Matthew Arnold Stern

“One simple trick” to writing a great speech or story

Matthew Arnold Stern — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:24:46 +0000

As you browse Web sites, you’ve probably come across the “one simple trick” ad that shows you how to lose weight or save on car insurance. (The ad service I use may be displaying one now above this post.) There is a “one simple trick” that will help you write your next speech or story. …

More wisdom from Jim Rohn

Matthew Arnold Stern — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:25:12 +0000

Once again, the Jim Rohn newsletter brought me information I need at the time I needed it: We have all experienced the blowing winds of disappointment, despair and heartbreak. Why, then, would each of us, in our own individual ship of life, all beginning at the same point, with the same intended destination in mind, …

How stereotypes are created

Matthew Arnold Stern — Tue, 01 May 2012 02:21:35 +0000

In my novel Doria, I wanted to explore how societies get split apart and what can be done to bring people together. One of the things that divides us are the preconceived beliefs we have of each other — beliefs reinforced by stereotypes. The 20th anniversary of the L.A. Riots, along with recent events, remind …

Beyond a doubt

Matthew Arnold Stern — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:24:02 +0000

I subscribe to the Jim Rohn newsletter. Recently, I received an excellent article called “Facing the Enemies Within.” It lists ways of thinking that are enemies of our efforts to succeed. One of them is doubt: Sure, there’s room for healthy skepticism. You can’t believe everything. But you also can’t let doubt take over. Many …

Doria post on “A Few Words” Blog

Matthew Arnold Stern — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 04:25:07 +0000

Where did the words in my novel Doria come from? Find out in my guest post on Gwen Perkins’ blog, “A Few Words.“

Why writing is deleting

Matthew Arnold Stern — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 03:50:06 +0000

I’d like to share with you a haiku I entered in a BookBaby contest: Write by deleting. What is not necessary Bothers the readers. Why do I believe this is so? When we first write, we should always write more than we need The goal of a first draft is to get the words written. …

What is good technology? — Part III, or why I got a Mac

Matthew Arnold Stern — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:17:58 +0000

When I first started shopping for a replacement to my aging Dell laptop, it was almost a foregone conclusion: I would get another Windows laptop. I have been using Microsoft Windows for 20 years and invested a lot in software and data. However, I was getting tired of buying disposable laptops that last three years …

The Eagle in the Chicken Coop Revisited

Matthew Arnold Stern — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:53:49 +0000

“The Eagle in the Chicken Coop” is one of my most popular speeches. I think one reason is that it’s more honest than the original New Age fable. Eagles don’t stop being chickens the moment they see others being eagles. Once someone is used to being a chicken, it’s hard to convince that person to …

The lesson of the myrtle tree

Matthew Arnold Stern — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:27:25 +0000

Last fall, we bought a pink crepe myrtle tree to plant in the front yard. When the gardener planted it, the tree was filled with delicate pink flowers. It added lively color to a yard that used to have a plain and hard-to-keep-green lawn. Neighbors complimented us on the new look for our house. Then …

The other side of the closet

Matthew Arnold Stern — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:22:36 +0000

Every gay person has his or her coming out story. What is often not told are the experiences of the family members and friends they came out to. This is my story. On 24 March, 1992, I was in the Bay Area on a business trip. My brother Randy offered to drive down from Marin …