On April 21, in an undisclosed year in the 20th Century, I turned 21. My roommates threw a big shindig for me, which they cleverly called the Bearthday Party, combining the festivities of a milestone birthday with the commemoration of Earth Day, April 22. We were a clan of new bohemians who did things that weren't as common back then as they are now, like composting and recycling; tree hugging and rainbow gazing. So, this holiday was right in line with our lifestyle and a good reason to celebrate for 48 hours straight.

Today, April 17, 2014, is National High Five Day. When I think about high fives, the first thing that comes to mind is my three little boys at home.My youngest is 2 years old, and one of the first celebratory actions he learned (as did my two older boys) was giving a high five. We give high fives for many reasons…

My Mother has been an Administrative Professional for nearly 30 years. Let me tell you, having lived with someone who is in charge of making sure an entire office runs smoothly has given me a special kind of appreciation for Administrative Professionals.

On the first day of the month, I saw a post in my newsfeed that said our main Grand Rapids Public Library would be closing permanently. My heart sank as I thought of that beautiful, iconic structure becoming obsolete—the place where I spent hours researching in college, the place where I tutored my ESL student every Monday night, the place that welcomed one and all to come through its doors to explore and learn. :sigh:

Thank goodness, it was later revealed to be an April Fool's Day joke! Not funny, I thought. But, I also thought: I hope it startled many people into remembering how important this free resource is to our community, and that it raised awareness that without public support, this joke could be a reality. 

Last fall, a couple of co-workers and I were charged with researching trends that are emerging in human behavior and, specifically, in consumerism—you know, so we can continue to bring you the most relevant and meaningful products and resources.

That research ended up being incredibly useful in writing the latest issue of RecogNation. Those same trends that impact how people shop also influence the way that they interact, respond, and perform at work. Hmmm…super-interesting stuff for a big information nerd like me!