Brigitte Schneider

I made a right turn at the traffic light, and the sedan next to me did the same. There was no issue since the intersection had two lanes designated for…

Recently, I realized how much easier it is for me to express what I don’t want instead of what I do want. For example:I say, “Don’t forget to turn off…

Everyone is probably familiar with the expression “torn between a rock and a hard place,” which refers to being torn between two unfavorable things. I, however, often find myself torn…

I recently came across something that seems completely ridiculous, if not impossible:Some people angrily defend their right to be unhappy.I mean, no one wants to be unhappy. At least I…

I seem to have an innate, tenacious, and habitual inclination to criticize. 😫 On my hikes, I encounter all sorts of people. Some greet me, some don’t. Some listen to…

I always have a pair of sneakers by the back door in case I want to rush outside. The shoes come with a pair of fresh socks, which are usually…

I know that "Speaking between the lines" is not how that phrase goes. It’s actually “Reading between the lines.” But in order to find hidden meaning, someone has to “put”…

Ever wonder why some cars don’t come equipped with turn signals?That’s what I ask myself every time someone makes a turn in front of me without giving so much as…

… chicken or egg? Which comes first? Is something making me “rightfully” angry? Or am I a grievance looking for a cause?They say an angry person will always find something…

… in the act of malice …Yup. Can you believe it?I was trying to figure out what to wear the next day. It was supposed to be hot again and…

I always enjoy positive feedback. It gives me a boost and encourages me to keep going. It's uplifting when someone compliments my hair, acknowledges my efforts at work, or sends…

I am curious as to what someone would think if they heard that there had been an incident involving a knife at a gas station in Los Angeles shortly after…

I am in a state of “I don't mind.”It’s not “I don’t care.”It’s not “I don’t give a $%/!”It’s not “Whatever.”It is “I don’t mind.”I don't mind that there’s a…

At times I can’t get any satisfaction, or if I do, it’s only for a short period of time. A good example is my level of satisfaction with my clothes…

I keep catching myself wanting to criticize someone. Anyone. About anything. I am not picky!To all appearances it looks as if a situation urgently requires me to voice a legitimate…

I was visiting a friend in Los Angeles. It was the middle of the night. I was comfortably tucked in my sheets and more than ready to drift off into…

… and start focusing on who is pointing.That’s kinda my new thing - to look at the ones doing the pointing.For example, I read about this couple due to be…

Sometimes I’m *that* close to engaging in what seems to be a completely justified and promising retaliation. But on closer inspection, retaliation is nothing more than self-punishment.Like when this lady…

I saw a drawing the other day. Actually, it was two side-by-side drawings.In the one drawing a man was sitting on a train.The train was going through a tunnel.It was…

Sometimes I have to take a step back. And by that I mean putting my mind and my emotions on the back burner.Like when I went to the optical store…

My coworker made a mistake. Nothing major. But nothing that should be repeated either.So, I told her.What followed was the usual back and forth:She did not think it was a…

I hate him because I hate.I love him because I love.I see him because I see.Because I am able to hate, I hate him.Because I am able to love, I…

Sometimes I am completely out of my depth. So much so that even if I tried to wise up, I wouldn’t be able to. The lack of skills, experience, and…

You’ve probably heard of the “carrot and stick motivation.” That’s what it’s called when - figuratively speaking - a carrot is used as an inducement to encourage a wanted behavior,…

Sometimes I feel the need to justify a personal preference with science or faith or altruism or whatever. That’s probably because I think it’s not enough to say: “I just…

I went hiking the other day. It was an absolutely gorgeous morning. Not too hot, not too cold. Whenever I longed for some cooling, a slight breeze came out of…

Sometimes mundane situations feel remarkably exceptional to me.Like when I’m taking a shower. I call it having an Ibiza moment because that’s exactly what being on vacation on the Spanish…

The idiom “You reap what you sow” always made total sense to me. As did: “What goes around, comes around.” I mean, if I yell at someone, they are more…

Have you ever noticed how many opinions are out there? Not only that, some people hold views that seem to be incompatible with their own values. I mean, seriously, guys!…

I have feelings. A lot of feelings. Like a lot-a lot. Happy and sad. Anxious and carefree. Regretful and glad. Ashamed and gratified. Well, a lot.The pleasant feelings are not…

… after they almost fell out of place.The other day I walked by our bookcase when something made me stop. It wasn’t an impulse. Nor would I call it intuition.…

… but I ended up giving a mile.I was at home. The phone rang. It was a friend. Well, actually, it was a friend of a friend. (That’s probably irrelevant,…

I would be a millionaire if I had a penny every time I spotted someone reveal their own personality traits with what they say about others.Like when that guy snapped…

Being human means there are some things I will never be able to comprehend. Whether it is the frequency range my ears allow me to hear, or the colors and…

I have a confession to make ... My colleague’s desk reminds me of a war zone. 😬 Amidst uncountable stacks of files - which all look like they are about…

I have no idea how it works exactly, but this is how it goes:When I am in a bad mood or when I’m hurting inside, my initial reaction is to…

There are moments when I’m like “THIS!” Those are the moments when I compare life to a tidal wave. That seems to be the most suitable word to describe the…

A friend once told me she often dreads seeing her childhood friends and family because it makes her regress to the person she used to be.That totally made the scales…

While I was hiking the other day, a thought about rules popped into my head. It happened when I was about to get all worked up because AGAIN someone was…

When our garbage disposal broke, we installed a new one. It worked fine until we ran the dishwasher. For whatever reason, the dishwasher was now draining into the sink. The…

I had an interesting discussion with a friend. She had called someone “pedantic” and was wondering if she had done so for egoic reasons. To answer this question, we first…

… and it might have come out the other end. Ooops ... 😬 I always thought that when I experienced an unpleasant situation, the best way to deal with it…

… NOT I just realized, being a perfectionist does not make me perfect. 😖 Yup. And this is how I came to this groundbreaking conclusion: I was on my way…

Quite often it’s in the most unusual places where some of the best ideas and insights come to me. And it happened again as I was sitting on the toilet…

There are one or two things in this world that have the power to make me burst out into an annoyed “Ugh!” Well, maybe three things 😉. For example, if…

Guess what happened the other day? It was so absurd, it made me laugh out loud. I was doing something. Nothing special. Watering plants. Cleaning out sheds. By no means…

I messed up. But then I didn’t. It happened during Easter weekend at work. Shortly before lunchtime, a member called and asked to add a couple of Arnold Palmers to…

Okay, this is what happened: I have this looooooong leash for Sherman (my dog - not my spouse! - in case you were wondering 😉). And that leash had a…

When I saw the sign saying “Fired Chicken” at the lusciously adorned buffet table, I didn't think it was referring to a place for laid-off poultry to flock so they…