The Nice Blog

Sun, March 07, 2010 - 10:57:58

Lost and Found

Remember the old nursery school rhyme, “Find a penny.  Pick it up.  All day long you’ll have good luck?” If you’ve ever happened upon a shiny coin lying on the sidewalk, chances are it might have run through your mind before popping that penny in your pocket.  But, what if you stumbled across something more valuable—like a camera, wallet, or a piece of jewelry?  Would you leave the lost item where it was or would you make sure it found its rightful owner? 

As a recent AOL Travel article explains, a number of kind-hearted individuals are making it easier than ever to reunite with your belongings, all with the help of the Internet.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Thu, March 04, 2010 - 8:00:25

Think You Need a “Marriage Ref?”  Try Arguing the NICE Way.

It’s a given that at one time or another, all married couples will fight, whether it’s about money, family, household chores, or even a new paint color for the living room, and if you happened to catch the pilot for Jerry Seinfeld’s new NBC show, “The Marriage Ref,” on Sunday, you might have noticed there’s a certain comic value to the often inane arguments married couples endure. 

But, unless you’re on a reality show hoping to win a second honeymoon, hitting “below the belt” during a spat does little to help, no matter how gratifying it might feel in the moment.  Research has proven time and time again that NICE people stay married longer, and we suspect that one reason why could be that they know how to “fight right.” So, if you feel like you need a marriage ref in your life, try being NICE.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Sun, February 28, 2010 - 12:10:36

A Nicer ‘Net

Over the past few years, if asked to describe the overall tone of the Internet in one word, you might have chosen the adjective “snarky.”  With the popularity of blogs like PerezHilton.com, The Fug Blog, and FAIL blog, poking fun at others in a less-than-good-natured way seemed to be par for the course in the blogosphere.  But, as a recent New York Observer article points out, social media is starting to have a decidedly NICE effect on the way many of us interact online.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Sat, February 20, 2010 - 11:31:32

In Tough Economic Times, It Still Pays to be Nice

If you’ve noticed an unpleasant shift in attitudes in your workplace over the last few years, you’re not alone.  According to a recent Harvard Business Review blog post by Gill Corkindale, an executive coach based in London, many managers are using the tough economic times as an excuse to mistreat their employees, relying on fear tactics and intimidation as a way to keep their teams on task.  But, as Corkindale explains, whether you’re a middle manager, an entry level worker, or a high-level executive, having strong interpersonal skills is essential in business, in good times and especially in bad.  In other words, it pays to be nice.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Fri, February 19, 2010 - 11:57:33

If You Can’t Stand the Tweet, Get out of the Kitchen

Before the advent of social media, when you dined in your favorite restaurant, you probably didn’t give much thought to the personal musings of the individual who prepared your meal.  But, now that blogs have become ubiquitous, along with sites like Twitter and Facebook, once-anonymous chefs are having their say. And according to an article in Tuesday’s New York Times, their online remarks aren’t always in good taste. In fact, recent tweets from the culinary world have landed a few chefs in hot water: sparking a shouting match, ending business relationships, and even resulting in a job loss.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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