Successful Blog

Here is a good place for a call to action.

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: Let’s Talk About Stress . . .

by

Yes the Mic Will Be on Tonight

Join Us Tonight

With Ari Garber, Special Guest

Stress. Gosh don’t I know it? I’ve got enough of it in my life. But then, you do too. Who doesn’t?

So, I asked a friend who knows a bit about the stress experience — he was a full-time trader and now he works in a firm run by four partners (all Ph.D.s). He and I thought that it’s time we talked about stress. Maybe we have ideas on how to have less stress and more fun.

I introduce, my friend, Ari.

Liz,
Thanks for inviting me to submit the open mic topic for this week. I chose stress as the discussion starter, how it comes about, how we combat it, how we avoid it.

A few basic thoughts to throw to everyone, from my experiences and random mental meanderings.

Stress is caused by our interpretation and attitude towards the circumstances we find ourselves in. Attitude colors interpretation, it prevents us from coping at optimal levels, it can solve 90% of issues by allowing the freedom to creatively address what otherwise might be viewed as a crisis.

Stress is largely the result of our own decisions. We place ourselves in circumstances. We choose to care. We lose self awareness in the moment, and react emotionally. Our attitudes in dealing with the consequences of our decisions then come into play.

Stress is also directly keyed to physiology as well as the psychology. Health is a key factor. If my diet is off, if I have not been to the gym to release some energy in a positive fashion; my stress levels rise. I need to take care of my body as a baseline, to then be able to take care of my brain.

Stress is subjective, and amazingly can be adapted to in some fashion. I used to be a full-time trader, moving, winning, and losing most peoples salary in seconds, hundreds of times a day. Stress for me today is too many things on my to-do list, and too many people wanting to chat with me while I am attempting to accomplish my own goals.

Oddly, doctors say that the stress I feel today is just as negative to my wellbeing as the stress back then.

I cannot be happy without some stress in my life. Without some pressure, I am not producing at my optimal levels.

What causes you stress?

  • What specific little tricks and methodologies do you use to combat it?
  • Do you focus on psychological, physiological, or holistic approaches to deal with it?
  • Do you self medicate? Do you have prescribed medication? I didn’t want to be the alcoholic cliche of a trader, but the heroin was fun… (That was a joke.)
  • Is stress just the luxury of those who have time to dwell on it?

I look forward to hearing everyone’s ideas.

Thanks again Liz for making this available to all,

ALG

Oh, and bring a link about how you deal with stress to share, if you have one.

The rules are simple — be nice.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

We Talked About Song Lyrics!

by

Hi Everyone! Every week Sandy and I try to think how to sum all that we talked about but you know it’s impossible to capture the joy, humor, and camaraderie of four hours in one simple blog post. And as much as I like taking a clever comment and sharing it here, it sure takes time and once in a while it embarrasses folks.

So we’re going to stop trying to do the impossible, trying to retell a fabulous memory, and instead let you enjoy the comments as they were said whole.

It was a busy night. We were talking about words we can’t get out of our heads, songs we love; songs we hate, lyrics we wish we had written, how songs affect our moods, silly songs, romantic songs, childhood songs, happy songs, sad songs, and our song.

You can read all about it in the comments.

Here are some cool links we shared.

Thanks to everyone for the cool links and for being part of the conversation.

See you next Tuesday? I sure hope so.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

WANT TO GUEST HOST AN OPEN COMMENT NIGHT WITH ME? PICK A THEME AND TELL ME ABOUT IT. C’MON IT’LL BE FUN!

The Mic Is On: We’re Singing Songs . . .

by

It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

We’re Talking About Song Lyrics!

Song

We might talk about

  • Words we can’t get out of our heads
  • Songs we love; songs we hate
  • Lyrics we wish we had written
  • How songs affect our moods
  • Silly songs, romantic songs, childhood songs, happy songs, sad songs
  • Our song

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey.

Oh, and bring a link, if you have one to share.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: Let’s Sing!

by

Yes the Mic Will Be on Tonight

Join Us Tonight for Tues. Open Comments

We’re Talking About Song Lyrics!

Let’s talk about words we can’t get out of our heads; songs we love, songs we hate; lyrics we wish we had written; how songs affect our moods; silly songs; romantic songs; childhood songs; happy songs; sad songs; our song.

Oh, and bring a link about a song to share, if you have one.

The rules are simple — be nice.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

We Talked About Art!

by

Hi Everyone! Every week Sandy and I try to think how to sum all that we talked about but you know it’s impossible to capture the joy, humor, and camaraderie of four hours in one simple blog post. And as much as I like taking a clever comment and sharing it here, it sure takes time and once in a while it embarrasses folks.

So we’re going to stop trying to do the impossible, trying to retell a fabulous memory, and instead let you enjoy the comments as they were said whole.

It was a busy night. We were talking about art. What makes it art? How do you know it’s art? Is that art? Graphic design, photography, ceramics, weaving, welding, spin art, calligraphy, graffiti, concrete, flower arranging, art therapy, music, cinema, theatre, architecture, poetry, dance, modern, renaissance, gothic, folk, fine, painting, drawing, sculpture, stained glass, blown glass, calligraphy, art history, art fairs, art galleries, art in the park, Art isn’t what you hang on a refrigerator, and don’t drink and draw. Wow!

You can read all about it in the We’re Art Crazy! Comments

Here are some cool links we shared.

Thanks to everyone for the cool links and for being part of the conversation. I’m so sorry I missed half the night and that he server has been misbehaving.

See you next Tuesday? I sure hope so.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

WANT TO GUEST HOST AN OPEN COMMENT NIGHT WITH ME? PICK A THEME AND TELL ME ABOUT IT. C’MON IT’LL BE FUN!

The Mic Is On: We’re Art Crazy . . .

by

It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

We’re Talking About Art!

We might talk about

  • What makes it art?
  • How do you know it’s art?
  • Is that art?
  • graphic design, photography, ceramics, weaving, welding, spin art, calligraphy, graffiti, concrete, flower arranging, art therapy, music, cinema, theatre, architecture, poetry, dance
  • modern, renaissance, gothic, folk, fine
  • painting, drawing, sculpture, stained glass, blown glass, calligraphy
  • art history, art fairs, art galleries, art in the park
  • Art isn’t what you hang on a refrigerator.
  • Don’t drink and draw.

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey.

Oh, and bring a link, if you have one to share.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?