Archive | Magnus Insights

When You Notice Something Nice, Say So

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 18, 2022

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health

Many people’s mothers, mine included, endorsed the premise, “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.” I’m not sure I agree with this notion 100%, but this post concerns the opposite situation, that is, saying something nice whenever it is possible to do so. I like to make people’s day a […]

Continue Reading

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 18, 2022

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health

One of my nieces recently took a job at a large retailer where she monitors the self service check out.  One comment relayed to my by her dad, my brother, is that she finds people less engaging in that environment.  Indeed, when I use self checkout, it seems more “sterile” and less customer friendly than […]

Continue Reading

Colossal Failures at American Express and Chase

Over the past 2 months, I’ve been battling American Express to get them to correct a colossal mistake THEY made, but for which they blamed us/me and penalized us accordingly. To be fair to American Express, Chase Bank also failed during this time period, but not as badly as American Express. The issue common to […]

Continue Reading

David has an awful time dealing with the huge companies we depend on in both business and personal situations.  I can barely tolerate speaking to  “customer service” representatives long enough to convince them that I authorize David to speak with them regarding credit card and other billing issues.  David has spent countless hours in his […]

Continue Reading

Know What You Don’t Know

Many years ago, a college professor of mine told me that knowing what you don’t know (or that you don’t know something) is an important sign of intelligence. It was an enlightening discussion and I think I’ve mentioned this in another post. But, it bears further discussion because we seem to live in a world […]

Continue Reading

John Lennon

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 5, 2022

Category: Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Travel

It’s about time I wrote a post about one of my favorite people, John Lennon. I’ve been a fan of the greatest band of all time, The Beatles, since 1964, when my wonderful father bought me their first album, “Introducing …The Beatles,” released on Vee-Jay Records. Although I liked Paul, George, and Ringo, it was John who […]

Continue Reading

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 5, 2022

Category: Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Travel

I was poorly prepared for the world of The Beatles and John Lennon when I met Melissa. I was not familiar with rabid Beatles fanatics, or as they are sometimes called, Beatles Freaks. It took me some time to comprehend Melissa’s lifelong love of The Beatles and John Lennon. I mean, I knew who the […]

Continue Reading

Formality Never Hurts

In thinking about the job candidates who failed to get out of the starting gate due to their wardrobe choices, I reflected on how formality provides a guide for “good” behavior. Being formal in addressing people with “Ms.,” “Mr.,” “Dr.,” etc. is a good starting place. It is likely you will soon be told to […]

Continue Reading

Social psychologists have an explanation for most kinds of people’s encounters with others.  In the situations to which David refers, one’s self monitoring level is crucial to the impression they make upon others.  Self monitoring is defined as the degree to which people regulate the way they present themselves, including their emotions and behaviors, in […]

Continue Reading

The M’s

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 27, 2022

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Work-Life

I have a friend named Marilyn Einbinder. We met several years ago at a Passover Seder hosted by her son, Marc, and daughter-in-law, Susan. Marc and Susan are our wonderful Megan’s parents and it was Megan who invited me to attend her family’s Seder. Immediately upon being introduced to Marilyn, I knew we were going […]

Continue Reading

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 27, 2022

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Work-Life

I think it is wonderful that M (Melissa) and M (Marilyn) clicked as they did.  We’ve told M (Marc) he should have introduced them sooner.  One never knows in life when connections will be made and this one was a bit of a surprise.  Marilyn likes living a rich, full, life, and Melissa shares this […]

Continue Reading

Dress for the Interview

Job interviews are something with which Melissa and I have had considerable experience over the last 30 years. We’ve revised our procedures over time, but we have always utilized an in-person interview as a final part of the process. Regardless of the position for which we are interviewing, we, as a professional practice serving a […]

Continue Reading

I love people!  I really do!  I am constantly entertained and surprised by the things people do and say.  Never a dull moment, that’s for sure!  David’s post was prompted by our most recent job interview, which was of the shortest duration in the history of Magnus.  Why?  Because the job candidate, a young male, […]

Continue Reading

You can go to Wal-Mart, Kmart…

David and I have different ways of accomplishing the same task. We are frequently engaged in debates about how to perform seemingly simple tasks. When we catch ourselves in the midst of another debate about some mind numbing chore, one of us usually says, “You can go to Walmart, Kmart (sadly, that’s no longer an […]

Continue Reading

The good news is that it usually lightens the mood when these discussions ensue.  Or I should say, it now does.  My Dad’s tendency in this regard sometimes got irritating in that he questioned so many trivial items.  This includes debating in which parking space I should park when taking him and Mom to dinner […]

Continue Reading

Employees Should Cover Each Other

This is the 3rd in a series about “covering” or looking out for each other in a work environment. The need to do this is on a top down, down to top, and peer to peer basis. In the immediately prior post, I mentioned an employee who was hostile to another employee. The fact that […]

Continue Reading

Although it has been over 30 years since I have been an employee, as opposed to an employer, I can recall what it was like to have co-workers and colleagues.  The best example I am aware of is my colleague, and now, long time friend, Dr. Susan Broome, who looked out for me in an […]

Continue Reading

Ziggy’s Birthday Is Still an Event

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 13, 2022

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Psychology, Work-Life

I will always and forever miss Ziggy. For those of you who never met Ziggy, he was my cat and my friend for 19 years. I loved Ziggy so much that, after his passing, I wrote a book about him. I fell in love with Ziggy on October 31, 1977. It is the only time […]

Continue Reading

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 13, 2022

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Psychology, Work-Life

Ziggy lives on in many ways.  Melissa’s book (available on Amazon) is high on that list.  Ziggy touched many people’s lives and his story is entertaining.  He was “old” when I met him, with old being relative – he was 9.  But he and Melissa were inseparable.  He did things his way, like Sinatra.  And, […]

Continue Reading

Powered by WordPress. Designed by WooThemes