29Aug 2016 by CJ

Guilt can be a useful tool in moderation

Life & Living
“When you are guilty, it is not your sins you hate but yourself.” - Anthony de Mello, One Minute Wisdom I grew up in an Italian-American family, and if there’s one thing Italians know how to do well it’s guilt each other. I try not to play that card in my personal life – having lived through enough of that drama for the majority of my life. But today my Italian heritage was shining through. I was trying to make a point – trying my best NOT to play the card hidden up my sleeve. But after much going back and forth with little to no progress, I embarrassingly played the guilt card. For a moment I felt like my mother – overdramatizing the situation in order to get the reaction…
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28Aug 2016 by CJ

A person’s life is more than what you see

Life & Living
This article was first published back in 2007. I dedicate it to my grandfather, whose birthday was August 24th - he would have been 93 years old. He taught me many lessons, but perhaps the greatest being a person’s life is more than what you see. ____________________________________________________ As the night grew cold, I found myself unable to read as my body shivered - causing the book to become unstable and unreadable for that matter. I gathered a large woolen blanket from the foot of my bed and covered my frigid body -  hoping for warmth so I could continue on with my reading. Just a few days prior, we all enjoyed a record heat wave and yet tonight the temperatures were well below freezing. The grandfather clock struck midnight and…
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23Aug 2016 by CJ

Marriage is about compromise for success

Love & Relationships
“Marriage is about compromise; it's about doing something for the other person, even when you don't want to.” Nicholas Sparks The Wedding Of the few memories I have of my great-grandmother, one thing I clearly remember was the arduous relationship she had with my grandmother (her daughter-in-law). My grandmother was very easy to get along with, however, her mother-in-law was the true Italian matriarch – ruling over her roost with an iron fist. I always found that amusing, given the fact that she lived in a house dominated by males – her husband, my grandfather and his brother. Even so, she had lofty expectations for her children, and wasn’t pleased when each of her boys eventually put their wives ahead of her. Recognizing how difficult it continually was for my…
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19Aug 2016 by CJ

Sensationalism in journalism – a dangerous game

Information & Education
“Those who have gone through the high school of reporterdom have acquired a new instinct by which they see and hear only that which can create a sensation, and accordingly their report becomes not only a careless one, but hopelessly distorted.” — Hugo Munsterberg Let’s face it – journalism of today is all about sensationalism and readership (usually at the expense of the actual story). Facts and information are typically distorted and taken out of context in order to fit the confines and desires of the writer. But that doesn’t mean the story is an accurate depiction of reality – instead writers are trying to differentiate themselves with the next “big” story, relying very little on substance. This can be incredibly damaging to the parties associated with the story (subjects,…
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17Aug 2016 by CJ

Disrespectful people deserve little respect

Generosity & Kindness
“When I look at a person, I see a person - not a rank, not a class, not a title.” ― Criss Jami, Killosophy A gentleman I’m associated with – no scratch that – “a person I’m associated with” (gentleman would imply he’s well-mannered) is quite possibly one of the most disrespectful individuals I’ve encountered to date. I’m unsure how he's achieved such an inflated perception of himself, but some of the egotistical and downright pompous things that come out of his mouth are troubling and alarming to me at times. And his behaviors and actions are equally disheartening. A question of rudeness He will only socialize and exchange pleasantries with those who can "help" him, or at the very least, those who are equal to him. He will not…
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