Ugh... fake people . We all have a couple of them in our midst -- perhaps at work, in school, or via Facebook. They wear different masks depending on the situation and context. They change  their attitudes, opinions, and stories whenever they know it will benefit them. They'll do and say just about anything to look good in front of others. And they can't be trusted . The moment you tell them something in confidence, they turn around and spill the beans. They'll step on your toes just to get ahead. They'll pretend to be your friends, then throw you under the bus when you're not around. They're backstabbing opportunists . They'll post a barrage of Facebook updates in which they gloat about their vacations, meals, cars, and jewelry. They pretend to have the perfect life in an attempt to make others jealous. Little do these fake people know that there are some highly perceptive individuals out there who can see right through their little charad...

The world consists of 8 planets, 204 countries, 804 islands, 7 seas, and a whopping 7 billion people. We're merely a speck in this vast, ever-expanding universe. That being said, should you allow one person -- whether your obnoxious boss, an annoying neighbor, or the maniac who cut you off while driving to work this morning -- to sabotage your day? Of course not. In the grand scheme of life, the kinds of things we bicker and complain about are insignificant. Taking on this attitude is easier said than done in a tense, emotionally-charged situation where someone really tests your patience. For example, let's pretend someone cuts you off on your way to work, nearly hitting the brand new car you've worked your behind off to afford. While you're both at a red light, the driver of the other car gets out of his vehicle and exhorts you -- in an expletive-laden rant -- to learn how to drive, even though he was the one who failed to observe the rules of the road. And...

While driving to work, home, or elsewhere, you turn on the radio, only to find a very played-out song airing on one of your favorite stations. In the mood for something newer, you tune into a different station and, to your dismay, the same song is playing on that station as well. At this point you're thinking, "Third time must be the charm." You opt for another radio station and gasp at hearing that very song yet again. This has actually happened to me multiple times over the last couple of years, and boy, is it annoying. I think it's indicative of the fact that radio stations are becoming more homogeneous by the day. Their playlists seem anything but unique. Everyone is trying to play the same Billboard chart-toppers in rotation. I think these companies have to do a much better job of varying their music. Why only play the biggest hits from the past 3 or 6 months? It would serve them well to juxtapose today's hits with those from 5, 10, even 20 years ...

I think you can also use the word "selfish" to describe such behavior. We've all had at least one friend who ditches us when they jump into a relationship and come running back once that relationship has ended. One of my closest friends -- my wife and I have known him since high school -- falls into this category. I noted on the blog last year that he pulled a major disappearing act in the 8-month stretch he was with his then-girlfriend. One day, out of nowhere, I start receiving calls and invitations from him to hang out again. It's as if he had morphed from Mr. Indifferent to the clingiest person you'll ever meet. It took him awhile to come out and say that the relationship was officially done, but the fact he'd suddenly become so available again gave it away. He never gave specifics on why the relationship failed -- only saying that he broke up with her because he didn't want to hurt her. (We'll never really know who actually did the break...