…
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