I'd like to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas! Whether you're in Connecticut, Calgary, or Calcutta, I hope you are having a wonderful day with friends and family. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, here's to a joyous holiday season.  While the fact Christmas comes only once each year makes it a special time -- especially for kids -- there's no question many parents are breathing a sigh of relief as the day draws to a close.  After all, between shopping for gifts at jam-packed malls, hosting holiday parties, and finalizing loose ends at work before the end of the year, it can be an awfully stressful and frenzied time even for those who consider themselves pros at this sort of thing.  It's important not to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. It isn't about toys or shopping sprees, but spending time with family and being thankful for what you have. I see it as a continuation or extension of Thanksgiving, even though we ought to...

We're only a few days shy of Christmas and people have been asking me whether regifting is acceptable. That depends. If it's something you don't want but know someone else would value, it's fair game. For example, you might not want a box of chocolates because you're on a diet, but it would make a nice gift for your chocoholic aunt. Or, if you don't drink (like me), that nice bottle of wine you received at work might suit your booze-loving neighbor. However, I advise against regifting when it concerns your close friends, partner, kids, or extended family. After all, these are the people you treasure most in your life. They deserve more of an investment of your time and money, don't they? Instead, it's more appropriate to give them to acquaintances or people you may otherwise not know all that well. For instance, maybe your friend's decor-minded sister could put the candle you received in a gift exchange to better use than you can. Obvio...

What would you do if you worked as a waitress at a restaurant and received a $1,000 tip one day? Would you think it was a mistake and try to track down the person who left the exorbitant sum? Or would you pocket the money and go about your business? Skye Seumptewa found herself in such a conundrum when she opened the ticket book left by a customer and noticed it contained more than $1,000. She assumed right out of the gate that he'd made a blunder, and her suspicions were confirmed when the individual returned the next day to get his money back. The man was eating at Thailicious, a restaurant in Edgewater, Colorado. The story goes that he ordered a meal and a few glasses of wine at the bar. Shortly after he made his way out of the restaurant, Seumptewa noticed the wad of bills left inside. Some of the restaurant employees got excited, recalling stories of people who have left generous tips at restaurants. Even so, it seemed a tad too generous; the employees agreed that the ...

It annoys me to no end when a person has money and yet he still chooses to be stingy. You know, the kind of person who never gets you a gift on your birthday, or always opts for the cheapest restaurants in town. One thing is to not spend because you really are strapped for cash, or you're trying to save up for a big life event -- like a wedding or the purchase of a car. Another is to be thrifty just because you'd rather have a root canal done on you than shell out a buck. The worst offenders are those who have a lot of money but never donate a cent to charity. I think people have every right to spend their money as they wish, but there's something to be said for those who use it for good causes. What's the harm in getting a friend a small birthday gift? Or donating $2 to St. Jude? People who refuse to spend even this much get under my skin. I could never date a woman or have as a friend someone who seems to care more about their money than their loved on...

Unless you work for a charity, hospital, or other organization that has a "feel good" quality to it and allows you to make a difference in some concrete way, work can feel hollow for so many of us. I'm thankful for my job and know the reason why I give 40+ hours of my time each week to my company is to support my wife and myself. I actually like what I do (writing, editing, proofreading), but sometimes I'm left with a nagging feeling of emptiness. When I think beyond my day-to-day tasks and look at the bigger picture, I realize my job is mainly to help make the company money so that the big wigs can line their pockets. It's the bottom line -- literally. Thankfully, this blog serves as a conduit through which I can not only exercise my creativity and share ideas, but make decisions on my own without having to navigate politics. In corporate, deferring to others -- sometimes to people who are less skilled and knowledgeable than you -- is par for the course. ...