Pop Psychology, Self-Help, and Snow

For reasons that remain unclear to me, I am reading a fair amount of pop psychology/self-help literature (if you can call it that) right now. While much of the writing is dreadful, there actually are some useful insights. And yes, I am consciously checking these books out of the library (Power of Positive Thinking, Blink, The Tipping Point, Blink, The Luck Factor, How to Make Friend and Influence People and the like).

Actually, some of the reasons are apparent, or at least partially obvious. Next year, DestructoGirl will be in school full-time and it will be time for me make whatever career move I need to make, and, while I like what I do now, it's not the most high-powered job ever. And I could stand to make more money, especially if I want to contribute more to my daughters' college funds (pretty darn essential) and someday own a home again (a fond desire). I don't think any of this stuff is really going to change anything, but after years of rejecting any self-help or self-improvement advice and "literature" and being in a bit of a rut, well, why not read some of the classics.

I'll say this: I like Dale Carnegie, Malcolm Gladwell, and Richard Wiseman tons more than Norman Vincent Peale. And I had plenty of time to read this weekend, snowed in without electricity. Other than shovelling out the NuclearGrammyMobile, I read. Finally, my heat is back on, as is the electricity and Internet connection.

Now, I have to line up back up back up child care until the Saintly Babysitter can make it. Since buses are running on really limited schedules tomorrow, her commute and mine are both going to be godawful. And no, I don't get tomorrow off work.