Tag Archives: "fun"

Yesterday was the last day of school for my two daughters. They wore special outfits, I took pictures, lots of excitement. The last day of school is always bittersweet to me; it’s fun to head into the summer, but it’s always a little sad that another year is over. I’m always reminded that “The days are long, but the years … →

Further Secrets of Adulthood:   This sounds so obvious, but it was a huge revelation for me. Even now, I have to remind myself that people go skiing because they honestly want to go skiing, not because they are made from a sterner moral fiber than I am. I explore this at some length in Happier at Home. Be Gretchen! … →

My daughters and I are huge fans of the TV show, The Office (the American version). We have the DVDs, we’ve watched every episode several times, and they get funnier each time. Now, admittedly, you may question the wisdom of allowing an eight-year-old to watch the show. But I always watch with her, and I skip through the inappropriate parts. … →

Every Wednesday is Tip Day, or List Day, or Quiz Day. Here’s a mystery. We spend a huge amount of time with TV. Watching TV is probably the world’s most popular pastime and is the greatest use of time, after sleeping and work. In the United States, people spend more than four hours a day watching TV. Watching great television … →

Further Secrets of Adulthood:   This is very true, in my experience. If I do a little work during a vacation, say, I enjoy myself more. Also, studies show that interrupting a pleasant experience with something less pleasant can intensify your over-all pleasure. For example, surprisingly, commercials actually make TV-watching more fun, and interrupting a massage heightens the pleasure it … →