Oy Was I Thirsty
Old Jewish joke: Old man on a train, repeatedly complaining, “Oy, am I thirsty. Oy, am I thirsty.” Over and over. The other passengers are getting agitated. Finally, a kind woman goes to the dining car, buys a bottle of water and gives it to the man. He drinks it all up and sits in […]
I Don’t Know What a Zig-a-Zig-ah Is, But I Really Really Want One Too
The song is “Wannabe,” by the Spice Girls. I’ve had its intro in my head since I first heard it in the late 90s: “Yo, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want.” ”So tell me what you want, what you really really want.” And that’s how I think about the crucial, […]
The “Rosemary’s Baby” Test
When someone you care about is struggling with a problem, you might be tempted to give them advice. While coming from a well-meaning place, unsolicited advice is likely to make things work. That’s because it’s usually received as a passive-aggressive form of criticism: “I know better, so I’m going to tell you what to do.” […]
I’m Not an Achiever — So What?
When someone you care about is struggling with a problem, you might be tempted to give them advice. While coming from a well-meaning place, unsolicited advice is likely to make things worse. That’s because it’s usually received as a passive-aggressive form of criticism: “I know better than you, so I’m going to tell you what […]