Are you a proud, self-made guy or gal? It does feel good to be self-reliant and independent, forging your way through this world on your own. And admit it, you do like showing off a bit to those who can't quite seem to get by without a little -- or...

I confess -- I'm an out-of-control perfectionist. I insist on "a place for everything and everything in its place." Dirty dishes in the dishwasher, dirty clothes in the clothes hamper, and I will so notice if anything on my coffee table gets moved even an inch! Co-workers comment that my...

Real quick -- think back to those activities you enjoyed as a kid. Can you remember? Maybe it was playing softball with friends in the backyard, exploring the woods, collecting dolls or beating your own personal record in a video game. Now ask yourself, are you still making time for...

It's been a rough year for many of us -- job loss, a salary freeze or a reduced income -- and it can make enjoying even the simplest of pleasures difficult. Before the economy tanked, I never worried about going out to celebrate a friend's birthday. But last week, the...

Last week I asked you to share any effective tips you've discovered for creating a more joyful life. One comment suggested "turning off the media noise machine," and I'd like to explore this further. What does that "media noise machine" mean, exactly? Am I saying television is evil? Hardly. Sometimes...

Do you wish you had more joy in your life? Do you even know what it would look like? Can you remember the last time you felt real, honest-to-goodness joy?

If you don't like your answers to these questions, don't bail just yet. It's a tough world out there....

It seems that some members of Congress and various political pundits must live in an alternate version of the United States, unaware that American prisons now safely house convicted terrorists. As President Obama discusses how to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay and what to do with its inmates, some...

Are you surprised when a politician stretches the truth? Most of us have witnessed this so often that we've become numb to it. But what about a starry-eyed contestant on "American Idol?" You've just heard him or her sing about as good as a cat in heat, and yet when...

If you were listing the greatest love stories of all time, it wouldn't include poor Britney Spears. Her most recent marriage ended after a little more than two years, but she might be better known for her infamously short 2003 Vegas marriage to a childhood friend that lasted only 55...

Q&A with Wade Boyles

For someone who had never volunteered for a political campaign until this year, Wade Boyles, 36, of Winston-Salem, N.C., hasn't wasted any time in learning the ropes. Since March of this year, he's gone from volunteering in his local precinct to serving as statewide director for...

Greensboro, NC--Since North Carolina has emerged as a battleground state in the presidential race, it's getting difficult to keep up with which candidate is appearing where on which day. On Monday, October, 27, Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Joe Biden rolled into Greensboro. On Tuesday, Republican presidential nominee Sen. John...

Not tea leaves but tee shirts. The identity of Sen. Barack Obama's vice presidential pick is being closely guarded, yet I received an email about campaign tees and buttons that might have given that secret away. What we have is either a leak or a businessperson betting on the odds!...

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- During a quick stop here on Friday as part of his nationwide Register For Change bus tour, Democratic National Committee Chair Gov. Howard Dean told the lunch-time crowd gathered at Governmental Plaza that North Carolina is key to carrying Sen. Barack Obama to the White House. "If...

GREENSBORO, N.C.--The lack of air conditioning failed to sap the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd that gathered in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina, for the re-opening of the campaign headquarters for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama on Sunday, July 13. Although I kept wiping sweat from my brow as...