Bruce Barber's Real Life Survival Guide

What’s Your Favorite (Healthy) Summer Meal?

Bruce — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:53:55 +0000

Looking For Mister Good Dinner

I have written before about one of the many banes of my existence: figuring out what to serve for dinner. In the summer, what with all the reduced wearing of clothes and all, it seems important to add a low calorie component to the equation.

Turn Off The Oven

Oh, and it also seems wise to think about the summer meal in a way that doesn’t require us to heat the oven to the “gates of hell” setting. (And what does the Barber family have planned for tonight? Pizza. Crank it up, Lucifer.)

The Conversation…

You’ve GOT to have something to help me out here – family recipes… Epicurious finds… an enduring love affair with Mark Bittman?

The Podcast…

Long Pants and Sneakers: White Socks or Dark Socks?

Bruce — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:18:10 +0000

Whether ‘Tis Nobler

I’ve had this dilemma for years now: when wearing sneakers (“trainers” if you’re English) with long pants, should your socks be light or dark? A subset of this problem: whether the sneakers are light or dark.

Another Troubling Question

Which brings me to another question. At what age does the average man begin to feel that it’s okay to wear dark socks with shorts. (This look can sometimes be pulled off by Brazilian soccer stars, but not by you, pops.)

The Conversation…

So, what say you – dark socks or white socks when wearing long pants and sneakers. We’ll tackle the age/shorts thing another time.

The Podcast…

What’s Your Favorite Inexpensive Form of Entertainment?

Bruce — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:09:59 +0000

Hollywood Nights

I know this is going to make me sound old, but I can’t believe how expensive something as simple as going to the movies has become. With popcorn, candy and soda, a family of four can easily run up a tab in the hundred dollar range. I’m sorry, but when I spend a hundred bucks, I need to have something tangible to show for it. (Like a hangover.)

Fore!

Here’s another one: golf. When you add up the greens fees, cart, and in my case, lost balls and damaged clubs, it can also be a short trip into into that territory north of the dreaded a c-note. call me crazy, but shouldn’t frustration be free?

The Conversation…

As a kid, it was amazing how much fun you could have with a tennis ball – or any number of found objects. These days I always think of the library as being the best source of free entertainment, but alas, I take advantage of this way too infrequently. So, how about you: where do you find fun “on the cheap”?

The Podcast…

Who Should Call Back When You Get Disconnected?

Bruce — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:19:49 +0000

Can You Hear Me Now?

If you own a cell phone (and who doesn’t) you will experience the “dropped call” from time to time. You’re talking away, and all of a sudden you find yourself wondering if the person on the other end of the line is a.) listening attentively, or b.) gone.

What Happens Next?

There doesn’t seem to be an established etiquette on who calls who back. Personally, I end up either staring at the phone while I wait for the other person, or I take the bull by the horns and call back myself. (The latter choice seems to cause the most problems, as you end up interrupting the other person, who is calling you back, via call waiting.)

The Conversation…

The madness must end – so let’s settle it once and for all, here and now. Consider it a winner takes all cage match for the future of cell phone etiquette: WHO CALLS BACK?

The Podcast…

What Should You Do If You Catch Your Teenager Drinking?

Bruce — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:22:57 +0000

Not As I Do

For me, the issue of teenage drinking is one of those “double standard” parenting dilemmas, because it’s something I felt was okay when when I was a teenager, but isn’t okay for my kids. (What was that thing about ‘do as I say’?)

It Creeps Up On You

The problem, for me at least, is that one minute they’re playing with trucks, and the next thing you’ve just found a six pack stashed in their closet. Then, you find yourself asking two questions. First, it’s ”How’d that just happen?”, and second, “What do I do now?”.

The Conversation

This is when you need to reach out to parents who’ve been in this situation and have figured out reasonable ways to handle it. (I have the sense that “freaking out and drinking the beer yourself” isn’t one of them.) If you’ve “been there, done that” with your kids, please share…

The Podcast…

Kitchen Cleanup: Sponge or Paper Towels?

Bruce — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:59:36 +0000

Old Habits Die Hard

One of the things that screws us up in life is the fact that we often end up doing something the way we’ve always done it, without stopping to think about about whether or not it’s really the best way. In my case, it’s an ongoing insistence that the proper method for cleaning your kitchen countertops is with a sponge.

Case In Point

I know where my dedication to the sponge comes from. My mother used to wipe everything with the kitchen sponge, including our faces. Unfortunately, it has recently been pointed out that kitchen sponges provide a rich breeding ground for stuff like bacteria, which would explain why I still remember exactly how that sponge smelled back in the days of black and white television and rotary phones.

The Conversation

My wife insists on using paper towels and/or those pop up wipes, but this ends up feeling wasteful and just, well, wrong. Thoughts?

The Podcast…

How Do You Ensure You’re Not Being Ripped Off on Appliance Repairs?

Bruce — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:28:01 +0000

Kitchen Ceiling + Water = Bad

A few years ago (5 1/2 to be exact), our washing machine overflowed. We discovered this when our daughter walked into our bedroom and announced, rather matter-of-factly, that water was coming through the kitchen ceiling.

The Front Loader

After the obligatory “dance” with ServePro and the insurance company, we replaced the offending unit with a (quite lovely) front loading washer from Sears. it’s great for washing clothes. And cell phones. And pens.

The Conversation…

Seems one of the aforementioned objects has done some damage. I know this because the spin cycle now sounds like a shuttle launch, there are pieces of shredded plastic in the pockets of my favorite khakis. So, ‘who ya gonna call’, and how do you make sure you’re not being ripped off?

The Podcast…

How Do You Cope With Burnout at Work?

Bruce — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:34:57 +0000

Your Nightmare of a Dream Job

One of life’s cruel jokes is that no matter how great your job is, there are going to be parts of it that you will despise. In 1982 I started my dream job (co hosting a morning radio show), but by 2003, the stuff that I despised was kicking the ass of the stuff I liked.

Heed The Warning Signs

Be careful if (when) you find yourself surfing the web and checking your Facebook page. Constantly. Also be mindful if making coffee has become a twenty minute ritual.

The Conversation…

How about you: do you hit the “Like” button within seconds of every friend’s wall post? Do you know the precise moment the snack machine is filled each week? Please share your coping strategies (including all of the juicy work-related details) in the comments section.

The Podcast…

How Do You Change a Behavior You Don’t Like?

Bruce — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:23:08 +0000

The Little Things

There are lots of things we do in life that we know we shouldn’t do – anything, from shoplifting to smoking to eating the wrong foods – but often it’s difficult to stop ourselves from doing them.

To Do… It… Or Not To Do It

Why to we do these things? That’s one for the ages. Better we spend our time trying to figure how how not to do them.

The Conversation…

Have you successfully changed a behavior you didn’t like? Please share your experiences in the comments section.

The Podcast…

Should You Get Inside Wire Coverage From The Phone Company?

Bruce — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:32:21 +0000

Wiring Worries

This is one of those things that drives me nuts. The phone company offers this insurance for “inside wiring”. It’s a few bucks a month, and the pitch is that it would cover a potentially big issue. Or would it?

Worth Protecting?

I personally think it’s the term. “Inside wiring” just sounds so… vital.

The Conversation..

When you consider the plummeting popularity of the “land line”, I’m wondering if even considering insurance for inside wiring is ridiculous. Your thoughts?