Archive for November, 2007
Friendship and the couch
In a recent article in the UK Telegraph entitled, Could friendships be ruining your life? journalist Tim Shipman reports that the American self-help industry is booming as we are becoming increasingly aware of toxic friendships. He points to the pervasive use of the term in our culture—noting the growing number of popular books and TV […]
Baffled by Bratz & Biffles
Besides the letter “L”—what’s the difference between a BFFL (best friend for life) and a BFF (best friend forever)? When Nathalia Ramos, 15, the actress who plays Yasmin (one of the Mattel dolls that is brought to life in Bratz, the movie) was interviewed by a reporter from the Washington Post she said: There are […]
BFFs: Rudy and Bernie?
Guilty as charged: The term BFF has morphed into a meaningless platitude due to extreme overuse. Now, the term is even being used to hurl an insult. The evidence: The headline of a recent op-ed in the New York Times read, Rudy and Bernie: B.F.F.’s? The popular acronym “best friends forever” (typically used with gushing […]
Working friendly, working smart
Gallup researcher Tom Rath says that friend-friendly workplaces are more apt to spur energy, creativity, and productivity. In his book, Vital Friends: The People You Can’t Afford to Live Without (Gallup Press, 2006), Rath notes that employees who have a best friend at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs. […]
When female friendships fizzle
Look at the November/December 2007 issue of Baltimore Smart Woman to read freelancer Elizabeth Heubeck’s article entitled, When Female Friendships Fizzle. She provides advice to women on why and how to end a fractured friendship. The piece stems from Elizabeth’s personal experience with a once-close friend and includes commentary from yours truly.
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
I read a fascinating thread on the balancing work/life forum of the Chronicle of Higher Education. The poster told about ending a friendship with a female friend who was overly critical and judgmental. (In its telling, the relationship sounded toxic to me.) In a last-ditch effort to salvage the friendship, the poster communicated her discomfort […]
Friendship by the Book: Songs without Words
When a close friendship fades away, the passage of time makes it harder and harder to patch up the divide. In Songs without Words (Alfred A. Knopf, 2007), the writing of Ann Packer captures the fragility of female friendships as well as the complexities of repairing friendships when they falter. Lifelong friends Liz and Sarabeth […]
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