So Sayeth the StickMonkey

Observations from a Wordologist

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We may not all be great, but every one of us can be better.

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Jump Off a Cliff

Advice from author Ray Bradbury.

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I Saw an Angel

A quote by Michelangelo.

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When You Think

A quote by William James.

[thestickmonkey]

The Valley of Failure

One of my favorite quotes by James Altucher.

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Keep It Simple

Here’s what Einstein had to say about it.

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The Truth About Responsibility

You have a choice: React, or respond. Which is better?

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The Comfort Zone

Rest there, don’t try to live there.

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Chose Wisely

It takes only a few seconds and some poorly chosen words to destroy a reputation it took a lifetime to build. 

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The Odds are In Your Favor

Consider the worst days of your life. Guess what? You crushed them all! You have a 100% success rate so far. Maybe it's time to focus on your victories, rather than your defeats.

[thestickmonkey]

Shake It Off

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The StickMonkey says aloha oe to the founder of the Moody Blues

Aloha oe, Ray Thomas. And thank you for forming one of my most favorite bands. Actually, thank you for being one of my father’s favorite bands. I first heard the Moody Blues because he used to play your earlier albums. Music sure has changed since the Moody Blues helped to shape –– I was about to say, “what we listened to when I was growing up.” But people didn’t even listen much to the Moody…

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The StickMonkey hands a banana to Barbie

The StickMonkey hands a banana to Barbie

But only because it would be silly to fling poop at her…considering that this has to do with poop, anyway. Dog poop. First, her boyfriend, Ken, got a makeover that includes a man-bun. Now, her dog gets – maybe we should just call it a reality upgrade – with the additional new functionality of “poop-ability.” Barbie’s new dog is yellow, suggesting a labrador retriever – but you’ll have to come up…

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The StickMonkey wonders what he's doing wrong

The StickMonkey wonders what he’s doing wrong

I get a new Instagram follower just about every day. A real one. Most days I get five or six of new followers. The majority have Instagram names like Live2DreamLife or whatever. You get the picture. Their Instagram photos are a collection of the view of some exotic destination as seen from a comfortable lounge chair. Thankfully, most have bothered to get a pedicure before taking the photo, as the…

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The StickMonkey ponders human potential over morning coffee

The StickMonkey ponders human potential over morning coffee

It’s Saturday morning. I take a cup of coffee to my desk and sort through email messages. There’s one from a magazine publisher. I can win thousands of dollars if I answer a few questions. That’s a fair reward. Most are binary questions. Yes/No. Agree/Disagree. And then when I least expected it, this question: Human potential is about going beyond one’s comfort zone to achieve what was once out…

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The StickMonkey Hands a Banana to the Queen of England

The StickMonkey Hands a Banana to the Queen of England

Guilty pleasures. We all have them. Measure your guilty pleasures against whether they detract or complement your life. That’s my take-away from learning that the Queen of England has four cocktails a day. Every day. What does this 91-year-old monarch like to drink? Food and Wine reports that she enjoys four cocktails every day. A gin and Dubonnet with a slice of lemon, shortly before lunch. A…

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The StickMonkey hands ANOTHER banana to Seth Godin, who reminds us how overrated teaching somebody else a lesson can be

It’s never been easier to express your displeasure.  Alas, that’s the default mode for the majority of us. Complaining takes far less time and energy.  I fell into the default mode yesterday after reading about the decision by the president of the United States to reinstate the military ban on transgender people. I took to social media—in this case, Facebook—to express my displeasure. It was a…

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