A happier life comes from lack of stress, self-confidence and a feeling of worth in a distraught world.  Spirituality has always been difficult for me.  I am 50 and still debating the existence of a higher power.  A man on a book tour (in his words, "Look for a way to serve those who are less well-off than you, for it is in giving that we receive.") won’t give me that certainty.

"Dr. Wayne Dyer: The Tao taught me what to think. I wanted to teach people how to think, and change lifelong thinking habits, which are so difficult to change for many people, including myself."

He actually said "I wanted to teach people how to think."  I have a problem with that.  You cannot talk someone into believing in a higher power.  The people who like him are the ones who already share his beliefs. 

I have seen this man on PBS and even watched one of his marathon dvds.  No one can pound spirituality into another person’s brain—that person has to be ready to accept it. 

All of these posts are assuming this kid is in high school, yet nowhere in the letter does he say how old he is. 

I had "boyfriends" (they were more fun than other girls my age who always wanted to play dolls) in grade school and went to boy/girl parties as early as junior high.  The parties were quite innocent back in the "stone age", and in a small town, I had never heard of people being gay, not until high school, when I strongly suspected a boy who tried to date me was gay.  Maybe he was trying to prove something to his traditional family by dating a girl.  He was gay, and we are still friends and in touch, some 30 years later.  I am glad for him that he worked out his relationships as an adult.

This era of "innocence" is perhaps where the parents’ viewpoint is coming from, but it does not excuse bashing their own son.  

Maybe the letter is edited, but I never saw a mention of him being in high school.  So perhaps being on his own is not a possibility.  His home might feel like jail to him if he cannot see Eli. 

Starbucks (here in NYC, one on every street corner) is a major ripoff.  I have yet to find a home coffeemaker I really like, so I go to the Dunkin Donuts across the street from my apartment, get a large black coffee, and bring it home.  Then I add stevia and 1% milk.  Yum.  I love cold coffee in the summer, so I add ice cubes.  Less than two dollars and it lasts me all day.

Does anyone own a coffeemaker they like?  I have tried Mr. Coffee, Cuisinart, and the little drip cups.  I have never thought of myself as fussy.  My boyfriend vetos all these methods, so making coffee has gotten expensive after getting rid of all these appliances.  I know, those coffee pods look cute and even make cappucino (I had one when I was employed), but buying refills is too ridiculously expensive for two people.

Coffee is definitely big business.  I wish I had thought up those little cans of espresso.   

I am 5’3" and have dealt with short jokes my entire adult life.  My trademark retort always stops people in their tracks.  I say, "I am the perfect height.  Yours is excessive."  

Then we can talk about more important things.

Ruth Madoff now has to report any purchases above (get this) $100 to a court-appointed trustee.  The trustee is "pursuing a $45 million claim against her. … [She] has forfeited most of her wealth."  (AP)

I am guessing $100 does not go far in her world.  It is two weeks of groceries for me.  Probably it is one afternoon’s lunch for her. 

I consider this proof that karma is alive and well.  Phew!  I was beginning to doubt its existence. 

In an economic downturn, purchasing art dies out long before buying groceries and daily necessities. 

I have a wonderful friend, an accomplished artist, whose CV is six pages long in 5 point type.  She has so many awards to her name she cannot name them all.  Before this recession, she was doing very well, painting portraits of local celebrities and doing her own marvelous paintings.  All the while she worked at my office, where I worked full time, one or two days a week.  Then she started to pick up more and more hours whenever someone was out.  Finally, she was laid off along with the rest of us. 

To say she was not cognizant of paying her bills because she is vastly creative is insulting.  She is almost 80 years old, and knocks herself out to balance both worlds.   

RJB Reed—"But doesn’t it seem kind of childish to be angry at your friends for having contact with your sibling?" 

Okay, I think I wasn’t clear.  My brother does not even know these people.  They were put in his list by default because he added someone who was related to them, but he hasn’t met them nor has he spent 40 years of his life cultivating a friendship with them.  That is what surprised me.  I am not asking them to choose me or him—they don’t know him.  If he cannot maintain a relationship with me, and I have really tried, it seems really odd to see these people in his list.  There is one family member there, a sister-in-law who was the one who told me he was on Facebook.  That’s it.  I am the youngest of five siblings and I just find this whole thing strange.

"You receive small tokens of appreciation all day, anything from a free lunch to people opening doors for you."

This is very possible, since I have (yuck) jury duty starting today.  Interesting.