the story economy

July 3rd is my brother Paul’s birthday. He died five years ago, but he would have been 54 on Thursday. I think it’s obvious why I’m thinking of him this week. But then there is the show Orange is the New Black, which I also can’t stop thinking…

I had an enlightening lunch the other day. I was with two colleagues, and we were talking about social media. One of these colleagues is what I would call “off the social media grid”: no Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, a little-used Pinterest…

I recently spent 9 months in therapy, the major goal of which was to stop judging (hating) myself. There were other goals. But that was the one that brought me. On what would become my last visit, I recounted a story for my therapist. I told her…

It’s amazing how many people pull up to an intersection and turn right, without ever actually looking in the direction they’re turning. (As a runner, I see this daily—and I’ve learned to be very careful when crossing intersections.) They get a…

Every week, after I put the finishing touches on my newsletter and hit “Send Broadcast,” 1ShoppingCart takes me to a confirmation screen that asks if I’m sure I want to send the email to my entire contact list. Every week, I say yes. The click is…