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Good Samaritan
There is a philanthropic sales strategy that goes like this: Ask for a very large donation, and when they say no, ask for a smaller donation. They will be so relieved at the opportunity to clear their conscience of saying no the first time that far more people will say yes to this smaller donation…
Going Through, Part II
Click to read Part 1. When I was writing the first “Going Through” article a couple of months ago (seriously, where does the time go??) I was already thinking of part 2. Unfortunately, rather than sitting right down and writing it then, which would have been the smart thing to do, I waited. Now, I…
Question of the Day
Does something need to be logical to be true? I suspect the answer is no. But what, then, is the purpose of logic?
Something More
My dog does not understand how I can sit for hours flipping pages in a book. I hold it out to her, but she sniffs it disdainfully and walks away. Where I see another whole world, she sees only ink and paper. My book is utter foolishness to her who cannot read. As I’m thinking…
Brazilian Barbecue
This past weekend I was invited to a barbecue with some Brazilians. I jumped at the chance. First of all, because seriously, how fun is that? And secondly, I have a work trip to Brazil this fall. This was a prime opportunity to make some contacts and glean some tips for a first time visitor.…
Today’s Quote
“It is often said the church is a crutch. Of course it’s a crutch. What makes you think you’re not limping?” This quote is originally attributed to William Sloane Coffin, and was used by my pastor this Sunday during his sermon. It made me think: how often do we shy away from derisive comments because we…
Running
I am not a runner. But I admire people who are. I would like to be a runner. Except for that fact that becoming a runner would require me to, well, run. I am the epitomy of everything you should not do to become a runner. I follow no schedule whatsoever. I wait for a…
Recycling
I recycle because I have a friend who recycles. I mean, I have a friend who recycles. She carries a bag with her when she goes on walks simply so she can pick up trash. When she comes to visit, she brings me all the recyclables she can’t recycle in her own town, because my…
Self Encouragement
I was having a frazzled kind of day. Not anything in particular was going badly, I just felt somehow entirely discombobulated. You know those days where too little sleep and too many racing thoughts start taking their toll? I felt a bit as though a piece of me was going in one direction, and another…
Matchless
At some point over the course of today I came to the realization that my shirt does not match the rest of my outfit. Unfortunately, this isn’t particularly surprising. It’s certainly not the first time, although I do actually make an effort to match… sometimes. The problem is I really don’t like anything about the…
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Meet Janet!
Janet Beagle, PhD is the founder of The Mustard Patch. She divides her time between the Midwest and New England, and if she’s not writing, she’s probably out hiking with her 2-and 4-footed friends.