Remember ‘Keeping up with the Jones?’ It was that all-pervasive need to acquire whatever, whenever so you wouldn’t fall behind the materialistic bar set by the nonexistent Jones couple down the street. Well apparently Jonesy passed away quietly somewhere along the line, perhaps a victim of the implosion of the real estate bubble. But fear…

Unfortunately, for the most part I happen to enjoy shopping.  I say unfortunately because, well, for one thing I’m a guy, and we’re not really supposed to like that kinda thing, and for another, for some unknown reason, shopping tends to cost money.  Money I don’t usually have a lot of. I also say “for…

I know a lot of people, myself included, fret about the ups and downs of the stock market, and how it might affect their finances or their ability to retire – or stay retired.  I’ve also become aware that a lot people simply don’t understand how the markets work, and this is adding to their…

 Once upon a time, long, long ago, a young couple met.  His name was Ronnie Republican.  Her name was Debbie Democrat. Ronnie and Debbie came from different backgrounds.  They had nothing in common.  They didn’t respect each other.  They didn’t even like each other.  And yet, as relationships sometimes evolve, they decided to move in…

 I’m a pretty good listener.  I think most writers are.  We’re naturally curious about other people, about the things around us. But unfortunately, there’s a potentially lethal occupational hazard to good listening. You become a Conversational Target. Most people, I’ve found, like to talk.  They like to talk a whole lot more than they like…

January 11, 1922.  The back room of Values at Tiny’s General Store, somewhere in America. “What’s the matter Boss? Why the long face?” “Oh, it’s all this-here inventory I’m stuck with,” Tiny complained.  “Sales were slow over Christmas, I’ve got all this darn c y that didn’t sell.  I still got me four cases a’…