If one of your New Year's Resolutions is to ease the pain of loneliness, I have news for you: Being in the wrong company can be far worse, as such feelings are only magnified.  Ask yourself this: Do you really think you'd feel lonelier by yourself, or in a group of people you hardly know and may have little in common with? As shocking as it may be to some, it's perfectly normal to enjoy your own company. You don't need other people to enjoy such hobbies as reading, writing, listening to music, and exercising. Besides, sometimes you need alone time to contemplate and catch a breath of fresh air after a tough day. In essence, being alone and being lonely aren't one and the same. The former can actually be a plus -- something one seeks for their general well-being. The latter, on the other hand, is a negative condition one generally tries to extricate themselves from. Having others around can be a boon if you know and trust them. In the absence of such rap...

You may have already heard or read that the Powerball lottery now sits at a whopping $800 million. It's reasonable that anyone would intend to use some of that money on some pure indulgences, from resplendent mansions to luxurious jewelry. What disturbs me, though, is that I've hardly heard anyone say they'd use some of the money toward noble causes, like: Donating to charities  Donating to schools Helping preserve historic buildings and monuments Building new schools, hospitals, and other facilities  Creating new jobs for thousands of people Repairing and rebuilding crumbling infrastructure  Instead, all I hear is talk of using the money to buy lavish things that none of us really need. The world has gone to hell in a hand basket. $800 million is far more than any one person or family would ever need. I hope that whoever wins will put truly needy people before themselves. I'm sure a good chunk of that payout would do organizations like St. Jude Chil...