The hazards of dressing up for the holidays

Party season is upon us and ’tis the time of year when I troll the shops looking for something festive, yet elegant. Sparkly, yet refined. And party hearty. Like Halloween costumes, party attire has to achieve the intended look but also be bearable – not too hot, fussy, pushy/pully, not ride up (or down). It…

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The beauty of sitting around and doing nothing

Jenny Morber is a science writer whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Slate and elsewhere Like most of us in 2019, I am busy. Days can feel like a race to complete an always-accumulating list of now, soon and must-do-sometime tasks for my business, my kids, my animals, my home, my relationships, my community,…

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Trees hold the answers to many of life’s problems

We find ourselves living in a special time. On the one hand, the climate crisis poses the most significant threat to our future that humanity has ever faced. On the other, we are better equipped than ever before to take on that challenge. To do so, though, we need to understand and respect the natural…

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The better way to deal with criticism at work

Criticism stings. Sure, it is sometimes couched as gentler “feedback,” or offered as “advice,” or even presented as a “pointer.” Yet criticism it is. And most of us respond with one or both of two reactions. First, we indignantly and completely discount both the message and the source. And second, we get upset and sometimes…

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When are defined severance terms unfair?

It is hard to win a game when you start with a disadvantage. Yet when signing employment contracts, employees constantly set themselves up for failure. How? By routinely permitting employers to draft and dictate almost all of the important contractual terms, especially the conditions surrounding severance. Companies understand that they can vastly reduce severance liability…

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