That well known cliché was made famous in 1988 by Bobby McFerrin, when the renowned singer released the song on his fourth album, Simple Pleasures. It was sung a cappella, with all sounds including whistling mastered and woven by McFerrin alone. Another chartbuster, Happy, by Pharell Williams, was released in 2013, from the soundtrack of Despicable Me 2. Both of these upbeat and uplifting tunes are truly unforgettable and actually help one feel “happy.” I recently watched an interview with...

Over the years I have collected many of my favorite quotes, which I have compiled and saved into a special file. Although I recommend we all create our own unique quotes, today I would like to share some of the best and meaningful quotes I have selected of famous musicians. Here we go: “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.” John Lennon “I’ve had great success being a total idiot.” – Jerry Lewis “Without deviation from the norm,...

Here we are on January 4, excited as the time when people who made New Year’s resolutions have either begun in earnest or have already had a misstep on one or more of their intended plans. In surfing the web for the most commonly made resolutions, I found some fascinating studies. According to Statista Global Consumer Survey, the top resolutions, ones we typically hear about, include exercise more, eat healthier, lose weight, and quitting smoking. These also fit nicely into...

Steve Jobs said, “you can only connect the dots looking backwards.” I believe that year-end is the perfect time to connect these dots by reflecting on your accomplishments and analyzing them thinking backwards. As you review the checklist I prepared below, I suggest, for each of the items, you reflect, and identify: Where are you today? What steps (going backwards) have you taken this year to get here? What actions will you take in the upcoming year to expand and...

(Written by guest writer, my wife, Cantor Laurel Barr) I’m never in a very good mood when the clocks change to accommodate Daylight Savings Time. Darkness descends so early, and especially now during December, winter skies and freezing temperatures only exasperate the gloomy feeling for me. Chanukah, the 8-day holiday of miracles which included the military victory of the tiny Jewish Maccabee army that overcame the aggression of the overwhelming Greek and Syrian armies in the 2nd century BCE, always...

Just six weeks ago we dropped off our dog, Juno, at the breeder’s home to adjust to her new surroundings with them a couple of days prior to delivering her puppies. It wasn’t without trepidation that we entered into this agreement 18 months ago with Deer Pines Labradoodles, for Juno to become one of their dams and eventually give birth to a litter of pups. Even with the best preparation, we couldn’t have known the excitement and wonder that would...

I was and still am a student of the late Steve Jobs. One of the things I admired the most is his use of powerful words and adjectives to describe the products and services of Apple. I believe that when we use such powerful words in our content and marketing efforts, it adds color and spark while help our expressions pop and stimulate and inspire our audience. These words help paint a powerful picture and even move them to take...

This is the season when retail businesses are ramping up their creativity to lure customers to their websites or brick-and-mortar buildings. While it’s unnecessary to reinvent the wheel, it is necessary to continue to improve and elevate your writing, your social media and blog posts to attract clients and keep them coming back again and again. What qualities turn good writing into great writing and make you stand out in the crowd? Here are some of those traits: StorytellingThey bring...

Gratitudenoun    the state of being grateful: THANKFULNESS This is the definition of gratitude according to Merriam-Webster. Simple, straightforward and easy to comprehend. THANKFULNESS It seems like an easy concept to grasp and yet so often, when challenges arise, anger momentarily blinds us and thwarts our capacity to appreciate the beauty and the gifts around us. This past week especially, leading up to Thanksgiving, there have been an array of memes and sayings having to do with gratitude floating around on...

Yesterday, Laurel officiated the funeral for a well-known and beloved Cleveland Federal Court Magistrate. Judge Perelman had come up through the ranks as a law clerk and became recognized for his fairness and objectivity when writing opinions. Judge Perelman was a fair, compassionate and impartial judge on the bench, and an open minded, caring, non-judgmental human being outside of the courtroom. As they prepared for the funeral on Monday, the stories of this man’s life began to flow like a...