How optimistic are you? I am optimistic. I learned that when I read Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life by Martin Seligman. Yes, there’s a test for how optimistic you are. Why does it matter how optimistic you are? Optimists do better in school, college, at work, and in sports. He […]
Book Review: Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life Read More »
About 18 months ago, I noticed that my vertigo symptoms were changing. I brought a list of my symptoms and when things had started to change. I wrote about this and my choices in Making Difficult Choices. If you are trying to solve a nasty problem in your code, tests or your projects, it’s the
If you live in New England, you know how long and difficult our winter has been. It’s the end of March, and it’s still cold and windy. Two days ago, we missed snow in Boston, but it was windy. 40-50 mph sustained winds. As I like to call them, “Small person warnings.” I had taught
Dancing With the Sidewalk Read More »
Are you afraid of success? Maybe you’re afraid of failure? I’m afraid of being mediocre. Sometimes our fears lead us to not even try. And that’s a shame. Because we can work on all of these fears. Sometimes I have to as, “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” I might fail in public. Well,
What Are You Afraid Of? Read More »
I walked into physical therapy today. Judy said, “Did you grow today?” I immediately grinned, and said, “No, but I’d like to! Why?” She grabbed my cane—which has been at the same height all along—and said, “Your cane is too short. Here, this is the right height.” She made the cane one inch higher and
Cane High, Attitude Higher Read More »
How do you walk downstairs? I suspect you walk downstairs the way most people do: facing forwards. What about with a cup of tea in your hands? Do you still walk forwards? This past summer, when I had an acute back problem, radiculopathy, I found it impossible to balance and walk downstairs to my office
Forwards, Backwards, Who Cares? Read More »
I travel a lot so I stay in many hotels. When I make a reservation, I ask for either a stall shower or a shower with a grab bar, or a roll-in shower. Since I’m not disabled, I like to leave the roll-in shower for the guests who actually are disabled. But I do need
Why Do Hotels Not Eat Their Own Dog Food? Read More »
On Monday, April 15, I was merrily typing away at my computer, getting ready for PSL, my trip to England, and all of my todos. I was uber-productive, writing like a champ, checking Shaina’s running times, urging her on in my head. I could see her times update on the web page. “Yes, she’s doing
Relief and Sorrow for the Boston Marathon Read More »
One of the strange side effects of my hemorrhage was my inability to turn onto my left side while lying down without using my arms. I could roll over to the right, like any three-month old baby or a normal adult. However, I could not roll over to the left without propping myself up on
Roll Over, Johanna Read More »
During one of my workouts with Bill, my trainer, I was having trouble with something. I said, “Let’s do it again. I’m too stubborn to give up.” I was talking about doing leg lifts or some such. He said, “You’re the good kind of stubborn, the kind of person who grows from your stubbornness, not
Which Kind of Stubborn Are You Today? Read More »