DC Pied Piper Redux
Yesterday, a rather unexpected and amazing thing occurred. My office received a call from a gentleman who lives in Albuquerque, NM. He had searched for me online and somehow found the current office number. He wanted to reach out because he had been going through some old papers and found a copy of a column of mine that was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican paper in 2004 with the headline “Understand Boundaries When Dealing with Power.” He said he was stunned how current the piece was in reflecting the state of affairs in this country today and just [ Read More ]
“When Did We Get So Superior?”
The Inner Bottom Line ® A Syndicated Column on Personal Choices & Ethical Dilemmas by Olive Gallagher “When Did We Get So Superior?” Once upon a time, America was considered the land of opportunity; a place where gold lined the streets and any person willing to work hard could start with nothing and end up with pie-in-the-sky; whatever one could dream. I wouldn’t be here today if my grandparents or great-grandparents hadn’t been permitted to immigrate to this country, much less allowed to become citizens, and I’ll bet many of you reading this column share a similar heritage. I mean, [ Read More ]
“A Small Elegant Word Redux”
Author’s Note: The fact that I have to still re-publish this column I wrote a number of years ago is heartbreaking and unacceptable. And proof has hard-core resistance to change among too many of us still is. OG “A Small, Elegant Word” Dignity. A word with few letters. On appearance not very large. But elegant. Succinct. With enormous reach when it’s authentic and honest and organic. Not used often enough in today’s world to describe someone’s character or attitude. And yet, it is a momentous, precious, rare word. Containing deep value. Representing deeper values. Today, in light of all [ Read More ]
“But I Thought You Did, Too”
Dear Olive, I was happy to meet you in person. I discovered your column last summer when it ran in The Oregonian and have followed it since on examiner.com but had no idea you were in real estate. That’s why I’m writing. Ted and I have been married for twenty-three years. I always thought our marriage was special and admit, especially when I read one of your columns about infidelity or a couple who couldn’t communicate, thinking, “that isn’t us.” Now I’m not feeling so smug. With the kids gone, we recently decided to sell our large home. That’s when [ Read More ]
“Just a Simple Thank You Will Do”
Dear Olive, I appreciated your kindness when I waited on you Saturday when you noticed the customer ahead of you had upset me. Today, it’s rare anybody notices much less cares. What I liked most was the question you asked: What did I think the biggest difference in people today was? Nobody’s asked me what I thought in a while. After forty years in customer service, I’m retiring and the answer’s simple. Folks have no courtesy. When I started, the attitude was “Please, can you help me?” Now, it’s all “gimme, gimme, gimme” and “give it to me now, instantly, [ Read More ]
An Open Letter to Readers of The Inner Bottom Line
Dear Readers; I don’t write my column to present an opinion that is the end-all, be-all of answers. In fact, I avoid ever telling anyone what to do as there is never any “answer” to any problem or dilemma. And for each of us, the best choice will be different. Nor do I present myself as an expert on all things. I focus on one thing only; helping others understand how to make ethical decisions that are best for their life and those they love. Period. My concern, my sole concern, on The Inner Bottom Line, is to help the [ Read More ]
“Keeping Up With the Guys”
Dear Olive, I’m a guy in my thirties who was successful until now. I’m in sales, make a lot of money doing something I love, I’m still crazy about my wife, and my kids are doing great in school. I’ve also had loyal buddies since my twenties who’ve stuck together and while that’s a source of pride, everything is changing and that’s got me pissed off. The company I’ve been with for seven years went under last month, and I’m out of a job. It’s not easy to find something else that pays as well. What makes things harder is [ Read More ]
“Exceeding All Expectations”
I’ve been saying for years that the only word in the English language that should be obliterated is “expectations.” I continue to feel that way, as it’s a word that sets us up for disappointment and implies that the responsibility for us to be happy or satisfied lies elsewhere. However, in this rare, set-aside moment, I’m going to use it – lavishly – while sharing with you an experience a few weeks ago that literally blew my socks off. Over the past two years, since they hit the market, I’ve bought and happily worn a number of NYDJ jeans (Not [ Read More ]
“What’s Your House of Cards Made Of?”
Like so many other folks I know, I’ve finally gotten hooked on “House of Cards,” the amazing series on Netflix. The work is exceptional on every level – writing, production, music, cast, cinematography, and concept. And since I can now watch it on demand, I’ve already spent seven hours during the past two weeks watching; devouring it, both as a screenwriter and as an average audience member, as I moved from chapter to chapter, at will, savoring the ability to move on to the next segment whenever I wanted to without having to wait a week or a month wondering [ Read More ]
NOOMII INTERVIEW WITH OLIVE
COACH FOUNDATION LISTING
