Author, psychologist, and physician Dr. Raymond Moody said life-changing words. He said something like, “The definition of normal is someone you don’t yet know very well.” In other words, hang around someone long enough, and you discover their flaws and wounds—their abnormalities. That quote means a ton not for just fiction, but for your life… Read more »
Dear Barb: Hi, I am in my early twenties and have been dating the same guy for three years. I am still living at home since my parents are fairly lenient and don’t mind if my boyfriend stays over. I am attending university and working part time, so I have been able to save a… Read more »
Ever since my Dad and I bought a smoker together, I keep wanting to cook as much stuff on it as I can. A few weeks ago, I put on an eye of round and smoked it for a few hours, and it tasted too good! Today I was inspired to smoke some ribs I… Read more »
The end of summer: it’s hot, it’s sticky, it’s sultry. Study time melts over the edge of reality like it does in the famous Salvador Dali painting. Drip, drip, drop, splat; a metronomic rhythm resounds as our motivation slows to a crawl. But what if time stopped completely, what then? Our modern industrial psyches recoil… Read more »
COVID struck. Now, in the aftermath, how can your small business cut costs? First, when running a student business, notice every nickel. But keep it profitable. Cut costs and yank up the sales price—that is, until demand drops. “Finding creative ways to cut costs often means the difference between having a struggling business and a… Read more »
As an AU student, do you ever write anything that needs to be spoken? Communications students surely do. But you might, too. This is where you might find euphonics useful. What are these creatures of verbal delight? According to Rayne Hall, euphonics are “certain sounds [that] have certain effects on the psyche. By using words… Read more »
Dear Barb: Hi, I have been involved with this guy for the last five years. Everything was good between us for the first year, but then it kind of went downhill. We started arguing about everything and nothing, but we continued the relationship and even moved in together. Initially everything was great but, in retrospect,… Read more »
As our identities shed skins of past selves our learning proceeds apace. We’re never quite the same student we were last year or back in our days as a younger, perhaps more dogmatic, scholar. Imagination and play at AU are only a study break away and, really, the flexibility to take flight from drudgery is… Read more »
Which negotiation strategies are most successful? Whether you’re a student or business owner, you gain when you negotiate. Want a higher grade? An extension on your assignment? A sale of your textbook? Ah, negotiation can come in handy. Steve Mariotti (2014) says, “Negotiation is about compromise, not about winning. Compromise is sacrificing something you want… Read more »
I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that we, like many others, planted a garden this year. Well, now in August, the garden is starting to give back. We’ve had so many colossal zucchini’s, and my zucchini recipes are somewhat limited, so I guess we’re working on more recipes. The only recipes in my repertoire are Ratatouille… Read more »