If you'd asked me a few months ago what I think of Zoom, you'd be met with a look of bewilderment. I'd neither used nor heard of the application until two weeks ago, when my departing boss's daughter threw her a virtual retirement "party" that I and several other co-workers were invited to attend. I must say, it quickly grew on me. The coolest feature in my estimation is the ability to change out your background, making it appear as though you're at Walt Disney World, in the Simpsons' living room, or wherever else tickles your fancy. And, this past weekend, I joined the wifey for a Zoom chat with a close friend and colleague of hers. There's no denying that Zoom is all the rage now. With the coronavirus pandemic forcing us to stay indoors, everything from birthday celebrations to corporate budget meetings are being carried out through the service. Surprisingly, though, people have told me that while while these platforms offer convenien...

Rather than harping on the past, look to the future. A new year -- one full of fresh, exciting possibilities -- looms ahead. Don't fixate on the things you didn't accomplish this year -- focus on the ones you will achieve in 2017. If you came across a few forks in the road in 2016, aim to work even harder in the coming months toward meeting -- or surpassing -- your goals, whether it's losing 20 pounds, going on 20 dates, or visiting 20 cities. Build on your mistakes rather than ruminate on them. Even the most famous people in history -- from Michael Jordan to Thomas Edison -- failed on numerous occasions before hitting it big. If life knocks you down, show it the true meaning of perseverance by getting up again and trying three times harder! The promise of achieving great new things in our lives certainly keeps it interesting. If we had nothing to strive for, our lives would forever remain in a holding pattern. If there's nothing to challenge us, we're...

Though many people will claim that finding love online isn't all that different from meeting and connecting people the traditional way, I beg to differ. Before I hooked up with my now-wife, I met several girls online and then in person. Though all but one encounter led to nothing more than exchanging pleasantries over lunch, I made a few observations when comparing how the two approaches differ. For one, when meeting the old school way, people are usually drawn to one another by virtue of physical attraction. The get-to-know-you phase comes later. With online dating, it's the other way around. You get to know the person based on whatever is said in online or phone conversations, then you meet in person and determine if you're both physically attracted to one another. Provided that people are being truthful about themselves -- we've all heard horror stories of people who misrepresent themselves -- I think the online-then-offline option gives both parties the oppo...