The (Im)Perfect Christmas

“Anyone want another glass of wine?” Judging by the shouts of approval and laughter, the answer was yes. I scanned the beaming faces. Crammed into my brother Mike’s beautifully renovated old farm house in Dunrobin, outside of Ottawa, were my 22 immediate, extended and honorary family members, gathered for Christmas dinner. It was noisy. It was chaotic. And it was the best Christmas we’d ever had.

Posted in Family on 12/04/2008 - 0 Comments

The gift of gratitude

Christmas 1986. My 23-year-old sister, Jo, dives into her stack of presents. "Ooh, I love it! Thank you so much," she says. Then, with an apologetic little moue, she adds, "Did you save the receipt?" Believe me, I adore my big sister. But every year it was the same. And like any little sister, I'd roll my eyes and mutter "ingrate" behind her back. Still, her apparent determination to return everything became a bit of a standing joke in our family.

Posted in Psychology on 11/30/2008 - 0 Comments

The female brain: how it really works

It’s 9:30 a.m. and Mauri, a girlfriend, and I are laughing, as we do most mornings, over the minutiae of our lives. Funny, but not fascinating – until we hit the topic of irritating things men do. It’s a big subject to tackle before a second coffee, but Mauri is fearless. “We’re going on a trip,” she starts off. “We have 50 million things to cover: laundry, emptying the dishwasher, watering the plants, getting snacks for the car. And where is my husband while I’m running around, turning off the lights and locking the door?” she demands triumphantly. “In the car! Honking the horn, shouting, ‘What the hell are you doing? Hurry up!’” Why are we so different?

Posted in Psychology on 11/30/2008 - 0 Comments

Is there a reason he won't ask for directions?

Man may have invented OnStar, the global positioning system and Google Maps, but when it comes right down to it, the guy behind the wheel of the family sedan next to you is a caveman. Not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, it helps explain

Posted in Psychology on 11/30/2008 - 0 Comments

Power of Coincidence

You vividly dream about an old friend you haven’t seen in years. The next day, you bump into her. You get an unexpected bill, then win the same amount on the lottery. Or before going on holiday, you joke that you’ll meet the man of your dreams—and you do. Just a freak of luck, or is the universe talking to you? According to the late Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, uncanny coincidence or synchronicity is more than just happenstance. It’s what occurs when your mind’s deepest needs join forces with meaningful life events at a time you require them most. “Synchronicity is

Posted in Psychology on 11/22/2008 - 0 Comments

When Mars and Venus Collide

Sixteen years ago, the title of John Gray’s runaway bestseller said it all: Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Men are action-oriented warriors who want solutions, he said, while women are caregivers who just need to be heard. But according to Gray’s latest book, Why Mars and Venus Collide (Harper Collins, $31), there’s much more to the story.

Posted in Psychology on 11/20/2008 - 0 Comments