Here's an irony for you: When nothing is sure, everything is possible. I know that "everything" can encompass both good and bad outcomes. We can find a great job or spend another two frustrating months looking, see our relationship thrive or devolve into chaos, hit it big in the stock market or lose a boatload of money. Life is really what we make of it. The possibilities are there -- we need only seize them. But we make that impossible to do if: 1. We give up prematurely. Thomas Edison once said,"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work. This quote, too, is attributed to the famous inventor: "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were when they gave up." Indeed, some people draw so close to the promised land they can almost taste it -- only to wave the white flag. Perhaps they become dissuaded by a friend or relative, don't see the financial returns of a venture as quic...

Is there anything you really want to do in your life, but find yourself paralyzed by the fear of failure? Maybe you want to leave your comfortable job for a more challenging post with another company, but you're worried it won't work out. Perhaps you wish to propose to your girlfriend, but you can't quash a nagging fear that she will say no. What do such hypothetical scenarios have in common? That in each case, we tend to think the very worst. No sooner do we set a goal than we imagine ourselves being unsuccessful. Sure, falling short is a real possibility for every one of us. But are we really going to let the prospect of failure keep us from even trying? Never be afraid of taking a risk , so long as you feel that: 1. Provided that you invest the time and effort, you have a real shot at succeeding. 2. If you do succeed, you're certain the benefits will outweigh the costs of taking the plunge. Of course, if you don't plan to work your butt of...

Boston delights locals and travelers alike with everything from history and shopping to art and dining. There's so much to do and see in this charming city that its hotels -- some of which are notable destinations in their own right -- get overlooked. One such gem is the Omni Parker House . This 161-year-old, 551-room hotel in downtown Boston is the longest continuously operating hotel in the country -- the first in Boston to offer elevator service and running water. The hotel has played host to every American president since Ulysses S. Grant. However, none has had stronger ties to the upscale hotel than John F. Kennedy. He made his first public speech at the age of seven in the Press Room while attending his grandfather's birthday party. The Press Room later became the place where he announced his candidacy for U.S. Congress and where he held his bachelor party. Moreover, Kennedy proposed to Jacqueline Bouvier at the Parker’s Restaurant, Table 40. The Saturday Club, a ...

Did you know that for over 150 years, U.S. presidents had no term limits? Essentially, this means that someone could serve for life, which many people equated with monarchical rule. Beginning with George Washington and lasting through Harry S. Truman, presidents could serve as many terms as they could win. It wasn’t until after Franklin D. Roosevelt won four consecutive presidential elections, leaving office only because of his death, that the government warmed up to the idea of having term limits. Let's travel back in time to the founding era. Back then, the U.S. had no presidential term limits because under the Articles of Confederation, there was no such thing as a president. (There was a president of the Continental Congress in the 1780s, but it was not a chief executive position.) The Articles’ framers in the Second Continental Congress deliberately left out a head-of-state because they fretted over creating another king in the mold of King George III of Great Britai...

As I've noted previously, I work as a writer in the hotel/lodging industry. (This blog, of course, is my side gig.) I'm a hardcore history buff, so it comes as no surprise that the hotels I enjoy learning about the most are those that have stood the test of time. One such historic property is the Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn, which is situated in the center of the Village of Rhinebeck in the Hudson Valley. The Beekman Arms has operated continuously since -- get this -- 1766, melding colonial charm and character with modern conveniences. In 1766, Arent Traphagen relocated his father's tavern to what is now Rhinebeck. The Bogardus Taven was made of sturdy timber and stone to protect against potential Indian attacks.  The inn hosted notable revolutionaries including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Benedict Arnold. The 4th Regiment of the Continental Army drilled on the lawn and and the townspeople took refuge here when the British burned the s...

Today I'd like to share a quote comes from Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), the longest-serving First Lady in U.S. history. She held the post from 1943 to 1945, during President Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented four terms in office. It seems I discover a new great quote from Roosevelt every so often; I've featured roughly five of them already on this blog. "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart." I think this quote rings true for many of us. We have met more people in our lives than we can remember. And even though the passage of time, death, long distance, or other circumstances might bring certain friendships to an end, we never forget those who have made a positive impact on our lives. Most of us will always have a special place in our hearts for our closest friends from elementary and high school, for example, even though we may have lost touch with them. Perhaps we shared special ...

Even if you aren't into politics, you're probably aware of the turmoil in the Republican Party right now, which finds itself mired in a civil war as we draw ever closer to the general election. Still, you might not know how the Republican Party started in the first place, which is the subject of this timely post. On March 20, 1854, former members of the Whig Party met in Ripon, Wisconsin, to establish a new party to oppose the spread of slavery into the western territories. Created in 1834 to oppose the “tyranny” of President Andrew Jackson, the Whig Party had been unable to cope with the national crisis over slavery. The party derailed as a result of the successful introduction of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill of 1854, an act that dissolved the terms of the Missouri Compromise and allowed slave or free status to be decided in the territories by popular sovereignty.  By February 1854, anti-slavery Whigs had begun convening in the upper midwestern states to consider the format...

Teddy Roosevelt’s legacy encompasses a wide range of outstanding achievements – from overseeing the construction of the Panama Canal to helping root out public corruption to dissolving monopolies as a so-called “trust buster.” However, there’s a lot more to this majestic figure than what's detailed in the history books. Below are several fascinating facts about the 26th U.S. President that run the gamut from special awards he received to his personal pet peeves.  Teddy Roosevelt (1858-1919) was a man of varied interests and notable accomplishments. His name alone conjures up images of a stout, bespectacled man with a brown mustache and larger-than-life personality. Indeed, this revered figure who famously exhorted Americans to “speak softly and carry a big stick” is remembered as an ebullient politician who pledged to crack down on trusts and corruption, an outdoorsy explorer deeply committed to the conservation of natural resources, and an intrepid Colonel who commanded the 1st ...

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, once said that the best way to predict your future is to create it. Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, stated that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Still another great quote -- and I believe this one was dreamed up anonymously -- is that we ought to strive to do something today that our future self will thank us for. I know I sometimes have a tendency to harp on here about the past. (After all, I do love history!) And while reminiscing at times is good and healthful, we mustn't spend too much time ruminating over past events. I think doing so gets in the way of our growth -- whether personal or professional. Sometimes we might get so caught up reliving the past that we forget to live in the present. While memories of yesterday might be special, memories created tomorrow might prove even more profound. Thinking too much about the past prevents us from mo...

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November to be a national day of thanksgiving. Though President Franklin Roosevelt issued a proclamation in the 1940s establishing that Thanksgiving day would fall on the second to last Thursday of November, he would later sign a bill into law stating that Thanksgiving would be observed on the fourth Thursday of the month. It's great that, on this day, most people stop to give thanks for all they have. But being grateful for one's blessings, in my view, should be an everyday thing. Many people spend more time yearning for things they don't have than being grateful for the things and people already in their lives. We mustn't forget there are a lot of people who are less fortunate than we are, and who would kill to be in our shoes for a day. What makes the holiday season special is that it not only gives us an opportunity to give thanks, but it propels us to give to others. Everyone talks about spreadi...